The Express.
London, England, 1859-01-13 00:00:00

INDIA.

We have received Calcutta papers of the Rth ult.
and Madras journals of the 14th ult., but the intel-
ligence which they publish has been chiefly antici-
pated by their Bombay contemporaries.
The Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal was absent
from Calcutta. He proceeded on the let on an
official tour of inquiry, and was not expected to
return before the end of the month.

The sentence of transportation pawed some months
ago upon his Majesty the ex-King of Delhi has
at last been carried into effect. The flat which'
brought the ill-fated King down from Alishabad
arrived, a few days before the advice* left,
at Diamond Harbour, where her Majesty's
ship Mavens was in readiness to receive
the prisoner on board, to convey him to his
final destination. His Majesty was accompanied by
two of his wives and several other members of his
family. " The party had taken care" says the
Englishman, "to provide themselves with every
comfort that could be thought of, and evidently bear
their misfortunes with the true Moslem submission,
and in as good spirits as if they were going on a
pleasure excursion. It was industriously circulated
(not officially) that he was to be conveyed to
Rangoon, but as no possible reason for such a desti-
nation could be given, it was generally disbelieved,
and it gradually oozed out that the Cape of Good
Hope was to be honoured with the custody of the
aged &swain."

The long talked of pyrotechnic exhibition, in
celebration of her Majesty s assumption of the
Government of India, took plane at Calcutta on the
evening of the 28th of November. A magnificent
programme, which would have astonished even the
people of London and Paris, was published and duly
circulated, but " this was all the display we had,
for the fireworks themselves unhappily proved a
failure."

The most important feature in Madras news is
the fact that a commissioner to inquire into the titles
of Enamdars has been appointed under the authority
of the late Court of Directors. The gentleman se-
lected by government to hold that office is Mr. G. N.
Taylor, and the date of the despatch authorising the
inquiry is the lit September. The Madre,. Athe.
mewls says that the measure is regarded as moat im-
politic and in direct opposition to the assurance con.
tuned in that part of the proclamation which
says:—" We knew and respect the feelings of
attachment with which the natives of India regard
the lands inherited by them from their ancestors ;
and we desire to protect them in all rights connected
therewith subject to the equitable demands of the
state ; and we will that generally in framing and
administering the law, due regard be paid to the
ancient rights, usages, and customs of India."
"The present Emmaus or rent free landholders,"
continues the Atilenaum, " have inherited the lands
of which they, are now possessed ; and they and

their ancestor; have been in uninterrupted posieesion
of those lands for periods varying trout Htty
to seventy years. They are now called on
to show by what right they hold their property ;
the onus probandi is thrown upon them. Of living'
witnesses to support their claim, there will be few,
and in all probability of title deeds there will be
fewer still. So that if the commission is persevered
in, there can be very little doubt as to the nature of
the final result. Tile injustice of the measure, to

use the mildest word, la shown by the facts that
the English law recognises twenty years' possession
us giving a title, and will presume from such pos-
session a lawful grant. And the English law pre-
sumes this for the furtherance of justice and the
sake of peace. That there is wisdom in this course
is sufficiently proved by the rebellion in the Southern
Mahratta oountry, where an Imam commission has
been at work.