The Express.
London, England, 1858-07-05 00:00:00

THE BOMBAY MAILS.

(PROM OUR SPECIAL CORR]

BOMBAY, Juan 6.
The subject which has most attracted our atten-
tion and caused anxiety in Bombay is the state of
the Southern Mahratta country. As month after
month passed whilst Delhi was besieged by the
British, Lucknow by the rebels, and whilst insur-
rection was rampant throughout a great part of
India, it was a ceaseless wonder that the Southern
Mahratta country—peopled as it was with desoend-
ants of the Peishwar old noble/se, all anxious to
revive the times when they wielded the power of the
state, should have beet, maintained in a condition
of quietness and free from a general outbreak.
The mutiny of the 27th Regiment and the subse-
quent revolt of Kolapore—the rebellion of a few
petty bands in the country of Kulludgee—the rising
of the Rajah of Shorapors, each al which :night
have bean the saws of • postal lowootaat, botiltooo
circumvented by the energy of the government, nest
unaided by a modicum of good fortune. But, not-
withstanding these ottomans, the state of the
southern Mahratta country remained a mares of
alarm to us, and a cause of anxiety to the govern-
ment, whose information as to the sentiments of
many chief. told them but too plainly that nothing
but extreme vigilance could enable them to weather
a storm ever threatening to burst. In these districts
as in those of Khandish and Guzerat, there was an
obvious policy to pursue that of disarma-
ment. But to disarm a numerous population
imposing forces are necessary. No one willingly
parts with weapons of offence or defence. From
time immemorial arms have been borne by the
natives of India. Their swordn pistols, and match-
locks are hob looms in their families, relics of times
when men's hands were constantly turned against
each other, when the sparseness of populations and
the breadth of uninhabited tracts rendered arms ne-
canary for defence from the attacks of wild carni-
vorous beasts. To deprive mon of what they valued
as relics of the past and a means of future defence
for their persons from the assaults of man and beset,
was to touch them on the sorest point of Indian
character. It had an additional feature, which was
that it showed distrust. Disarmament was likely
to be looked upon everywhere as • punishment. It
was so alike to those who had traitorously fought
against the English government, and to theee who
had not taken part in rebellion. From the
former it removed all chance of future success.
It proved to the latter that they were not
free from suspicion. The disarmament was unpo-
pular wherever it was tried, and therefore required
either a display of considerable force or • certain
amount of diplomacy. A judicious mixture of both
was used in the Southern Mahratta country. After
the affair of Kulludgee force was need with those
who had stood out against us. With a few chiefs per-
suaaion was tried, and there appeared some prospect
of success, for they seemed penetrated with a respect,
ibr Magian power, but they were liable to be fella-1
enced by the pernicious intrigues of others who
were positively hostile, and resolved to risk
their lives in an effort at emancipation.
To Englishmen the position of those who
thus imperilled their lives seems sheer insanity.
We cannot conceive any native believing in success
against our arms, bat there are too many instances on
record to permit a shadow of doubt that amongst a
few chiefs the idea of English power is altogether
unappreciated. The Sawnnt Warren, bordering on
the state of Goa, have for two or three generations
rebelled, and no defeat seems to have taught them
the wisdom of peace. These chiefs are now in rebel-
lion, and easoonced in jungles almost inaccessible to
Europeans, they defy us at present. Their neighbours
the Daisaies, Bheamia Moondurgee, and Bhemgee,
are equally contumacious; and though previous
rebellions of the same kind have ever failed, expe-
rienoe has not shown them the prudence of yielding
to our supremacy. These Daisaie chiefs were the
instigators of rebellion in the Dhare an and Belgium
districts. Upon them no diplomacy could act with
effect. Wandering in and out of the Nizam's fred
tier, collecting men and arms, they sought to draw
into their party emu of those chiefs whom our own
political agents were at the same time endeavouring
to keep in the path of loyalty. Amongst those who
were thus the object of solicitude from the rebels as
well as from ourselves was the chief of Nergoonda,
chief or jaghetrdar, whose fort lies about 60 miles
from Belgium. Mr. C. H. Manson, our political agent,
had succeeded in inducing this chief to surrender his
arms. His fort contained several guns, which at our re-
quest were taken out preparatory to being carried to
Belgium—unfortunately want of transport prevented
this plan from being completely carried oat, and the
guns remained in a village at no great distance from
Natgodad. In the meanwhile the Daimies had been
counter-working, and seemed likely to mowed fit
enticing the chief to rebellion. The Nargoond chief's
kinsman, of Ramdtoog, was also reported to the
authorities as disaffbeted. Energetic action was
necessary to bring matters to an issue. Force was
evidently required against the Militia, and it
was determined that force should be need,
but Mr. Mention, in the hope of avoiding boo-
tilitioo, determined to proceed to Nergoond, through
Bamdroog. On the 26th, accordingly, he arrived
with an escort of horse at the latter place, and had
an interview with the chief. This man is young,
and has but recently come into the property be now
holds. There seemed little reason to believe that a
man so circumstanced would throw away by disaf-

fection the for unto he had but just chanced to fall
into: his protestations of loyalty were therefore
believed by Mr. Manson, and they parted on friendly
terms, the latter starting in the direction of Ner-
goond, in spite of the warning given by his mamma
that Nergoond was in rebellion. Mr. Manson, crossing
the Malpnrba river with his escort, halted for the
night between Nergoond and Ramdroog, got into
a palanquin under the roof of a temple, and went to
sleep, surrounded by his escort. In the night he was
attacked by 800 men belonging to the chief of Ner-
gored, and as he roes from his palanquin he was
killed. Several of his escort were killed and
wounded. It was a daring act, politically, to commit
a foul mime on the person of the highest British
I authority on their part, and was intended, no doubt,
as a signal for a general rising of the Souther.
Mahratta country. The Daiaaies were out in armed
rebellion round Ouduh Dumal, in the Dharwar col-
leetorate, and the chiefs Moundergee and
liembgee held the fort of Ropul, on the bor-
ders of the Bellary district. The news of the mur-
der of Mr. Manson was soon made known at
Belgium, where troops were immediately prepared
dire lISTTiOS. Hs Majesty's 06th and the 20th Native