The Express.
London, England, 1850-04-17 00:00:00

INDIA AND CHINA,

THE OVERLAND MAIL.

We have received our Indian despatches, with dates
from Bombay to March 16; Calcutta, March 7;
Madras, March 13 ; and Canton, Feb. 23.
The following letter of cur correspondent contains
all the news of any importance :

BOMBAY, MARCH 16.
The all-engrossing topic t f the past fortnight has
of course been the mutiny of the 66th Bengal N.I.
All manner of surmises were indulged in as to what
Sir C. Napier would say to the sentences passed on
the leading mutineers; but not one, I believe, ever
imagined the punishment the old chief had in store
for the regiment at large. His order, issued on the
27th February, set all speculation at rest, and has by
some few been looked en with disapprobation. He
directed that the entirecorps be deprived of their arms,
accoutrements, and colours, and marched under escort
to Umballa, where they are to be disbanded with
disgrace, the innocent (if any there he) suffering alike
with the guilty. Thu example is a severe one, bu;
one which has long been required, to teach the sepoys
of the Bengal army, that, as servants of the state, they
are at all times bound to do the bidding of the govern-
ment without grumbling and disaffection. The Geer-
kss (hillmen of Nepaul) of the Nusseeree battalion are
to be marched ti Goviodgurh by their command.ng
officer, Major O'Brien, and there given over to Major
Troup and the officers of the 66th N. 1., who will hand
over to them the colours, Sze, of the disbanded regi-
ment, whcse number they are to take, under the de-
signation of the 66th or Goorka Native Infantry.
Major O'Brien is to immediately take measures for
raising another corps of Goorkas in the place of
those the, disposed of; so that the Bengal army will
be a gsiuer to this extent by the late unfortunate
affair, in that they will have some 800 brave and do-
cile soldiers added to their ranks to replace a like
number of insolent fellows turned out of them with
the disgrace they so riclq merited. The disbanded
soldiers were to leave linoritsir on the 6:h March,
under the officer second in command, the staff officers
of the corps remaining behind. Twenty-eight more
of the ringleaders had been sentenced to hard labour
on the roads. Major Troup is severely censured by
Sir Cumin Napier, and very jultiy so, for not haven,;
seen that the order cutting eff the extra batta to
troops in the Punjaub, issued by government in Oc-
tober, had been translated and explained to his men
before marching for the Punjaub, and not
trusted that duty to the pay-sergeants of com-
panies. The remarks by the chief on the
eentences passed on the ringleaders is signi-
ficant of whit he thinks of them. I subjoin the
order entire, it being written in the gallant veteran's
beat style, and altogether exactly what such a docu-
ment on such an occasion ought to be. The appeal to
the European officers is well put, and must tell with
effect, as it is well known with what indifference, nay
contempt, they treat the native officers and men of
their corps. How different is it in the Bombay
army, where a native officer is at all times welcomed
by hie European superiors at their houses, and treated
exactly as they treat each other; the consequence is,
the men, being respected and made much of, learn to
respect themselves; and there are at this moment
dozensof native officers in the Bombay army, who, in
appearance and intelligence in their duties, would not
disgrace the choicest regiment in any service in the
world. In the Bengal army, promotion goes, I be-
lieve, exclusively by seniority, and before commissions
as subadars are obtained, the men are old and de-
crepid ; in that of Bombay, merit is the stepping-
stone to promotion, irrespective of seniority, and our
officers are in general, therefore, young active fellows,
up to auy amount of exertion required of them. The
following is the order:
Head-quarters, Camp Janie-km-Sung, 27th Feb., 1850.
In the remarks made by the Commander-in-Chief on the
court-martial which sentenced the prisoners of the 32nd
Native infantry, Sir Charles Napier said, that the culprits
were convicted of trying "to deprive the veterans of their
pensions, widows and orohans of their support, and the
good sepoys of the 32nd Native Infantry of their pay, by
forcing the government to sinks this brave regiment from
the service of the East India Company for ever; for t►is
must have happened had the machinations of these culprits
succeeded."

With the soldiers of the 66th Regiment they have suc-
ceeded, and the Commander-in-Chief h is resolved to use the
powers entrusted to him by the Governor-General.
The native officers' non-commissioned officers, and private
sepeys of the 66. h Regiment, are to be marched to Um•
belle, and there struck off from the service of the Hon.
Bast India Company ; and his excelleney directs that the
colours of the 66th are to be delivered over to the brave
and loyal men of the NJimerm battalioe, and that the 66th
Regiment shall, in Imre, be denominsted tits 66th, or
Goethe, Rsgiment.
The mutiseers of tha 66th have brought down rain and ,
disgrace upon the regiment! When a mutinous corps has
eadeavoured to 'else a fortress, which a confiding govern-
ment believcd it had entrasod to faithful soldiery, it is
time that vengeance should tall upon the whole.
The Commander.in-Chief has carefully. read the proceed-
ings of the court of inqriry, held at Govindibur on the 3rd
I instant. He has also read the proceedings of the court-mar-
tie' held upon the must prominent mutineers of the 66. h
L Regiment. Upon the sentence passed he will bore make no
`comment, as they have been apyrovcd of, and carried into
effect. by the major general eenunandiny on the spot.
The Cunimar.der-iwCtrief has pleasure in expriedng big
'approbation of the conduct of Lieutenant-Colorist Bradford,
let L'ght Cavalry, which appears to base been decided and
judicious.
Sir Charles Napier has equal satisfaction in expressiag his
approbation of the prompt, decided, and resales ceedact of
Captain Macdonald, the fort adjutant; which conduct the
Commander-in-Chief believes prevented the fort of Govind-
'bur. from faille( into the hands of the Mutineers.
It le now the Commander-la-Chief's painful duty to
remark upon the disobedient*, f orders cantralmed by Mp.ipe
Troup, commanding the 66th Native Infantry.
Whoa the regiment mutinied, the conduct of this *Seer
eras cool, mohair, and deserving of the highest praise ; bus
Major Veep bad not previously read and explained to the
ewer of by erminsent the Governor General's order dated
26th Odober, 1849, when he received mate orders at Lich-
ee., In November.