The Express.
London, England, 1850-04-01 00:00:00

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THE OVERLAND MAIL.

We have received oar despatches in anticipation of
the Overland Mail from India. The dates are : Bom-
bay, March 2 ; Glenne, Feb. 20 ; and Madras,
Feb. 23.

The following is the letter of our correspondent :

BOMBAY, Ileac* 2.
Jest after the Outlet& of my last, news reached
Bombay of an attack having been made by some
tribes of Affrudies on a party of sappers engaged in
the district of Kohat, roaduaking aad repairing.
Several of the poor fellow@ were cut up, and the
robbers made off with all they could lay hands on be-
longing to them. But an avenging spirit, in the
triof Sir Charles Napier, was it Peshawar, bud
mielho immediately proceeded in search of the
rderers, with a force of some 3,300 men (Pordyos's
trovolif hone artillery, a squadron 2nd irregular
ea , Daly'e Punjaub irregular horse 900 men
from .81.'s 60th and 61st foot, the 23rd mid 31st N.l
Coke's Panjaub infantry, and Luau's guides).
The brigade was commanded by Col. Bradshaw, 60th
Rifles, end was accompanied by Sir C. Campbell and
Sir C. Nap as antatenn. The artillery were pre- i
Tided with 100 remade per gas, and a Ihrtaight's
provisions accompanied the force. They moved out
from Peshawar on the 9th, and considerable skir-
mishing occurred on the two following days, the
mountain puns being tilled with the enemy, who
kept up a perpetual flee on oar men from their hiding
when they fancied themselves secure from
daoger. The artillery, however, was excellentlyserved, and by the evening of the 11th the enemy
were driven out of the passes, when our troops re-
traced their steps to Peshawar. They wen, how-
ever, again attacked on the 13th in the passes, when
a young ensign named Sitwell, of the 31st N. 1.,
wan cut to pieces, and Lent. Hilliard, 23rd N.L,
and four European soldiers, were wounded, besides
a considerable number of Se s- Coke's
corps, which is said to have behaved gallantly on the
occasion. All the villages fell in with were destroyed
—at least all belonging to the enemy—and a large
number either marderiag villains killed. The force
returned to Peshawar on the 14th, leaving a party to
guard the Fussed keep it clear of the enemy if they
can. These doers after the mountain tribes are the
most harassing things imaginable; the villains will
not meet us in open fight, and have every advantage
over our men in their knowledge of the pares, from
every nook and cranny of which they can snipe our
poor fellows off at their leisure, while they themselves
are only contestable by add-pieces, which can of
tune only play on a few spots at a time, from which
the skulkers have tune to retreat when they fled their
hiding-plays are discovered. These marauding tribes
must either be extermina ed, root and branch, or bribed
into quiescence, or we will never know peace on the
frontier. In the camp at Peshawar murders and
robberies were things of common occurrence, the
Affreedies managing to enter our lines under cover of
night, despite all the precaution of pickets, outlying
and inlying, and patrols constantly on the move to
prevent their ingress. A young officer of the 98th
foot, named Grantham, had been severely wounded
while giving an alarm, on seeing a py of them in
his tent ; and they even bearded the lion (Sir Charles)
in his den, having entered his compound, though it
was at the time surrounded with sentinels. And the
moot surprising thing of all is, that though seen, they
alma invariably escape from their pursuers. A
writer to the Illyitusiste states that the killed and
wounded on our aide in the late dour was 100; the
enemy have stared bat trifling lass; this, I fancy,
must be a mistake. Sir C. Napier wee to leave oa his
return to Lahore on the 17t11.11ad he been then when
the resent mutiny broke oat, so luny would have
been shown them. He is said to have authorised Sir
W. Gilbert, who eommacds at Lathan, to put into
immediate execution the sentence of the general court-
martial, ordered to try the mutineers, never doubting,
probably, that that sentence would be capital in the
case of the ringleaders at lout. What, then, would
have been his surprise on learning that the heaviest
punishment awarded was 14 years' labour on the
roads? We are expecting every day to ruins his
remarks on ese sentence, the severity of which may
may be judged of by the following order, issued in
the saes of some men of the 32nd NI., who, at Rawnl
Pladee some skeet time since, endeavoured to incite
their osrades to mutiny, and who were sentenced to
14 years' hard labour :

I revise the santesce. I call on this court-martial to do its
daty to the state. It has found the prisoners guilty of bay
keg ' begun and excited a mutiny is their regiment," and
of an infamous attempt to dictate to the government what
amount of pay It should give to the soldiers of the 32nd
intent of :411.1•0 Infantry.
prisoners had voluntarily enlisted in the service of
the Kest India Company, for • certain fixed rate of pay ;
they swore to serve the company for that rate of pay. When
food becomes dear, the goy, ram nt generously pays the t x n
expense when above a certain reasonable price, so that the
sepey may not suffer when his duty takes him into pro-
vinces of the empire where circusnstanees make food hawse
is prise. The Kiel is found in clothing, in lodging, in pay,
barna what he could earn wen he not a ',poi. He is also
honourably treated is every way. Should • sepoy commit
an serious mote, his punisbint nt is, ordinarily, simple di:-
from this noble army, and the dread et sash a misfor-
tune reigns in the bosom of every sepoy. What higher com-
pliment can be paid by soldiers to their government ? What
greater proof cm be offered of that government's justice and
generosity ? None. The nobleness of the sepoy army, and
the advantages which it enjoys are known to the world ;
pensions forlosg service ; pension; for wounds received in
battle; pensions to the bereaved families of those whose
gallant lathers have fallen in action ; increased pay for aer-
obes to those who are yet robust and fit for duty ; orders of
merit, and medals for valour in fight; hospitals for
the sick, and, finally, these excellent soldiers an led by
European officers, all proud of, and glorying in their men !
These are all great advantages. They crowd on the mind of
the espy, who reflects upon the endue of the peen=
filermt which he serves; his lesion and his heart make
jrjueea to those glorious standards under which he and his
fathers have ever fought and oonquered ! I ask the officers
composing this court-martial, whether they, as honourable
soldiers, think that 14 years' imprisonment, with hard la-
bour, is an adequate punishment for the rakes whom this
court has itself convicted of trying to subvert that order, that
discipline, that jastles, that generosity (which the court well
knows I have described without exaggeration), and thus
turns the whole into dire; confuion, and despair, depriving
veterans of their pensions, widows and orphans of their
support, and the good sepoys of the 32nd Regiment of Na-
tive Infantry of their pay, by teeing the government to
strike this brave regiment front the service of the East India
Company for ever. For this must have happened if the
machinations of these culprits had succeeded. The prisoners,
like infamous agitators as they are, have been convicted by
the court of having gone from company to company exciting
their comrades to mutiny, and sidaniahtesing unlawful oaths;
and I revise the sentence passed apes them, es inadequate
to the magnitude of their crimes. I beg of the court to re.
consider its sense of the consequence, which may result from
the alms of these heinous °Maiden. Let it sentence • pu-
nishment commensurate with their damnable projects.
(Signed) C. J. N•rias, E3ens.r.l,.

The court, on receiving the above remarks, sen-
tenced the prisoners to death, on which Sir Charles
again remarks :

These five men have been justly sentenced to die, but I
tommute their sentence into that of transportation tor life.
la dermal exile the,. will expiate their crimes. For ever
separated from their country and their relations, la a
strange land beyond the sem, they will linger out their mise-
rable lives. It r a chance, bat Ido not consider this to be
as amelioration of their punishment; they will rentals
lavinglexemples of the terrible tate which awaits traitors to
their aolosm

Use's the provision of the 84th Macho of War, the pri•
man are to be sent to WI Presidency min visitable non%
with a view to the connoted seatences being carried into
abet.

(Biped) C. J. Narita, Gestoral,

•Cdirf.

The following letter from $ correspondent of the
Agra Messenger shows the results of the court mar-
tial on the late mutineer., u far aa the trial had gone,
up to the 16th ultimo :•—•
LAIIOI3, nut 111.-04 the Bth Instant, the trlah of the
matinees of the Oft ltegliseat N. I. emaaterted, sad so
the talk here le Went alms thew, I will give you ease
yarUcalere of the biollme bees a irked el Goviadgher.
Porty-efght appetite fth, and toartees some of the Bth
company empanel the nest belt*. They were trod kr
ceabloWg le domed their diseharp, with a view to extort
a higher rote of pay. Oa the llth canmeamd the trial of

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a geed tAlle at the mamma the Ilia. bowever, thee have
be some pretty Irony mints Moe have a *mayn't 'epee.

(THREEPENCE.

BOW-STREET.
Brt Or FLATS AT Br. JANUS'S Par ace —7'. Ed-
munds, who had formerly bees ethebessa to the Marchioness
of Westmeath, we. charged rith deaths five silver table-
spoons and six silver forks, the property of the kftrchioness
of Westmeath, Mistress dubs Robes to her late Majesty the
Gum Dowager, and who has lately been residing in St*
James'e Palate.
H. Clog, footman in the servios of the llathioness of
Westmeath, deposed that on Sa'urday be laid the cloth to
the dining-roost of that part of St. James's Paha allotted
for the residence of his mistress, for luncheon. He laid upon
the table six silver table spoons, six silver forks, end other
Plate, and while he was gone to inform her ladyship that
uncheon was ready, he heard the different doors of the
building open and suddenly close with a loud noise. He
immediately went bark to the dioisg-room, and missed the
spans and fork.. He was Informed by the sentry on ditty
that a man, answering the prisoner's dincription, had just
left the front gat*.
D. Forbes, a private of the Scotch Fusilier Guards, said
he was oa duty at St. J thee's Palace on Saturday, and he
saw the prisoner leave the park-gate, which he did not close
after him. He drew the door close, but refrained from
shutting it. He was quite certain the prisoner was the man.
The prisoner was remanded.

A MAN BURNED TO DEATH.—On Saturday even-
ing Mr. Kemp, aged 83, residing in Holton Old town, while
sittieg before the firs, wu seised with a fit, (it is supposed)
and fell on to the grate. When he wee discovered t►e leR
side of hiatus wee completely burnt off. There wee no see
present at the time.
REDUCTIONS AT BERMUDA.—Mr. Trisooll, the
egeavvictualler, is appointed agent of the Royal Naval
Hospital at Plymouth, and the duties of Ws department are
to be performed by the naval merekeepem Dr. Gams
ear n and medleal storekeeper, mania Mae, so that the
satahliahmeut will have in future bat a deputy-inspector sad
two amistaut-surgeons.

THE LAST OF CAPT. COOK'S COMPANIONS.—There
is at pianist residing in Southampton an old man, named
Wade, ths last survivor of Captain Cook's companions in kit
voyages round the world. He is ninety-Ma, years of age,
and is in poomesioa of all his faculties. He was present at
Captain Cook's death, and himself received a spear-wound
from one of the islanders.—Brighton Gazette.