Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-10-01 00:00:00

(From the Bombay Times of August 31.)

The situation of affairs is disastrous. A fortnight
ago, the flame of rebellion was then thought to be
going out. It now buns with as much fierceness as ever,
and sparks from the blazing pi'e are ligh ing up the fires
of di, cord and iniurrecdon in the neighb urhood of the
conflagration. Symptoms of disaffection are now being
cxhitited among the Sep )y- rliments of b)th Bombay and
Madras, which convinces us that, although they may not
break out into open mutin:, they can scarcly be trusted to
fight against their rebellious countrymen. We may yet
hope, howe-er, that the arrival of large numbers of Euro •
pe n troops wi!l confirm the wareting loyalty of those regi-
men's still serving under our banners, and prevent them
from joining the cause of the mutineers. This is the only
consolation we have under the gloomy circumstances of our
present position, fir the Home Guvernarent to send the
reit.firce nents by the Cape route instead of des-
patching them overland will postpone the day of reckoning
by several months.

LIICKNOW, & GEN. HAVELOCK'S RETREAT.
There is no confirmation of the report that Lucknow
had been relieved. Tile Bombay Times says, no intelligence
has been received from Lucknow. The communication,
which is cut off, but it is suppovel that the garrison is
still holding cut. It is said that the Goorknas from
Nepal have relieved the besieged troops, but this may be
doubtful. The same journal states, that Gen. Ilavelcck's
retreat was slow and deliberate, and the enemy every where
fled before him. Oa the 12th of August, however, they
attacked him with two gnus on the northern site of the
river, before crossing over to Cawnpore. In this action
we suffered some loss, but succeeded in capturing the
enemy's guns, which the Highlaudeis did in gallant style.
The next morning the troops crossed the Ganges, and
arrived in Cawnpore, where General Havelock was to
remain until he coull receive reinforctments from Lower
Bengal. During Havelock's absence Cawnpore had been
toreatened by a body of the enemy, but when Gen. Neill
advanced to meet them they took to flight. It is evident
that Oude is the focus of the rebellion, and that it will re-
quire a large European force to reconquer it. Toe
regiments which mutineed at Cawnpore and Lucknow, joined
by the warlike inhabitants of the Province, have been
organised into some kind of order. The country seems
t) swarm with hordes of rebels. It would have
been madness in General Havelock, with his diminished
force under him, to have encountered the im-
mense army of the enemy, as his troops might
have been destroyed, and the safety of Lucknow and
Cawnpore imperilled. A non-commissioned officer of the
78h Highlanders says that in the all air of August 15th
there were only It2o of the 78th Highlanders praient, the
remainder sick. Our whole force consisted of 800 men,
including the Sikhs. A great many followers were cut
to pieta by the enemy's cavalry and roand shot. There
were two brass 9-pounders pla)iag on the 78th, which
would, n., doubt, have destroyed every man, and these
were most gallantly captured, though the attempt seemed
desperate. General Havelock rode up after us crying out
" Well done brave Highlanders, voa have this day saved
yourselves and your comrade," We did not lose a man
in the charge.