Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-09-11 00:00:00

the anticipated advantages. Supposing a line of
railway completed as far- as the head of the
Persian Gulf, the navigation of this is safer than
that of the Rid Sea. Safer for passengers, it
would also be safer lot receiving the telegraphic
cable. We do not, ofcourse, deny the possibility
of safely laying an electric chain over the rugged
channel of the Red Sea. After the famous pre-
diction that the Atlantic never could possibly be
bridged by steam, we must he chary of pro-
phesying what science can or cannot do. We
are not fond of quoting kings as authorities in
matters civil, political, or military. They belong
to the class of frages consu►nere nati. That is
their cue ; and though they and their
satellites have diminished the world's
store of wealth, they have never added much to
its wit or wisdom. But a late King of England
(William IV.) was a bit of a sailor, and he
decidedly, on public grounds, gave his preference
to the direction of the Persian Gulf. Next, this
line could be easily connected with the entire
system of Indian railways and telegraphs, that
must acquire prodigious expansion hereafter.
The more easterly line has evidently, in this
particular, an advantage over the more westerly.
the greatest superiority is in the shorter distance
traversed by the Valley of the Euphrates. From
London to the entrance of the Red Sea may be
reckoned 4,370 miles; from London to the
entrance of the Persian Gulf 4,270—a difference
of only a hundred miles in favour of the more
easterly route. From the entrance of the Red
Sea to Bombay, say 1,700 miles ; from the
entrance of the Persian Gulf to Bombay, say 'OO
miles. The telegraphic cable Would have to
traverse seventeen hundred miles in the one case,
and only seven hundred miles in the other.
Adding now the hundred miles named above, we
find that the route of the Euphrates Valley and
Persian Gulf is eleven hundred miles shorter than
the other. Thus, whether we consider the rapid
transit of soldiers, passengers, and commodities,,
or restrict ourselves to communication by electric
wires, the advantages seem to preponderate in
favour of the Euphrates Valley and the Persian
Gulf.

But, whichever route is selected, proceedings
should be taken promptly, immediately, and
without delay. Our Eastern empire trembles
n the balance. Military men are saying that
India has to be reconquered. We do not doubt
that re-conquest. But this must be done by
energetic action, worthy of England, anti com-
mensurate with the occasion. If Parliament and
PALMERSTON have not good and sufficient reasons
to show why the overland route was not chosen
in sending reinforcements to India ; why ships
conveying soldiers and ammunition have to go
round by the Cape instead of across through
Turkey. If anything like Crimean mismanage-
ment is to be repeated, or has been repeated, in
reference to India, and to our countrymen, their
wives and families, now being massacred there;

and if, through the supineness and incapacity of
our rurert., lIMIK 5110 Ula ultimately be lost to us
—then we will venture to utter a slight prophecy.
It is this :—The storm of indignation and
reproach that overthrew a Ministry, and stirred
England to her centre when she heard how her
brave fellows were perishing before Sebastopol,
was only a gentle 'breeze to the simoon and
tornado of public wrath and reprobation which
would sweep away the incapables.

TITLIN T) LAND IN Bomn.a.v.—Raturns relative to the
commission issued by the Government of Bombay to inquire
into the tides and to rein ne hulls held in " inane," or rent
free, in hereditary (neap ation by native lendowriers in the
southera M'shratta country, have just bean printed by
order of the Route of Commons. These papers show that
the total number of inam claims adjudicated upon by
the commission up to the 33th of April, 13513, wee 6,913,
of which 6,787 belong to the southern division, and
the rem.;ining 126 to the northern division of the Pre-
sidency. The estimwed accession to the revenue from
these resumptions is-4,31,773 rs 6an 2p ; of which,
1,58,467 rs Oaa 9p have been, and 2,73 306 rs san 5p will,
after the lapse of one, two, or three lives, be recovetcd-
Besiles a variety of correspondence, the returns include a
statement of the proceedings in the three first and three
last trials where lads have been resumed, yielding a rental
respectively of £lOO a year, together with a copy of the
Act No. 11 (1852) of the Governor General in Council for
the ajulication of these Ctles. Th3s. Act provides for
the appointment of an roam commis-donor wit's. assistants
is any zillah or other division of the territories subject, to
the Presidency of Bombsy, sad empowers them to procure
the attendance of witnesses, and to take evidence. Annexed
to the Act are schedules, defining the duties of the commis-
sioners and their assist ants, and also prescribing the rules
to govern their decisiions.

MALTA.—our letters from, ?Malta to the 4th of Septem-
ber announce the departure on the 30th of August, for
Constantinople, of the Osprey steam gunboat, which
relieves the Reser, whose are val at Malta, where she is
r•Etfitsg. has bean already msctioned. Thera ware in port
the Hibernia receiving ship of the line, be ring the flag of
Rear-Admiral Sir Montigu Stopford, and the Wanderer
steam ganboat, awaiting inteniance from India to send it
to Loudon by electric tel.graph. Th.o European and
Australian steers-packet .2E:na arrived at Malta from
Alexandria on the 30:1i of Auzuet, bringing, among other
passengers, Cunmantier Parker, R.N., and left on the
following morning for L'.verpool ; the Cimhrian piddle
steamer, belonging to the same conynny, having left f r
the same destination oa the precAkg evening. The
Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam-packet Valetta,
with the London ratils of the 26th of August, arrived at
Malta on the 31st from May.eil!es, haring, among other
passenn,, rs for Malta, Major Stewart and Capfain Jones,
Mb. Re;iment fs4 A.'ex tnirie, Gsnr.,Nr.4 Wiadhaea,
Major-Gen. Sir Hugh !Zee, Colonel Little, Maier and Mrs.
Foster and son, Major -Heston, Major and MrF. Larkins ;
Captains Coles, Ciurtenay, Elwyn, Hare, Hill, Johnson,
Lock, Macgregor, Maclle.hon, Palley, Richard, Sterile,
Stevenson, Thoter.s, W md, and Rabin. The Valetta,
Ileft Malta fur Alexandria on the morning of the 31st, pre-
ceded by the Colowbo, belonging to the same company,
carrying the heavy mail and passengers for India from
Southampton. The Lebanon screw steamer took her depart-
ure from Malta on the tad for Corfu and Cephalonia to
embark the remainder of the 68. h Regialeat for England.
It was stated at M ilia that orders had been issued from the
Horse G lards for the despatch to England for India Of
several regiments stationed is the Mediterranean garrisons.