The Sun.
London, England, 1852-05-17 00:00:00

S
MAY 17) 1852.
sil.:, 7

turn to England :desirable on medical grounds. The
Baroda scandals continue to occupy much attention in
the other Presidencies as well as in Bombay.
"Trade has been very dull at Bombay during the last
fortnight."-- Times.

(From the Overland Bombay Times of April 17.)
SUMMARY.

We men'ioned in our last the Calcutta squadron and
force destined for Rangoon had quitted the Hooghly on
the 25th, the Madras portion of the force, on board the
Bombay flat, on the 28th and 29th; they did not in
reality leave till the 27th and 31st respectively. The
Madras embarkation appears to have been a matter of
unusual interest; it was the largest force that bad ever
left the presidency at one time. Operations commenced
on the 24 h; unfortunately the weather at this time was
unpropitious, the atmosphere all over India having been
in a state of general disturbance for the last ten days of
March. On the 314, the troops were assembled on the
beach at daybreak; 137 boats, ready to receive them, lay
just within the reach of the surf, at that time very high,
in positions marked by numeral signals corresponding
to those of the respective steamers. Under a heavy swell
and strong current 4,000 men were transferred in less
than two hours time from dry land to the decks of
the steamers in the open roadstead, more than a mile
away, without a single accident of note. The surf in
many instances broke over the boats, wetting the clothes
and bedding of the soldiers, yet not a murmur was ut-
tered. One boat was swamped—her people were picked
up by a catamaran and brought on shore, and as hour
after wards—the sepoys' clothes, arms, and accoutrements
, as thoroughly as immersion could wet them—
gain merrily on their way out to sea. Tho Ma-
Leet was expected to reach about the sth or 6th
The Calcutta squadron had scarcely quitted
a furious thunderstorm overtook them, but be-
the discomfort it occasioned it caused no particular
The first of them arrived at the meutbeof the
)0o river ea board the Pouitlaufar and taz Luutal
lany's steamer Lady Mary Wood on the 30th, and
everything prepared for their reception. They were
the time put on board the Burmese
ire, a vessel of 1,000 tons, lying die-
Id. The Madras troops were not looked for
le 6th; on the 7th active operations were to
,once. The refraotory 38th Native Infantry have
marched by land to guard the frontier. A further
iy is expected to take place amongst them on the
iy, in which case they will most likely be disbanded,
and the most unwise system of keeping regiments on the
general strength of the army enlisted for merely local
purposes, be abolished. The 3d Seikh Irregulars, on
hearing of the misconduct of the sepoys, came forward
and volunteered to a man to go wherever and on what-
ever service Government desired; unfortunately they
are too far away from a seaport to be available. The
Burmese are said to be bullying and blustering at a
great rate—calling on us to come on, as they are tired
of seeing our ships in the river doing nothing. They
will probably find our activity much more troublesome
than our inaction—three hours of a bombardment worse
than three months of a blockade. In addition to the
force formerly enumerated, hor Majesty's steamer
Rattler, which left Penang on the 28th ultimo,
with Admiral Austen on board, would have
joined about the third or fourth; and the Nerbudda and
Mahanuddy from the' Hooghly and Akyab—the Lord
W. Bentinck taking the place of the latter—were or•
dared for river service; and to all appearance we aro
now determined to push on as far and as fast as pos-
sible. It seems to be thought likely that Rangoon will
be occupied and maintained by our troops during the
rains—the steamers keeping up the communication with
Amherst in case of sickness. Promo itself will be cap-
tured at once, and a strong outpost established in the in-
terior beyond the limit of excessive fall as far up as pries
deuce permits, to enable operations to be resumed at once
on the commencement of the fair weather. Oriental
Monarchs are in general kept so profound in the dark in
reference to the real state of matters around them, that
every encounter is represented to them as a victory on
their side, every retirement on the part of their adver-
saries as a confession of defeat; and it is most important
where practicable, to leave them no breathing space, bat
repeat blow after blow until they are crushed to the
ground.
Sir Colin Campbell's force returned to Peshawar on
the 27th ult , having apparently reduced the enemy to
subjection and compelled him to promise payment of a
fine and tribute. The accounts of an attack made on the
force, and the fighting with severe loss on both sides,
have proved wholly unfounded. They have given
hostages for their good conduct in future. News re-
ceived yesterday, however, leads to the apprehension
that the force will require again to go out into the dis-
tricts, to prevent the marauders plundering the villages
under our protection.
The Sindo Commissioner, Mr. Frere, returned to
Kurrachee on the 4th inst. from his prolonged tour of
inspection.
The fortnight following the 19th March, when the
storm first made its appearance, has been remarkable all
over India for the strangeness of the weather and the
frequency of thunder and lightning, with violent falls of
hail all over the country from 6 to 32 degrees north.
The 19th, the 25th, the 31st March, and ad and 4th
April were the periods of most noteable disturbance.
The chief hail-storms occurred about the 25th—the
thunder and wind, which were especially violent at
Calcutta and Kurrachee, in exactly the same parallel,
1,500 miles apart, on the 4th inst. On the 31st there
was a severe earthquake all over the north-west
provinces. The hot weather is no* setting iu, and the
temperature at Bombay getting very uncomfortable.
The Marquis of Dalhousie is at Calcutta, performing
with unsurpassable diligence and energy the duties of
Governor- General and Commander•in-Chief, Sir W.
Gomm remaining in the north-west. The Marchioness
has been compelled by sickness to return home.
Mr. Poacocke, legislative member of council, arrived
at Calcutta and assumed office on the 23.
The act for the appointment of permanent sheriff for
the three Presidencies has just been published. The
duties are no longer to be performed vicariously, and the
sinecures which have amongst them cost above 300,0001.,
bestowed within the last half century on gentlemen in
favour in high places, will thus become extinguished.
The sheriff hereafter is to be chosen by Government,
for life or good conduct, from a list of three, to be sent
up by the Supreme Court. He must be a barrister or
solicitor of the court, and not in the exercise of any other
profession. He acts at once as sheriff, superintendent of
gaols and bridewells, and coroner. Mr. Arthur, our
present coroner, will, it is supposed, receive the Bombay
appointment. The Act takes effect from December.
The Governor of Bombay and Commander of the
Forces aro at Mahabuleshwar enjoying the cool climate
of the hills. They will spend the rains at Poona, and
return to the presidency about November. The Senior
Member of Council, Mr. Blanc, has gone round to
Madras, and proceeded thence, it is said, to Burmsh,
for change of air. Tho Baroda Government have paid
no attention whatever to the instructions conveyed to
them through the resident to pay the debts contracted
by the Sertanee Joetabhace during the period of the in-
famous sequestration of her property, from the estate,
and to allow her from her own funds a monthly stipend
suited to her rank. We await, with much anxiety, the
decision from home on these subjects—expected on all
hands to be favourable to the victim of unheard-of
cruelties, should she till then continue to survive.
An important omission seems to have been committed
by Government in the preparation of the Act for the
suppression of frauds in packing cotton; no provision
exists for the detection of the crime, which never
_flou-
rished in greater luxurianoe than at present.
The second presentation of diplomas occurred at the
Grand Medical College on the 13th. The establishment
has given unbounded satisfaction—the native surgeons
who last year received diplomas being now in the en-
joyment of a flourishing and successful practice.
Commodore Sir H. Leeke, Commander-in-Chief of
the Indian navy, has signalised the commencement of
his career by two highly popular orders; one directing
heads of intelligence to be prepared on board vessels
of war coming from foreign ports, to be dispatched on
shore for the service of newspaper reporters the moment
the vessel makes her moorings; the other, desiring that
when disabled steamers of other services are met with,
every assistance shall be afforded them by men-of-war—
their passengers, parcels, or letters, should they con-
tain any, to be brought on for them to the presidency.
Just as the Ajhaha, about to start for Suez with the
mails, was getting up her steam on the 3d April,
Acbar, with the mails of Bth March from London,
anchored alongside of her, and the two were for a couple
of hours in the harbour together. This is the first
t
the out-going and in-coming mail ever actually were in
port at once, and shows with how small a matter of ad-
ditional speed return of post might for
every year be secured from Bombay. eight months

BURMAH. - i
We republish from the Bengal Hurharu an extract
from a letter from a party on board of the Lady Mary
Wood, giving particulars of the arrival of the first por-
tion of the Bengal force in the Burmese waters on the
31st of
at this date the Madras column had of
course not made its appearance. The Burmese were
said to have assumed the King Catnbyses' vein—
daring us to advance on Rangoon, as "they were
tired seeing our ships in the river doing nothing,"
Very probably, and we dare say they were
tired enough of their being in the neighbourhood
at all; but they would have much less occasion for
of
weariness with them in a state of passiveness than
notion. Three hours of a bombardment will, we suspect,
be found much more tiresome than three months of a
blockade. However this may be, we dare say General
Godwin would avoid as much as possible wearying them
with delay, and that by this time they will be in a p
tion to speak from experience both as to the passive and
active system of British tactics. It seems to be the
belief that no time will be lost in pushing up the river
as far and as fast as possible. There is nothing in a
ease
suet' as this like striking home at once to Burmah.
Mary Wood, we
" By a letter received per Lady
learn that the expedition was to commence the cam-
paign yesterday; so that in a few days.
we must be
in receipt of authentic intelligence of the operations
intention
against Rangoon. It was the n that the
work should be begun by the phipon egethon, which
to
would lead in and open the ball upon the occasion,
the
pereolimumulood, or; sclpiridfteirngtv
oup his flag to
that vessel,
etintend the titoiceis

in hand. The Burmese are said to have made their de-
! fenc.3.s on the island side of the town, with a view of es-
caping, as far as possible, the damaging effects of the
rough salutes prepared for them in the formidable ship
batteries to which they have ere this, we expect, been
exposed. The Rangoon stockades, well knocked about
the ears of the enemy, may produce a feeling in the
Court of diva that will induce a readier disposition for
the settlement of differences than negotiation, without
the example, has failed to achieve. If the town be taken,
as we doubt not it will be, General Goodwin is strong
enough to hold it against any odds; but if, on the other
hand, its loss does not alter the resolution of his golden-
footed Majesty, we may look for a protracted war, of
which the termination cannot be accomplished during
the present season, or without a considerable augmenta-
tion of our land forces. We are informed that two river
steamers are fitting out for the expedition. Amongst
the appointments enumerated in the staff list of the ex-
pedition, we have observed that of a field paymaster."—
Bengal flurkaru, April 6.

We extract the following from a letter written at the
mouth of the Rangoon river ou the 31st ultimo;—" I
suppose you expect no intelligence of importance from
hence, and therefore will not be disappointed to learn
that there is none. Detachments of" the 18th Royal
Irish and the 40th Native Infantry arrived in the Futty
Allum, Futty Rossack, and steamer Erin, this morning.
We are in hourly expectation of seeing the steamers
from Madras and Bengal, and the Phlegethon is anchored
15 miles outside the mouth of the river with pilots on
board for any vessel which may require one. The buoys
which came in the Bengal have been laid down and
painted, and this may be called the first instalment of
our proceedings. They appear so substantial and en-
during that it looks very much as if we intended to
make a home here. Two days ago a canoe came down
from Rangoon with three or four Burmese to request
the Commodore to return a kind of junk—a small tning
--whielvwescsaizadgme,,kinwago in attempting to break
the blockade; but there can be no doubt that their real
object was to see what we are about, two transports
having arrived the day before. They said that the Gover-
nor of Rangoon is quite disappointed that we have
not ere this tried our strength with him, and that ho
believes we are only blustering; so you see the Burmese
have no present intention of yielding, whatever they may
be disposed to do when Rangoon is ours. It is also said
that some days ago the Mirtaban Governor sent to Co-
lonel Bogle to say that as we had given them till the Ist
of April to come in to our terms, they would attack us
that day if we did not attack them. I do not know
whether this is true, but so says report.—lbid.