The Sun.
London, England, 1863-02-04 00:00:00

THE BOMBAY MAIL

We have received our letters and papers under
date of Bombay, January 13. The following is
from the Bombay Gazette of that date:—

" The Governor General is in Calcutta, where he speaks
and acts as he is moved by the spirit that presides over the
Indian Council in London. His Excellency Sir Bartle
Frere and Lady Frere are in Bombay, the former actively
pushing on the public works of the Presidency and the work
of legislation. The Commander in Chief of India reached
Saugor on the 23d December and Jubbulpore on the 3d
idem. The commander in Chief of Bombay arrived at
Ahmedabad on the 22d December, and has to reach Deesa
on the 2d January. He is going on to Rajpootana and
Mhow.

" Colonel Kirby succeeds Colonel Thesiger as Deputy
Adjutant General of the Bombay Army.
"In the Legislative Council of tho Governor General
held on the 17th December, a spirited speech was delivered
by Lord Elgin on the motion that the report of the select
committee on alteration or amendment of the rules for the
conduct of business be considered. A new rule gives the
Governor General alone authority to direct and order the
publication of a bill which has not passed through the pre-
scribed ordeal of a vote. A very interesting debate took
place on the motion to withdraw the Breach of Contract
Bill introduced by the late Mr. Ritchie. Mr. Harington
introduced a bill prepared by the late Mr. Ritchie, to pro-
vide for the solemnisation of marriages in India of persons
professing the Christian religion with a material addition
by himself relating to the marriage of native converts. In
the meeting held on the 24th December Mr. Maine moved
for leave to introduce a bill for conferring upon the high
c'urts of judicature in Ind a the jurisdiction and powers
vested in the Court for Divorce and Matrimonial Causes in
England.

" The Legislative Council of the Governor of Bombay
met on Jan. 7. Reports of select committees on two bills
were read, and leave granted to the Hon. W. B. Tristram
to introduce a till to regulate the burial and disposal of the
dead in the town and suburbs of Bombay.
" The memorial of the Indian Civil Service addressed to
the Secretary of State for India on the subject of retiring
pensions has not been successful. Sir C. Woed has refused
what he ought to have offered to the service, in considera-
tion of its losses, as a right. In future government will
give £6OO per annum as their pension; and anything else
must be made up from the accumulated subscriptions of the
annuitants. The pension of £l,OOO per annum is a thing
of the past.

"A gross outrage has been perpetrated on two British
officers of artillery by Sindia's retainers. The two officers
went ti see the Fort of Jhansi, when they were seized by
Sindia's men, pinioned, and marched into cantonments as
prisoners.

" The appointment of Sir C. Trevelyan as Minister of
Finance has given universal satisfaction. A great Tre-
velyan meeting was held in Madras on Dec. 22.

" An experiment has been made of sending the Madras
portion of the English mail from Bombay via Beypore and
the Madras Railway. The result is that the whole of the
heaviest overland mail can be sent at once by steamer and
railway to Madras in three days' less time than the very
limited weight which can go by express can be sent by the
old route.

" A native of India has at length been raised to the
bench of the High Court—Sualboo Nauth Pundit, of Cal-
cutta, has been appointed one of the judges of that court:.
" he statistical braneh attached to the office of the
Principal Inspector General, Medical Department, Bengal,
is to be much enhanced after the amalgamation, and assi-
milated to that of London in general utility. It will be
placed under the management and control of a deputy in-
spector general. The statistics of the three presidencies
will be concentrated at the Calcutta 4fice, where' the usual
annual reports of the sanitary condition and of mortality in
the whole Indian army will be prepared.
"A very large increase in cotton cultivation took place
during the past year, but the crops have sustained serious
injury in some places by the want of rain in the early part
of the season, and in other places by the storms in October.
"The Government of India has issued a circular on the
subject of the comparative rarity with which the contract
system is employed in public works ; and the Government
has ordered that no work be done departmentally for which
an eligible contract can be obtained.

"The Mhyjee Fair, held at a place near the Pechora
station of the north-eastern line of the G. I. P. Railway,
and to which the railway company has laid down a siding,
has just commenced. It will last two months. Last year
merchandise to the value of about 46 lakhs of rupees was
sold at it ; and large quantities of goods have been sent up
this year by Bombay houses, some of whom have European
agents there.

"The military demonstration amongst the insurgent
Cossyahs and Jynteahs, previous to commencing active
operations in the field, has made its influence felt in a salu-
tary manner ; one of the largest of the rebel Cossyah vil-
lages, with its chief, have tend( red its submission. It is
expected that other rebel leaders and villages will do the
same.

" The Calcutta Englishman states that a Confederate
privateer is cruising in the Bay of Bengal;and that the com-
mander stated to the captain of the British ship Sam,
which he brought to, that he would catch and burn to the
water's edge every vessel leaving Calcutta undsr the Fede-
ral flag,

"Two yt uths were sentenced to a year and a half's im-
prisonment in Boml,ay in January, 1861, for cutting the
telegraph wire in the jungles,connecting the ends with their
instrument by means of copper wire,and intercepting opium
messages. They have since been led to confess who insti-
gated them to ihe act ; and a wealthy opium speculator,
Nemchund Mallapchund, is row in custody on the charge.
" Mr. David Grierson, deputy inspector general of hos-
pitals. Poona division, Bombay Army, died in Poona on
the 6th January of aneurism of the heart.

" At the last Khundoba's festival in Nagpore, hook-
swinging, Lill now so common, was forbidden. This pro-
hibition will doubtless extend to the whole province.

"Four hundred and sixteen men of her Majesty's 92d
Gordon Highlanders recently volunteered for prolonged
service in this country on the regiment being ordered
home. This speaks well for the popularity of soldiering in
India.

" The Bank of Bombay has declared a dividend of 55
rupees per share, being at the rate of 11 per cent, per
annum, clear of income tax, for the half-year ending ;)Ist
December, 1862.

The L. and E. I steamer Jason, which left L ndon on
the 17th September last, was totally wrecked off Eanore,
on the 29th December. All her passengers were safely
landed. The cargo, it was thought, would be all saved.
" The health of the town au] island of Bombay has de-
clined during the last fortnight. Fever and cholera are on
the increase."