The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-15 00:00:00

THE OVERLAND MAIL.

INDIA AND CHINA •
, A few days ago we published our usual telegra-
phic despatch from Trieste, in anticipation of
Overland Mail. We have now received our papers
by the same route. The following is the summary
of the Bombay Times, dated April 14
The latest accounts from Burmah still represent
1110 state of the country as most unstisfactory.
detachment of Sepoys, escorting provisions
to Prome, had been attacked by Docoits,
When two Sepoys were killed and 14 wounded.
The party numbering 70 men of the 10th
Bengal Native Infantry, under the command of
Captain Phillot, when five miles from Taphoc n,
Washeroad lay,
the
fired into from the dense jungle through which
and in which the dacoits were con-
cealed. On the first fire the cart drivers unyoked
heir bullocks and ran away, so that Captain Phil-
,t
could neither advance nor return without leaving
'no wounded men of his detachment behind, the
"1Y dooly he had being occupied by a wounded man
Who subsequently died. However, the Captain
charged his assailants and drove them through the
jungleat the bayonet's point, but no sooner were they
dislodged from one point than they appeared at
thanhllio
another. After After two hours' hard fighting, Captain
detachment was reinforced by a party
of the 4th Sikhs, under the command of Lieute-
nant Dunbar, whO were accompanied by two &le-
11,11ants, upon which the wounded were placed, and
all returned to Taphoon. Captain Phillot is said to
144" had a most narrow escape ; the pony he was
on was shot dead, the ball passing through the
animal and grazing the rider's leg. Another bullet
Went through his forage cap and lodged in the shoulder
°f one of the sepoys. The loss sustained upon this '
occasion by the Burmese has not been accurately
ascertained, but a wounded chief who had been
rde prisoner died on the road to Taphoon. Major
thall has marched from Yargun with 250 of the
10th and 47th Arracanese and Peguese in search
0,,
Gounghee, and it is hoped he may be suc-
°aqui in capturing that dacoit leader. The re-
port that Major Allan, the Deputy Quartermaster-
*eneral, had been attacked and wounded and the
announcement that the King of Ava had been
poisoned, are, as we anticipated, alike without foun-
d)
Zen. All parties concur in considering an ad-
;„""ice on Ava unavoidable, and some dissatisfaction
r,., beginning to be expressed at the policy pursued
Z,reterence to the Burmese by the Governor-Gene-
'''. Sir S. W. Steel, K.C.8., it is confidently as-
serted, has been appointed to the command of the
forces in Burmah, and is to proceed there forthwith.
From Persia we have no intelligence upon which
,e can place much confidence. It is, however,
Aited• that 800 Persians had besieged the fort of
...*:',°aB) in which was the Arab Chief, Mahomet
~"'eeni, and about 1,000 men. A three-masted
tielssel, with 500 troops on board, was also firing on
be:Persians, who are said to have lost 110 men.
t is also added that the Persians will be obliged
0 retire, as the Arabs are well supplied with am-
munition, Sheik Kannoon of Aboo Dubbee and
e Charga Chief were inclined to assist the Arabs,
and had set sail to do so, but they were pre-
tonelate by the British agent, who desired thorn not
s rfere. The Ryots of Bunder Abbas were
rafelY located at Kissim. A report was also cur-
rent at Cabul that the King of Persia had
sent
Sn an ambassador to Mahomed Saeed Khan,
(3;11 of the late Vuzeer Yar Mahomed Khan,
lieret, advising him to place his family
at Neeshapoor (a Persian province in Khorassan,
hear Herat) until peace is established between the
Sthe of Khoorshaid Khoola (Sunny Cap, meaning
also r-snperor of Russia) and the Sultan. He has
_,'Bo directed him, as well as the Chiefs of Can-
tuahar, to keep their troops ready, and march them
any side he may authorize hereafter. " Nou-
'l.°z," the equinox, was fixed as the day for the de-
parture of the families from Herat. The Persian
'!krabassador, it is alleged, is deeply engaged in gain-
ing the confidence of the population of Herat, both
Persians and Affghans. He treats them with every
assurance of kindness on the part of the Shah of
Persia.
As to Dost Mahomed, his reported offer of
friendship is said to have been a piece of duplicity on
his part, but nothing certain on the subject has
transpired. It is alleged that the Khan of Khiva,
the King of Persia, and the King of Bokhara have
nntered into a treaty offensive and defensive, and
that Dost Mahomed, influenced by Burukzaee
chiefs of Cabul through the advice of the Kokan
Merchants, had secretly deputed Jaffer Khan to
the King of Persia. Sooltan Mahomed Khan, the
ex-Chief of Peshawur, had also despatched Allandad
Xhan to his Majesty on his own behalf.
From Madras we learn of the total loss of the
ship Banker's Daughter, bound from Port Philip
to Bombay, and of the barques Hosannah and
tfamoody of this port ; the two former vessels were
Wrecked on the Maldive, the latter on the Lacca-
dive Islands. We are happy to add that the crews
Were all saved. Sir H. Pottinger is to leave India
13Y the steamer of the 24th inst. Gen. Stavely,
tb,o Commander-in-Chief, left Madras on the 25th
ultimo, on a tour of inspection and review in the
,_lYsore Division, intending to proceed from thence
`4.) Coonoor and the Nelgherry hills, but the ex-
tected change of the President-in-Council necessi-
ates, it is said, his speedy return to the Presi-
ci„ericY, that he may be present in Council at the
swearing in of the new Governor. Lord Dalhousie
about to take effectual measures to secure peace
is
°the Nizam's country.
rota Bengal we learn that Government had
lartered the steamer Precursor, a proceeding that
caused many opinions to be surmised. One was that
a
e was destined to convey troops to Pegu, another
to
carry them to Persia, but the most reasonable
Fuse assioned is that the vessel is destined to con-
Brinformation •
ormation to the officer commanding the
bel'ish squadron in China of the declaration of war
prepared,
England and Russia, so that he may be
tePared, by receiving earlier intelligence of this
pctto protect
than. the Russian Commander, totake measures
rr°tect our settlements in that part of th 3 world,
and,etic, if advisable, bring the Russian squadron to an
gement. •
The latest accounts from Ceylon confirm the ex-
istencew. of gold, but it is extremely doubtful indeed
re ''ter it can be procured in sufficient quantity to
Inlinerate parties digging for it.
-A- fair amount of business has been done in the
te
tteral market, but money is scarce.

CHINA.
eur last reports from the northern capital (to
alt 30th of January) contain nofning of novelty,.
°ugh. they are important as confirmatory of
oatc was published of the patriots' progress at the
bl,u of last year, viz., that they were quite able to
(84'1:Italia the position taken up for winter quarters
uroe two months before) against all the forces
It
la 'ell-fling had power to bring against them ;in-
deed these reports are more than confirmatory.
It
18 certain that the Imperialists have sustained
xsevere defeats. What may have occurred within
i °,fight weeks which have elapsed since the last
say Gazette was published, it is impossible to
y with certainty ; but if the winter has been
Mild in China in 40 deg. north as it has been
!1,1. lower latitudes, we may soon expect to find
that both northern and southern capitals being in
the hands of the new dynasty, the first duty of
?,11r new Plenipotentiary will be to treat with the
4e facto Government regarding our relations,
speedily requiring, as they do, an effective amend-
rAent.

From Nankin we have most pleasing accounts
of the steadiness and good sense of the members of
the new Administration, and there is reason for
believing that whilst Thae-ping-Wang, in a praise-
Worthy spirit of humanity, is desirous of effecting
a conclusion of the struggle by beleaguering Pekin,
and alarming Hien-fung into flight from his palace,
in other provinces of the Empire his Majesty is
quietly consolidating his power. During the cur-
rent month we have had reports of three provincial
cities having fallen under his sway.
,We mentioned in our last overland summary
that the Tartar General Heang-yung was expected
With his forces to make a final attempt at Shanghai,
but the order to break up their encampment and
march southwards appears to have been the signal
for general disarrangement, and thousands upon
thousands 3 of the troops at once either declared for
the new SoN.ereign, or deserted from the Tartar flag.
Samqua's further movements about
confinedboutSlia to the
nghai, in
the absence of Heang-yung, are
occasional daily hire of three or four thousand men
t° make a show. These men—rebels in heart,
harpies by principle—put on
uni-
form for a sum
for small pittances. Canton men
the Imperial
INnivalent to ls. a day. Natives of Shanghai dos
It at 9d. On the occasion of Sir S. G. Bohnam
recent visit to Shanghai, and interchange of calls
tfituth Sarnqua, there were some strong musters,
large proportion of them forgot to return
their arms, which afterwards found their way into
t, the insurgent barracks in the city. An extensive
Short
time ago, and several of his officers have been
sent to Soochow and there decapitated. Altogether
the chances of the Imperialists' ability to retake
reughai now nearly half a year in the rebels' pos-
csi°n, are very small. At other places on the
oast all appears to be quiet.
_ In Canton on Thursday last there was a great
execution ; three were partially flayed, then cut in
pieces, and their hearts taken to the Mandarins for
4;eapection ; one was crucified, and 65 others simply
Itueeectaelpyi,tated. The horrid spectacle was witnessed by
_°°r er five foreigners, neither of whom, unfortu-
from ignorance of the language, could un
Y, from
Etathe nature of their crimes.
-wage at Shanghai, on the 14th inst., Was as