The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-29 00:00:00

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MAIL
We have received, via Trieste, files of papers from
Bombay to April 28 ; Calcutta, April 18 ; Hong-
Kong, April 12.
(From the Bombay Times, April 28.)
In Burmah affairsprogress much the same as they
did at the date of our last summary. Brigadier-
General Cheape, K.C.B , has resigned'the command
of the force, which now devolves upon Gen. Steele.
" The Bassien district," says a contemporary, " is
still in an unsettled state, so much so that it is not
considered prudent to send the steamer away at
present. Had we only a few more such officers as
Major Fytche the country would be soon settled.
More political officers are wanted sadly. The work
now imposed on the few is enormous. apt. Smith
and Lieut. Baird and one or two more up the coun-
try will soon have to go. Poor Capt. Geil's, of the
IstMadras Fusiliers, who was wounded in an affray
with dacoits at Tounghoo, has since died. It is said
that negotiations between the authorities at Pegu
and Ava are in progress, and that Lord Dalhousie
is likely to conclude a treaty with the Monarch of
the Golden Foot. No intelligence of any moment
has been received from Persia during the past 15
days. The Hon. Co.'s steamer Acbar returned from
Bushire on the 15th inst., bringing despatches for
Government, but they contain nothing of import-
ance. The fort of Abbas is still invested by the Per-
sians, who are represented as suffering much from
the onslaught of the Arabs under Mahomet Salem.
The Hon. Co.'s steamerFeroze proceeds to the Per-
sian Gulf immediately, the Governor General having
ordered the largest steamer in the Indian navy to be
sent to those waters. The cause of this procedure is
unknown. Notwithstanding Sir C.WOod's assertion
in House of Commons that he disbelieved the report
of a Russian army being at Khiva, and the likeli-
hood of the Khan forming an alliance with the
Khan of Bokhara and the ruler of Cabul, the
latest intelligence from Affghanistan, if trust-
worthy, points to a different conclusion, and shows
the duplicity of Dost Mahomed. According to
the Delhi Gazette, who has a correspond( nt at the
city of Cabul, some Kokanees, ostensibly mer-
chants, but in reality Russian agents, had arrived
at that city ; they were treated with marked civility
by the Ameer, who frequently held meetings with
them, alleging that they had favoured his escape
from Bokhara, when he was confined there. The
duplicity of the Ameer, in tendering us his friend-
ship, while at the same time secretly conspiring
against us, is accounted for by the fact that he fears
his subjects will revolt, if he prefers the friendship
of a power so distant as Russia to an alliance with
us, who are so near his dominions as Peshawur.
" Three clays ago," writing on the 19th instant,
says the journal above alluded to, " a messenger
came from Bokhara to the agents at Cabul, with
despatches. The Russian General has deputed a
nobleman of the Khan of Khiva to the King of
Bokhara, bearing the duplicate of the treaty con-
tracted between the General and the Khan. A
copy of the same paper has been sent to the agents
at Cabul. Both States (Russia and Khiva) have
sworn on their sacred books, and have solemnly
pledged themselves to be friends to each other, and
Russia has engaged never to interfere with the
dominions and laws of Khiva till the end of this
world ! It is stipulated that a Russian am-
bassador is to reside at the Court of Khiva,
and ten other Russian officers are placed at
the head of 10,000 horsemen, employed and paid
by Russia through the Khan of Khiva. The
same treaty binds the " Koorgunj" state (Khiva)
that all the Persian, Bokhara, Affghau and Russian
slaves now to be found within the realm of Khiva
shall be set at liberty on the payment of half their
price to their masters. The friends and enemies
of one state aro to be friends and enemies of the
other. The Russians are allowed to build a can-
tonment, and station their force for 20 years within
the Hoorgunj boundary, at the distance of one
stage from the presant boundary of Russia, for
which the Khan of Khiva will receive a rent of
10,000 tomans. After the friendship of both par-
ties has been tried for the space of 20 years, the
Russians will retire from their cantonments. The
Russian general, who is encamped with this force
within two or three -marches from Khiva, is by
this treaty to retrace his steps after the owroz
festival, and take his station on the stipulated spot.
These are the articles of the treaty of Russia with
Khiva, which I have read with my own eyes. The
King of Bokhara shows groat civility to the Khiva
nobleman, who is accompanied by the agent of the
Russian general. Nothing had transpired as to
what his Majesty had done or intended to do with
the said ambassadors, until the departure of the
messenger to Cabul, whom the Ameer has rewarded
with 200 rupees for his journey over the snowy
passes. It is believed that the King of Bokhara,
who has had a favourable impression of Russia from
along period, will attach himself to that power, since
he will be thus saved from the incursions of the
Khiva "Alomans" upon one side, and the encroach-
ments of the Affghans on the other.. Post Maho-
med Khan has also ordered that an agent on his
part should go to the Russian general in company-
with the " Kokanee," under the disguise of a mer-
chant. They are to leave Cabul in the beginning of
the next month (Rajaub or April). The agent is
requested to deliver the draft of the Ameer's treaty
in person to the Russian general, and obtain all
sorts of satisfactory assurances for their future ful-
filment. The Dost had demanded of the Govern-
ment of St. Petersburg to furnish him with with
5,000 Russian troops, and the necessary funds to
recover the Affghan territories of Peshawur and
Cashmeer. When the answer to this comes from
the Russian general, with a sufficient sum of money
from Khiva (whence he has lately advanced with a
few officers, leaving his force behind), then the Dost
will openly proclaim his alliance with Russia, and
go to meet the general on the banks of the Oxus.
The agents of the Russian general wish to return
to Khiva by the Candahar road, but the Ameer,
being jealous of his brothers, is throwing obstacles
in their way, and wants them to go through the
Dehzurgee, Hazarah, and Merew. It is also re-
ported here that the King of Persia has sent two
or three of his noblemen as ambassadors to Herat,
Seestan, Candahar, and Cabul. The agents who
are now with the Ameer assure him that Persia
and Russia are one, and the ambassadors of the lat-
ter are undoubtedly coming by mutual consent.
When these diplomatic personages appear in Can-
dahar and Cabul, the secret of the Ameer will be
disclosed. Ono of the Kohanee agents is desirous
to see Peshawur, and return again to Cabul before
his departure for Khiva. I have heard that the
Ameer has asked Surdar Peer Mahomed. Khau
to escort him with a trusty servant. The
name of the Russian general is commonly called
" Khimkbab." Dost Mahomed Khan pays
more attention and respect to his brother Surdar
Sooltan Mahomed Khan in these days, and the
latter has nothing to do but to marry daily and
pass his time in pleasure, and erecting mirror
houses. He is in debt, and his creditors receive no
justice from the Ameer. Dost Mahomed. Khan is
engaged in communications with Mahomed Shah
Khan Ghilzaee, and invites him to come to him,
but the latter hesitates, and is satisfied with the
wealth of the late Akbar Khan, which has fallen
into his possession. He is in his stronghold near
the valley of the " Seeahposh Rafurs." There is
no doubt that he will some day or other fall into
the trap of the Ameer. Such is the tenor of the
most recent intelligence from Cabul, and although
we cannot of course vouch for its exactitude, we
must observe, that we cannot see why a corres-
pondent who certainly appears to have the means
of obtaining accurate information, should purposely
deceive his employers. From another quarter news
has also reached us that a subsidiary force is to be
formed in Scinde, and that the Commissioner of
that province had already received orders on the
subject. It is even said that Lord Dalhousie in-
tends visiting the Punjaub via Scinde, so neces-
sary does he consider his presence to be at pro-
sent on our north-west frontier. Tho most im-
portant item of intelligence, which we are happy
to record, has been the opening of the Ganges
Canal, by the Lieutenant Governor of the North-
West Provinces, Mr. John Colvin, on the Sth
instant. The ceremony, of which, ample details
will be found in subsequent columns, was attended
by vast multitudes. Colonel Cautley the projec-
tor and principal executive officer, was entertained
by the Lieutenant-Governor and the compliments
which he received on the occasion wereno greater
than he deserves. A telegraphic message announc-
ing the opening of the canal was sent from Roorkee
to the Governor-General at Calcutta. It ran thus
—" The Ganges Canal was opened this morning .
. by
the admission at 6-1( p m of water over the paved
channel of the Solaniaqueduct. Everything went
off happily amidst the rejoicings of spectators." To
this message the following reply was received at
Meerut at half-past 2 o'clock p.m. from the Go-
vernor-General :—" I have rejoiced over your mes-
sage. All honour to Colonel Cautley." The time
of transit was 47 minutes 29 seconds. Although
the Ganges canal has been un, fait accompli, We
must not stop here. The work of irrigation in
India having been once commenced must not be
abandoned. The Ganges Canal will but suffice for

[PRICE SD.

THE OV

a miserably small portion of the land now lyizt g
waste in India for want of water. There are in
this country rivers bearing away to the ocean waters
which expended by means of works of irrigation on
the thirsty soil, would bring millions of acres of the
most fertile land into cultivation, which at present
are barren, and which we believe, we are under the
mark when we say, would repay in an incredibly
short time an hundred-fold any outlay that might
be necessary. India has heard the snort of the
iron horse, and the remuneration that awaits the -
shareholders in our railway company is, no doubt,
great, but it would be there nonsense to make

that, 'great as it will be, any criterion of the cer-
tain fortune derivable from the construction of

works of irrigation. They are the first great de-
siderata, and will repay their projectors more mu-
nificently than the most sanguine could suppose.
Touching the electric telegraph, we may here re-
mark that the line towards Bombay from Agra to
to Indore is complete, and is now rapidly pro-
gressinc, between the last-named place and the
districts in Candeish. We hope ere long to report
its final completion. We have just been favoured
by an up-country friend, who has the best means
of being an accurate observer of the electric tele-
graph, with some account of its progress. He tells
us that the great difficulty has been the getting of
a sufficient number of posts to carry on the work,

which has been in consequence greatly delayed.
From Gwalior to Agra, says our correspondent,
some twenty thousand posts are required, and
though every description of timber has been tried,
straight and crooked, hard and soft, yet the line
is unfinished. The wire of the line between the
above places was lying on the ground for nearly
a month before posts could be obtained. The per-
manent line, says he, will take years to finish ;
the present one must be made the best of in the
meanwhile. Could posts have been had the whole
line would have been ready in January, as the four
artificers and parties at work have each been able
to put up five miles a day. Stone insulators,
heated and soaked in oil, are being prepared at a
and
dlars mountain are bein
great many places on the road, and masonry
g torrents, bni
lt ownhtichhe
abraennkusmoef
numerous--whilst
Ilahst
every possible means is being
taken to strengthen
the line of posts. With these precautions, it is
hoped that the communication may be kept open the whole of the ensuing monsoon. On the
line from Delhi to Umballah, and from Umballah
to Loodianali, the posts are all of good sault -tim-
ber, so that the same fears of their stability need
not be entertained, though they are of but small
scantling. A most violent tornado passed from
W.S.W. to E.N.E. on the 10th inst. in Rungpoor
in Bengal. It caused the most fearful loss of pro-
perty and life, depopulating villages, and carrying
before it houses, cattle, and everything that inter-
rupted its course. Whole plantations of bamboos
were uprooted, and " people were gored and spitted
through and through like meat for roasting.' The
dead can be numbered by hundreds. The magis-
trate has called for reports of the damage sustained
to forward them to Government. Intelligence has
just been received of the loss of the ship William
Connal. The vessel went ashore on the Bth inst.,
in the surf abreast the village of Harushpoor, and
was abandoned by her crew, three of whom lost
their lives by the swamping of the ship's gig. Par-
ticulars of the disaster have not reached us, but by
the latest accounts the position of the vessel was
considered hopeless, and it is extremely doubtful if
any of her cargo can be saved. The news from
Madras is unimportant. The death of the Com-
mander-in-Chief, General Stavely, has been con-
firmed. The General died in his transitcarriage sud-
denly, and the post mortem, examination of his body
showed extensive cardiac disease. Major-General
Sewell, C. 8., recently commanding the Mysore di-
vision, has been appointed provincial Commander-
in-chief of Madras. The Governor-General appears
in earnest with the Nizam, and in future the crimes
of his Arab mercenaries will not be allowed to pass
unpunished. Mr. Bushby has indeed told him as
much. "The English Government," he says,
" cannot allow such offences to with impunity. It
is the duty of the British Government, from con-
sideration of its own dignity, and the relation sub-
sisting between the two states, to demand from
the Sirkar that it should inflict condign punish-
ment on all offenders ; and it is necessary to make
an example. The English Government cannot al-
low the execution of punishment to remain at the
nisposal of the Arabs, or of the officers of the Ni-
zam's Government, for the obvious reason that
neither is the punishment awarded adequate to the
offence, nor is there any certainty of its being car-
ried into effect." We regret to say that Colonel
Gidley, of the Bombay Army, has been dismissed
the service by sentence of a Court-martial. The
line step thus caused falls to the 24th Regiment
Native Infantry, and promotes Major A. Shop-
heard, of the season of 1823 to the rank of
Lieutenant-Colonel, Captain W. G. Duncan to
Major, Lieutenant R. Scatcherd to Captain, and
Ensign K. Neave to Lieutenant. From the facts
' which transpired on Colonel Gidley's court-
martial, the Commander-in-Chief has deemed
it is his duty to direct that Lieutenants Laurie,
Comyn, and Fraser, and Ensigns Loft and Ham-
mond, of the 15th Regiment N. 1., be brought to
trial, and for this purpose a general court-martial
commenced its proceedings yesterday. Mr. A.
Malet, chief secretary to the Government of Bom-
bay, has been nominated the legislative member of
the Council of India for the 'Western Presidency.
Major Grant, of the Bombay Artillery, proceeds
this day to Aden, on the Acbar, having been de-
tached on special duty by Government. Lord
Elphinstone is at the Presidency, and Lord Frede-
rick Fitzclarence at Maliableshwar. Money is very
scarce in Bombay, and business in the market un-
remunerative.