The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-31 00:00:00

ports to the officer in charge of the Adjutant-General's
and Quartermaster-General's offices in Calcutta.
Routes will be furnished from the office of the Quarter-
master-General of the army.
By order of his Excellency the Cmander-in-Chie.
H. T. TUCKER, Lioeutmenant-Colonel,f
Adjutant-General of the Army.

THE ASSASSINATION OF COL. MACKESON.
We regret much to have to record a daring attempt
to assassinate a high British functionary, in the person
of Colonel Mackeson, commissioner of the Peshawur
division. It appears that; on the afternoon of Saturday,
the 10th inst., as the colonel was sitting in his veran-
dah, having dismissed his kucheree people, a religious
fanatic from goner suddenly rushed in and endeavoured
to stab him. Colonel Mackeson, who is a very power-
ful man, seized the knife, but received such severe in-
juries in his hand that he was obliged to release his hold,
when the villain inflicted a deep wound in the breast of
his victim ; and, although the medical attendants hope
the lung is not injured, they could not, on the 11th inst.,
pronounce him out of danger. The miscreant was im-
mediately arrested, and is in safe custody. He denies
having any accomplices ; but, as he expressed to the
deputy commissioners his intention of killing both Col.
Mackeson and Captain James, in his capacity of a dis-
ciple of the Akhoon of Swat, strong suspicions are en-
tertained that he has some, and the most persevering
endeavours were being used to trace them.
Further particulars are, that the man was seen to
spread his cloth close to the verandah and pray ; having
done so, he threw his longee over his left shoulder, under
which he held the dagger with his right hand. He took
up a position amongst the crowd, and, during a slight
dust storm, staggered forward as though about to faint,
but in reality to disguise his intention. * * * The
point of the dagger was turned, evidently as though it
had struck a bone, and thus saved the colonel's life. A
man of the name of Ata Mahomed, formerly kotwal of
Peshawur, rushed to the rescue and received a wound
in his stomach ; but the assassin was seized ;
none of the chuprasies were armed, or he would pro-
bably have been cut to pieces on the spot. He came
direct from Jellalabad, with the intention of murdering
both the commissioner and deputy commissioner, because'
he heard from travellers that a mountain train had been
organised preparatory to the invasion of Swat, in which
country he had many friends ; he said that his heart
burnt with indignation at the meditated conquest, and
thought the best plan to stay the invasion was to murder
the instigators of the intended movement.
He is said to be a fine man, evidently of the common
class ; he is confined in the quarter-guard of the 28th
Native Infantry. He says himself he attendeplkucheree
three days. so as to mature his plans.
Notwithstanding the severity of his wounds, Colonel
Mackeson, on the villain being seized, particularly de-
sired that he might not be hurt.—Lahore Chronicle,
Sept. 14.
The colonel has died. This will be, we are sure, a
source of great sorrow to our readers, as few political
officers were held in such deserved estimation as the gal-
lant colonel. We have a few words to say on this much
to be lamented occurence. It appears from all accounts
that " none of the chuprassies were armed, or he, the
assassin, would probably have been cut to pieces on the
spot."
The chuprassies were not armed, we presume, in pur-
suance of the order directing all persons in the Punjaub
to be disarmed- But a greater absurdity can scarcely be
conceived that having unarmed chuprassies at a kucheree
in the Punjaub. It is a positive premium upon murder,
for an armed man who comes with a design to assassi-
nate, may hope to cut his way, sword in hand, through
unarmed men, after having accomplished his design, but
he would certainly pause before he went to a kucheree
with murderous intentions, if he knew he had to pass
through armed men.
Another thing we would suggest is, that these assas-
sins caught in the act should be summarily tried and pun-
ished at once.
The sentence should be carried into effect without
delay upon proof of guilt. The tedious process of our
courts is quite out of place with reference to atrocious
cases of this kind.
Within the last few months three public officers in the
Punjaub have been attacked by murderous assassins—
Mr. Jenkins, Captain James, and Colonel Mackeson.
It is time this crime should be put down with a very
strong and vigorous hand. The tribes to the north are
ferocious, vindictive, inured to blood, and murders from
the beginning. Talk of kucheree law for miscreants of
this kind—no, a strong rope and the first tree, on which
their carcases may swing as food for the region of kites.
We are no admirers of General Avitabile, whom, from
anecdotes we have heard, we are rather disposed to look
upon as a monster in human form ; but his quick, sharp,
and summary method of dealing with criminals caught
in the act is worthy of imitation, if the British Govern-
ment wish to give protection to their public servants
employed in the Punjaub.—•Mofussilite, Sept. 16.