The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-04 00:00:00

OVER LAND MAIL

INDIA.
(Fr:m the Chronicle.)
We have received by Extraordinary Express, in
anticipation of the Overland Mail, papers from
Bombay, and our private correspondence to the 3d of
December.

(From the Bombay Times of December 2 )
SUMMART.—The present is, we believe, the first
occasion on which Government have gazetted Sun-
day as the day of the dispatch of the mails. A me-
morial from the inhabitants has been sent in, praying
that, at all events, the Post-office might be closed
on Sunday, whenever the steamer might be dis-
patched, but has not been acceded to. For some
months past the day of dispatch previously gazetted
has been altered, and if this state of matters con-
tinues, instead of stating the Ist and 15th as being
our dispatch days, we must only speak of the
beginning and middle of the month as our mail
periods. These things are in every way most
inexpedient, and ought to be strongly remonstrated
against. Our news is more important on the present
than it has been for some mails past. At the date
of our last, the troops which had crossed the Ravee
had be en directed to advance, and we have now as-
sembled on the Chenaub, under the immediate com-
mand of Lord Gough in person, an army of 20,000
men, with 70 pieces of artillery—including three re-
giments of dragoons, five of regular and four of ir-
regular native cavalry, seven ti oops of horse, and as
many companies of foot artillery, with five field
batteries, four regiments of European and fifteen of
native infantry. These are expected to advance to
the northward in two divisions in quest of an enemy.
One body of insurgents, about 1.3,000 strong, are
said to be posted a little way beyond the Jhelum,
under Shere Singh and his brother, and a brother of
Moolraj ; Chuttur Singh is somewhere near Fe-
shawur. The troops of the last-named station
have mutinied. Mejer Lawrence and Lieutenant
Bowie were obliged to seek safety in flight ; they
are now in Kohat. The troops in Attock remain
faithful, and Captain Abbott is still able to hold
his own in the Hazareh country. Of the Jamoo
division, under Colonel Steinbach, we have heard
nothing since our last. After some days of severe
skirmishing before Moultan, an attack was made on
the field-works established near our camp, and by
the fire from which our troops had been for some
time greatly annoyed. The arrangements seem to
have been admirable—the conduct of the troops be-
yond all praise. The enemy were broken and driven
back at all points—five of their guns remaining in
our hands. This occurred on the 7th of November.
Since then everything has remained as formerly. The
first portion of the Bombay column—above 7,000
strong, with twenty-four guns, left Roree on the
21st ult., and would be all on their upward march
within a week afterwards; they would probably
reach Moultan between the 12th and 20th inst. A
detachment consisting of the 3d Native Infantry,
Turnbull's battery, and 500 of Jacob's Horse, had
got as far as Ooch, but when within a week's
march of Moultan were directed to halt. All the
troops now in the field, amounting to above forty
thousand in number, excluding Whish's army and
the garrison at Lahore, and including some 15,000 of
our allies, seem in excellent health and the highest
spirits. It is doubtful whether any operation of im-
portance will be commenced until all our troops shall
have arrived at their posts. There seems much rea-
son to apprehend that we shall for the present have no
railways in India: the Court of Directors seem re-
solved not to guarantee a dividend of five per cent.,
which some parties had expected they would have
done, besides making good all risks, but to ensure this
interest on the gross capital out of which the charges
of the railway falls to be taken should its income
fall under the expenses of working. A return of the
Sheriffs of Bombay since 1800 has just been pub..
lished, showing that, on the twenty-six gentlemen
who within the last forty-eight years have held the
sinecure, 100,0001. of the public money has been
bestowed—some of the more fortunate friends of
the members of Government having received from
6,0001. to 10,0001. for which no service whatever was
professed to be given. The office of sheriff, which
has been condemned from the first as useless and a
waste of public money, is still continued at a cost of
about 10,0001. a year. Some discussion on the sub-
ject of the Mint at Bombay has brought to light the
fact that the Mint Master enjoys a salary of 4,0001. a
year—he being a civilian placed in office by virtue of
seniority, without requiring to possess, or in general
possessing, the slightest acquaintance with chemistry
or mechanics. Toe present fortunate holder of the
office was, just before his appointment, Postmaster
at Bombay, Bullion is purchased by Government
before being melted, and in the course of seven
years before 1844, 30,000/. was set down as
melters' loss, there being that much less coin turned
out than there was specie paid for Of late
years, under a change in the meltership, all loss
under this head has disappeared. At Calcutta and
Madras the Mint Master is also Mint Engineer—an
arrangement by which, in salary alone, the Govern-
ment save about 2,0001. a year—and probably as
much more in management. Thm saving that would
be effected by the aboliti,,n of the one office, and
transfer of the other to the hands of an engineer,
would in ten years make a hundred miles of good
macadamized road at ordinary Indian charges—or
open up the_ war from the cotton districts to
the coast !—The Governor-General left Meerut
for Saharunpore on the 231 ult., in progress to
Umballa. The Countess Dalhousie was at Allahabad
en the the 16th. Lord Gough joined the army of
the Punjaub near Ramnugger on the 21st. 'The
Governors and Commanders-in-Chief of Madras
and Bombay are at the Presidencies respectively.
The Bishop of Calcutta is at present at Bombay on
visitation. The Commander of the Forces at Ceylon
has met with an accident by which his ancle bone
has been fractured or dislocated. The Government
has been compelled to repeal the obnoxious gun, dog,
and shop taxes. It is expected that Lord Torrington
will speedily be relieved of the cares of Government,
and be removed " to a more extended sphere of use-
fulness."—The Nizam of Hyderabad (Deccan) has
dismissed his obnoxious Minister Sooraj-001-Moolk
from office, and appointed another in his stead. The
country is again getting into a troubled state. Mr. G.
A. Bushby has been appointed Governor-General's
agent at Gwalior in room of Colonel Sleeman, who
has proceeded to take up the duties of Resident at
Lucknow. Throughout India in general tranquillity
reigns, and we have heard of no particular sickness
in any quarter of the country.