The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-21 00:00:00

!the murgents,wereceived the statement that the citadel in the service of the country, and at the last moment,
i of .1)‘ ioultan had passed into our possession. Full when unfitted for any employment of a different
part ,iculars of that memorable occurrence have this description from that in which their youth had
I not .ning arrived in England, and call to our remem- been occupied, the unfortunate veterans are
Ima nce the time when the conqueror of SURAJAII placed on the shelf, to make room for some
DownAn descending into the vaults of the palace of beardless boy who has aristocratic connexions, or
A toonhedabad " walked between heaps of gold and who can make interest from some other source
silver: crowned with rubies and diamonds." The with the dispensers of patronage. The avenues
tr ea suresdiscoveredin the subterranean chambers of the to promotion should not be altogether blocked up by
ci to del of Moultan appear to be altogether of Oriental the wealthy and the highborn. Some allowance
naa gnificence and of Asiatic profusion—and all these should be made for the poor but meritorious officers
'tre asures have been awarded as prize to the captors whose services form their only recommendations, who
by the will of his Excellency the GOVERNOR•GE.. have no Parliamentary influence to stimulate
NRRAL! Major WHEELER, the officer appointed "my Lords" to acts of justice. We cannot wonder
to make the exploration of the store-houses and that despair should seize on those who see before
sec ret chambers underground must have experienced them no prospect of attaining higher rank in the
sensations kindred to those of Mr. MANTELLINI when service, and that they should anxiously seek for em-
he wandered, to employ his own delicate figure of ployment in the Coast Guard, or in any other honest
speech, " over Tom Tiddler's ground, picking up the occupation by which their miserable pittance of ss.
demnition gold and silver." Or rather the spectacle per diem, to be increased, perhaps, at the end of thirty
must have reminded him of the riches discovered in years, to 65., might be eked out and rendered suffi-
the copper palace of the One-Eyed Calendar, or, as cient to support a family. We fear that
Mr. PEcKSRIFF facetiously modified his title, by the no adequate remedy can be applied until
One-Eyed Almanack. Externally, on the surface of the number of naval cadets be placed within stringent
the soil, the wealth must have been considerable, if limitations. If parties are encouraged to enter the
only in the wheels of guns piled up in the timber navy, they should receive fair encouragement,
yards, the dumbooruk saddles scattered in heaps about and have reasonable prospects of promotion
the outhouses, the mounds of loose gunpowder con- if they deserve it by their services. From
cealed in every hole and corner, the innumerable the facilities that exist for lads obtain-
pyramids of cannon balls, the batteries of cannon and ing places on the quarter-deck '.!;undue compe-
mortars, the stands of muskets and bundles of match- tition is excited, and all the good things naturally fall
locks, the quantities of leathern accoutrements, and to the lot of those who can bring the strongest influ-
the bullets strewing the ground like pebbles, so ences, into operation. This should be amended, and,
that the soil is described as having the as we have said, it can only be by limiting the num-
appearance of a leaden gravel. Descending ber of naval cadets and promotions to the rank of
into the cavities in which the treasures of the fortress lieutenant. Some injustice may be inflicted by re-
had been accumulated, the inspecting officer is said fusing a lad who has served six years, his commis-
to have found opium, and indigo, and salt, and sul- sion, but it will be infinitely less than subjecting him
phur, and drugs of every description heaped together to that "hope deferred which maketh the heart sick ;"
in endless profusion ; enormous hoards of wheat on for at an early age he may direct his attention
one hand, on the other almost inexhaustible stores of to other pursuits, for which he may be qualified; he
rice ; stacks of ghee vessels brimming with their will not have grown grey in the service of his country
unctuous contents ; bales upon bales of costly shawls without reward or without hope.
and gorgeous silks ; chest after chest crammed with
scabbards, blazing with gold and jewels; tiers of
copper cannisters filled to the brim with gold mohurs.
"My poor pen," says a correspondent of the
Delhi Gazette, " cannot describe the variety of
wealth displayed to the inquisitive eye. Tum-
brils, under strong guards, have been moving
to and fro with gold coin all the day."
And, in addition to this, three or four crores
of specie were still known to be concealed beyond the
amount already discovered—one crore of rupees
being one million of pounds sterling ! Besides these
extraordinary accounts of the booty captured in
Moultan, the mails have brought descriptions of the
appearance, the position, the character, and the bear-
ing of the MOOLRAJ, under his present appalling mis-
fortunes. Every sentence now received respecting.
this celebrated chieftain—the ABD•EL-KADER of
Hindostan—confirms the suspicions entertained of
late that he has throughout been grossly maligned
as to his cruelties, and caricatured as to his disposi-
tion. So far from having participated in any way
in causing the assassination of AGNEW and ANDER..
sort, the Alooutaa appears to have bestowed upon the
remains of those unfortunate officers the respect of a
funeral marked by all military honours. The affec-
tion with which he is " adored" by his followers is a
sufficient corroboration of their panegyric upon him
—to the effect that his justice and generosity are only
surpassed by his heroism. The spectacle formed by
his appearance, " gorgeously attired in silks and
splendid arms, and riding upon a magnificent Arab
steed, with a rich saddle-cloth of scarlet," is
in accordance with the accounts elsewhere
given of his sumptuous possession. The affecting
description of his separation from his chiefs and
brethren, who " threw themselves at his feet and wept
sore as they were parted from him and might not
hope to see his face any more," forms a fitting close
to the career of a Prince who is acknowledged to
have made one of the most gallant defences on record
in the history of modern warfare. The generosity
with which his sword was instantly restored to him
on his resigning it into the hands of General Wnisn,
and the noble moderation which prompted his Excel-
lency the Earl of DALHOUSIE to guarantee his life to
the MOOLRAJ even before he evinced any disposition to
surrender, are sureties that he will have no reason to
complain of the harshness of the British Government
on the adjustment of the affairs of the Punjaub. That
adjustment is approaching nearer and nearer to theho-
rizon of Ferozepore (where the GOTERNOR-GENERAL
has established his head-quarters) every day that the
army of Wnisu approaches nearer and nearer to the
army under the veteran Commander-in-Chief. There
is, consequently, a chance that before his illustrious
successor arrives on the northern banks of the Sut-
lej, Lord t3rouGH may not only have obliterated all
recollection of Chidianwallah, but may have added
fresh laurels to those which are still green upon his
helmet.

The termination of the armistice between Sardinia
and Austria elicited yesterday an article from the
Times. We are sorry to perceive that the same bad
faith which induced Prince SCHWARTZENBENG to
state la signal untruth in one of his notes
published by that journal on the Italian question,
is still exercising its influence (however uninten•
tional) over the columns of our Contemporary.
Prince SCHWARTZENBERG denied in the document
we alluded to that Austria had ever shown a
disposition to agree to the separation of Lombardy;
whereas it is a fact, known to all Europe, that his
predecessors in office had made an offer to that effect
to the Provisional Government of Milan. The Times
repeats its accusation against Piedmont of having vi.
olated the armistice, just as if it was this power
which detained the battering train at Peschiera, and
occupied the duchies against the letter and spirit of
that convention.

It is matter of surprise that an oppressive Go vernment
—the misrule of which has kindled the flames of revolu-
tion in every portion of its dominions—should traduce
the Piedmontese Cabinet as ancillary to the outbreaks
in central Italy. Piedmont has refused to disperse
its forces, and reserved them for an impending
struggle. It accepts what aid weaker Governments
may give against a common enemy ; but it has at
the same time repressed anarchy within its own pro-
vinces, and thus disappointed the hopes, and baffled the
efforts of Austria. The Italian club in Genoa, where
the wildest doctrines were preached by the Austrian
agent PAGANINI,WaS shut by order of the Government,
and PAGANINI himself unable to deny the evidence of
his own intercepted letters to MONTECUCCULI, the
Austrian Commissioner at Milan, is now the inmate
of a prison. Exceptional powers have been asked by,
and will be granted to the executive at Turin.
It would be presumptuous to give an opinion about
the final result of the approaching campaign. It is,
however, difficult to believe that RADETZKY will be
immediately at liberty"to indulge in the promenades
railitaires in Tuscany and elsewhere, so complacently
announced by our Contemporary. The defence of
Lombardy is likely to prove a sufficient task. An
exasperated population, backed by an army of a hun-
dred thousand men, cannot afford him much leisure.

NEWSPAPER STAMPING.—Since the recent consoli-
dation of the Excise and Stamp Boards, a question
has arisen as to the expediency of removing the
stamping department for newspapers, bills, &c., from
Somerset-house to the old Excise buildings in
Broad-street. The reason assigned is the want of
room. We believe a Committee of the Lords
of the Treasury is now sitting to decide on the mat-
ter. For our own parts we think it did not require
a moment's consideration on the subject, unless in-
deed the Committee wish to cause a world of trouble
to all parties interested in " letting well alone." The
proportion of newspapers west of Temple-bar is some-
where about 150 to 14 east of it. Certainly two
of the papers to the East are first class—the Times
and the Dispatch ; but even to these influential jour-
nals the inconvenience of going to Broad-street,
through the very thick and heart of the City,
would be infinitely greater than coming to
Somerset House. Besides, the proportion of lawyers
and other people having dealings at the Stamp-
office, is as ten to one west of Temple-bar.
If more room is wanted at Somerset House
consequent on the recent alterations, let a
wing be built on that unsightly space in Lan-
caster-place, so long and so unprofitably vacant. This
would be rendering a public benefit, and be at the
same time ornamental to the neighbourhood, besides
finishing off the noble facade of what was once
Somerset Palace.

LLOYD'S SHIPPING.-(THIS DAY.)
LONDON, MARCH 21.--Wind this day at noon, S.S.W.,
light breeze, and dull weather.
YARMOUTH, MARCH 20.—The Friends, of Hull, from
London to Cadiz, has come into the Roads leaky, having
struck on the Long Sand.
LOWESTOFT, MARCH 20.—The Glory, Hamburgh to
London, which was on shore on the Corton Sand, has
been got off to-day after discharging part of cargo, and
brought into this harbour leaky, and must discharge the
remainder. _ _ _

DEAL, MARCH 20.—Wind E. to N.E.—Arrived from
the River and sailed, Saxon, Maclean, Port , Philip;
Ametha, Robertson, Calcutta; Mary, Jarvis, Cape Coast
Castle; Palestine, Briar, Grenada; Catherine Greene,
Kenney, St. Kitt's. Ann, Palmer, New York.;
LIVERPOOL, MARCH 20.—Wind E., variable.----Arrd.
19th, Nautilus, China; Cannata, Tilson, Calcutta; Bo-
nite, Killey, Pernambuco. 20th, Daniel Grant. Edie,
Adelaide, South Australia; Windsor Castle, Rogers,
Callao; Persian, Apalchicola. The Roe, hence to
Philadelphia, was spoken, 4th Feb., in lat. 27, ion. 65,
short of provisions, with part of cargo thrown over-
board, and apparently bearing up for Bermuda. 17th,
Sld. Queen of the Isles, Valparaiso. 20th, Ellen Jen-
kinson, Africa; Swallow, Vera Cruz; Ocean Queen,
Halifax. Off port, Loodianab, Calcutta; Troubadour.
DOVER, MARCH 20.—The Samuel, from Newcastle
to Ireland, is on shore at Dungeness.
SOUTHAMPTON, MARCH 20.—Sid. Indus (s.), Alex-
andria. _ _

PLYMOUTH, MARCH 20.—Wind E.N.E.—SId. Sir E.
Parry, Adelaide, South Australia; H. M. S. Racer,
Westward. Off Plymouth, Kent, Calcutta.
FALMOUTH, MARCH, 19.—Arrd. Neptune, Toosbury,
Bahia, for Hamburgh; . Lena, Plain, Pernambuco, for
Amsterdam Templar, Marshal Buenos Ayres.
CORK, MARCH 18.—Wind S.E.—Arrd. G. F. D.,
Llewellyn, Mauritius; John Kallett, Turner, ditto;
Larch, Sidley, Callao; Abbots Reading, Johnson, Islay ;
I:s:trait. Randall, Barbadoes.
DUBLIN, MARCH 17.—Sld. Lydia, New York.
CARDIFF, MARCH 19.—Sld. Empire, Quebec.
The Kilmaurs, sailed from Havannah for Cork, on the
4th December, and has not since been heard of.

We would invite the public attention to a letter
which appears in another part of our impression, from
" One of the many Lieutenants at the time Captain
Peel entered the Navy." The sentence is significant.
It tells a melancholy tale of blighted hopes,
of reasonable expectations bitterly and sadly disap-
pointed; and yet our correspondent is but one of a
gallant body whose name is "legion." We believe
that Captain WILLIAM PEEL entered as a naval cadet
in the year 1837, and we find by a reference to the
navy list that no less than 1,547 of the 2,310
now on the books, or nearly two-thirds
of the entire number, had obtained their rank
in or previous to that year, while no less than :1,119
were lieutenants in the year 1822, previous to the
birth of that fortunate officer. There is, to say the
least of it, on the face of this statement, something
that calls for inquiry as to the mode in
which the patronage of the Admiralty has been
distributed. There must be something radically
wrong in.the system under which such grievous in-
justice could be perpetrated on the older officers,
many of whom had seen ten times the
service, and had performed their duties,
while afloat, with equal merit and success.
There is unfortunately but too much truth in the
assertion of our correspondent, " that a man may be
a younglieutenant or commander, but an old officer."
'o best rug of life have to fgecpAelltlY beau spent