The Sun.
London, England, 1849-06-23 00:00:00

i OVERLAND MAIL

INDIA AND CHINA.

(Prom the Herald.)

We have received by Extraordinary Express, in
advance of the Overland Mail, cur private corre-
spondence from Calcutta of May 2, BoMbay, May 12,
Madras, May 9, and China, April 24, with files of
newspapers of the same dates. The news received by
this arrival is not of great importance. Tranquillity
reigns nearly throughout India. There is an excep-
tion in the Nizam's dominions, where some dis-
turbances have broken out, a pretender to the throne
having taken the field with 600 Robillas, with the
evident object of plundering Ellichpore. Brigadier
Onslow, at the head of his troop, marched against
the rebels, and had several sharp hand•to-hand
encounters. The insurgents at length took flight.
We are sorry to add, that Brigadier Onslow at that
moment fell over a precipice, and was killed on the
spot. The escape of the mother of Dhuleep Singh is
confirmed.

We learn from China that the Emperor has re-
fused to open the city of Canton to British subjects,
according to the stipulations entered into between
her Majesty's late Plenipotentiary and the Imperial
Commissioner.

(From the Bombay Times of May 12.)
SUMMARY,
The Maharanee Chunda Koonwur, the mother of
Dbuleep Singh, late Maharaja of the Punjaub, having
been removed from Benares to Chunar for safe custody,
on the night of the 18th of April, contrived to make her
escape from prison, to elude her guards, and leave no
trace behind her. After ten days of wondering where
she could have gone, she has just been heard of in Ne-
paul,—this celebrated beauty having travelled three
hundred miles in the disguise of a holy man or pilgrim
through the most populous part of Bengal. On intimat-
ing her arrival, all she asked for from the Court was
leave to live at liberty—a request not likely to be con•
ceded to her. Arrangements for the settlement of the
Punjaub are in progress; there does net appear to be any
intention on the part of Government at present of increas-
ing the strength of the regular army. The hot season is
running on apace. The rains on the Malabarcoast threaten
to appear early. Some disturbances have broken out in
the Nizam's dominions. Apps Sahib, a pretender to,
the throne of Nagpore, having taken the field with a
party of some 600 Rohillas, apparently for the purpose
of plundering Ellichpore, Brigadier Onslow, command-
ing the division, marched against them on the 23d April.
The force under him consisted of one 12-pounder how-
itz two 6-pounder guns, 150 horsemen of the 2d
Nizam's cavalry, and four companies of the
4th, and five of the 7th Nizam's infantry.
The troops arrived within twelve miles of the
enemy before any alarm was given. On the 29th
the insurgents first became aware that the troops were
approaching by forced marches, and made immediate
preparations to escape. Hearing of this, Brigadier
Onslow immediately started in hopes of overtaking them,
and reached the village of Kullum about daybreak on
the 30th. The insurgents had now taken up a posi-
tion among the hills about six miles off, and though
the men were fagged with long forced marches they
begged so earnestly to be led against the enemy that
the troops proceeded without halting. The insurgents
now opened fire from the various ridges and ravines
which had hitherto concealed them. Our artillery
also opened; a standard was knocked over, and the
hearer killed, about the first shot; and the enemy on
this retired deeper into their fastnesses. The infantry
now pushed on in skirmishing order; they werefired on as
they advanced—on their close approach the enemy with-
drew. They were thus driven from range to range till
our troops, overcome with an eighteen hours' march
without food or rest, were literally unable to pursue
them. Numberless hand-to-hand encounters occurred,
and the conduct of the men appears to have been beyond
all praise. Just as the contest closed, Brigadier On-
slow's horse slipped and threw him over a precipice; ho
was killed on the spot. The Pretender and his man
escaped; they were said to have retired in the direc•
Lion of Mahow, and were expected to be fallen in
with by the Hingolee force. The annexation
of Satter& has not yet been proclaimed, though
understood to be on the eve of completion. Mr.
Frere, late resident—one of the most talented and
benevolent men of his standing in the service—be-
comes commissioner, with the customary allowance of
assistants. The Governor, Commander-in-Chief, and
Bishop, of Bombay, are at the Mahabuleshwar Hills,
which they leave for Poona at the end of the month.
The Governor-General and Lord Gough are at Simla;
Sir C. Napier was at Madras on the 2d of May; he de-
clined landing. He will be at Calcutta by the sth or
6th. Tho Commander-in Chief of Madras is at the
Neilgherries. The Rev. Mr. Pigott has been appointed
Archdeacon of Bombay, during the absence of Mr.
Jeffreys. Captain H. M. Durand, Bengal Engineers,
of Maulmain celebrity, has been appointed to officiate
as assistant to the agent for the affairs of Scindiah's
dominions. The services of Lieutenant-Colonel J. H.
Ouseley, 66th Bengal N. 1., agent to the Governor-
General, and Commissioner of the South-Western fron-
tier, have been placed at .the disposal of the COmman-
dGeory ienr
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Hannyngton has been temporarily appointed to the
office, which the Ea•tern Star informs us is to be per-
manently conferred on Mr. J. H. Crawford, C.'S., who
has recently officiated as Commissioner in Arracan.
BOMBAY, FRIDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 11.—Both Our
import and export markets have since our last exhibited
great activity, as the season is drawing to a close.
Money is plentiful, and one of our banks within the last
week has loaered its rates of discount one per cent.
Government securities maintain the advance that has
taken place since the settlement of matters in the Pun-
jaub. Bank Shares have continued gradually to im-
prove—Oriental and Commercial being fully 1 per cent.
higher than at the departure of last mail, and an in-
quiry for Agra Bank Shares has sent them up 3 per
cent. Bombay Steam Navigation Company's Shares are
still saleable only at a fearful sacrifice.

CALCUTTA.
(From the Bengal Hurkaru of May 2.)
Seldom has it been our lot to be called upon to
furnish forth a summary of news with so little of the
raw material to work upon. When we have told
our readers that the one great event of the last fort-
night is the escape of the ex-Ranee of Lahore from
Benares or Chunar, we need add nothing more to
illustrate the condition of peace and dulness to which
India has suddenly been reduced.
In Calcutta not a single event worth record has
occurred.
The English mail of 24th of March has not yet
arrived, but may be expected hourly.
CALCUTTA, MAT 2.—The commercial reports are still
of a cheering character, imports and country produce
being alike brisk in the market. Exchange has under-
gone little alteration; first•class bills, four months sight,
have been sold at Is. 100.; similar paper, six months'
sight, is quoted at Is. 1011 to Is. to i. Freights have
advanced with the increase of shipments, sad ifor sugar
5/. to London and 4Z 10s. to Liverpool aro the ruling
rates at present.

NVe subjoin some extracts from the Indian and
China papers :
(From the Bombay Times of May 12.)
THE PUNJAUB.
Sir W. R. Gilbert was expected to reach Lahore by
the Ist or 2d May. There is a rumour afloat that Shere
Singh has broken his parole and transgressed the limits
assigned to him: and surely never stranger or more un-
looked-for arrangement was made than that permitting
the commanders of the late rebellion—to return to their
native village, with the injunction to " behave themselves
and not run away, or they would be severely punished
next time." At Lahore a moveable brigade has been
ordered to be In readiness to march at a moment's no-
tice, and the whole of the troops had been fully
supplied with ammunition. The Ranee Chundah
has been traced at last ; but the planning and exe-
cution of her escape, and her journey to Nepaul, dis-
close a degree of ingenuity and enterprise on her
part and that of her abettors, as well as a want of care
and circumspection on ours, we were not at all pre-
pared for. She vanishes from Chunar about the 18th,
and makes her appearance at Nepaul about the 27th,
having in nine days travelled over nearly- 300 miles of
ground in the character of a holy man. The change of
character is nearly as striking as that of the sex she
has assumed. That the Light of the Harem, so famous
fer her profligacy and beauty, should for such a length
of time have successfully enacted the character of saint,
seems the strangest of all her transformations. She
seeks, it seems, but leave to live amongst the hills—
freedom and a mountain home—a boon, we fear, that
can hardly be conceded to her consistently with consi-
derations of the safety of the State.—From Peshawur
we have letters to the 23d ultimo, but scarcely any news.
Lieutenant Henry, A.D.C. to the Right Honourable the
Governor, has just returned to Bombay and rejoined his
appointment. He appears to have experienced very
great danger in descending the rapids of the Indus near
Karabaugh, the highest point to which Lieutenant Chris-
topher was able to take the Conqu..eror. It is understood
that the officers holding staff appointments at the Presi•
dency will be allowed to quit Peshawur and return to
Bombay without delay.
NIZAM'S DOMINIONS.

SKIRMISH WITH THE PRETENDER ♦PPA SAHIB, NEAR

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tender to the throne of Nagpore:—
" CAMP KULLUM, MAY 1, 1849.—Y0u will I dare
say like to know the particulars of a fight that took
place yesterday at this place between the Nizam's troops
under the command of Brigadier Onslow. commanding
the ElUchpore Division, and a body of Rohillas in the
service of the pretender to the Nagpore throne, calling
' himself Appa; I therefore sit down to write you an ac-
count of the affair. The force under the command of
Brigadier Onslow, consisting of 2 six-pounders, 1
twelve-pounder howitzer, 150 horsemen of the 2d
Nixtm's cavalry, 40companies of the 4th Regiment
Nizam's infantry, marched from Ellichpore on the
evening of the 23d ultimo, for the purpose of at-
tacking the Pretender Appa► who was encamped at this
village (about six miles from the Nagpore frontier) with
about 600 Rohillas. The force,
.by making forced