The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-08 00:00:00

necessarily be done ere matters can be brought to a
point which will admit of discussion.
At Moultan matters are very slow indeed—
strangely so. The ostensible reason of the raising of
the siege was the defection of Raja Shere Singh, and
the assistance he was supposed to be able to give to
the Dewan. On his departure it was speculated that
the trenches would be re-opened, and that Moultan
would fall. Nothing, however, has been done. Men
are to join from furlough, which will increase the
force by near a thousand ; and the Bombay column,
under General Auchmuty, will raise the British force
at Moultan to near 10,000 men—ample, one would
think, to cope with Moolraj, if, indeed, he do not re-
sign his fort and command in earnest before it can all
assemble. He is even said to have written to the
Governor-General on the subject, offering, on promise
of life and pardon, to evacuate the fort. I do think
had Napier heen its command that he would have seen
the inside of Moultan ere this.
No detail of the forces and brigades now advanc-
ing into the Punjaub has appeared, but we are
already sufficiently strong to meet any advance by
the insurgent leaders, should they even succeed in
uniting, and endeavour to make a dash on the
capital. We have already four brigades of cavalry
and five of infantry, which are available, with a fair
proportion of European troops, viz., three regiments of
dragoons and four of infantry. Others are pushing
forward, but the movements were commenced too late
to allow of the assembly of the force in all October,
and so as to allow of the fine month of November
being used for active service. In reference to present
events, however, I have great hope in the activity and
intelligence of General Cureton, who will hardly let
slip any opportunity of attacking Shere Singh, and,
if possible, crippling or routing him. One brilliant
affair and victory would go far to redeem the past,
and the hopelessness of their cause might even yet be
made apparent to the Seikhs, thus saving effusion of
blood. I fear, however, that they are already too con-
fident, that our delay has increased this confidence.
Most of these Seikh troops have never met us in the
field, they have the honour of the Khalsa to regain,
they are fighting for existence and superiority
both, and will, I suspect, fight desperately when
ever they meet us, whether in the field or in fortified
places. The -.operations of the ensuing month must
needs be very interesting, and even now important
events may have taken place of which we are neces-
sarily ignorant, though you may hear something more
of General Cureton's proceedings by the mail which
now goes out. He was only 80 miles from Vizierabad,
one of Chuttur Singh's positions, by the last accounts,
and, as he was not halting, an affair seemed imminent.
In the Deccan the question of the Ministry of Suraj-
ool-Moolk has been set at rest by his formal dismissal
by the Nizam at a recent Durbar held, at which Ge-
neral Fraser was present, and read the instructions he
had received from his own Government on the sub-
ject. These were very distinct as to the independence
of the Nizam, not only in regard to All his subjects
and dependents, but in regard to the continuance of
the ex-Minister in office, and the appointment of a
new one. Suraj-001-Moolk was present, and was
charged by the Nizam with many faults of omission
and commission, to which he.. could make no reply.
The Resident is stated to have assured the Nizam
that he was entirely free to act as he pleased ; that
the instructions, which he read and explained, were
distinct; and thus the long and vexatious struggle
which I have often alluded to has for the present
ceased. The day following the Durbar the officers
of state were forbidden to attend Suraj-obl-Moolk,
the Nizam having assured the Resident that he would
be responsible for forming a Ministry in the course
of as short a time, as possible. It is reported that
the Nizam declared before he understood his complete
freedom, that did the Governor-General desire the
continuance in office of Suraj-001-Moolk, he had
better send for him (the Nizam) to Calcutta, as his
residence at his capital would be impossible
—terms sufficiently strong, indeed, to mark his
utter want of confidence in Suraj-001-Moolk,
and more, his sense of the degradation he would
be subjected to in any continuance of him at the
head of his affairs. No successor has been named as
yet. It is understood, however, that Shumsh-00l-
Oomra, an aged but very respectable and intelligent
nobleman, will perhaps be appointed, who will be as-
sisted by his two sons, young men who have been well
educated, and are held in estimation, and by either
Bala Ponshad, the son of the late Chundoo Lall, or
by some other 'Endo° official, as Peshcar, or Finance
Minister. A few days more will probably decide
this question, but it is needless to say that whoever
takes office hasi no ordinary work to do, no ordinary
embarrassment to encounter. Suraj-eel-Moolk's in-
cumbency has been of no benefit whatever ; indeed,
the contrary. A new debt has been contracted to
the amount of a crore, for which, and for even the
interest of it, there appears to be no provision. Money
lenders are :exhausted, and many can hardly meet
their engagements. The revenues of the country
have been extensively forestalled in defiance of all
engagements, arrears to all departments are heavy,
and there is a general mistrust prevalent in the
country which precludes any present alleviation of
difficulty.
Though I have advocated freedom of action to the
Nizam in reference to his own Government, yet, as I
have expressed before, it has been on no solid ground
of hope that he, or any officials appointed by him, can
afford relief, or retrieve affairs which have so declined.
To introduce reform would require intelligence,
activity, and honesty of purpose, which no native
Hyderabad official could be found possessed of, and
the Nizam himself is in many respects utterly incom-
petent ; but anything was preferable to the divided
authority which existed before Suraj-001-Moolk'a
dismissal, alike injurious to the country and to our
reputation as encouraging it. What I wrote you a
year ago has been fully proved—that it is as impossi-
ble as it is injurious and undignified to support a
Minister against the wishes of the acknowledged inde-
pendent Sovereign of a country; and it is to me, in many
respects, strange that any attempt should have been
made to this effect whether by public or private in-
terest. Had Suraj-001-Moolk been as capable and
energetic as he has proved the contrary, it would not
have affected the position I assumed, and which, in
all essential particulars has been fully proved.
Whatever the IN izam'a course may now be, provided
an utterly incompetent man be not appointed, much
real good can be effected by the Resident in support-
ing and encouraging every attempt that may ba
made at reform and good management, and it will re-
dound to his honour if, by conciliation and those
interchanges of civilities which have a large effect in
securing not only the respect, but the affection of
natives of rank, he can lead the Nizam personally
into that course of reform and retrenchment which
his Highness himself is now aware is absolutely ne-
cessary for the redemption of his affairs. I shall
watch the progress of events with some anxiety, not
hoping for much amelioration for the present, but
trusting that some may ensue, as well for the sake
of the State on which so many thousands are de-
pendant, as for the sake of the people, who are, and
have been, so discouraged by misgovernment.
I observe by the Calcutta papers that an attempt
had been detected to tamper with the native troops at
Barrackpoor and Dumdum, near Calcutta, which was
revealed by a Subadar major of the Artillery. Per-
tab Chund, the once famous pretender to the Gaddee
of Burdwan, was the instrument employed, but by
whom had not at first transpired. He was secured
after some slight resistance by European constables,
and is in custody. Some other arrests had been made
of persons of wealth connected with the upper pro-
vinces, but some' days would be required to come at
the truth, which will doubtless be revealed either by
the parties who have been tampered with or the agents
employed. In times like these, when any war, or
any resistance to our rule, holds forth hope, however
vague and indefinite, of success, such intrigues will
be set on foot, and though all will prove abortive,
yet it behoves all our authorities to exert additional
vigilance, and to watch the proceedings of any in
regard to whom there may be suspicion. There has
never occurred any so-called crisis in India without
them, and unhappily there are ever enough of dis-
affected spirits abroad who attempt to make the most
of any opening for these proceedings.
A long inquiry regarding the proceedings of Cap-
tain Macpherson in Goomsoor and the Khond country,
brought on by the charges of General Dyer against
him, and conducted with great patience and ability
by Mr. Grant, of the Bengal Civil Service, has re-
sulted in the entire acquittal of Captain Macpherson,
and the record of an opinion that Captain Macpher-
son's proceedings were characterized by judgment,
forbearance, and humanity. This in itself is suffi-
cient reflection upon General Dyer, who will have
some difficulty in extricating himself from the position
in which he has involved himself. The inquiry fills
1,200 folio pages, and it is said to have cost Govern-
ment 70,000 rupees—a heavy sum considering our
present financial condition, but probably unavoidable
under the circumstances of the investigation.
As I write, I have received news from Hyderabad
of the formal announcement to the Resident on the
20th inst, of the dismissal of Suraj • 001-ioolk from
the
Ministry, and the appointment by the Nizam of
Syf Jung, a nobleman of rank, and, I understand, a
connexion of Shumsh-nol-Oomra's. Of the character
and qualifications of this nobleman I am as yet igno-
rant, never Navin heard of him before in connexion
g
with public affairs. His installation was to take place
on the 23d, but the Resident was not invited—whe-
ther purposely and because the appointment would
not be publicly approved, or because his presence was
to epvaertoyp
shat
by Syf
m
not considered necessary, is not mentionedltai: be
necessarily take some time dl
Jung,te intended ewd
with
hy
whichth Nizam, iliziasmll and the
Highness is identified.
The following movements may be of interest as
marking progress to the westward of brigades of the
grand army :—General 'Thack well's brigade; 2,1 bri-
gade of cavalry, 6th brigade of infantry, twu troop,,
of horse artillery, and light field battery, to march
from Ferezepore oh the Bth, with 15 !Ps of treasure