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

iv buing :4ilt.

LONDON, WEDNESDAY,MARCH 21. 1849.

Probably, in the first instance, there will be a
feeling of disappointment on glancing through the
particulars contained in the Extraordinary Express
received this morning from Calcutta. The absence
of any remarkable occurrence may, at a superficial
glance, appear unsatisfactory. Some sentiment of
annoyance may be experienced throughout the coun-
try on finding that the somewhat disastrous informa-
tion brought by the preceding mail has been followed
by accounts of the most profound inaction at head-
quarters. A moment's calm reflection must, how-
ever, satisfy every rational mind that the very
circumstance of the inactivity of the veteran
Commander-in-Chief, since the occasion of the
sanguinary battle at Chillianwallah, is calcu-
lated to redound to his honour, more than any
provocation to an encounter, however brilliant, and
will tend more than anything else to redeem his cha-
racter from the slur of precipitation. It would appear
that the momentary wrath which had wound up the
daring passions of Lord Gouca almost to a state of
delirium have subsided, and that with a compunctious
recollection of his last terrible victory over his antago-
nists, the old General is prepared to await the arrival
of reinforcements before attempting to resume hostili-
ties. For the time being, therefore, the grand army
remains encamped in the neighbourhood
of the Jhelum, tarrying until the victorious
soldiers under WHISH have passed Ramnuggur, on
their road from the conquered fortifications of
Moultan.
At present the principal attraction is concentrated
round that famous stronghold—so heroically won,
seao gallantly, and even chivalrously de-
fe According to the periodical fluctuation
of interest between the camp of WHISK and the
camp of GOUGH, our attention is drawn this time
in its turn to the former. On thenhryetceinipgt of the lastb e
Overland dispatches, scarcely a
borne in consideration except the alarming and rather
questionable successes gained at head-quarters. Now
the gaze is turned in an entirely contrary direc-
tion. The particulars relating to the seizure
of Moultan, to the submission of the Dewan,
to the occupation of the fort, and to the
captivity and bearing of the vanquished chieftain
will, we doubt not, be universally regarded as superior
to all others—seeing that the capture of that re-
nowned city was of all others the most desirable achieve-
ment of the campaign. Until Moultan had fallen, it
was worse than temerity to penetrate further into the
Punjaub. Until Moultan had fallen, the forces o

Wnisn and GOUGH would be prevented from putting
an end to the period of their separation, and would,
in so doing, afford- a grievous advantage to the
enemy. Nothing in fact could be seriously attempted
towards the suppression of the rebellion until Moul-

tan had been conquered. To advt nture northwards
leaving that strongly fortified city in the rear would
have been contrary to all the ruh:s of war—speaking
in regard to military science, it would have been an

inexplicable crime against the God of Battles.
Moultan consequently, as has been known for
several weeks, was formally invest ed, was vigorously
assaulted, was ultimately taken by storm, and its
courageous defenders, standing a t bay within the
narrow limits of the Citadel,' fo um I themselves at
length compelled to yield unconditionally to the
superior energies of their assailants— ,Simultaneously
with the news of the fall of Attock int, o the power of

't AMP

the insurgents, we received the statement that the citadel
of ..It)ultan hail passed into our possession. Full

particulars of that memorable occurrence have this
morning arrived in England, and call to our remem-
brance the time when the conqueror of SURAJAH
DowLAH descending into the vaults of the palace of
Moorshedabad " walked between heaps of gold and
silver crowned with rubies and diamonds." The
treasures discovered in the subterranean chambers of the
citadel of Moultan appear to be altogether of Oriental
magnificence and of Asiatic profusion—and all these
treasures have been awarded as prize to the captors
by the will of his Excellency the GOVERNOR-GE-
NERAL! Major WHEELER, the officer appointed
to make the exploration of the store-houses and
secret chambers underground must have experienced
sensations kindred to those of Mr. MANTELLINI when
he wandered, to employ his own delicate figure of
speech, " over Tom Tiddler's ground, picking up the
demnition gold and silver." Or rather the spectacle
must have reminded him of the riches discovered in
the copper palace of the One-Eyed Calendar, or, as
Mr. PECK/HUFF facetiously modified his title, by the
One-Eyed Almanack. Externally, on the surface of
the soil, the wealth must have been considerable, if
only in the wheels of guns piled up in the timber
yards, the dumbooruk saddles scattered in heaps about
the outhouses, the mounds of loose gunpowder con-
cealed in every hole and corner, the innumerable
pyramids of cannon balls, the batteries of cannon and
mortars, the stands of muskets and bundles of match-
locks, the quantities of leathern accoutrements, and
the bullets strewing the ground like pebbles, so
that the soil is described as having the
appearance of a leaden gravel. Descending
into the cavities in which the treasures of the fortress
had been accumulated, the inspecting officer is said
to have found opium, and indigo, and salt, and sul-
phur, and drugs of every description heaped together
in endless profusion ; enormous hoards of wheat on
one hand, on the other almost inexhaustible stores of
rice ; stacks of ghee vessels brimming with their
unctuous contents ; bales upon bales of costly shawls
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 MooLa.A.T, under his present appalling mis-
fortunes. Every sentence now received respecting
this celebrated chieftain—the AHD. EL -I( ADER 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-
SON, the MOOLRAJ 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 Ara
steed, with a rich saddle-cloth of scarlet,

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 irto the hands of General Wnxsx,
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 the ho-
rizon of Ferozepore (where the GOVERNOR-GENERAL
has established his head-quarters) every day that the
army of Wuisu 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-