The Sun.
London, England, 1841-10-08 00:00:00

MORNING SUN

rence to the unsettled state of the Ghilzie country, that 1
Auchter Khan, chief of the Zarrien Lawur district, was '
engaged in raising troops. He appears to have laid siege
to Ghirisk, and a detachment, under the command of
Captain Woodburn, consisting of the Shah's sth Infantry,
two Janbaz Corps, and two guns, under Captain Cooper,
were despatched from Kandahar, in the direction of the
Helmund, for the purpose of dislodging him. On the
banks of this river was encamped the army of Auchter
Khan, to the number of six: thousand. Captain Wood-
burn arrived on the 3d of July, and took up greater
part of the day. About six o'clock the enemy crossed
the river, and gave battle.
Their assault was in earnest, for the " Jan Bazers" to
the right, against whom it was directed, gave way, and
they penetrated to the rear and baggage. The guns had
been brought round, and a brisk fire was opened upon
them. One or two rounds was sufficient; the grape told
murderously, and they were compelled to retire, leaving
many of their number dead upon the field.
The Ghilzies did not renew the attack, but kept up •
an irregular fire till near midnight, by which time
they had all dispersed. A Correspondent of the Del:
Gazette says—" This was the sharpest affair that has
yet occurred, the enemy had six divisions, 0:1,000 each
division, headed by a chief and Moolahs, and the fact
of their having crossed the river to meet and attack us,
shows how confident of success they must have been.
They have lost soul?, 500 killed and wounded ; Auchter
Khan himself is reported among the latter, and his son
among the former. Our loss is about fifty killed and
wounded." Lieutenant Patterson was wounded in this
affair, but is now doing well.
Troops having b.-ea ordered up to Kandahar with
every despatch, it was apprehended that an insurrection
in that neighbourhood was about to take place. By the
latest accounts, however, all appeared quiet.
A campaign at Nizrew is in prospect, and prepara-
tions are understood to be now making for the despatch
of the force to be ernplcycd in this service.
HER,AT.

There is no intelligence of importance from Herat, but
some. we think. there speedily must be. for the perfidy
of this insolent Government cannot surely be suffered to
go on much longer unpunished.
Ten; PUNJA.CB.-With regard to the Punjaub also,
the information we have to O'er consist; principally of
report and conjecture. It is rumoured that the Sikh army
have returned to their allegiance, that the widow of Non
Nehal Sing has had a miscarriage, and given birth to a
son still-born; that an attempt has been made to murder
Mr. Clerk, the political agent ; that Share Sing will be
acknowledged by the British Government as the lawful
heir of the throne of the Punjaub ; that the provinces of
Kashrnere, Moulton, and the protected Sikh States to
the southward of the Sutledge, are to be made, over to
our Government ; but we have received no positive in-
telligence as to any of these points. It is also stated that
the Sikhs have made an inroad into Thibet, and de-
feated some Chinese troops near Gertoke ; and that the
inhabitants of Lassa, in Thibet, have seized the oppor-
tunity offered by the hostilities between China and Great
Britain, to arise and assert their independence.
SUINDE.

The intelligence from Scinde is important. Mr. Ross
Bell, the political agent, to whose alleged mismanage-
ment of affairs almost all the evils which have attended
the sojourn of our troop in this unhappy land have
been attributed, expired on the Ist ultimo, at Quettah,
of bilious fever. He had sent in his sick certificate,
and was about to be succeeded, as is well-known, by
Major Outram. Nusseer Khan, it is believed, has at
length " come in." The accounts say that he is on
his way to Quettab. sick, accompanied-by an European
medical man, whose assistance he had applied for.
With regard to the health of our troops a general im-
provement to some extent has taken place. Rain has
fallen in most, places, and the comparative coolness thus
produced has had the effect of abating considerably the
sickness which prevailed. I have, however, to record the
deaths at Quettah of Brevet-Captain W. Jones, of the
20th Native Infantry ; Lieutenant Valiant, of her Ma-
jesty's 40th regiment ; and Captain Lewis, of the 22d
N. 1., and at Kotria, of Ensign Hunt, of the 2d Gre-
nadiers, which four officers have fallen victims to the mi-
serable climate of the countries beyond the Indus.
PENANG.

TRIAL AND EXECUTION OF TIII; CONVICTS WITO COM-
IIITTED THE OUTRAGE ON BOARD THE FREAK.—The
trial of the eleven ringleaders in this dreadful affair took
place at Penang on the 7th of June. They were all
found guilty, and sentenced to death ; but the punish-
ment of three of them, against whom the evidence was
less conclusive, was commuted to transportation for life.
On the 12th the condemned prisoners wer3 executed.
During the interval between their trial and execution,
their behaviour was marked by the most violent and
gross abuse.
TRIAL OF CAPTAIN BATTA, OF THE "LA FELICE."-
I mentioned in my last that a mutiny had occurred on
board this barque on her passage to Ceylon with Malayan
recruits, and that she had in consequence put back to '
Penang. On her arrival, the discovery was made that
the captain, after subduing the mutineers, had treated them
in a very cruel manner, pinioning and lashing them so
tightly that their flesh was horribly lacerated, and mortifi-
cation ensued. At the time of the trial,ten of the number had
died, and out of the remaining ten it was thought but
two could survive, and those only by amputation of both
their arms. Captain Batts was tried for the manslaughter
of these unfortunate wretches, and being found guilty,
was sentenced to pay a fine of 500 rupees. This lenient
award was owing to the previous circumstances of the
case, the men having been mutineers, and having at-
tempted his life ; and also to the consideration that he
was ignorant of the effect which such severe ligatures
were calculated to produce.
BOMBAY.

The Overland Mail arrived hero on the sth instant,
having occupied little more than thirty days from Lon-
don, the quickest transit on record. The tows of the
general election excited a high degree of interest, and
further intelligence is anxiously looked forward to.
The Monsoon has progress ?d favourably in almost

every part of tho presicienCY.
COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
EASTERN PRODUCE.

Corrom.—ln a few days after the date of our last price
current, prices gave way from 3rs. to Ors. per candy, at
which reduction extensive purchases were made for Great
Britain, and aboat:l2,ooo bales were likewise taken for
China.. Notwithstanding the continued unfavourable
accounts received from both countries, no change of any
moment occurred np to the beginning of the past week,
when, in consequence of several large buyers coming
into the market, prices advanced from the lowest point
3rs. to srs. per candy, and our presont quotations will,
therefore, be nearly similar to those of oar last price
current.
The monsoon has been particularly favourable for
Cotton cultivation, and a large crop is anticipated.
OPIUM. —The market has been brisk throughout the
month, and within the last fortnight prices have been on
the advance. On this drug the recent advices from
China have had very little effect, as its disposal there
does not appear to depend on the resumption of trade.
The annexed returns give a statement of the stock in the
place :
Balance of former year's importation chests 6,667
Imported from the 25th of May,lB4o, to the 10th
of August, 1841

19,5591

26,2261