The Sun.
London, England, 1824-08-02 00:00:00

INDIA.

( From th 4 Oriental herald, Aug. 1, 1824. )

A highly interesting comffiunication on this sub.
Ject, has been transmitted to us from a quarter porsessinglhe
best information; and as it is dated so late as the 16th of March;

it may be regarded as the latest as well as most complete view
of the present aspect of affairs In India that has reached this
country.

In my last, I gave you some little examples of the vacillat-
ing policy of our present Government, and now I have to follow
it up by telling you that the Burmese have availed themselves
of the advantages thus offered them ; and now that they have
succeeded in putting off the war till the season for active ope-
rations on our part is past, they are assembling a very large
force throughout the whole extent of our eastern frontier, from
Goalpara to Ranioo. On their extreme right, indeed, they are
so numerous, that an attack upon. Dacca is apprehended, in
which case our troops at Chittagong and Itamno would be com-
pletely turned, and their retreat, if not entirely cut off; would
be tendered very difficult, particularly if the advanced state of
the season ;should prevent the use of our small craft to assist
them in getting oft;
The Burmese hare lately been guilty of such outrages and
insults upon our flag, that they must be either totally ignorant
of our power, or very confident in their own resources. Our
Government affect to think the former; but, what makes the
latter supposition not improbable, is a report of disturbances on
our north-eastern frontier t adjoining the Burmese territory, and
'extending to Nepaul. If this should prove true, and the tie.
paulese be at the bottom of It, we may shortly expect to have
our hands full. • •

All this time too. the Russians arc quietly, but constantly
approaching us.' Some men who were seen at our north-
western stations, and M far within our limits as Delhi, made
no secret that an establishment war; being organised at Balk,
which is not very far froni the limit of Mr. Elphinstone`a ex.
do that they cannot find the route difficult. The ex-
traordinary, and in many cases minute, knowledge which some
Russian officers were finindtopossess, with respect to the situa-
tion of our ..cantonments, and the disposition of the regular
trbope, attracted a good deal of attention, when some of our
overland travellers fell in with their advanced posts; and lately
we are told the question has been so far entered into by Rus-
sian military men, that the advantages of marching boldly into
our territory, and taking up cantonments among the Mahratta
States, during the hot season, have been weighed against the
More prudent plan of passing the first year it 'ashore, and or-
ganizing the Sikh army.
Should either or these plans be adopted, lam sorry to say
think not so favourably as some do of our present means of
resistance. Ever since [surd Hastings left the country, the
policy of those at the bead of affairs towards the Army has
been changed in every possible manner; the spirit of emula-
tion and honourable ambition of the officers is almost complete.
ly annihilated ; and the privates are so worn down by sickness
and hard duty, that desertion is snore frequent than ever ; and
the men now enlisted are of a cast and appearance vastly in-
ferior to the men who were once the admiration of all be.
holders.
The Staff of the Army, too, is in a deplorable *titterer en.
tering upon a war with ,an active and enterprising enemy.
The Adjutant-tieneral's department is notoriously inefficient :
pruned down to the lowest possible scale in point of economy,
tt naturally requires the most active and intelligent head to
carry on its duties. The Quartermaster-General's department
it is more difficult to pronounce upon; its duties ate very ill
defined, anti on attention whatever is paid to qualification; it
is, however, a favoured branch, and active service would no
doubt improve it. The Army Commissaliat is probably the
best organized department of the stall—a little relaxation of the
original regulation has communicated the quickening impulse
of self-interest to sonic individuals; and [ am persuaded the
public is a gainer by the change. The Ordnance Commissariat
is the worst arranged and worst paid branch of' the General
Staff; it is indeed the least favoured one of the service; and
personal proscription anti secret infitience regulate every thing
concerning it. The Medical Staff kits of late years greatly im.
proved. Much, however, is wanting to complete it, particular.
ly in its military, or lather, field department ; and a more en.
couraging system of promotion would be highly advantageous
to it. Of the troops it is sufficient to say, that the F.umpeans
of his Majesty's service would be the point d'appui of the whole
army : if they can stand service, there is no doubt that the lie.
pop; would behave well ; but some officers who have seen re-
verses in thiccountry, are not very sangine on this head. It is
generally acknowledged that the European constitution does
not Kiln/ way Under bye orsix years sit exposure to ttin.
but after that period, the British soldier, instead of being in.
WAN frz--- le, in nine cluite opt of ten, ruined,by it
y brit aaa. thong s, bits ma etie.ay.,.ef hternisme
is gristly titmihisbe "Whim we patuiltler ~then that a great
portion of bur European troopsi have been many years in India,
it is not too much to Ray that their superiority depends entirely
on opinion, and that this opinion would stand a great chance of
being considerably weakened in the event of a struggle with
OM's, 111,07 of wham would be natives attain. and all, com-
paratively, retir and 'vigorous. It was very different with the
French in the ware of the Carnatic ; they were situated pre-
eiselY.Aa we were; they came from a distance In ships; they
iwere, in
tr much, e I
the climate
a had been suddenly planted under a burning sun ; and they
n v
n ifact,e
, andi manytethan
u
instanceso
rtroops:
psmars, :
yet
theyopposed
t o
nare
always cited is an example in point.
Aii long, howeVer, as the European troops could make head
againetan invading force, so long, anti no longer, would our
native infantry he'to he depended on. A defeat would almost
disband our army ; anti should we be under the necessity of
falling back upon our supplies, or in order to concentrate, I
question if one man in ten of our native troops would consent
to leave the country lie was recruited in behind. I once knew
four hundred old sepoys desert from one battalion in the course
of four and twenty hours.
On the Bengal establishment the Engineers are deficient;
the Artillery are disgusted and discouraged ; the Cavalry are
smart troops, but diere and their officers; the Infantry have
scarcely any officers to d gisre;
yet, it' well commanded, they
Bard, their regiments being unoffi-
erred by staff Appointments
would, to R certain point, make tolerable soldiers : but they
have no morale, no Starninit ; the men who now fill our ranks
arc vastly inferior to the aepoys of 1799 and 1004.
From this, and from your information front other quarters,
r" may judge of the real character of this so much vaunted
antlien Army; for my own part I am quite certain, and I speak
after having heard the sentiments of a great number of our
most intelligent officers, that our forces will not keep the field
inure than one it' attacked by an enterprising enemy,
unlees wine very decisive measures are adopted. The first
should be to restore the good humour of the officers, by pen.
stoning off the Militaryy Secretary, and placing a Civil Servant
in that office, and making the Commander-In-Chief the sole
organ of the army with Government, instead of being, as he
now is, a mere instrument in the hands of another. 2dly, To
empower the Governnient here to grant promotions for extra-
ordinary services, at the reeommendetion of the Commander-in.
Chief. &Hy. To give Officers to every branch of the service,
in proportion to the number of men, anti so as to equalize the
chences of promotion as much ma passible. 4thly, To snake a
half-pity list s 0111 p used of all officers holding stuff situations,
filling up the v( can !lee thug occasioned in regiments, with effec-
tive officers. Wily, To Increase the number of regiments, so
en to allow of a relief of every station in the army every two
years. fithly, To hold out the benefits of the invalid and pen.
sion establishments with a less sparing hand to those whose
length of service, or infirmities.•render them fit objects for in-
, diligent consideration ; and, lastly, to encourage pronto-4'n'
by establishing a liberal scale of graduated pensions. or retir-
ing officers.
An officer who was some years ago almost turned out of
this service, is
now holding a high station in the Russian Army : those who know hint here think hint capable of
an r thing : and say that he huts such reason to hate the [fen.
gut Government, as may lead him to do all he can in oppose,
tam to it.

ing towards a crisis with the Burmese. After some partial
Since writing
SUCcess, we have received a severe cheek; the enemy however
the above, matters have gradually been draw.
troops ; hut this caution has fortunately had its proper effect on
our g retr eoaffit etl
ee, without waitin for a second attack on the part of our
rs ,
the iturtneYe during a few manliest
Col. flutes, after having reinforced
and taught them to treat their opponents with more
respect. Report sayg, that
and then commenced a
and taken the CDThroatiti Of Col. Bowen 's detachment, followed
re-
trograde movement in order to wait for fresh troops and a more
favourable Keeton. Aleantime Government have at last istued
a proclamation,
declaring us at war with the Iturtnetw, and the
13th bight Infantry is once more ordered to be ready for service,
together with the 38th, the 20th Native Inflmtry, two Corn.
panto,. Of Artillery, and a train of sixteen guns. 'These, it is
attid, are to be joined by a much larger force from Madras, so
as to amount to about 10 or 12,000 men, and to attack Rangoon,
er some inikloot point on the coast, where they are to go into
cantonments till the season for active operations commences.
'Troupes are OW gradually assembling on our Eastern frontier,
and a Regiment of Cavalry is ordered to Kissengunje to be at
hand. A depot of Artillery is forming at Dacca : and half the
rocket. troopia on its way to take its share of the campaign.
1 AirVitlY% '4lVever., the ill cii'ect:t uf „droining the upper pro-
Awes of troops Itas " begun to appear, in a pretended
insurrection of one of Scindia's Sirdars, which, no:doubt
. her
occurred with the privity of the Mahroja himself; Gen. Knox