The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-19 00:00:00

OVERLAND MAIL

INDIA AND CHINA.

(From the Times.)
We have received by extraordinary express our dispatches
in anticipation of the hi-monthly mail. The intelligence is
from Calcutta to the 7th, and Bombay the 16th ultimo.
The Seikh soldiers, who call themselves " Lions" or
" Singhs," having received a portion of their pay, bad come
down to the banks of the Sutlej and there threatened to in-
invade the British dominions ; but the latest intelligence re-
ceived at Bombay on the 15th of December does not show
that they had realised their intentions. When their approach
to the frontiers was known, troops were ordered to move from
Umballa to Ferozepore. But the Governor-General, 'who
was hastening into the north-west, on hearing of the chances
of the collision, suddenly countermanded the march of those
British regiments, which were composed of her Majesty's
army as well as of the native troops. The Governor-
General and the Commander-in-Chief met near the
frontiers at Kurnaul, on the 26th of November, and
their meeting was far from being an agreeable
one, for the former was not pleased with the march of the
troops towards Ferozepore, and he told Sir H. Gough, as the
statement is reported in the best-informed quarters, that
even if there was a necessity for invading the Pusjaub, he
(Sir H. Gough) was not to command the invading army. It
was expected that the Commander-in-Chief would proceed to
Calcutta to take his seat in Council. In the meantime some
negotiations it was believed here to be at work with the Go-
vernment of Lahore, in order to neutralise the hostile spirit
of the Seikh troops, and to avert a war, or else to enable the
British army to be thoroughly prepared for carrying on ope-
rations. The great apparent cause of the actual dispute
arises from some treachery on the part of the Rajas of the
protected Seikh states on the left bank of the Sutlej, which
states were saved 35 years ago from being merged into the
then encroaching rule of Runjeet Singh by the intervention
of the British ; and for which safety they have now, like
other Indian Governments, turned against their benefactors
and joined the weak and faithless Government of Lahore, in
order, as it were, to force the British Government to depose
their Rajas.
By what means Sir Henry Hardinge will be able to main-
tain peace and to establish a good neighbourhood in the
Seikh states, whether " the protected" or the independents
unless by conquering the braggart " Lions," it is difficult to
understand. It was therefore supposed that Sir H. Hardinge
was preparing for a decided and most efficient move. He
too long practised under the experienced leader of the
British army in the Peninsular war to make any attempt in
which he can be foiled; his arrangements will therefore be
such as to place the results of his measures beyond all doubt.
The removal of Sir Hugh Gough to Calcutta, will, it is said,
place the management of the campaign in the hands of the
Governor-General, who will thereby be enabled to insure
success, by choosiUg his own men for the conflict.
There was some probability of hostility on the frontiers,
between the Seikhs and Sinde, and the Bombay Govern-
ment had ordered 8,000 men to be concentrated as soon as
possible, in order to have a reinforcement of at least 4,000
men ready to be sent to the banks of the Indus. It was
said that an army would be formed in Upper Sinde, but
nothing positive was known on the subject.
In Lahore the usual system of intriguing, bullying, and
manoeuvring was going forward. The troops had termed a
sort of military council, by which they were regulated. The
Queen-Mother was not desirous of a war with the British ;
but she dared not appose the "Punt," as the Military
Council is called. Her paramour, Lall Singh, is afraid to
assume the Wuzeership, although she wished to appoint him ;
his dread arises from apprehension of the troops requiring
him, when Wuzeer, to give them bracelets of gold, &c. On
the 19th of November the Seikh army was formed into four
divisibns, the first to march to Kussoor, opposite to
Ferozepore ; the second to Hurreeke Goozur ; the
third to Phtiloor, opposite Loodiana ; and the fourth
to a place in front of Roopur. The most extravagant
rumours were circulated amongst those troops, such
as that the British were to• pay large sums (one or
more millions) to prevent the invasion of the British
territory. The pride of the " Singhs" was thereby inflated ;
but still, as no bribe for delay was given to the British agents,
they had resolved to conquer and plunder as much as they
could. One daring fanatic (an Akhalee) said that he was
ready to lead his daring followers into the British territories,
if the Seikhs would insure to him all that he conquered. The
leaders of the Seikh divisions are Tej Singh, formerly Gover-
nor of Peshawur ; Lall Singh Dew an Ajootheea Nutha, and
General Mewa Singh. They received kheluta of rhoosatana
(dresses- of departure) on the 23d of November. Lall Singh
is undecided in his movements, and the troops suspect him,
and may massacre him, as an example to the rest. The
Seikh troops appeared, according to the latest intelligence, not
to be ready for any decided act, as their beginning, but their
Punt had appointed a commissariat to have good ammuni-

tion, &c., ready for them.
Thus, at the date of tho latest news, the two armies, Seikhs
and British, were assembling on the banks of the Sutlsj. The
intentions of Sir Henry Hardinge were still stated to be
pacific; but- so they must be up to the last moment. Yet
pacific with whom? Not with the boy-King or his mother,
they are the mere cyphers; not with the Wuzeer, his life is oi
no value; nor is his influence or his power possessed of any
stability ; nor with the " Punt," which is a violent irrespon-
sible council, which will have no control over their turbulent
troops, save to bring them to a battle.
A bloody battle, or rather three or four bloody ones,
with the different divisions, may be expected before any
system of order can he established in Lahore, and before a
Government can he recognised with which to enter on any
negotiations.
There cannot be much delay in these proceedings, for the
states of India are watching now what is going forward, and
some of them would not hesitate to create confusion, in case
either long delays or a signal defeat awaited the British
armies ; either of which our correspondent, in making the
observation, did not in any wise anticipate.
From Affghanistan we learn that Dost Mahomed had re-
solved to declare himself a " King," and to wear a crown in
his old age. His son and Wuzeer, the notorious Akbar
Khan, was at Caubul, employed in digging for secreted
treasures. Nothing was publicly said of their attempting
to invade Peshawur.

The Nizam's dominions were likely to occasion disturb-
ances, in consequence of the confused state of the finances.
The Bombay Steam Navigation Company had begun their
voyages, the steamer Victoria having arrived there from
Calcutta. Lord Elphinetone had arrived in Bombay from
Ceylon, and was preparing to join the Governor-General in
the north of India. The Manilla Muloy, who had perpe-
trated the atrocious murders of six persons, and wounded
sixteen others, had been tried in Bombay, and sentenced to
bs executed.
In consequence of the military movements, the exchange
on England had risen to 2s. and 20.0 4d. per rupee, and the
Government securities had fallen 4er 5 per cent. This was
principally attributed to the want of silver as a circulating
medium.
Our correspondent in a postscript mentions a report that
the Ist Regiment of Bombay Fusiliers and her Majesty's
17th Regiment, and the 7th Regiment of Bombay Native
Infantry, had received orders to make ready for proceeding

to Sinde.
The most important domestic item of intelligence is the
great rise in the price of rice, consequent on the large expor-
tations to Britain. The common kind used by the great body
of the people is double the usual price, the retail price being
nearly two rupees the maund. Railways are as popular in
India us they are in England, and shares in the Great
Eastern are not to be had on any terms, while those of the

Great Western, which were very lately opened to the public,
are almost all taken. The survey, under Mr. Simms, is said
to be rapidly progressing; and if, benefiting by experience,
those coicerned will adopt the American mode of construct-

ing the ales instead of the more expensive mode adopted,
and carry them over, instead of through hills, the present
genAnaraotriodaermbayy
thetrope
to
Presidentuse
illnw as.
Council was passed on the
21st of November altering the long-existing mode of draw-
ing pay.