The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-24 00:00:00

LON DON T UESDAY E-v
• k

No. 16,671.

EXCHEQUER BILL OFFICE, 2, WHITEHALL-YARD,
I'm 17, 1846.
rrilE EXCHEQUER BILLS dated in the
_IL month of MARCH, 1845, viz., per 7 Yid., cap 14, 18,407,3001.,
Rlll2O 1844 ; Also,
The EXCHEQUER BILLS dated In JULY and NOVEMBER,
1844, and MARCH, 1845, per 2 and 3 William IV., cap. 125, for
Relief of West India Islands ; 3 Viet., cap. 10, for Carrying on Pub-
lic Works, with the Interest due thereon, will be paid off on the 17th
day of March, 1846, when the Interest will cease. Such Bills will
be received daily from Flalf-past Ten o'clock till Two, until and in-
cluding the Gth day of March, at this office, where Lists are to be
obtained, containing instructions for arranging the Bills. The
bearers must endorse each Bill with their usual signatures, anti write
their names and residences at the bottom of each list; and where the
names of holders are inserted in Bills, the bearers, not being such
holders, must previously obtain their endorsements. The bearers
must attend to give receipts for the payment.
Payment may be obtained, if required, previous to the said 17th
day of March, upon leaving the Bills for examination one day prior
to that on which such payment is desired.

New Bills, bearing an Interest of One Penny Halfperny by the
day upon every One Hundred Pounds, and dated the said 17th day of
March, may be obtained in whole or in part payment of principal of
the Exchequer Bills issued under the above-mentioned Act of 7 Vic.,
cap. 14, upon stating the required amount on the lists, delivered on
-r before the said 6th day of March, which new Bills, with the In-
terest on the Bills exchanged, will be issued on the 18th day of
March.

The Bills to be classed in separate lists, accord,!ng to the Acts under
which they have been issued.

The Bills issued for carrying on Public Works and Fisheries, and
for Relief of West India Islands, will be paid off in money.
N.B. All Exchequer Bills charged on supplies dated prior to
March, 1845, have been advertised to be paid off.

THE WEEKLY CHRONICLE of Saturday,
the 28th February, and Sunday, the Ist of March, will con-
tain the Fullest Particulars of tho

BRITISH VICTORIES IN INDIA,
from the Official Dispatches and other Sources, the Lists of Killed
and Wounded, Trophies Seized, &c., &c. With the

MONSTER DEBATE AND DIVISION,
the Election for S ;nth Notts, Editorial Comments on the State of the
FREE TRADE QUESTION, and a LETTER FROM COTTON
TWIST !—Office, 337, Strand ; and all Newsmen-. Price Gd.

THE NEW NOVEL,
BY THE AUTHOR OF "MAIDS OF HONOUR."
Now ready at all the Libraries, in 3 vols.,
SIR ROGER DE COVERLEY.
A TALE

OF THE COURT OF CHAILRS 11.
By the Author of " Maids of Honour."
Henry Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough-street.

S IR NoRICw readHAy,RD •in. 2 voIe.HENEG small Bvo.,
AN 21s. bou S
ndSEVEN
,
'
YEARS' CAMPAIGNING,
IN THE PENINSULA AND THE NETHERLANDS.
Henry Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough-street.

RAILWAY SHARES BY PUBLIC SALE.
MESSRS. LAMOND, SMALE, AND
LAMOND, beg to thank their Friends and the Public for
their continued support and patronage, and to announce that their
Public Sales of Railway Shares, &c., take place every TUESDAY and
FRIDAY, at One o'clock, at their offices, at the Hall of Commerce,
Threadneedle-street, London, at which place all favours, con-
tuning instructions, are respectfully requested to be addressed.
All Scrip and Share Certificates must be deposited for exa-
mination at least one day previously to their being offered ; and
advices of results will be forwarded by the first post after the sale,
and the proceeds immediately disposed of according to Instructions.
Offices, Hall of Commerce, Threadneedle-street, London.

THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE.
THIS EVENING
Will be performed an priginal Opera, entitled DON QUIXOTE.
Don Quixote, Mr. Weiss ; Sancho Panza, Mr. Stretton ; Camacho,
Mr. King; Rovedos, Mr. Horncastle ; Basilius, Mr. Allen; Quiteria,
Miss Rainforth.

After whioh, for the Sixth Time, a new Fairy Ballet, called THE
ISLAND NYMPH. In which Mons. Desplaces, Mdlles. Maria,
Neodot, Louise, Adele, Mdine. Giubilei, &c., will appear.
To conclude with a new grand Christmas comic Pantomime, called
HARLEQUIN GULLIVER ; or, Giants and Dwarfs. Harlequin,
Mr. Wieland ; Clown, Mr. T. Matthews ; Pantaloon, Mr. Howell ;
Columbines, Miss Hicks and Miss Lonsdale.
To-morrow, being Ash Wednesday, there will be no performance.

THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET.
THIS EVENING -
Will be performed Mr. Sergeant Talfourd's Tragedy of lON.
Mss Cushman ; Clemanthe, Miss Susan Cashman ; and sup-
ported by Messrs. Stuart, Hudson, Brindal, H. Holt, Miss Telbin, &c.
The Band will perform the Overture, " La Gaz•m Ladra," and
the Waltz, "Love's Serenade."
After which, the Comedy of THE OLD SCHOOL. Principal
tharacters by Messrs. Farren, Holl, Brindal, Mrs. Clifford, and Mrs.
Yaruold.

To conclude with a New Farce, called LEND ME FIVE SHIL•
DINGS. Principal characters by Mr. Buckstone, Mr. Tilbury, Mr,
Bendel, and Miss P. Horton.

THEATRE ROYAL, ADELPHI.
THIS EVENING

Will be performed the Drama of LEOLINE : or, Life's Trials
Principal characters by Messrs. 0. Smith and Wright, Mrs. Votes
and Miss Woolgar.

To be followed by TAMING A TARTAR ; or, Magic an I Ma-
gourkaphobia. In which Messrs. Paul Bedford and Wright, Miss
Woolgar, Madame Celeste, &c. will perform.
To conclude with a New Farce, entitled THE PHANTOM
BREAKFAST. Supported by Mr. Paul Bedford, Mr. Wright, Miss
Woolgar, Sce.
To-morrow, being Ash Wednesday, there will be no performance.

THEATRE ROYAL, LYCEUM.
UNDER THE MANAGEMENT OF MRS. KEELEY.

C. The Cricket on the Hearth," and " The Enchanted Horse" every

Evening until further notice 1
THIS EVENING WILL BE PERFORMED
THE CRICKET ON THE HEARTH: A FAIRY TALE
OF HOME.

The Principal Characters by Mr. and Mrs. Keeley, Mr. Emery, Mr.
F. Vining, Mr. Meadows, and Miss Grove.
To be followed by the original REDOWA WALTZ, music esim-
posed by M. Jullien, by Miss Frampton and Master Forrest.
After which will be repeated a New Grand Romantic extravaganza,
*Miffed TIIE ENCHANTED HORSE; or, Prince Firouz Scinti, of
Persia and the Princess of Bengal. Principal Characters by Messrs.
Keeley, Wigan, F. Matthews, Collier, Turner, Kinloch, &c.; Alts-
tames Keeley, Villars, Hodson, Dawson, Howard, Arden, &c.
Stalls, ss. ; Boxes, 45..; Pit, 2s. ; Gallery, 6d.

PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STAEET.
THIS EVENING

Will be performed the Comedy of WILD OATS. Rover, Mr.
Wallack ; Harry Thunder, Mr. J. Vining; Sim, Mr. Oxberry ;
Ephraim Smooth, Mr. Compton ; Lady Amaranth, Mrs. Stirling.
To be followed by a DIVERTISSEMENT, in which Mr. Gilbert,
Mr. Marshall, M. Adrien, Miss Bailin, Miss Marshall, and Millie.
Duval will appear.
To conclude with a New Drama, entitled THE 'VIOLET. Andre,
Mr. Wallack ; Trinquet, Mr. Granby ; Armand, Mr. Murray ; Mar-
chioness D'Orville, Mrs. Fosbroke ; Blanche, Miss Stanley ; Blan-
chette, Mrs. Stirling.
'To-morrow, being Ash Wednesday, there will be no performance.

farm servants in the employment of gentlemen. These un.-
fortunate men were dragged out in the middle of the night,
and either maimed or murdered in the presence of their families;
and such was the system of terror established, that the family
dared not give evidence against the perpetrators of the out-
rage. The Government had adopted every method in their
power to suppress the outrages. They had increased the po-
lice force, but in vain; and they were now compelled to
apply to Parliament for further power. If it was intended by
Parliament to grapple with this evil, they could not adopt a
less unconstitutional measure than the one proposed. The
first clause gave the Lord Lieutenant power
to proclaim any district. The second clause was
important. These crimes were planned and committed
generally during the night, and therefore the second clause
was most important. He also considered it important that
the Lord Lieutenant should have the power of awarding
compensation to the family of the murdered man,
to be levied on the barony in which the murder had been
committed, by way of fine levied by rate, from which no indi-
vidual should be exempt. It was also important that the police
should have the power of entering and searching public-houses.
This Act violated no constitutional form in the trial of
offenders; they were to be tried by jury at quarter-sessions
or assizes. He would not enter at length into the
details of the measure, as they must be better discussed
in Committee. He knew that some persons attributed these
outrages to political feeling, but he considered the future, inas-
much as crime had diminished in certain counties of Ireland.
These outrages were not of an insurrectionary character, and
he thought they were quite unconnected with politics. The
Government had shown itself not insensible to the improve-
ment of the condition of the Irish people, but all such mea
sures would be useless until these outrages were put
down. There could be no doubt that the minute
subdivision of land had led to some of those
outrages, but the great cause was the existence of secret
associations. It was necessary to meet the evil, and there-
fore he called upon their Lordships to sanction this mea-
sure, and to give to the Irish peasant that feel-
ing of security which the English peasant enjoyed,
and which would enable the measures of the Government
for improving the social condition of Ireland to bear the
fruit which they hoped they would produce, but which they
could not produce until the feeling of security for life and
property was restored. He, therefore, moved that the Bill
be read a second time.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE could not offer the slightest
opposition to the progress of a Bill intended for the
preservation of the lives of her Majesty's Irish subjects;
and, far from complaining of the early time at which the Bill
was brought forward, he thought that every day since the
beginning of the session was a day lost, in not making some
attempt to put an end to such a lamentable state of things.
He trusted that their Lordships would lose no time in consi-
dering measures for improving the condition of the Irish
people, but he admitted that the measure which had been
proposed was an indispensable precursor to them. He feltjustified in admitting and stating that this was a Bill
for the protection of the poor against a lawless system of in-
timidation, which was aimed against their only property,
their labour, and which, if not put down would extend to
the whole country, and end in the extermination
of the great mass of the population, and the destruction of
law, order, and security. At the same time he would.im-
press upon the Government the necessity of introducing as
speedily as possible measures to ameliorate the condition of
the people of Ireland.
Lord BROUGHAM agreed that this Bill ought not to be
delayed. He deplored that there should exist in any
part of the British dominions a state of society which, if
not instantly put down, would render all attempts
at improvement the wildest fancy that it ever
entered into the mind of man to imagine. There
first duty towards Ireland was to render it an inhabitable
country by putting a stop to the progress of crime,
which rendered it an uninhabitable country. He regretted that
this Bill did not contain provisions for trying accusations in
a part of the country where juries were not subject to the
assassin. He should like to have this provision not confined
to Ireland, but extended to the whole kingdom. In
Scotland all offences might be tried either locally, or
in Edinburgh, at the option of the prosecutor.
It was better, both for the prisoner and for justice, that be
should be tried where he was not known. He trusted the
Government would, before many days were passed, make
this addition to this most necessary measure.
Lord FARNHAM said that Cavan, twelve months since, was
one of the quietest counties in Ireland and now it was the
most disturbed. The disturbances began with threatening
notices and the perambulation of the county by armed men,
and in the spring murder was committed in the open day
without any attempt being made to arrest the murderer.
He agreed that this Bill was for the protection of the poor,
for the rich man might provide for his safety by quitting
the country, which the poor man could not. If the farmer
were to wish to leave the country he could not sell his pro
perty, for the purchaser would not be safe. The cause
of all these evils was the existence of ribbon societies, so

cieties composed exclusively of men of the humblest dasses
of life, ignorant,' uneducated, but most mischievous, and
capable of perpetrating any crime, however atrocious.
The present measure was one necessary for the security of
life and property, and he hoped its progress would not be de-

layed.
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE complained that himself and

those with Whom he acted had been grossly assailed, because
he had called on the Government to adopt measures for the
security of life and property in Ireland. He was extremely
sorry that his expression of his conscientious opinion had
offended any portion of his countrymen. He must entertain
the opinion that the Irish should enjoy equal rights and pri-
vileges, but that had nothing to tio with the present measure,
which simply was for the protection of life and property.
To the complaint of the Irish farmer, that

he was deprived of the franchise, it would no

be any answer to say, therefore you shall not be defended in
the enjoyment of your life and your property. He objected
to this being a permanent measure. Arbitrary power would
be necessary for a time, but the p.Tiod of its exercise should
be limited. It was, perhaps, right that the inhabitants of
the district should be fined in:which a murder was committed,
.

but he thought that where a conviction followed,
the district ought not to be subjected to the fine,
lie also objected to inflicting the punishment of transporta-
tion without a previous reference to the Lord Lieutenant.
These, however, were matters of detail, and so necessary
did he conceive some such measure, that he would not op-
pose it in its present stage.
The Earl of Wicimow thought this a most useful Bill,
and did not see the force of the objections of the Noble
Marquis. He thought, however, that some additions might
be made to it to secure the conviction and punishment of
the perpetrators of crime. It was impossible in local dis-
tricts to select jurors who would convict even on the clearest
evidence, and some provision to remedy this evil was
wanting.
The Earl of CLANCARTY thought the Bill would be more
perfect if it gave greater powers to unpaid magistrates and
local authorities, who had greater local knowledge and
more interest in the district than stipendiary magistrates.
He objected to the plan of assessment for compensation, as
calculated to increase the unpopularity of the poor-rate.
Lord CAMPBELL would not oppose the measure, but
he must protest against the doctrine laid down by his
Noble and Learned Friend, that it would be ad-
visable in every case to give the prosecution a power
of bringing a criminal to trial at a distance from his
home—a power which was an encroachment on the
just rights of a British subject, and contrary to the
maxims of the common law. For the sake of the

prisoner and of the public, it was better that
the trial should take place, and the sentence be pronounced,
near to the spot where the crime was com-
mitted. This proposal would in political trials
confer upon the Government almost arbitrary power.
He did not believe the present Government would
. . . .

abuse such a power, but it ought not to be entrusted to any
Government. He denied that it was the law of England in
cases of murder. The Court of Queen's Bench in England
might change the venue in such cases in England, but
so could the Court of Queen's Bench in Ireland now.

t was the law of Scotland, but the criminal law of Scot-

landwaslibertyarbitrary
of nature, at u
there,
subjectand n oast nearthe sofavourable
criminal law of England. Would his Noble Friend
hold up the conviction of Muir and Palmer
as an example to be imitated; and within
of ato veryhe
the last six months the Court of Justiciary had determined
that it had the power to create any new offence,
and to affix to it any punishment they might think
tit, but he trusted that would not be held up as
a model of imitation for England and Ireland. Al-
though he would not oppose the Bill, he considered that
it ought to be a temporary measure as it was an encroach-
ment on the constitution.

Lord BROUGHAM and Lord CAMPBRLL mutually explained
Earl eoa s re
confess s
taolthboisugfeholisnogms,eethe
t wasf
bound u
tiiat proposed
were he
repugnant GIiEY,
thought the Noble Earl, who had introduced it had made
Out a sufficient case to authorise their Lordships in
arming the Government with additional powers. But
measures for repressing acts of outrage, whi e the spirit of
insubordination remained, were insufficient to meet the wants
of the case. Eleemosynary relief, too, had frequently been
granted to Ireland, without producing permanent bene-
fit. It was their duty -to go to the root of the evil
and to take away the source of the spirit of insubordination.
This was not the time to discuss what these measures
ought to be; but if, before the third reading of the
Bill, they had no general outline given to them
of a comprehensive measure of general policy,
it would be the duty of the House to record its opinion of
the necessity of coupling with this measure some other
measures of the nature of those to which he had

alluded; and if no other Noble Lord undertook the task,
1 e should on the third reading bring forward a resolution
pledging the House to inquire into the cause
of the evils of the present state of Ireland, and to provide
aremedy for those evils. He thought the provision for levy-
ing a Aims on that district in which crime _ was corn

muted a proper provision, but he trusted their Lord-

ships would not consent to this law without
the addition of a clause limiting the time of its operation,

and he thought that the clauses relating to persons out

between sunset and sunrise required some modification.
The Marquis of WESTMEATH supported the Bill, which was
. . . . .

read a second time, after which theii Lordships adjourned.

The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock.
Several railway Bills were read a second time and ordered
to be committed.

On the motion for the second reading of the Bilaton Gas
Bill, Mr. IL SPOONER moved that it be read a second time
that day six months. After a short discussion the amend-
ment was withdrawn, the Bill read a second time, and
ordered to be committed.

Petitions were presented against the enrolment of the
militia, and also against the free-trade measure of the Go-
vernment.

Mr. ESTCOURT gave notice of his intention, to-morrow, to
bring under the consideration of the House an error in the
report of the Sub-Committee with respect to the West
Ridging Union Railway Bill, and to move that the Bill
brought in founded on that report be annulled.
Lord SANDON gave notice of his intention, after Easter, to
bring in a Bill relative to the prisons in, and the jurisdiction
of, the city of London.
Sir E. PEEL, in answer to a question from Sir R. INGus,
said that dispatches had been received by the Government
relative to the war in India; that these dispatches bore
out generally the statements of the morning papers of this
day, that a great victory had been gained by the valour of
the British troops, but, he was sorry to say, with
considerable loss. The particulars of these dispatches would
be published in an extraordinory Gazette probably this evening.
The Right Hon. Baronet, in answer to a question from Mr.
O'CONNELL, said that the Government proposed bringing in,
several Bills with respect to Ireland during the present session,

but it was not proposed to give those measures precedence of
the measures now under the consideration of the Hone. The
Government proposed to bring in a Bill to encourage the im-
provent of land iu Ireland. They also proposed to Introduce
fe an
other Bills to amend the law respecting the registration of
countytat
country;vot rs in Ireland, and the mode of holding elections
in h
franchise. alteration
virwi
tahs
respectin tend intended tt oh
eb beMunicipal
with respect to
Corporation Bill that would be introduced by the Govern-
ment, the effect of it would be to assimilate the municipal
franchise of Ireland as much as possible to that of England.
Sir J. GRAHAM, in answer to a question from Mr. O'CON-
NELL, said there would be no objection to lay before the
House the papers asked for by the Hon. and Learned Mem-
ber relative to the execution of Bryan Seery.
Mr. E. BULLER then resumed the adjourned debate
on the Customs' and Corn- Importation measure.
He advocated the measure of the Government, believing that
protection meant nothing more nor less than this—benefit
to one class of society at the expense of the rest. Although
he had five points to cavil at in the Government measure,
he felt that the carrying of it was of such importance that
he should give it his hearty support.
Captain BaTestyN would give the measure his most deter-
mined opposition. No man lamented more than he did the
failure of the potato crop in Ireland, or would be more ready
to support a measure that would have the effect of relieving
the misery of that country, but it was a mockery to
say that a measure like the present, which would
have the effect of depreciating the price of the agricultural
produce of that country, would have that effect. In twelve
months' time, if the proposed measure passed, the whole pro-
duce of Ireland would be driven out of the English market
by foreign competition. He still retained the motto of his
county, "No surrender."
Mr. MONTAGUE Greta would give the measure of the
Government his decided and most strenuous support. He
had no fear for agriculture from the competition of other
countries. He would not support the measure if he thought
it was conceded to agitatiun or fear; he believed that it was
conceded from no such cause, but from a just conviction of its
necessity.
Mr. R. A. FITZGER ALD heard with great pleasure the
speech of the Right Hon. Baronet at the head of the Govern-
ment the other night; he concurred with every part of it,
1 and would give the measure his decided support. He was
glad to see that the Government intended to introduce mea-
sures to im rove the co
ic uttiorriartkind. He_believed if the
pc IlierffffetTor-Isioniro'n iffa party- were in
power they would be enabled to do great good for Ireland.
1 Captain LocKIIART opposed the proposition. They were not
called upon to pass a sweeping measure of the kind to avert a
casual calamity.
Sir G. CLERK advocated the measure. He thought if
Hon. Members looked to what had been passing in the
country for the last twenty years, they would come to the
conviction that the Government were not pursuing a new or
overstrained policy in proposing the adoption of those mea-
sures. He felt convinced, if the measure passed, not a single
acre of land in the country would be thrown out of cultiva-
tion by the importation of corn from Russia, or any other
part of the world ; but that the agricultural part of the com-
munity, as well as the commercial, would be benefited by it.
Mr. LIDDEIZ wanted to know if there had been no change
in the policy of the Government in bringing forward this
measure; why the Noble Lord, the Member for the City of
London, sat on the other side of the House, and why tl:e
Noble Lord, the Sec, etary for Ireland, had gone back to his
constituents at Nottingham, and was likely to lose his seat.
He considered the assertion of the Right Hon: Baronet who
had just addressed the House most startling, and not founded
on fact. A great change had taken place in the policy of the
Government, the introduction of the present measure was a
revolution on their former policy, one, as he believed, calcu-
lated to do immense injury to the country, and he should,.
therefore, give it his determined opposition. He did not
pretend to say that the corn-laws as they at present existed
should be maintained, but as long as he was a Member of
that House he should contend that they ought to exist in a
modified form.
Mr. Hurr • supported the Government proposition, be-
lieving that the only measure that could relieve the dis-
tresses of the country was a repeal of the corn-laws.
Captain HARRIS opposed the Government measure.
Mr. MoNciczoN MfueEs had never refused to do justice to
the Hon. Gentlemen opposite whenever they had brought
forward measures which he conceived to be for the benefit
of the country, neither was he inclined to judge the present
Ministers so harshly as some of his Hon. Friends seemed
inclined to judge them, and seeing the great alterations
which had taken place in the opinions of all those connected
with political life, on the subject of the corn-laws, he
thought that great allowances ought to be made for the Minis-
ter. It was for the House to decide whether a statesman should
be permitted to modify his opinion, or whether the country
should be exposed to the danger of perpetual changes. But
he considered there were two questions—the one the secular
rejection of the revenues of the Irish Church, and the other
the repeal of the corn-laws, whichthe present Gevernment,was
precluded upon principle from considering. Under
existing circumstances he could only look upon the Govern-
ment of the Right Hon. Baronet as a Government ad interim to
carry this measure, existing by the permission of its oppo-
nents. He gave his support to this measure, net because he
bad any confithnce in the Government of? the Right Hon.
Baronet, but because he felt conscientiously bound, in accord-
ance with his principles, to repudiate the doctrine of protec-
tion as laid down by the agricultural interest. He had
always considered the corn-law as a temporary measure, and
he felt that the time was now come for its removal.
He did not believe that the great relief would be afforded by
the repeal of these laws which Hon. Gentlemen expected,
neither did he think that the fears of those opposed to the
measure would be realised. Comparing the habits of life and
the physical powers of the English labourer with those of the
foreign labourer, he was not of opinion that the English labourer
would suffer from the change; indeed, he could not suffer,
for his wages were already reduced in agricultural districts
to the lowest possible point, and if the wages of the agricul-
tural labourer in Yorkshire were higher than those of the
same labourer in Northamptonshire, it was because of the
contiguity of Yorkshire to the manufacturing districts. He
believed the tenant-farmers would suffer by the change more
than any other class. The Hon. Gentleman then complained
of the attacks which had been made on the landlords by the
League, and contended that the land was let much below its
real value, and that by these changes the landlords might be
tempted to become mere manufacturers of corn. He
trusted, however, that they would not give way to the temp-
tation, and although they might suffer temporary pecuniary
loss, yet they would maintain their position as the great
supporters of the safety and permanency of this mighty em-
pire.
On the motion of Lord INGESTRE the debate was then ad-
journed until to-morrow.
The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and the
House adjourned at Half-past Twelve o'clock.

The official dispatches describing the late battles on the
Sutlej, published this morning in the London Gazette Extra-
ordinary, and given at length in The Sun, will be read with
melancholy interest. They confirm all the previous state-
ments respecting the great bravery displayed by the officers
and troops under their command, the vast difficulties they
had to contend with, and the superiority of numbers on the
the
generalproportion
posti
position,
being t ficnat
some r to one,
instances, vi w
fipnualgrlytt'hotfe tentw'o in
htroeoefnonreecmaegysainst the British. When it is remembered
that the Seikh troops are considered the most brave and
daring in India, that they had been well trained by Euro-
pean officers skilled in all the tactics of the French revolu.
tion, that their guns were numerous and of a very large size
—from nine to twenty-four pounders, and that they were
admirably served, the decisive victory becomes the more
wonderful, and the gallantry both of the native and Earo-
peen troops appears unequalled in any former engagements
in India. There was, however, one exception, and that is
candidly admitted by Sir JOHN LITTLER ; but great allow-
ances must be made when the small army of that gallant
officer had such fearful odds against them. It was stated in
private letters that the division under LITTLER had been re-
pulsed, and it appears from the official dispatches that a part
of this report was true, but the check was speedily remedied,
and that, too, by only one European regiment, the 9th Foot,
with the 20th Regiment of Native Infantry, and a part of the
14th Native Infantry. "The first advance in line," says the
General, " was steady, and the approach to the enemy's works
made under a most galling fire. The casualties in the ranks were
awful. The troops, however, moved on with great firmness
and resolution, and approached the enemy's battery to
within about 150 iards, when I considered the prize to be
within their grasp. The enemy, however, having great
confidence in their guns, continued to serve them with ex-
traordinary activity, and to make such havoc in our ranks,
as to cause an immediate panic and hesitation in her MA-
JESYT'S 62d Foot, which of course had a similar effect on the

native regiments on the flanks, notwithstanding all our
exertions to induce them to advance by cheering and
encouraging them, pointing at the same time to the shOrt
distance which they had to proceed when the day would be
their oWn. It was all in vain, and they retired out of gun-
shot, to where her MAJESTY'S 9th Foot and 26th Regiment
Native Infantry were drawn up in reserve. A part of the
14th Regiment Native Infantry, with their colours, accom-
panied these two regiments, and entered the enemy's batteries."
Nothing can furnish a stronger proof of the bravery of the
native troops than the glorious result mentioned in the last
part of the paragraph, and the
i dreadful havoc among the
officers of the 62d shows that t was no fault of their that
such an unfortunate repulse took place. Of the officers com-
manding that regiment we find that not fewer than eight
wore killed and nine wounded—several of them severely. In
every other quarter the utmost steadiness and bravery were
displayed by both offirsand
in mented to each regiment, their
courage appears to have been fully equal to that of the
Europeans, the proportion, for instance, of those killed on the
officersce appointed
po ; and, considering the
number
of native
21st and 22d being thirty-seven European officers, and seven-
teen native officers. The Governor. General in adverting to
the conduct of this part of the army. pays them the highest
compliment. "Thanks," says he m the general orders pub-
lished on the 30th December, are justly due to the brave
infantry of the native army, whose valour so mainly contri-
buted to these victories, and he cannot withhold his admira-
tion for the patience and perseverance with which they en-
dured privations inseperable from forced marches." General
Lrrriltn also bears full testimony to their fidelity. " The
native troops," he adds, " under the numerous temptations to
which they have been exposed for several months past by
Seikh emissaries, have evinced their loyalty to the British
Government in a most remarkable manner, not a single de-
sertion having taken place, since the enemy crossed the
Sutlej, that has come to my knowledge. They have main-
tained the character of the Bengal army in displaying cou-
rage and bravery under a heavy fire."
This is satisfactory
in another point of view, because it is well known that our
Indian empire must be maintained chiefly by the aid and
concurrence of the natives. The British forces in that
vast extent of territory are a mere handful of men,
compared with the population, and this attachment
to British rule, therefore, may be regarded
as the firmest basis of our stability iu the East. This ought to