The Sun.
London, England, 1848-06-21 00:00:00

INDIA AND CHINA.

Dispatches have been received from Marseilles in antici-
pation of the overland Bombay mail of the 12th ult.
The intelligence, although partly anticipated by our last
advices, published on the 12th instant, is of great interest.
It gives the details of the murder of the two British officers at
Moulton, the capital of the western district of the dominions
of Lahore.

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It has liag been remarkable as an empo-
riums NT-e
The
eeoGf
om
the tfurdmecitti.ymeoftheisbandowbeen for
Hearrearwsas desiredih
kingdom. ashantodafiksilel:baubnitvd:unjeet Singh in 1818, after a
consi-
deredo
aattol
settle
e his disaffected.
aeeoun towardst
s and
the
payS e iukph rule.
his so
order he, having paid a visit to Lahore, cont,rived by
a
intrigues to baffle. A successor was named to take his
place, and two young officers—viz., Mr. Vans Agnew of th:
Bengal Civil Service, and Lieutenant Anderson, of the
Bombay Fusileers, accompa iied the newly-appointed Gover-
nor, Khan Singh, to Moulton. They left Lahore on the
bth of April, and reached their destination on the 18th
of that month. They were well received by the old Gover-
nor, Dewan Moolraj, who showed them the fort. A quarrel,
however, was picked with some of their followers, and both
of the Englishmen were wounded. Seeing themselves about
to be massacred by treachery, they retreated with khan
Singh and their escort to a Small fort outside the walled town
of Moultan, where for twenty-foUr hours they consideir
themselves protected, but the troops from Moultan haste d
to attack the fort. Lieut. Anderson being severe y
wounded, was unable to rise from his bed ; Mr.
Vans Agnew shook hands with him, and bade him an
eternal adieu. He then prepared to defend himself, but his
pistols had been tampered with, and as the crowd of sol-
diers with which his escort had " fraternized " entered
the room, lie drew his sword and cut down the first assailant,
but he was instantly shot, and his body, like that of his corn-
eauion Lieutenant Anderson, and that of their apothecary,
Mr. Wilkinson, hacked to pieces, and treatedth every in-
dignity. The new Governor, Khan Singh, was wounded, and
made prisoner by the troops of Moultan.
This insurreotion is calculated to produce dangerous cozme-
quences, for the Dewan Moolraj will be joined by all the dis-
affected and turbulent men of the late Seikh army, who
were dismissed at the time of the conquest. The season
was adverse to campaigning, for the heats in that part of the
Punjaub are intolerable in the months of May, June, July,
August and September. Orders were instantly issued at
Lahore to send a corps of the army down to Moultan (a dis-
tance of 200 miles) ; but they were countermanded, when
the death of the two officers was proved. It was said on
the day of the departure of the mail that a force
of four regiments would be dispatched from Born-
bay to Kurrachee ; but it was feared that they would
nut be able to reach that place, in consequence
of the south-west monsoon, which was then approaching.
The Indus was then in a fit state for being navigated by the
steamers and flat-bottomed boats, which could corns within
one mile and a half of Moultan by going up the Chenaub
Cianpdtuais,n
anCdhrv,ishtoopihs elry,ellwahcqouacionsatemd a,nin.idtsh th
(fitteiellsanoens).the
river, and who had gone up the Chenaub near to,
Moultan, was to proceed to Kurrachee from Bombay
on the 13th of May. There was a number Of
boats ready at different stations on the Indus, and a heavy
battering train was ready at Sukkur, which could be con-
veyed with speed to attack Moultan. The only want was of
time to prepare the expeditions before the monsoon shall
have set in. There is no doubt that proper arrangements
will be adopted for having two strong corps sent to subdue
the rebels, the one from Ferozepore and the other from Kur-
rachee, as soon as the season will allow the troops to move.
Various absurd rumours were current respecting a combi-
nation amongst the Seikh troops, and other disaffected
mountain tribes, to embarrass the British authorities, but
there was no foundation for these reports. The feelings of
the people of even the Moultan districts are favourable to the
British, and no apprehension is entertained of the disaffection
gaining ground.
In other parts of Indiapeace prevails. Oude is, however,
disturbed, and may require to be managed by the British
authorities. In the Nizam's territory there are hopes enter-
tained of amelioration, as the Sovereign and Resident are at
last on terms and are willing to introduce good measures.
Mr. Clerk, the ex-Governor of Bombay, took his departure
from that place on the 6th of May, sincerely regretted. Lord
Falkland, who was sworn into office on the let, had reco-
vered from his indisposition, and was to hold a levee on the
13th of May.
The management of the Indian navy engrossed much at-
tention at Bombay, especially subsequent to the suicide of
Mr. Purser Harrison, who attributed all his misfortunes to
his superiors. He had been dismissed for neglect of duty as
Deputy-Superintendent of the Stores.
The affairs of the Union Bank continued to be discussed
at Calcutta, but with little prospect of a satisfactory termi-
nation.
The late disturbances at Surat we still the subject of
much animadversion at Bombay. 'The Government had
sent a high civil servant to examine into the facts and to
present a report thereon. A strict inquiry is necessary.
Advices from Bong Kong are to the 2Erth of April. The
Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer Pottinger bad
arrived late at night of the 22d, bringing dates from London
of the 26. h of February, and the first intelligence of th orevo-
lution in Paris, and the abdication of Louis Philippe.
In Canton general quiet prevailed ; ea unprovoked attack
by some Chinese on two foreign( rs, is they were proceeding
in a Hong boat to visit the warehouses of their principals,
met !with summary redress on the representation of her
Majesty's Consul, and the Chinese were taken and punished.
by exposure in the " cangue," &c. Trade continued inactive,
but there appeared no want of money.
Her Majesty's steamer Fury returned from Shanghai to
Hong-Kong on the 21st, bringing dates thence to April 18th.
The demands made by the consul for the delivery of the ring-
leaders in the attack on the three English missionaries, had
been complied with, and the parties were identified and
punished; the Toutai of Shanghai had been dismissed for
his supineness in the business; and a Mandarin,. Samqua,„
us
rNrivinereediate,ii ,
formerlyeeed
h.a
Thismerchant
affai r a
hast Canton, t
h badse a beensatisfactorily
ut3
gl
to a termination, to which, no doubt, the of her
Majesty's ski Esp e
de-
monstration was made by some ersas the officers and Man-
her
passing through the streets but the parties
Majesty's Vice-Consul, largelyiegl co.dtinotrTuted.lSn'ome slight
apprehended and punished by exposure
cangue. The Esp.iegie returned safely to Shang-
proceeded to :'.aingpo, leaving her Majesty's.
hiwdnaaeirt7ihnesain,
ship Childers, Captain Pitman, at Shanghai. Her Ma-
jesty's ship Scout remains at Foochowfoo, and her Ma-
jesty's ship Columbine at Amoy. Her Majesty's steamer
Medea is stationed at Whampos, and the Pluto at
Canton. Her Majesty's ship Melsompus, Captain Campbell,
senior officer, and her Majesty's steamer, Fury, remain in
Hong-Kong harbour. It is reported his Excellency Gover-
nor Bonham intends having an interview with the Viceroy
at the Bogue in a few days.
The latest dates received at Hong-Kong are—from Cal-
cutta, March 8 ; Madras, March 14 ; BombaT, March 18;
Singapore, April 13; Manilla, April 9.
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