The Sun.
London, England, 1860-11-27 00:00:00

THE OVERLAND MAIL.

By the arrival of the Calcutta mail we (Times)
have received advices from Calcutta to the 22d of
October, and from Hong Kong to the 13th.

INDIA.

The following is the letter of our Calcutta corre-

spondent: --

" CALCUTTA, OCT. 22.

" It is pleasing to turn from the grievances of the
indigo planters, upon whieh I have so lately ad-
dressed you, to notice the recomtnendations of the
committee for the revision of the tariff. Formerly
piece goods were taxed according to their length
and breadth. The consequence was that light and
inferior pieces paid as much as the heavy and more
expensive, and the duty thus became a far greater
tax on the poor than on the rich. Now it is chiefly
by the importation of goods calculated for the use
of the millions of India that the trade of the country
is to be increased ; it is therefore sound policy to
lighten as much as possible the duties which press
most heavily on that class. The committee hare
therefore recommended that duties should be calcu-
lated according to the weight of each piece, at a
uniform rate of 131 d. per lb. In this way the lighter
sorts adapted to and used by the lower classes will
pay far less in the way of duty than the more ex-
pensive sorts, of which the rich are the principal
buyers. They have also recommended what is here
termed to Gladstonise' the tariff—that is, that
duties on all articles which produce less than 500
rupees a year should be swept away altogether.
Another suggestion is the return to the 5 per cent.
ad valorem duties, which were in force up to April,
1858, and were then immensely increased. But in
the present state of the finances it does not seem
probable that this idea can be practically enforced.
"The returns regarding the income tax are most
satisfactory. The Government has wisely an-
nounced its determination not to enforce an in-
quisitorial inspection of the affairs of individuals,
and the merchants and bankers throughout the
country have responded to this call by send-
ing in returns of their own, in which their income
is very fairly noted. In such a vast extent of country
some mistakes must occur, but these have been
fewer and of less importance than the most sanguine
advocate of the income tax could have believed
possible. In a word, it is a success—a success, too,
which is another demonstration of the wisdom of a
bold and manly policy.
" The Governor-General will proceed next month
to Benares ; thence he will make flying tours to
Nagpore, Gwalior, and Hydrabad, and from Cen-
tral India will probably proceed via Bombay to
England some time next February.

" I must not fail to notice an order which Sir IL
Rose has lately issued, mid which, like all his orders,
goes far to remedy a great existing evil. With a
view to render general means of instruction, recrea-
tion, and employment for the soldiers of the army,
he has taken steps for the formation of workshops,
gymnasia, gardens, reading and coffee rooms, skittle
and ball alleys, and singlestick alleys. Committees
have been directed to report fully upon the means
available at each station of the army for the effectual
carrying out of this plan. The announcement of
it has been received with enthusiasm everywhere,
and there can be no doubt but that it is the dead.
liest blow that has ever been struck in India
against the soldier's deadliest enemy, ennui. Sir H.
Rose is thus practically carrying into effect those
reforms of which he was originally believed to be
the harbinger. He is the most popular Comman-
der-in-Chief, and at the same time the sternest dis-
ciplinarian, we have had for a long time.
"Some curious traits regarding a portion of
the population of the Hazara district, in the Pun-
jab, have lately come to light. Col. Nicholson
was the pacificator of that district. Ho changed
the character of its tribes from being the most dis-
orderly into the most orderly people on the frontier.
Such was the influence of his character that the
people began to regard him as something more
than human, and in spite of floggings and per-
secution, they persisted in worshipping him as
the Goorco Nikkul Segn. After the heroic death
of Nicholson before Delhi their conduct was most
peculiar. The head of the tribe killed himself ; the
second followed his example ; the third started off
to reshawur to learn from the missionaries of
Nicholson's God. The whole story may be relied
upon as being correct. The third man and another
of the tribe are now Christian teachers in native
schools, and it is expected that others will follow
their example.

THE WAR IN CHINA.
(From tho Overland China Mail of Oct. 13.)
The London Mail of the 27th of August arrived
here on the 9th inst.

The news which we have to convey by this mail
is of very great importance. Hostilities have been
resumed in the north. Mr. Harry Parkes; Mr.
Bowlby, the Times Correspondent ; Mr. Loch, Lord
Elgin's private secretary ; Mr. de Norman, attaché
to Mr. Bruce ; Capt. Brabazon, Deputy-Assistant-
Quartermaster• General, and Capt. Anderson, of
Fane's Horse, have been taken prisoners. Two
engagements or skirmishes have been fought with
the Tartar cavalry, who surrounded our force, but
had to retire with great loss. The allied army is
waiting in a hostile attitude within sight of the
walls of Pekin ; and negotiations have again been
opened up by the Chinese.
In our last Overland we mentioned that negotia-
tions had been broken off at Tien-tsin, anti that the
Ist division of the force was marching upon Pekin.
The Imperial Commissioners are puzzled by the