The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-30 00:00:00

INDIA AND CHINA

By the arrival of the Calcutta mail we ( Times)
have received our private correspondence and files
of papers from Calcutta to the 23d of September
and from Hong Kong to the 12th of September.
The following is the letter of our Calcutta cor-
respondent:--
."

" CALCUTTA, SEPT. 23.
" The fortnight has been almost barren of intel-
ligence. The proclamation announcing the aboli-
tion of the Company has not yet appeared.
Meantime orders have been issued to illuminate all
public buildings, and, if possible, all towns, and to
prepare a grand show of fireworks—an exhibition
in which natives take a peculiar delight. Some
(fireworks have been sent to Allahabad, and the
illuminations are progressing, but the fireworks for
Calcutta cannot be ready for weeks. The order is
well judged, as no amount of proclamations would
convince a people who cannot read that the ' Com-
pany's raj' had ended, and the alteration of the
coinage and other visible signs of a change of
dynasty will require time. Besides, the show itself
is popular. The last of the kind was given by Lord
Ellenborough, and is still remembered. The natives
complain bitterly of our English dislike for
pageantry, and it is undoubtedly one of the many
causes which give to our regime that appearance of
monotony which is to a native its first characteris-
tic.

" Pending the proclamation, the chief topic is
the mutiny at Mooltan. Your Bombay correspon-
dent will, have informed you a week since of the
last defeat of Tantia Topee by General Michell, but
he may not have heard all the details of the de-
struction of the mutinous regiments at Mooltan.
Two regiments there stationed—the 62d and 69th
—were among the `.first disarmed in the Punjab.
The 69th was known to be rotten to the core, but
the 62d has till within these last few weeks com-
mitted no act calculated to excite suspicion. Ac-
cordingly it was resolved to rearm the regiment
while discharging the 69th. The order was accord-
ingly sent out to the men and received in ominous
silence. According to the only probable account
yet received, the sepoys took the order to be an
indication of kindness so inconceivable that it must
conceal some treachery. They resolved, it is said,
that they were to be destroyed, and that the order
to discharge them in detail was intended to facili-
tate that process. To prevent the execution of the
plan they determined to escape. Escape without
horses was, however, nearly impossible, and the
only horses obtainable were those belonging to the
European Artillery. The Artillery stables, there-
fore, were the point of attack, and the two regi-
ments, joined by the native Artillerymen (dis-
armed), marched by wings on the European Artil-
lerymen. They had no muskets and but few
swords, but the mass had extemporised formidable
clubs out of the side posts of their bedsteads. A
few reached the stables, where they killed four
Europeans, but were speedily driven out by a
gallant young fellow, a lieutenant, who flung him-
self among them sword in hand. The remainder
were beaten back by the artillerymen according to
the printed accounts, with their side arms. This,
however, I am informed, is a mistake. An officer,
Captain Green, I think, had received information
of the movement, and got out his guns so rapidly
as to be able to pour case into the mutineers at 50
yards. At all events, 300 were killed on the spot,
and the remainder, about 1,100, broke and fled.
The Bombay Fusiliers came up a few minutes after-
wards, and their Adjutant, Lieutenant Mules, who
was riding in advance, was seized by a few sepoys,
torn from his horse, and brained on the spot. The
sepoys then divided, part flying towards the Sutlej,
the boats upon which river had,'however, been
seized, and part towards Lahore. The former party
again divided, one portion making for an island
in the Gheera, and another for the Cheenab. They
were all arrested or slain. The second' division
was pursued by a native gentleman, Golam Mustafa
Khan, aided by his tenantry and the police. The
sepoys fought desperately, and compelled a retreat,
but Mustafa Khon advanced again, and every
sepoy was killed.' By this time the country
was up. Punjab officials know how to ride,
the country folk hate the Hindostanee soldiery
with a most healthy hatred, and by the 15th inst.
the entire force, both the regiments and the Artil-
lery, had been accounted for.' All who had not
been shot, or drowned, or hanged, had been taken
prisoners. The intelligence made the Sepoys at
Meean Meer restless,' but the watch kept there is
most vigilant, and, though there are rumours of a
rising, they are not authenticated. The catastrophe
will put a stop to the rearming mania which for a
few days threatened to place some 15,000 traitors
under arms in the northern stations. The truth,
that the fighting classes to a man detest the British,
and that those who remained faithful only waited
their opportunity, begins at last to be admitted.
The 60th Native Infantry, one of the best disposi-
tioned' of the disarmed, is now on its march from
Peshawur to Umballah, and Sir J. Lawrence has, I
perceive, ordered all the police en route to keep
their arms in readiness for action. The discharges
are proceeding rapidly, 40 men a-day crossing
the frontier under the surveillance of the police.
Beyond that point they subside into the population,
and if they join the marauders can do little harm.
Four or five thousand more or less of them do not
make the difference of an European Regiment.
From Oude and Shahabad we have nothing of
importance. The rains check all movements, and
both parties appear to await weather a little more
favourable for loctmotion. The field force or-
dered by Lord Clyde to clear Shahabad has net yet
collected, and the rebels are taking advantage of
the pause to fortify themselves in Jugdespore.
According to native report they number 15,000
men ; but native spies make little distinction be-
tweenfollowers and fighting men. They
may
y camp
amount to that number, as small parties steal
down from Oude to join them, but the reports do
not prove the fact. Active operations will scarcely
recommence till the 15th of October, the usual
termination of the rains.
" The railway from Allahabad to Cawnpore was
opened to the public on the 15th inst. It had been
open for troops and stores for some days previous.
The railway will also be open to Adjai, 40 miles
beyond Burdwan, in a few days. This section,
however, will be of little use till the bridge over
the Adjai is completed, which will not be the case
for at least another year."

CHINA.

HONG KONG, SEPT. 12.

The mail steamer Pekin arrived on the sth inst.,
and the same steamer takes the outward mail to

leave this morning.
Our last advices from Shanghai, under date the
3d inst., mention the arrival of Lord Elgin there
from Japan, where, it is said, he succeeded in
and
-
ranging a satisfactory treaty. The particulars have
not been made known, but it is mentioned in the
North China Herald that the treaty is based very
much upon the one formed by the United States.
It provides for a resident Minister at Jeddo, n
the opening within a year of the ports of liana_
Barra, which is considered the port of Jeddo, of
Nagasaki, and Hakodadi and later, two other
ports, one on the west coast, and another on the
east coast. The cities of Jeddo and Ohosaka are
also to be free to trade. Exports are to be subject
to a duty of five per cent., and imports are to be
charged 20 per cent., with some exceptions, which
e
include what may become the most
fiv cent. importantis
articles—viz., cotton and woollen goods, and on
these it is understood a duty of only
to be levied. The Dutch had not as yet, it is said,s
s ge
succeeded in obtaining the privileges granted e to
other nations.

The Emperor yacht was handed over to the
Japanese authorities with due ceremony.
During Lord Elgin's visit to Jeddo the Emperor
was unwell, which was given as an excuse for his
not receiving his Lordship.
The Chinese Commissioners, whose arrrival was
expected in Shanghai to meet the Ambassadors for
the revision of the tariff, had not arrived up to the
last date, and nothing positive was known regard-
ing them.

The Canton river is again free, but we have
nothing satisfactory to report of the state of matters