The Sun.
London, England, 1858-06-21 00:00:00

THE NAVAL BRIGADE. ‘.

A despatch, of which the following is a copy,
has been received by the Lords Commissioners of
the Admiralty from Captain Sotheby, of her Ma-
jesty's steatrishiP Pearl, command ng a naval
brigade in India :

." Camp Kaptangunge, April 29, 1858. ..
" Sir,—l have the honour to inform you,
for the information of the Lards Commissionera_
of the Adm'rel.y that the Pearl's naval brigade
was engaged in a series of actions with the
enemy on the 25th instant, near the village of .
Pucha was. Intelligence being received at 11 am.
that they were approaching our camp, the field
force (153 Naval Brigade ; 246 13th Light Infan-
try ; 188 Bengal! Ytoma,nry Cavalry ; 435 Ghnor-
kas and Sikhs), •always ready, was immediately
under arms, and marched to meet them, Brigadier
Rowcroft taking command of the right column,
whilst Major Cex and myself took charge of the
left. On advancing one mile we soon found the
enemy in front, posted in woods and yllages, who
commenced the action by firing shell from two
9-pounder guns (horsed) with great precisioe; but,
as all our men were-nearly iu skirmishing
wi!h little effect. As their range was considerably
beyond our small 12-pounder howitzers, I itnm?.-
diately ran them up within 700 yards, and after a
few. round, shelled them out, but keeping up a
running fire as they retreated fur about two and
a half miles, when a videtto gave notice that a body
of 1,500 men with three guns was on our left, ; we
Iwrnedia,tely went in tbatiJirection about two miles,
and found them posted in some thick woods and
jungle. As our men were very much fatigued from,
the intebse heat, many already hawing dropped from
coups-de-soleil, it was necessary to give them a few
minutes' rest, and to keep up communic 'Com with
the Br;gadier who had, been engaged successfully on
our rightewitLaaosbne body, and was then moving
towards us. We then rapidly advanced with our
guns, the se•tmen, with the 13 h Light Infal..t,ey-aa
ski,mi.her., waking beautiiut practice, kilTed
many of the enemy, who were under the Rajah of
Gouda (seated on an elephan•). In about half an
Loin- they gave way, we pursuing them for two
miles, towards the Gogra, ever which many escaped,
their retreat to Belware being threatened by the
cavalry. In the meantime, the other two rebel
forces, who had been driven back, had jellied and
advaneed within'one mile of our camp te attack it,
when the brigadier, who had heard of their ap-
preach, moved quickly to the right just in time to
meet them on the road, and after some sharp firing
an l shellire on both sides, drove them back.— - On.
hearine of his being again in action we quickly re-
joiutd him, and sent a few well-direr,ed rockets
iet)s.rene woads, which hastened their retreat, aiid.
burnt them out of a village. It being nearly sun-
set, and the trcops quite exhausted from tl e in-
tense heat, and constantly moving for seven hours,
we halted, and shortly afterwards returned to camp.
"The enemy's force is reported upwards of
3,000, with 5 guns, but es they were so quickly
worked, and taken to the rear, we were only able
to capture 1 ammuniti, n waggon. Tliey had about
70 killed.

" I am happy to report we bad no casualties,
though it was perfectly tniracalous how all escaped,
for heir practice with the guns,
especially :the
shells, was unusually good.
‘• The men behave t in their usual con! and cheer-
ful manner, much to my satisfaction, aucl•wout over
18 miles under a burning sun..
" The following officers were in the frild, and
rendered me much valuable assist-ince, and I beg
permission to recommend them to the favorable
notice of their lordships :
" Lieutenant N. E. B. Turnour, in charge of
2 guns. Lieutenant H. 11. Grant, with the seamen,
a most zealous officer. Lieutenant F. G. Tyin,
with the Marines. Mr. A W. Ingles, mate, very
active with the skirwishtrs. Mr. C. F. Foot, mid-
shipman, with the other 2 howitz-rs. Mr. 1.1. F.
Stephenson, midshipman, my aide-de-camp, always
at hand and ready to convey messages. Messrs.
Parkins
downsnd 1B )y Burton, warrant officers, the latter
struck a colt Drs W. J. ShoUe
and Dickinson, with i be Rev. E. A. Williams, and
Mr. T. H. L. Bowling, acting clerk. William
Thompson, gunner's mate, and Luke Pearae,
carpentet's ma• e, were also of much service.
" I regret to say our sick list is very large, owing
to the exposure to the sun, and living in tents at
this period of the year.
"On th-t 27th at 10 p.m., having destreyed..our
entrenchments after dark, and blown up captured
guns, we retired on Ksptangunge, 14 miles, as
there were several bodirs of rebels in cur rear, and
others threatening to cross from Oude.—l have,
&e., " E. S. SOTHEBY, Captain R.N.,
Peel's Naval Brigade.
" To the SecCretmArtnyaonfdig
theil Admiraliy, London."

Soon after the fourth Conference had been held
at Paris it was generally related that a complete
understanding had , been established between the
Powers, but some reliable information on the sub-
ject, Which has b?en forwarded to this city from
Paris, only partially confirms the current report. -
The fourth Conference was less stormy than its pre-
decessors, because Baron von Hubuer and Fuad
Pasha withdrew their opposition to the discussion
of the Fokscbani project, but still they positively
declared that, neither the Austrian nor the Turkish
Government would ever give its sanction to
the periodical meeting or union of the Moldavian
and Wallachian Divans. It is whispered that
the British Government has recently acted the
part of moderator, inasmuch as it was hinted
to
Austria that she might attain her ends as surely,
and with less difficulty, if her language were some-
whatwho
less categorical. This morning a person
must necessarily be well acquain'eci with
opinions of this Cabinet, stated that it bad no.
otjectioii whatever to the adminis' ration union
which was ' reposed by the E t 1 of Clarendon
ago,
about nine months but that it could not,
approve the Fokschani project, " the fujidamen-,
tal principle of which is political union." Anspria.
has two cogent reasons for objecting to the,
formation of a constitutional Daco-Rotirlau
State. The one is, that it would bo to lier
in the east what Sardinia is in the south-
west ; the other, that the union of Moldavia and
Wallachia could not fail .t 9
enfeeble toe Porte,.
the tenure of whose empire in Europe is even
more" frail than is generally
believed: The
Gazatt,-; de Cologne and v, eVeral other Geritan
papers have st,ated. that ou Saturday, the sth in at. ,
a military convention was signed hetween.A.Ustrii
and Turliey; Wt iZ '64 tbkt tUo 13"5 is tOtailY.
• false, .