The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-16 00:00:00

MONTENEGRO.

A Vienna letter of the 10th says
" Prince Danilo has recently published a fresh
proclamation, which is this time addressed to the
inhabitants of the Herzegowina and Bosnia. He
therein recommends them to keep quiet, declaring
that he cannot give them any support. , The Prince
has, it is said, been induced by the foreign consuls
to publish this proclamation, in consequence of the
Turkish authorities having arrested some of his
agents, who were distributing incendiary writings
among the rayahs of the Herzegowina. Austria is
having new fortresses raised along the frontiers of
Montenegro, and the Porte, on its side, is having
some built on the frontiers of the Herzegowina, in
order to keep the Montenegrins in check."

A despatch from Hamburg states that the
Swedish Government has communicated to Den-
mark the copy of a circular which it has addressed
to all the Powers, manifesting disquietude at the
eventuality of an occupation of the Duchies by
German troops, and speaking of the measures
which that proceeding would necessitate.

A letter from Vienna states that the Archduke
Maximilian and the Archduchess Charlotte had
gone on a short excursion to the Isles of Greece.

INDIA.

By the arrival of the Calcutta mail we (Times)
have received our private correspondence and files
of papers from Calcutta to the 9th of September.
The following is the letter of our Calcutta corre-
spondent :

" CALCUTTA, SEPT. 9.

" Intelligence of the passing of the India Bill
reached Allahabad on the 25th ult., and the
despatches six days afterwards, but no proclamation
has yet appeared; it is not expected by the officials
for another month. Measures will be taken to
make the issue simultaneous in all three Presiden-
cies, and in almost every great city. Anglo-Indians
are disappointed that the order so long expected
was not drawn up and signed by Lord Stanley him-
self. The natives would have trusted the new au-
thority more than the Government of India; which
they have accustomed themselves to disbelieve.
One class,however, forms an exception to the gene-
ral attitude of interest. Accustomed as we all are
to the political apathy, of the educated natives, I
confess I am surprised to see them so utterly with-
out excitement. They were anxious for a moment
about their Company's paper, and, in common
with many others, I received from two wealthy
native friends a request that I would give
them a distinct assurance of the solvency of the
Queen. , Once reassured on that point they ceased
to inquire, and I question if the change—the
most important ever made in India—forms even
a topic of conversation. Among the Europeans the
feeling is decidedly one of pleasure. The Company
for the past few years has had no hold on the affec-
tions of the army, and CV 011 the civilians declare
that their only dread is of the short-sighted parsi-
mony of the Imperial Government. The settlers,
of course, are triumphant at the downfall of their
determined enemies, but even they are very quiet
in their exhibition of feeling. There was some
talk of a great dinner at Calcutta, but the weather
is still hot, and a great dinner is a great bore, and,
on the whole, Calcutta thought it better to main-
tain its character for languor.
" There is nothing to arouse it in the history of
the war. Your Bombay correspondent will have
informed you a fortnight since of Gen. Roberts's
tardy victory, and the different stages reached by
the rebels in their flight from the Banas are of little
interest to the English public. The general position
may be thus described :—The rebels, some 5,000
strong, chiefly cavalry, and commanded by Tantia
Topee, have crossed the Chumbul in their retreat,
and seized Jhalra Patun, a little town to the ex-

treme south of the liotali district. They are trying
to force their way back to Central India, but the
distance is great ; General Roberts is close behind,
and they will be met at all points. There are no
more fortresses to be seized, and the army of Gwa-
lior must either dissolve or melt into the crowd
of half-armed, half-disciplined aimless ruffians,
who are disturbing the Saugor territory. These
latter are said to have re-occupied Garracota.
a statement not officially confirmed, and which,
even if confirmed, is of little importance. The
anarchy will last till the Commander-in-Chief can
send troops, and then it will disappear as if it had
never existed. A band, some 1,500 strong, re-
cently robbed a mail near Saugor, and tried to
steal commissariat carts. Captain Finch, with 200
of the 31st Native Infantry, 80 Sowars, and a few
pplicenien attacked them, took 72 prisoners, and
saved'the carts. In any other country, and even
in India at any other time, dacoities of this kind
would be put down by the police. So, again, you
will doubtless receive accounts of disturbances in
Etawah, Goruckpore, and the Doab generally.
They are much to be regretted, as indicating the
utter disorganisation of our regular machinery, but
politically they have not half the importance of an
Orange riot in Belfast. The war, as a war, is con-
fined to Northern Oude the Gonda district, the
route between Oude and Shahabad, and Shahabad
itself. The former is to be settled in the forth-
coming campaign, and the latter at once. Mean-
while Central Oude is settling down,
seen letters from Mr. Montgomery stating that the
e
country, the moment our troops pass through it,
becomes as tranquil as if no rebellion had occurred.o
f
Maun Singh, however, is giving a great deal
trouble. He professes Warm friendship, but will obey
no order, take no advice, and, above all, will not go
to Lucknow. He is playing a game which is too fine
for his intellect, and I suspect has nearly worn out
the patience of the Governor-General. In Shaha-
bad affairs do not improve. The Camel Corps, under
Colonel Turner, on the 20th of August cut up a
party at Bulleah,i and Brigadier Douglas, on the
21st, hunted another body, who had seized a Euro-
pean officer at Russerah, into the Gogra. The centre
of the guerilla warfare, however, the wedge-sb aped
territory between the Ganges and the Soane, is still
unapproachable. The Commander-in-Chief, how-
ever, has issued orders for the collection of a force

adequate to the work. Three European regiments
will be posted, so as to prohibit flight across the
of tje trian
base line gle, while two regiments of
Sikh Irregulars are
lsent to hunt the rebels through
in the end, but pan:if carried out, must succeed
the jungle. This
11 months Shahabadpractically the hands of the rebels.
and Behar have been for
insufficiency of the forcee,t
One reason of our failures,indoubtless,
employed,
n has ast beenbeat
thet e
o
Colonelentof cryrteryla;
enemy but to cover the
stbuyteairt
must not be forgotten that
didtil t
effect
secure.
ffectmost thoroughlyltisathe ends we now
fail en
General that is required
rather than more men, and red tape is still
powerful. Colonel Eyre had been appointed agent
for the powder manufactory apretlssihdtipent in Council,
ore, 16 miles
intrusted
from Calcutta. Mr. Grant,
be
knowing the factory might
inferior hands, proposed, I believe t
officially,o f ar
to send Colonel Eyre to clear Behar,we b
but the taheteua
pro-
posal was rejected, and the man b
ly
once cleared the province is kept at •l
checking accounts of powder. Do not imagine
isldesthat
Col. Eyre is badly treated. The agency is exceed-
ingly coveted, being worth as much as a regimental
command. It is the State, not the individual,
which suffers from a waste of power, caused (the
critics say) chiefly by dislike of Company's officers.
"I mentioned m my last letter that Mr. Mont-.
gomery was endeavouring to improve Lucknow. I
have since received a more minute account of the
reforms by which he is rest9ring the most beautiful
city in India to more than its ancient splendour.
The earthworks constructed by the enemy are being
removed, and the trenches filled up. All houses
shattered by our artillery are pulled down, and new
broad roads traverse the city from end to end. A
broad esplanade has been built on each side of the
Goomtee, and no inhabitant is allowed to throw
anything into the river. The fortifications, which
are very extensive, are built on the plan suggested
by Col. Napier ; they commence at the iron bridge,
which is protected by two guns, and defended by a
detachment of Europeans, who are housed in the
neighbouring barracks, just erected. Between the
iron and stone bridges a great wall has been thrown
up, so that, in the event of an enzeute, the garrison
would be protected from a fire from the city as
,they passed from post to post. At the stone bridge
i the Muchee Bhawmt fort, which has not, as re-
ported, been destroyed, only one magazine having
been blown up on the Ist of July, 1857. The
old fort is enlarged and improved, and will be
mounted with a battery sufficient to destroy the
town. From the fort to the Charbagh Bridge, on
the Cawnpore side two broad straight roads are being
cut, which will be commanded by our guns from
end to end, thus securing communication with the
Grand Trunk Road. The great Imaumbarra of
Asoph-ood-Dowlah and adjoining mosques have
been taken into the fortification, but improved and
rendered healthy by the destruction of the hovels
which interrupted the view. The Kaiserbagh
and all the palaces are carefully preserved, but
theyreat haveball of
been
audience,
injured, and the
gwas allowed to enter, is now crowded twice
a-week by some 500 soldiers, who are amused by
theatrical entertainments, very fairly performed.
The city is intensely' quiet, and Mr. Montgomery
has introduced a regular patrolling police, on the
London model, with a European superintendent
and a native Christian inspector to each division.
Strict rules, too, have been introduced for cleanli-
ness, and necessaries—things totally unknown in
Mr. Montgomery inflicted for
India, where the people are still primitive—have
been planted aullseotvbeermtl!Le
In short,
eartnd,
banynr
is using his absolute power wisely, and in another
year will have turned the Indian Sodom into the
most European of Asiatic cities. His achievement is
the more remarkable because we have as yet sadly
neglected our Indian cities. Even Calcutta has not
a wharf, a jetty, a crane, an avenue, a pavement, a
gutter, or a system of drainage. We have only just
introduced gas, and still drink water brought up
in goatskins from ponds in which everybody bathes,
and which are usually covered with slime.
" The last telegram from Allahabad announces
that the 69th Native Infantry and 62d Native In-
fantry, disarmed at Mooltan, had risen, murdered
the Adjutant of the Bombay Fusiliers and four
artillerymen, and made off. These men were men-
tioned in the evidence given on the trial of the
mutineers in the 10th Punjabees at Dhera Ismail
Khan. They can do little harm without allies, but
the movement justifies Sir J. Lawrence's determi-
nation to dissolve the disarmed regiments in the
Punjab. They are to be discharged at the rate of
20 a-day, and marched to their homes under police
surveillance. They are busy, it is said, corrupting
the Sikhs, and the Chief Commissioner will bear
the anxiety no longer. One or two regiments, sup-
posed to be faithful, are to be re-armed—a danger-
ous expedient, and one which will probably be
abandoned on the news of the outbreak
at Mooltan. Discharge is, perhaps, hard upon the
men if they are faithful, bat it is certain that they
knew of the conspiracy going on, and equally cer-
tain that they would not march against their com-
rades. Their discharge will release four European
regiments greatly wanted for other work. Some
slight steps have also been taken towards reorgani-
sation, but they are very inadequate. The system
of promotion to command by seniority has been
abolished. No colonel will be appointed who is
not thoroughly qualified by ability, tact, and know-
ledge of and regard for the natives. Unfortunately,
as the regiments have mutinied before, the order
for improving their colonels comes a little late in
the day. It is, however, applicable to the smaller
presidencies, where it will create some sensation.
Hitherto the command of a regiment, though not
in theory a right of the senior, has in practice been
as much his own as his private property. Mr.
Peacock has also introduced a bill giving colonels
the power to degrade or dismiss any native officer
or Sepoy, to order unlimited extra drill, with a
pack or without, and to inflict seven days' solitary
confinement. Meanwhile the Bengal army is ex-
tinct, and not one of these rules applies to the mis-
cellaneous crowd of ' levies,'' horse,' Sikhs,' Pun-
jabees,' and ' hillmen,' who haye supplanted it.
" A very unpleasant quarrel with Jung Baha-
door has just terminated. The worthy Grand
Cross had for some time entertained an extreme
dislike of the Resident, Colonel Ramsay. It arose
apparently in this way :—About two years ago
Jung, in a fit of dignity, made his brother, Baron
Bahadoor, Premier, retaining only the command of
the forces. He wished to be regarded as something
higher than a mere Minister. As he retained all
substantive power, he perpetually interfered, and
at last grew seriously angry because Col. Ramsay,
according to the precedents of 70 years, looked
to the Chief of the Durbar for replies. In-
stead, however, of frankly expressing his dis-
like, Jung when at Allahabad suddenly pro-
duced a list of some 30 charges against Col. Ram-
say, the least trilling of which was that the Colonel
did not venerate the Hindoo religion enough-
The
Governor-General, perhaps taken by surprise,
ordered words to be said which meant, or which
Jung understood to mean, that the Resident should.
be recalled. Colonel Ramsay was accordingly re-
called to Allahabad to answer for his conduct, and
boasting loudly that he
Jung returned to his hills,
had done what no Indian prince had ever succeeded
in doing. Col. Ramsay, on his arrival, explained the
charges so completely that there was no alterna-
tive but to restore him, and he was accordingly
sent back. On his arrival at Patna, however, he
received a letter from Jung Bahadoor forbidding
him to enter Nepaul. In explanation the Nepaulese
reiterated his charges, and pleaded the Governor-
General's promise. A long correspondence followed,
and at length the Governor-General, while, as he
said, fully exonerating Col. Ramsay of all blame,
would not force on the Nepaulese Durbar an envoy
distasteful. His lordship •
personally was in the
as we could not quarrel
right,. in so far.on such a
the
.first time the Indian point, but it isGovern-
ment has ever been in such a position.
Another unpleasant affair of a different kind
has also ended. Since the arrival of the forces in
October last it has been customary to place the
women and children in depot at Dumdum, the Ar-
tillery station five miles from Calcutta. In March
Colonel Reid remonstrated that he was overcrowded
—but still there was great difficulty in providing
for the women, and they were sent in till at one
time the number rose to 1,800 women and children.
The station is too near Calcutta, recruits were care-
lessly located in the station, arrack cost about ltd.
a bottle, and what with vice among the bad, and
drinking among the depressed, the station was soon
in a fit state for an epidemic. The hot weather
came, the rains bringing almost universal
dysen-
tery among the children—for whom no space was
allowed—and in overcrowded barracks, filled with
stenches such as a fortnight ago drove out orderly
officers sick to fainting, 500 women and children
died. The action of Government w
credit-
able. The moment the facts as very
vv
Henry Ricketts, member of C were known Mr.
station, inspected the ouncil, drove to the
barracks, and
wrote a minute, which produced on his return
ee
commission of inquiry The an instant official
scattered, but the • women are 'to be
mischief has already been accom-
" A severe shock
at 3.30 of earthquake was felt in' Cal-
cuttap.m. on the 24th of August. Earth-
quakes
in Bengal are always slight, but this one
shook the houses • •
visibly, and is said by the natives
to have been more severe than the one of 1842. The
Supreme Court was shaken 'to such a degree that
judge, bar, and prisoners rushed pell-mell out of
the hall together. Yeh, in his great house at Ali-
pore, was so frightened that, for the first time
since he has been in Calcutta, he rushed into the
open air.
" I have just received official intelligence of the

outbreak of cholera in the Cashmere valley. The
Maharajah reports that upwards of 100,000 of him
subjects have perished in a few weeks. No burst
of disease so tremendous has ever been known, even
in India. It is jumpin, as usual, from station to
station. At Rawul Pindee six deaths have oc-
curred in the convalescent depot. In Murree six
Europeans are dead; in Jullunder 36 cases; 13
fatal ; cause every where supposed to be drought,
but the disease is marching on the plains.
" The following may also be imphcitly relied on:
—The 62d and 69th, and the Native Artillery,
broke away on the 31st of August from Mooltan,
killing the Adjutant of the Bombay Fusiliers,
Lieut. Miles. The 62d had just been informed that
they were to be re-armed. They are gone to
Bhawulpore, whence they intend forcing their way
by Bikaneer into Kotah and that locality. The
59th Native Infantry at Meean Meer, received the
assurance that they were to be re-armed in ' sullen
silence.' "