The Sun.
London, England, 1859-01-21 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, JANUARY 21, 1859.

INDIA.

(From the Con espondent of the Times.)
BOMBAY, DEC. 24.
The rumour that the Nana has succeeded in
escaping from Oude and crossed the Ganges came
upon the public of this Presidency like a clap of
thunder. To those who had followed with anxiety
the eo:nplex movements of our troops in Oude.there
was nothing improbable in the announcement.
Lord Clyde had concentrated the principal corps of
his army at various points east of Lucknow. His
own head-quarters were in the capital. Hope
Grant, Taylor, FiScher were at Fyzabad, while
north and west of Lucknow the only forces at the
disposal of Lord Clyde were Troup's brigade, ad-
vancing 'across the Goomtee, towards Khyrabad,
and Brigadier Barker's still lingering at Benigunge,
and waiting for the completion of a bridge. There
was no corps of reserve in rear of the line of the
Goomtee, and Sundeela; which appeared a strategic
point of the greatest importance, was under civil
administration,.but without a garrison. The line of
the Goomtee for 70 miles between. Lucknow and
Benigunge was completely unguarded. The few,
however, who were experienced enough to feel
anxiety for Lord Clyde's strategical movements
appeared to share in a belief that the rebels north

and east of the Goomtee were too dispirited to ven-
ture a final throw in the game of rebellion, or to
retrieve their position by changing the scene of
operations from Oude to Central India. The very
nature of Lord Clyde's movements, however, sug-
gested sue an effort to those .at least among the
disaffec e who had no ties of home or
countr e, hem to the soil. The corps operat-
ing.between Lucknow and the Goomtee were neces-
lpidriving the most resolute rebels westypxd,
athering of these at an unguarded point of
I our line seemed absolutely to foreshadow the event
which ensued. The most fanatic of the Mussulmans
in the rebel cause assembled together under the
leadership of Feroze Shah, and retired from Oude,
leaving the Nana to vegetate, as he had done for
months, in the fort of Churda, near Baraitch. It
was not, however, till some days after the passage
of the Ganges by Feroze Shah that the Naaa was
ascertained to have taken no part in the move-
ments, which I now proceed to narrate. You have
not_ failed to notice that while on the south of Oude,
especially in the Biaswarra districts, the rebellion
has been kept alive by the talookdars or great land-
owners, in the north the leaders were mere adven-
turers,—Khan Ali Khan, late subandar in the East
India Company's service; Feroze Shah, the last
prince of the house of Delhi ; Fuzl Hug, the
Moulvie of Delhi; and a host of minor fanatics,
sycees, and subalterns in the service of the late
Court of Lucknow. Feroze Shah, whose head-
quarters were at Seetapore for many months, had
also rallied to his standard Sukkur Shah, a district
officer in the pay of the Begum, who incurred the
displeasure of the Princess of Oude by rapacious
exactions in the district of Sundeela, and by with-
holding contributions due to the exhausted exche-
quer of Boowree.
On the Ist of December Brigadier TrOup, who
had already beaten Feroze Shah on the 19th of
November met him again in the neighbourhood of
Biswa, where he occupied an advantageous position.
The rebels endeavoured, as usual, to outflank us
with their numerous cavalry, but a vigorous charge
from our horse and the crushing effect of the artil-
lery produced the usual result, and Feroze Shah re.:
tired. Rallying the whole of the Mussulman chiefs
of those parts, he then conceived and executed the
bold movement of retiring to the Ganges. A direct
road lay open to him southwards through Sundeela.
He had to ford two small rivers, to cross the
Goorntee, avoid the column under Barker north of
him, pass by Sundeela, and cross the Ganges. All
this he did successfully in six days, and on the even-
ing of the 6th of December he encamped on the
Doab, within 12 miles of Kunnonj. From the
north, as was proved by the event, he had little to
fear. Brigadier Showers, who pursued him from
Agra, was too late ; but Brigadier Herbert, from
Cawnpore, was more successful. There was also a
small detachment at Etawah, commanded by a most
indefatigable magistrate) Mr. Hume. That gen-'
tleman, having under his ,orders about 400 Etawah
Horse, started on the 6th in the direction of
Bela. On the 7th he learnt that Bela had been
plundered, and that Feroze Shah ,was besieging
Hurchundpore, the fort of a friendly zemindar,
situate near the banks of the Ahmee, a tributary of
the Urrund Nuddee. He advanced towards Hur-
chundpore on the morning of the Bth, and attacked
Feroze Shah with great vigour. It was a bold
enterprise. Audaces Fortuna juvat. The motto
unhappily was not realised. Lieutenant Doyle and
several Sowars were killed, and Mr. Hume retired
into Hurchundpore, while Feroze Shah pursued his
march towards Puhpoond and Ooriyah. Already
Brigadier Percy Herbert was advancing towards
the latter point from Cawnpore. He entered
Ooriyah on the 10th inst., just after the rebels had
left it. Lieutenant Angelo, thrown forward in pur-
suit, caught up their rear 11 miles distant, killed
some men, and took the only small gun (zumbooruk)
that Feroze Shah could boast of. On the 11th the
pursuit continued from Ooriyah northward along
the left bank of the Jumna, but the main body of
the rebels had crossed the river before Lieutenant
Angelo, with the Thwana Horse, came up. A few
men, however, were killed, and several horses,
camels, and some baggage captured. The quick-
sands, which render the Jumna below Etawah par-
ticularly dangerous, prevented Brigadier Herbert
from attempting the passage. Therebls accordingly
proceeded across the tongue of land formed above
the junction of the Jumna and Chumbul, crossed
the latter river at Palee, the Sind at Lobor, and
made their way across country due west towards
Dutteah and Runnode. The nearest force at our
command was that of Sir Robert Napier, at Gwalior.
That officer received intelligence of Feroze Shah's
approach on the 13th. Some excitement was cre-
ated by itlin Gwalior, and a small detachment of
troops was thrown into the city. Sir Robert in
person assembled the remainder, and with a
column of 300 men, including portions of the 14th
Light Dragoons and 71st Highlanders, marched
almost due south 140 miles to Runnode, where he
arrived before the enemy on the morning of the 17th.
A little after dawn Feroze Shah was seen advanc-
ing from the eastward towards Runnode, and his
force was completely surprised by a charge from the
14th Dragoons, who issued unexpectedly from
an orchard and dispersed them. Feroze Shab, how-
ever, soon rallied his men, and advanced towards
the Mhow and Goona roads. Avoiding Colonel
Scudamore's brigade, moved from Seepree to Amora
to cut him off, he crossed the road and is now on his
way to Kotah, where he hopes to meet Tantia
Topee. Our knowledge of his intention to reach
that point is derived from the reports of spies cap-
tured after the action of Biswa in Oude. Whether
he will ever join Tantia Topee is doubtful. That
chief, it is true, has shown a determination to enter
Rajpootana again, but he will require more than
his usual energy to evade the numerous detach-
ments sent out against him from Baroda, Nusseer-
abad, Neemuch, and Mhow.

In my last letter, after describing the action of
Chota Oodeypore, I informed you that Tantia Topee
had gone to the north-east of Baroda. It was then
made evident that he had no intention of trying
his fortune in Guzerat. On the sth of December
he was past Dohud, at Simree, and on the road to
Banswarra. The Bheels, who are out in this quar-
ter, instead of aiding him, seem to have been
anxious to secure some of his wealth. They broke
up the roads before him, thinking to impede his
progress, but with cavalry, elephants, and camels
only, Tantia does not care for roads, and the only
result produced by the Bheels was to retard the
movements 'Of our columns. On the 10th Tantia
Topee, still flying north, entered Banswarra, where
he took a day's rest, and on the 11th, frightened
by the approach of a brigade under Col. Somerset
from Rutlam, he proceeded to Soloomber, an
isolated place encircled by hills in the heart of the
Aravulli range. Fears were entertained at one•
moment for the safety of Oodeypore, and measures
were taken to make it safe. On the 12th a
brigade marched from Neemuch to the westward.
On the 14th another brigade left Nusseerabad, and
General Michel, who had taken some rest at Mhow,
advanced thence with his force, Tapp's force was
also thrown forward from the Taptee towards
Oodeypore. Upwards of 1,500 camels were ordered
to be placed at the disposal of these brigades, for use
in sharp pursuits. During this time Capt. Morter,
with some cavalry, hung on Tantia's rear, and
marched so fast ,that when last I heard of him, he
was (December 17) at IKorade, east of Oodeypore.
As for Tantia, the latest news I have obtained,
places him at Duriabad, 18 miles west of Pertaub-
ghur, on the 18th. Captain Hutchinson has tele-
graphed from Pertaubghur that there are three
roads from Durriabad--one to Mungara, one to
Chota Sadree, the third to Pertaubghur. It was
expected that Tantia would choose the latter, on
which he will be run into the open from the Nee-
much direction. The attempts hitherto fruitlessly
made to communicate the Royal Proclamation to
the men in his camp have at last been successful,
and good results are expected in consequence. I

have before me a paper which is the declaration of
a Borah (Mussulman) caught by Tantia at Raj-
, gliur on the 3d of December. He was questioned
by that chief in the presence of the Itao, and as-
sured of his safety. Tantia is described by him as
a short, stout, dark man, wearing a dusky coloured
cloth coat, a white handkerchief round his head
instead of a puggree or turban, dark-coloured pan-
taloons made of nzushroo padded with cotton. The
Rao is a short man of fair complexion, with a dark-
coloured handkerchief round his head, gold orna-
ments on his wrists, wearing a short padded jacket,
of dark colour, and pantaloons simiku to Tantia's.
-The force accompanying the chiefs were mostly
Mahomedans, but there were a few Poorbeahs also,
the latter mostly without horses. The Mussulmans

- -
all seemed anxious to give up the game, saying
• --•

that if assured of their lives they would willingly
give up their plunder and surrender. It is easy to
conceive what effect the Proclamation must have
upon such men.
There is now little fear of what our neighbours
call un retour offensif from Tantia Topee towards
the Taptee, but if such an event were to happen
there are ample forces at hand to put it down. The
Ahmednuggur brigade is at Seerpore, and the Jaul-
nah Field Force 14 miles from Khull, on the Ner-
budda. Sir Hugh Rose, who was lately at Bourhan-
pore, is at present at Mhow. He has intrusted the
command of the Taptee, from Bourhanpore 150
miles west, to Col. Warre, of the 57th, whose regi-
ment is at present divided, part at Seerpore, part at
Doolia, and part at Mallig,aum. Sir Hugh Rose
was called to Mhow by the mutterings of a poli-
tical storm at Indore, which was weathered with-
out bloodshed by the energy of Sir Robert Hamil-
ton. This distinguished " Political," lam sorry to
say, leaves us early next year. To him we owe
much of the quiet which has reigned undisturbed
so' long in the States of, Holkai and Bhopal.
Gwalior and the surrounding country are still dis-
quieted by rebels. General Whitlock has been
forced to concentrate his troops towards Nagodc to
destroy a gathering of rebels;the offscourings of the
band lately separated from the Nawab of: Banda.
Another force is to be assembled at Gwalior to put
down a gang of insurgents at no great distance,
who hold a fort not to be attacked without breach-
ing artillery. The Nagpore districts and Berar are
disturbed by the rebels whom I have described as
endeavouring to force the passage of the Nerbudda
above Hosunabad. In spite of all efforts, 2,500 of
these got over into the Ellichpore districts, where
they are only kept in order, not put down, by
Brigadier Hill's Hyderabad Contingent, 4,000
strong, at Hewerkair, detachments under Captain
Shakespear at Mooltye, and under Capt. Prescott
at Shawulmaida. The rebels Of those parts, in con-
junction with the Rohillas of he Nizam's frontier,
are yet likely to give consideitable trouble. I have
learnt nothing of the columnt,which marched from
Secunderabad, but it is statedlthat Brigadier Spot-
tiswoode's column has safely arrived at the Nizam's
capital from Bellary.
The natural order of my narrative has taken me
far away from Gude. I now revert to the events
in that portion of our empire, especially with refer-
ence to those events which cannot have come under
the view of your own correspondent; or which are
of so recent a date as not to be within your reach
by means of his letters. After the action at Bis-
wash the brigades of Troup and Barber united on
the 3d of December, and proceeded to assist Lord
Clyde's combined movement for the reduction of
the Baraitch district. At the latest dates the joint
column was on the banks ofl the Chowka, above
Goorbux Sing's fort of Bhitoivlee' and only sepa-
rated from it by the stream; Lord Clyde, with
the headquarters, proceeded from Lueknow to
Beyram Ghent, on the Gogradust below the fork
of the Chowka, and Sir Hope Grant held Gonda,
twenty miles to, the eastward, after an action in
which Dabee Buksh was worsted and deprived of
all his guns. I have no direct, intelligence of the
reduction of Bhitowlee, but I presume that it ,has
been reduced from the fact that on the 21st of
December Lord Clyde, with the headquarter camp,
was at Baraitch. He had completely surrounded
the Begum's force. The Begum herself had sent
in to sue for terms. Numbers of sepoys flying from
our columns had crossed the frontier into Nepaul,
where they were surrounded by the troops of Jung
Bahadoor.

Nana Sahib, forced to a precipitate flight from
Churda, 30 miles' north of 13araiteh, had fled to a
jungle fort nortE=-West of that place.
Such in substance is the news from Ourle, which
shows that the 'work of pacification there is well
nigh complete.
In Bekar, though Ummur Sing, Seedha. Sing,
Hurkissen Sing are still at Jame, their followers
have all abandoned them.

Lord Elphinstone is at Bombay ; Sir Henry
Somerset still at Poona; Lord Harris has returned
to Madras.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

REPORT ON THE STATE OF THE BOMBAY MARKET FROM

THE 9TH TO THE 23D OP DECEMBER, 1858.
The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamship Ma-
dras, with the English mails of the 17th of Nov. on board,
reached here on the Morning of the 13th inst. The steamer
Pekin, with advices from China to the 30th of November,
arrived in Bombay on the 21st inst.
The money market continues tight, and the Bank of Bom-
bay has again raised its rates of interest and discount to 2
per cent. in the course of the fortnight.
IMPORTS,

Cotton Piece Goods—A pretty large amount of business
has been transacted at the import market during the fort-
night, and our staple articles are firm in demand and value.
Gray shirting,s, gray madapollams and gray T-cloth, red
ends, are in good demand, and have advanced in price.
Gray domestics are also in very good inquiry.
Bleached and Fancy Goods—These are steady, without
any material Alteration in prices.
Yarns—Both mule and twist are in fair inquiry, and
have advanced in some counts. Coloured yarns are steady.
Metals—The market is firm in inquiry and prices. Cop-
per has advanced,, as also quicksilver. Lead and spelter
remain steady.

THE INDIA AND CHINA MAILS.

The Peninsular and Oriental Company's stettiner
Indus, Capt. J. Weeks, with the heavy portion of.
the East India and China mails, in charge of Lieut.
Gardener, R.N., Admiralty agent, arrived at South-
ampton yesterday morning. She left Alexandria
Jan. 6, Malta the 11th, and Gibraltar the 15th.
During the whole of the voyage out the Indus ex-
perienced very bad weather, and also homeward as
far as Malta. A strong easterly 'gale was blowing
when she left Malta, which continued for a couple
of days, after which she had' fine weather ; south-'1
westerly winds across the Bay of Ushant, and-
north-westerly up Channel.
The number of passengers brought by the Indus
was 75. On freight she had £12,116 in specie ;
five boxes of jewellery, value £5,000.; a box of
diamonds, value £5OO ; precious stones, value
£7,700 ; garnets, value £1,050 ; a case of specimens,
1,980 bales and 90 cases of silk, a box of Delhi
curiosities, one case of cigars, and 90 packages of
sundries.
At Alexandria were the United States' frigate
Macedonian, and the usual Egyptian squadron.
Her Majesty's ships Marlborough, Centurion,
Conqueror, Swallow, Hibernia, Caradoc, Lapwing,
Tartarus, Recruit, and Boxer were at Malta on the
11th. The weather had been very bad at Malta,
and several vessels were wrecked in. the .harbour
on the 10th, in consequence of the strong north-
easterly gales which prevailed, with a heavy sea.
At Gibraltar were her Majesty's ship 'Vulture,
and the Peninsular and Oriental steamship Tagus.
The Vulture and also the Austrian frigate Arch-
duke Frederick, had each'lost an anchor and cable,

owing to heavy winds.
The Indus spoke the following steamers of the
company's fleet during the homeward • Ire :
The Behar, on the Bth, and the Euxine. 9th,
between Alexandria and Malta ; the Ori:N s a e
16th, off Cape St. Vincent ; and the Sultan on
19th, off Ushant.

The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam
Ceylon, which left Southampton on the 6th inst.
with the India and China mails, arrived at Gibraltar
on the 11th, at 8 30 p.m., and prgcceded for Malta
and Alexandria the same night. The Tagus with
the Peninsular mails of the 7th, arrived in the Bay
on the 14th. .

Her Majesty's steam troopship Himalaya, com-
mander Seccombe, seven days from Portsmouth and
four days from Queenstown, arrived on the 13th,
with detachments of different regiments for Gib-
raltar and Malta. • She left for Malta at noon on
the 14th.

The following outward bound Britiskmerebant
steamers had.arrived.at) Gibraltar :—.Tan, 6th; the
Crimean, Captain Walseham, from Liverpool, with
general cargo for Gibraltar, Genoa, and 'Leghorn ;
7th, the Christina, Captain Mansfield, from Liver-
pool, with general cargo for Malta and Alexan-
dria ; 13th, the Peninsula,
,Captain White,- front
London, with general cargo for Gibraltar and
Cadiz ; same day; the Meander, Captain M‘Micken,
from Liverpool, with. general cargo for Palermo,
A7c. ; 14th, the Pactolus,.Captain 111i11s from Li-
.
verpool, with general cargo for Gibraltar, Malta,
angAlexandria.

The Royal Victoria Yacht Cliib schooner Clay.
more, 11 lays from Southampton, arrived at Gib-
raltar on the Bth. She encountered -a severe gale
off the Lizard, and was obliged to lie-to for 16
hours.' In the Bay of Biscay she experienced fine
weather and calms, and was off Cape St.
Vincent on the 3d, where she .vas becalmed for
several hours among a fleet of more than 70 sail.
The Claymore then encountered strong gales from
the eastward, against which she beat up to
Gibraltar, having been obliged to take shelter
under Cape Spartel and in Tarifa Bay. She pro-
ceeded to Malaga on the 14th.
The British brig Hartlepool, Capt. W. Compton,
from Alexandria, with wheat for Falmouth, put into
Gibraltar Bay on the 6th inst. to land Capt. Gibert
and crew, 11 in number, of the French bark Ceres,
of Dunkirk. At 2 p.m. on the 4th, Cape de Gatt
bearing W. by N., distant 6 leagues, observing a
bark in distress, Capt. Compton. More down to her,
and finding she was in a sinking state, took off the
crew, who were in a very exhausted condition front
continued pumping. The bark, which was laden
with sulphur, from Girgenti for Dunkirk, was seen
to founder shortly after the crew were got on board
the Hartlepool. The Frenchmen saved nothing
but what they stood in. Capt. Gibert expressed
feelings of gratitude to Capt. Compton for the kind-
ness with which be and his crew were treated on_
board the Hartlepool. They were taken charge of
by the French Consul, and have been forwarded to
their respective homes as opportunity offered.
The British ship Egyptian Witch, Capt. J. G.
Chapman, which was towed into Cadiz on the 14th
Nov. last, having been completely dismasted during
the severe gales prevalent at that time, had been
towed to Gibraltar for repairs. She is laden with
machinery and coals for Alexandria.
The Indus is appointed to take out the next India
and China mails, on the 4th of February.