The Sun.
London, England, 1835-02-13 00:00:00

INDIAN ARMY.

s We copy the following items of military intelligence
from the India papers last received ; and well may we echo
the Mojeussil Mbar, when it sacs, " We do not consider
these eternal courts-martial as indicating a vigorous govern-

ment of the army."
COURTS MARTIAL AT MA DR A S.—Extract of a private
letter.—" Some singular Courts Martial are to be held
here shortly. Colonel Sir E. K. Williams, K. C. 8., H.
H. M. 41st Regiment, Major Watkins of the Cavalry, and
Colonel Conway, the Adjutant-Gel-sera], are all to be tried.
You have of course seen the trial of Lieut.-Colonel Par-
don, H. M. 41st Regiment, on charges preferred against
him by Colonel Sir E. K. Williams. The Court have
adopted a course in relation to it, very similar to that ob-
served in the case of Captain Wathen of the Hussars, and
have censured the prosecutor."
COLONEL CONWAY.—Amongst the most serious charges
against this officer, and for which he is about to be arraigned
before a military tribunal at Madras, there is one, we are
told, which relates to the trial of Lieut.-Colonel Smythe, ssf
the Bth Regiment Madras Light Cavalry, held. at Vizagpa--
tam in the course of last year. It seems that this officer
was tried on charges of a very serious and shocking cha-
racter, to which it is not necessary more distinctly to allude,
and received at the liands: of his judges " a most full and
most honourable acquittal?' • Nevertheless the Commander-
in-Chief, Sir R. O'Callaghan, in the exercise of his preroga-
tive, did make and cause to be published sundry remarks on
the proceedings of the Court, which left Colonel Smythe's
fame in a very equivocal and distressing position. These
remarks we have sought for in a copy of the Madras G. 0.
for last year, and we may add, that, we hear Colonel COD-
way is accused .of having been much influenced by their
spirit in his bearing towards Lieut.-Colonel Smythe, and
that Lieut.-Colouel S. accordingly addressed a •memorial to
Lord Wm. Bentinek, which has led to. the institution of
the proceedings in question.—Englishman. •
Mr. J. Dickenson, (late Captain J. Diekensou), whose
arrival at Madras, from the Mauritius, we mentioned in our
last, landed, we understand on Saturday, and is now a pie-
soner in the Main Guard ie the Fort. His capture has,
we believe, put some of the good folks living in the East
Indies into rather a state of anxious agitation—what for, it
is not for us to say. It is however, we hear, almost certain
that he will be handed over to the Supreme Court, and if
so the trial will in all probability come on next Sessions.
Strange rumours are afloat—of sayings and doings, of
quakings and tremblings. Now that he is fairly taken, it
is feared that Mr. D. will out ..sith a great deal more thaw.
he will be thanked for saying. It is feared we shall have
the secrets of the prison house dragged before the public
view, and certain customs and usages brought forth which
are said to have existed to a fearful extent. Be all these
things, however, as they may, we would beg the reader to
come to no conclusion from what we have said, do say, or
may say, of the guilt or innocence of the defendant. All
that appears against him up to this present moment is that
he bolted from Bangalore, and that he has been struck off.
the strength of the army as a deserter.—Madras Gazette,
Aug. 16.
Comers MARTIAL AT AG/lA.—We last week gave an
account of the state of military ferment at Meerut : we now
give a -settlement of Military Courts at Agra.
I. A General Court Martial, of which Col. Parker,
Artillery, is President. 2. A General Court Martial, Pre-
sident, Lieut.-Col. Paul. 3. A District Court Martial,
President, Major Debnam. 4. A District Court Martial.
Eight officers have been ordered to Agra to form a third
General Court Martial for the trial of the Sergeant-Major
of 11. M. 13th Light Infantry, and another, on charges ex-
hibited against them by Lieut. Brownrigg, 11. M. 13th
Light Infantry, over whom is pending the sentence of time
General Court Martial, No. 1.
We think itewould be expedient to raise skeleton regi-
ments, and send a shoal of cadets from England. that there
may be sufficient officers for the numerous Courts Martial
all over the country, and for the current military duties of
the. posts and stations. We do not consider these eternal
Courts Martial as indicating a vigorous government of the
army.—Mojitssil Mbar, July 5.
Lteter.-Coe. DENNIE.—A court-martial is ordered to
assemble at Cawnpore to try Lieut.-Col. Dennie, C. 13., of
H.M. 13th Light Infantry, on charges preferred against
him by Lieut. and Adjutant Brownrigg, of the same regi-
ment. He is charged with clandestinely absenting himself
from .duty, leaving the corps for many days together without.
a commander, &e. &c.—Caietitta Paper.
The court-martial for the trial of the Quarter-master of
the 13th; commenced its sittings on the 22d August. Some
of the charges exhibited were of such a nature as should
have prevented their being- brought forward. An applica-
tion was made by Col. Mamie to, the President. and Mern-
hers of the Court for leave to assist the two serjeants, but
refused on the plea of the Colonel being under arrest.
This objection was considered unanswerable against the
prisoners, but of no weight on the part of the prosecutor,
Lieut. Brownrigg, he being not only under arrest. but under
actual sentence.
COURTS M ARTI A L.—Sevel'al Courts Martial are to be
held at the Presidency as soon as the officers to whom they
relate shall have arrived from their respective stations.
The Officers in question are Major H. D. Coxe, 27th N. I;
Lieut. Nitres, 33d N. 1., and Lieut. Wiggins, of the ith
Light Cavalry.
The charges against Major H. D. Coxe, -25th N.- I. are,
we hear, not
.publishing and not complying with, inane=
diately on their receipt at an out-post, certain Orders re-
moving him from the command of the post ;- making
remarks on the operation of these orders, and disrespectfully
cavilling at them ; proceeding two days in advance of a
party under his eommend returning to Regimental Head-
Quarters ; and making further animadversions on the Ope-
ration of Col. Simpson's orders.—Englishinan, Aug. 13.
Coma MARTIAL.—A Court Martial assembled yester-
day morning, at Fort William, for the trial of Lieutenant
John Dixon Nash, 33d Regiment, N. Aug. 28.
DocToßs WOOD AND .1 ACOIL—We perceive by the Ge-
neral Orders issued by the Commander of the Forces, that
Mr. Surgeon Wood and Mr. Assistant-Surgeon Jacob of
the Artillery, have been removed from their situations in
that Regiment, and punished,—the first by being posted to
a corps now at Agra, hut under orders for Mhow,—the se-
cond by being transferred to do duty in the hospital of the
3d Buffs (under a Surgeon) for having addressed disre-
spectful and groundless complaints to the Medical authori-
ties, commenting on the bad quality of the imedicincs and
instruments issued from the Government dispensary for the
use of the troops under their medical charge.
Exalt Atilt DI IS Alt Y CHARGE.—Courts Martial rise on
our sight in as rapid succession as the visionary progeny
of Banquo did to the Thane of Cawdor, and for all we
can judge they are likely to be as endless.
In the midst of the most Nick(' security, our military
friends may be astounded with the intelligence of some
impending accusations, and an immediate trial. The
newest ease which report states is to come on-Abe tapis,
is for the commission of a very novel crime, the infre-
quency of which, as good Christians, we are bound to de-
plore. Captain S ,of Neemutch, we understand, ex-
erted himself very much in collecting subscriptions for
the erection of a church, and this, hi' some constructive
process of his Commanding Officer, has been declared a
military offence, and the Captain is now under arrest,
previous to undergoing trial. The whole circumstance,
as well as the crime are of so extraordinary a nature,
that we hesitated to attach credence to them, until they
were authenticated by authority on which we can rely.
The apology of the sailor who single and unaided took
the Spanish fort might, we conceive, with great propriety,
be made by Capt. 5 ; and, on his promising to build
no more churches, as the sailor did to take no more castles,
he might safely lie " permitted to return to his duty."—
Mofassil likhbar.
tstarrs-M ART/ AL.—Licut.-Colonel Hunter, of the Ben-
gal Native Infantry ; Lieut. O'Hanlan, of the Ist Regt.
Light Cavalry ; and Assistant-Surgeon Strom, of the 51st
Native Infantry, are ordered to be tried by Courtmartial.
MmLITAIty CDR ONICL E.—Letters from Cawnporc give
us several items of military intelligence, of which we give a
summary :—" Conductor Quintal has been tried by a de-
tachment Court-martial, for neglect of Magazine duties, and
sentenced to one month's suspension. A case of high in-
subordination lately occurred in the Horse Artillery ; a
private having thrown a large stone at the officer of the
day, and nearly knocked him off his horse. The Hospital
Steward of his Majesty's 16th Foot is in confinement, on a
charge of ill-using a Native, and discharging (fortunately
without doing any serious mischief) a musket at him. Every
one is on the qui vive respecting the trial of Colonel Dennie,
which commences early this month.—Englishazan of August.

Some months ago a vessel bound from Rotterdam to
Leith anchored in Musselburgh Bay, and a boat was sent on
shore with a request that. a respectable physician in the place
would visit the captain, who was sick. On reaching the ship,
the doctor found him very ill, suffering, as he said, from a sur-
feit of mussels. The physician prescribed, and was informed
next morning that his paient was dead. He was buried in
Musselburgb churchyard, in the clothes and boots which he
usually wore, and it was generally understood that be had fallen
a victim to cholera. The-vessel afterwards proceeded to Leith,
and took a cargo back to Holland. A few days ago informa-
tion was received that the mate of the vessel had been appre-
hended there on suspicion of having poisoned the unfortunate
captain, and on the authority of the Sheriff the body was ex-
humed, for the purpose of examining the stomach of the de-
ceased. This was accordingly done a few days ago. Owing
probably to the humidity of the soil in which the body of the
stranger was deposited, decomposition had not proceeded so
far but that the contents of the stomach could be easily pro-
cured, and these were accordingly carried away by the medical
gentlemen to whom the Sheriff had granted his authority, for
the purpose of undergoing a chemical test. The result is as
yet unknown.—Edinburgh Observer.