The Sun.
London, England, 1857-11-17 00:00:00

THEBOMBAY COIN SPIRATORS EXECUTED

You will hardly be surprised, after the hints I
have on several occasions thrown out, to hear that
has spread in the Bombay
army
m; uatnindo, u feeling
as
we have
ve had an exemplification of
it here, I will give you such details respecting it as
may be depended on, more especially as none will
appear in the newspapers. For some time past the
10th, stationed here, have been looked upon with
suspicion—the 11th was not much better. The
fall of Delhi and the relief of Lucknow have not
served to quiet, but rather to excite this spirit of
disaffection : for you must always bear in mind
that the process of ratiocination is very different in
the native mind to that which generally obtains in
the European—in fact, the two would in most cases
arrive at exactly opposite conclusions. More than
one little significant fact had been pointed out to
our Deputy Commissioner of Police that mischief
was brewing, and that to a very considerable extent.
It was surmised, and with truth, that these men,
in conjunction with the Native Marine Battalion,
were in communication with their comrades at
Bushire—viz., the 26th Bombay Native Infantry
and the 3d Cavalry. All means were set on foot
to discover how much .of truth there was in all
these surmises and rumours, when lo a Sepoy of
the 10th called privately on the Deputy-Commis-
sioner of Police, and after narrating all the de-
tails of the plot in course of maturity, offered
to give positive proof if the authorities would
engage a room adjoining that in which the con-
spirators were to hold their last meeting pre-
vious to operations. In the meantime the 26th
and 3d Cavalry arrived. This was . the only
event waited for. But somewhat to the sur-
prise of these gentry, the cavalry was ordered at
once to Sholapore, while the 26th were as suddenly
despatched to Khandeish. But, courage ! The plan
was too far advanced to be given up now ; so the
meeting was to be held, and held it was. And now,
in your mind's eye, imagine some 50 natives, with
a gleam of moody satisfaction sparkling from their
deep black eyes, crowded round on the floor of a
dark room, in ad ingy native house, in a low district
of Bombay. Silence ensues as each one turns to a
non-commissioned officer, who with quiet malicious
triumph lays bare the full-matured plan. But stop I
What chink is that in he dirty plaster ? Whose
bright eye is that peering through that mysterious
little "hole in the wall ?" It is remarkably like that
of our Deputy Commissioner of Police. But no mat-
ter. "The plan ! the plan's the thing !" "The Regu-
lars shall disperse in small bodies in different direc-
tions, and fire the Fort, murder the Europeans,
and then take possession of the treasury and arsenal.
The budmashes, or vagabonds, shall be rewarded
for their adhesion, by having the outside bungalows
left entirely to their disposal. There may not be
much money ; but then there are plenty of women
and children to be massacred—far more to their
taste. " Admirable arrangement—especially the
latter, as I happen to live in an outside bungalow.
But to proceed. One wary man suggests danger
to be apprehended from the ships in harbour.
Another alludes to a probable difficulty in getting
out of the island, supposing the first success to be
complete. Another hints at troops from Poona
stopping their progress and turning the tables.
Bat Havildar Syed Hoossein (mark his name, you'll
hear of him again by-and-by), with loud voice and
menacing aspect, taunts them as cowards, and
crushes objection with a satanic laugh. "No; done
it must and shall be—October the 13th—at mid-
night. All at one stroke, spare not woman or child.
The Prophet bath so said." But I don't see that
twinkling black eye at the crevice or hole. And,
hark! Why surely that must be sounds of heavy
footsteps on the stairs. What, conspirators to
your feet! Where is your vaunted courage now ?
A little sound and frightened. " ' Tis conscience
that makes cowards of us all." Again, another
sound, a crash, and change the scene. In se-
parate cells of Fort St. George, crouching on the
ground, are seen dejected looking men with still a
vicious scowl upon their brows. Yonder, see as he
is led forth to trial, that tall, large, be-whiskered
man, not quite downcast yet • still, as he sees the
sneer levelled at him by the European guard, there
is the haughty look of defiance and cruelty, so cha-
racteristic of the Mussulman. Again, another
change ; the charge is read, evidence is adduced—
evidence strong as Holy Writ—" conspiracy, trea-
son," all proved. (This also refers to another, a
private, who was tried at the same time.) The
sentence is passed. What? •Transportation for
life. " Revise your sentence," briefly returns the
brigadier commanding (Short.) The revision is
made. " How say you now ?" " Death." " Con-
firmed," says the Brigadier. Once more a change
of scene. It is four o'clock in the afternoon, and
crowds of all castes, creeds, and colours, are ga-
thering on the esplanade. Look yonder across
the grass. Ala ! that is the 10th taking up its posi-
tion. As fine a body of men as ever stepped ; a
regiment 1,100 strong. How well they look—how
soldierly their mien! Thos.e men traitors ! I dare
swear, in his heart, that not a man is free from
taint. Ah ! there they come, anotherregiment, the
11th, not equal to the 10th, but still a very soldier-
like body of men. Now, look round towards. Fort
St. George, do you see there, jxst under the port-
cullis, a dark moving mass ? That is a body of ar-
tillerymen flanked by eight pieces of heavy cannon,
following, not quite in such regular order, nor
with so soldierly a step, some 300 sailors, armed
with muskets and cutlasses. These gentlemen have
a look of restlessness, as though it were their most
particular wish to doff the blue jacket, tuck up
their shirt sleeves and go in and win—as no doubt
they would. But Jack, my boy, you must wait
awhile ; for the present, march away there, and
take up a position to the left, a little to the rear of
those guns. Again there is a shadow on the portal.
A silence--olemn, grand—pervades the neigh-
bourhood. The head of a column debouches on the
plain ;it is her Majesty's 95th. Hark ! was there
not a clank of chains ? Ali ! see between those
guns ! How slowly they walk ! No look of triumph
now ! Onwards to their position, and then ! Two
large guns are moved to the front, clear to view.
Havilder Syed Hoossein marches with a soldier's
tread, but with a hang-dog look, and halts ; his
regimental jacket is stript from his shoulders; he
is strapped, arms to the muzzle ; he looks be-
seechingly to his comrades of the th—no sign ;
to the 11th—no help. Captain Rthon stands by
giving orders ; the unhappy wretch makes .a last
appeal. Qh, sorry he is !he never meant it, not
he ; he always loved his good masters so much?
"Oh, sahib ! captain sahib ! pardon, dear, dear
captain !" His words were almost the only
sounds heard. The last rope is tied ; the artil-
lerymen fall back ; only the man with the
pore-fire there. The criminal is alone, face to face
with death. The whole multitude seems to hold
its breath,—one feels a-choking,—when "Ready!'
suedes the ear,—then, "Fire I "—and the man is
shattered to atoms. It was a sickening sight.
To show how completely the native regiments on
the ground were provided for in case of movement,
I may safely say, that had an attempt been made at
a rise, the guns were so placed that not a sepoy
would have left the ground alive ; and at this mo-
ment the guns on the ramparts command every inch
of the lines occupied by the native regiments.
Now you must riot suppose that this is the end
—I am inclined to think it is only the beginning.
We must not forget that the 3d Cavalry is unques-
tionably tainted, as also the 26th; and General
Schuler has gone on a special mission to Sat-
tare, as I think, because the 22d there is on a
par with the rest, and something is to be done ;
while at Belgaum another sergeant has followed
suit to our departed friend, Syed Hoossein. By-
the-by, I should mention that others are on trial,
and no doubt next week will witness several other
"military executions." A part of the plan which
I have omitted to mention was, that on Thursday
last, as a great number of Europeans would be at a
concert in the Town-hall, given by a gentleman
from Australia, California, &c., named Massett, a
in swoop" w
noas dtooubbet
a made
most o nthis
horribleunarmed
mas
massacre
narse-
:efebli w
lasgeo, and
would have been the result. Just realise all this,
and then say
if we have not reasons to be grateful,
first to Al
mighty God, and then for the human
means so skilfully employed for our security.
However, all this
puts us, of course, more than
ever on our guard, and Ithink it will go hard, if
any attack should be made, if these "gentlemen in
black" don't meet with a warmer reception than
even this hot climate is in the habit of affording
them.--U.rresponclent of Morning Advertiser.

ACCIDENT FROG NIACUINEHY.—ONE MAN KILLED
AND THREE OTHERS SERIOUSLY INJURED.—Yesterday
morning, shortly before 3 o'clock, a shocking accident
occurred at the manufactory of Messrs. Humphrey,
Tennent, and Dykes, engineers, Deptford-green, by
which one man was killed, and three others seriously
injured. It appears that the unfortunate men were en-
gaged in working a, travelling crane, which runs across
the shop at an altitude of about 20 feet, the weight it was
engaged in lifting being little over 4 tons, at leait 5 times
that weight having been previously lifted. This mass
was raised about 15 feet, %Shen suddenly the cra.,e and
the machinery attached to it fell with a fearful crash,
carrying the injured in n with it, causing great conster-
nation throughout the works. On assistance being ren.
cored it was found that the whole of the men had received
extensive injuries, and they were conveyed at once on
board the Dreadnought hospital ship. They were, G.
Marchant, very much hurt about the legs and back ;
J.
Smith, serious injury to the head ; J. Elliott, both legs
fractured (this poor fellow expired soon after his admis-
sion on board the Dreadnought); and Frederick Boyes,
severe internal injuries. The accident arose from the
breaking of a portion of the heavy woodwork.