The Sun.
London, England, 1857-08-04 00:00:00

DELHI AND ITS ,T2c VITABLR FATE.

(From a Correspondent of the Morning Advertiser.)
Delhi, OEC',' the capital of Hindostan, the boost
of India, and the teat of the Great Mt gul, was
captured in 1193 by the Mahommedans under Coot-
t..obo.Tdeen Khan, wl,o fixed his residence there.
In 1398, it Wes stormed, pillaged, and reduced to
a heap of ruins by Tamerlane. In 1631 Shah-
Jehan founded the new ci-y on the west bank of
the Jumna. During the reign of his third son,
the revenue amounted to 4,000,0001. sterling, and
the population was estimated at 2,000,000. It
continued to prosper until 1739, when Nadir Shah
invaded it, massacred 100,000 inhalifants, and col-
letned 62,000,000/. sterling of plunder. It was
again pillaged in 1756 by Ahmed Abdallah, and in
1788, Ghotam Kaudir, the Roh.ra, 'made himself
master of this city, starved and tottured many of
the nobles, and put out the eyes of the King, -0
compel him to a disclosure f supposed concealed
treasure. Ile was at length forced to abandon the
city, by Madhajee Sindia, and was himself put to
death by the same kind of torture he had inflicted
on others. In 1803 it came into possession of the
British by the victories of Lord Lake, and has sines
teen gradually recovering under our rule, from its
former misfortunes.

As it is now again threatened with utter destruc-
tion by our besieging army, we will take a hasty
glance at its position, and we'gh our chances of im-
mediate success.

As has been mentioned before in the columns of
your valuable journal, the ruins of ancient Delhi
extend over many miles. Modern Delhi is built
on two rockyeminencei, and contains many palaces
and mosques. The present city is seven miles in
circumference, and is surrounded on three sides by
a high wall, while tae fourth, or eastern, side, is
washed and protected by the river alumna.
The city has seven principal gates, the Lahore,
Ajmeer, Turcoman, Delhi, Mohur, Cabul, and
Cashmere, all built of freestone. The latter has al-
ready been mentioned as the one by which pro-
bably our victorious troops will enter the city.
The streets are narrow with the exception of two;
the first leading from the palace, of which we shall
presently speak, to the Delhi gate, and the second
from the palace to the Lahore gate. The breadth
(.f the first, called Chandnee-ceokee (Silversmith-
street), which was the scene of the late foul
murders, is about equal to Pall-mall. The city
contains a great number of mosques and -dila-
pidated palaces, all surrounded by high walls
which will no doubt be defended after the entry of
our troops, and give much trouble.
Above all is seen the imperial palace, a very high
and extensive cluster of gothic towers and battle-
ments. It was built by Shah Jehan on the bank
of the Jumna, and is surrounded on three sides by
an embattled wall, 60 feet high, built of red granite,
wi h Martel° towers, and two massive gateways,
' each defended by an outer barbican of l'ss height,
and the whole surrounded by a wide moat. The
palace is a strong fort in it,elf, the wails have been
well kept in repair by ourselves, and furnished
with au ample supplement of heavy guns.
According to General Barnard's despatch of the
B'h of June, the troops were occupying the canton-
ments outside the city. The distance is about a
mile, and the elevated position of our force would
enable General Barnard to open a destructive fire
from the Siege Train, which had just come in when
our last advises left the able and gallant general's
head-guar ers.
The destructirn and loss of life which our shot
and shell will cause in the densely-populated city
must be fesrful, as the population consists of about
150,000, to which we may add about 50,000 in-
surgents and plunderers.
It is not impossible that General Barnard, after
48 hours of incesant bombardment, may have at-
tacked the insurgents, who were opposing an ad-
vanced force of about 10,000 again-t us outside
the walls of the city. Under the prestige of his
repeated successes, and aided by one of those happy
combinations which are not unprecedented in mili-
tary history, he may have gained a gate simul-
taneously wih the flying rebels, and thus secured
an entrance to the town.

While we play thit such a glorious achievement
on the part of our brave troops may prove true,
we must not forget that the consummation is as
yet hardly more than a fond hope, although ru-
mour. to the effect had reached the three main
ports of the presidencies. We must not act on the
assumption, but fully prepare for the most ardu-
ous'task which has ever been cut out for British
troops in India.