The Sun.
London, England, 1857-10-16 00:00:00

TEI E SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY RV EN IN 0, OCTOBER 16

On the 33, a chair was placed across the rails at &ram-
pore.
A letter, jnEt received from I'vloorsherlatad; mentions
that the diet: ict is at presen:; perfectly quiet.
TOURSDAY, AUG. 27.
We are informed that Government has sanctioned the
props sal to man seven steamers with European seamen,
and arm them wiih one howitzer and two 3-pounder
mountain guns. The cost not to exceed Company's Re.
1,540 per month.
A meeting of those who had sigi ed, or were willing to
sign, the petition to Parliament, agreed to on the 3
inst., was held yesterday afternoon. The 'liming, which
was a very full one, was characterised by great hearti-
ness and unanimity of purpose. Mr. LongueviLe Clarke
was in the chair, and the principal speakers were Mr.
Peterson and Mr. Doyne. The leading feature of the
meeting was the formation of an Indian Reform League,
with the view of enlightening the people and Parlia-
ment of England on the real condition of India and
her government.

FRIDAY, A UG. 28.
There was a report in town yesterday that the River
Bird, with Captain Peel's Naval Brigade on board, had
broken down at Berhampore. It is not so; but it is con-
sidered unsafe for ker ,• go beyond that station at her
present draught of water. The Mirzapore is expected
down to take the Naval Brigade in tow.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 29.
We hear that the magistrate of Baraset arrested five
men on Wednesday, one of whom proves to be the chief
poet, and another the head fiddler of the King of Oude.
They are said to have been on their way to Moorsheda-
bad. Surely the Lieutenant-Governor will take compas-
sion on a brother catgut-scraper, and release the musician
from prison ; perhaps compensate him with a good
appointment. _ _

of the sth Irieo..ular Ca'vilry to- jOhilhe 32ei Native
Infantry in the SonthAl perg,tionand.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 25,

Seventy convicts sent to Singapore from the Allipore
pot. Letter from the Sonthi.l perguunahs states that
all there A' as quiet since the batwing of Sir N. Lesii3's
rnurdstera. Tile opium agent at Tilellnareß states his in-
ability to get 14,000 chests of opium for 1857-8. Should
peace be restored before October, 4,000 chests would be
the average amount he could collect. Letters from
Berhampore mention that at that station all are on the
alert for the Muhurrum. A boat seiz din the dead of

. _
night filled with up-countrymen armed. The steamer
Kos' arrived there with Madras troops on the 17th inst.
• WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26.
A detachment of her Majssty's 53d Regt., stationed at
the Normal School, Circular-road, kept without food for
twenty-four hours. The troops at Barrackpore were
paraded yesterday, to hear the speech of Gec. I.learsey,
asking the 70th Bengal Native Infantry, and other corps,
to volunteer f:r China. Letter from Delhi gives cheer-
ing news of the position of the British force and the de-
spair of the garrison. Letters from Sylbet mention that
though men's minds are uneasy, there is nothing posi-
tively dangerous.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 27.
The Blaney Castle arrived cff Calcutta with European
troops, Another batch of Eurupea• s fro n the Shannii
to be sent up to Allahabad. Letter from Bheerboom
mentions that the Santhals seem to be quite loyal. From
Sumbulpare letters state the great feeling of uneasiness
there on account of fear of the mutineers.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 28. •

The ship Isabella arrived with a portion of the Bth
Madras Cavalry. Toe right wing of her Majesty's 53i
Regiment marched for Allahabad. From Ajmere ail
quiet, the mutineers having passed the station for Delhi
without noticing it. From Allahabad stating that ex-
cellent arrangements had been made to meet the muti-
neers, and that all was well.

and their services aft hp .disposal of Goyerniment
without any reservation whatseevor.
At leas five-sixths of the volunteers are Eurasians
—East Indians—half c istes—take which name you
wilt
; colour, varying from that which is seen in
the fairest specimens of the nativee, to the com-
plexion of an inhabitant of Southern Europe. These,
• persons form a mixed race, being descfied.auts of
native mothers and European fathers ; and
tee military display they ineke upon parade is
highly creditable, considering the shortness of the
time they have been under drill. In some respects
they are the most unfortunate class of people in the
world, being despised generally by Europeans
and natives, and being stigniat'sed, though most
falsely, as po•sassiug the worst qualities of both.
They have ever been used badly, indeed infa-
mously, by the Government. They are deberred
fi mu enlisting in the European regiments, and they
have been discouraged in almost every branch of
employment to which they hive addressed them-
selves. In this climate it is impossible for them
open
them to
become labourers. Tile principal occupation
to them is that of clerks or henchmen in native in-
fantry regiments ; but as the demand for clerks as
well as bandsmen is limited, the pay of the latter
too being wretchedly small—that is to say, 14s. a
month—large numbers of unfortunate Eist Indians
are condemned to live iu the extreme of misery.
It is now a groat desiderai um to decrease the na-
tive element in our armies to the smallest possible
amount. It is also generally believed essential to
mix the different races and castes iu such a man-
ner as shall effectually prevent any such combina-
tion as exists at present in the army of Bengal.
Admitting this, it is difficult to imagine a case in
which a government had a better opportunity of
combining justice with the public advantage. Eng-
lish soldiers are difficult to grt, and expensive to
keep. Make use, then, of the invaluable material
which is at hand in the shape of East Indians in-
ured to the climate, born iu the country, speaking
its language as a mother tongue, but divided by a
gulf of jealousy and mutual contempt from the rest
of the natives. What I should like to see would be
a company of East Indians in every native regiment
of the Madras army ; and while upon this subject,
I will lay before you a table which appeared in the
Madras A thenceum the other day. It brings into
striking relief the proportions which the different
castes bear to each other in the three armies of Ben.
gal, Madras, and Bombay.

Infantry. Bengal. Madras. Bombay,
Christians
Mahomedaus
Brahmins 2G,933 1
Rajpoots
Hindoos of an infe-

rior description... 15,7G1
Sikhs

Telingas (Gentoo)
Tamil
Other castes
Indo-Britons

16,590
4,792
1,805
„,... 1,075
452

Alahrattas..

, Grand Total... 83,916 44,191 25,938
On an attentive consideration of the above table
the superior distribution of castes in the Madras
army becomes evident to any one acquainted with
the subject. In the first place, there are 1,650 na-
tive Christian fSepoys tin the Madras army, those
marked as Christians in the Bengalarmy being Indo-
Briton bandsmen and not Sepoys. Madras, in addi-
tion, has her complement of Indo-Britou bands-
men. These, however, are minor points. It is true
that we have more Mussulmans than they have, or
had, in Bengal ; but look at the other castes. Com-
pare our Telingas and Tamils, drawn from the moat
peaceful and industrious races of men iu the world,
with the turbulent Rajpeots and intriguing
,
Brahmins of Bengal ; and remember that while all
castes in the Bengal army speak Hiudostani as
their c,,mmon mother tongue, the Mussulmans,
the Telingas, and the Tamuls, iu the Madras army,
have each a perfectly distinct language of their
own ; the two latter castes seldom attaining to
more than a most imuerfe3f acquaintance with the
Hindostani or " Camp language." The conclusions
to be drawn from this are obvious, and will tend
much to pacify the minds of those who have begun
to doubt the loyalty of the army of Madras. Never-
tinheolregss,,,utihiaitsioainn.
Sisonitreegciainnpeabtlse of improvement
have a large pre-
ponderance of Mussulmans, others scarcely any.
In the cavalry it must be confessed that the pro-
portion of Mahomedans is altogether outrageous.
Out of a total of 3,290 troopers, 2, 569 are followers
of the Prophet. The c.,nsequenco is, and indeed
always has been, that the Madras Cavalry inspires
less confidence than the Madras Infantry, and the
conduct of the Bth Cavalry the other day was a
direct consequence of a faulty orglnisation.
Now, suppose wo had our regiments organised
as follows :

Company No 1. Indo-B1 Hons.
2. Mlhomodans.
3. Telingas.
4. Tamuls.
5. Native Christians.
6. Mahomedans.
7. Tethlgas.
8. Tamuts.
9. Nativo Christians.
10. Indo•Britons,NativeChristians,
cr Tatnuls.
Such a distribution, or one similar to it, is far from
impossible—nay, it is perfectly feasible, and would
be an effectual olfogutbra a..ainut mutiny. Add to
this that it is approved of by many experienced
officers.

Perhaps our principal domestic event of the
present f,rtnight is the return of Sir Patrick Grant
to Madras. His sojourn in Bengal has neither
raised nor lowered his reputation. It is difficult
to imagine how anyone, flowerer highly endowed,
could have altered the course
of events during the
peri )d he h -1.1. office. He leas been blamed because
he entrusted responsibility to fools who were inca-
pable of using ; but wo have yet to learn that he
did so knowingly. These are days when everyone
in command is crying out for summary powers and
large discretion. It must, however, be admitted
that while Sir P. Grant held the chief command
in India, the glorious exploits of Neil and Have-
lock were achieved, and that unlimited powers and
every availaLe support wasgiven them. This much
we will venture to say, that the appointment of
Mr. T. P. Grant, and the supersedingi the gallant
Havelock by that prince of
vacillation and fussi-
ness—Outran-I, was no act of Sir Patrick's, whose
return to Madras is hailed by
satisfaction. every one with

TREMENDOUS EXPLOSION AND LOSS
OF ONE THOUSAND LIVES.
We have been favoured (says the Sindian of
August 16) with the followinti translation of a Per-
siandetter received from Joudpore, anent the ex-
plosion of the magazine at that place :
cr
" On the night of the 10th August., between the
hours of 12 and 2, heavy rain fell, accompanied
"
with loud peals of thunder and vivid flashes of
lightning, imparting '
to everything around a ghastly
spectacle terrifying to behold. A few minutes after
the scene was repeated with tenfold violence, and
the people were greatly intimidated. In the fort
belanging to the rajah, which is situated on a hill
constructed of stones of various dimensions and
sizes, and containing
magazine of the rajah- had been kept. This was
a passage subterraneous, the
struck with lightning, and some thousands of
niaunds of powder were exploded. The shock was
so great that the walls of the fort and a temple and
four ponderous gates were blown up iu the air into
a thousand pieces, destraying 590 houses and all
the people living therein. Up to tte time of writing,
the remnants of the inhabitants were engaged in
removing the dead bodies found under these ruins.
It was gleaned from the Kitwal of the place,
that upwards of (1,000) one thousand had already
been taken out, and that others were also being
removed. The domestic servants of the Rajah, as
well as some Sepoys who were kept to guard the
place, were all kiled. Such a dreadful occurrence
was never known in Joudpore before. The ma-
jority of the people were destroyed and otherwise
injured. A stone weighing one naaund was picked
up at Soorsanuggur Talao, distant four miles from
Joudpore, where the political agent re,ides.
Another large stone fell as far as six miles, at a
place called Chowpassaney-, where falling on a
house, it killed three people. the explosion was
so severe, that for six miles around the people and
hous s sustained a shock."

THE MADRAS ARMy.
(Prom the Madras Athceneum.)
The military news of the fortnight shows that
steps are about to be, and in some cases have been
taken in the right direction. The batteries of
Horse Artillery at
.Madr.as are to have European
—a and East Indian drivers instead of native
ba,endfo4r9ntied into one regi
de-
cided elyinge for the better, as the latter when in
action have an unpleasant. habit of running away.
The fight Madras Rifle Companies of the Ist, sth,
Regiments of
ment and despatched to Bengal for service. Tbis
2X,
thl,vo26itr.hian3t6rtyh
is an excellent move, and shows the advantage of
having kept instead of disbanding
them, as was
proposed by Government. in 1830. To Colonel
,ar3eB ttloi,
Conway, the then ad.lutant-general, we are now
indebted for the retention of this most efficient and
valuable arm of the Madras army.

INSTRUCTIONS RELATIVE TO THE
TREATMENT OF MUTINEERS.
The following instructions have been published
by order of the Government :
From C. Beadon, Esq., Secretary to the Government of
India, to C. B. Thornhill, Esq , Officiating Secretary
directed to forward tie accompanying ex•
t,) the Government of the North Western Provinces.
Sir,--I am

tract from the proceedings of the Right Hon. tha Go.
liArTlnr General in Council relative to the trea,trent of
nintinetrP, deserters, and other, persons conc,rord in the
recent and present disturbances, and to request that the
observance of the principles there laid down may be
enjoined upon the local authorities.—l have, &a.,
(Signed) C. BEADON,
Secy. to the Government of India.
Fort William, July 31„
Extract front the proceedings of the R,:glit lion, the
Governor-General of India in Conn& in the Home 113-
partraent, under date July 31 :
RESOLUTION.
_ _

1. The Governor-General of India in Council has ob-
served with approbation the zealous sxertions of the
local civil authorities for the apprehension and condign
punishment of the mutineers and deserters concerned in
the present revolt. It was necessary, by the severe and
prompt punishment of such of there criminals as found
their way in the distric's in our poFsesion, where the
minds of the nativa troops could not but be in a very
unsettled state, though the men for the moat part :
stained from open mutiny, to show that the just fate if
the mutineer is death, and that the Iliad] Government
was powerful to inflict the penalty. It was necessary,
also, by the offer of rewards for the apprehension of all
deserters, to check the crime of deserti: n, which wit,:
becoming rife in some of V.ies?, regiments, and to prevent
the possible escape of men who, apparer tly mere de-
serters, had been concerned in such terrible atrocities
that their apprehension and condign punishment was an
imperative duty.
2. But lest measures of extreme severity should be too
hastily resorted to, or carried too far, his lordship in
c)uncil thinks it right to issue detailed instructiocs on
this subject by which all civil officers will be guided in
the exercise of their powers in the case of mutineer;
deserters, and rebels.

3. Thera is reason to believe that in some, even of
those native regiments whose revolt had been stained by
the most sanguinary atrocities, some men may have
distinguished themselves from the mass by protecting an
officer. In some such cases teen of very guilty regiments
possess certificates in their favour from officers of their
regiments ; but there may be others equally deserving
of clemency who are without any such ready means of
clearing themselves from the presumptive evidence of
their deep guilt.

4. Where the number of men guilty of what it is
impossible to pardon is so great, the Government will
gladly seiza every opportunity of reducing the work of
retribution before it by giving a free pardon to all who
can show that they have a claim to mercy on ;this
ground, provided they have not been guilty of any
heinous crime against person or property, or aided or
abetted others in the commission of any such crime.
5. It is understood that in regiments which mutinied,
and for the most part went over to the rebtl4, without
murdering their officers or committing any other san-
guinary, outrage, there were men who appeared to have
bad no heart in the revolt, though they failed in their
duty as soldiers, and who have evinced their peace-
able disposition and their want of sympathy a ith those
who are now armed in open rebellion against the go-
varmint, by dispersing to their villages when the
regiment broke up, and mixing quiely with the rural
population. It is desirable to treat such men with all
reasonable leniency.
6. The Governor-General in Council therefore deems
it necessary to lay down the following rules for the
guidance of civil authorities exercising the power vested
in them by recent legislation for the puniattmeet of native
officers and soldiers charged with mutiny or de ertiou.
Sec. Ist. No native officer or soldier belonging to a
regiment which Las not mutinied is to be punished
by the civil power as a mere deserter, unless be be found
or apprehended with arms in his possession. Such
men, when taken before or apprehended by the civil
power, are to be sent back to their regiments, when-
ever that can be done, there to be dealt with by
the military authorities. When such men cannot be
sent back to their regiments immediately, they should
be detained iu prison pending the orders of government,
to whom a report is to be made, addressed to the
Secretary to Government in the Military Department.
Sec. 2.1. Native officers and soldiers being mutineers
or deserters, taken before or apprehended by the civil
power, not found or apprehended with an to in their
possession, not charged with any specific act of
rebellion, and belonging to a regiment which has
mutinied, but has not been guilty of the murder of its
officers, or of any other sanguinary crime, are to be sent
to Allahabad, or to such other place as g.)vernment may
' hereafter order, and are there to be made over to the
commandant, to be dealt with by the military authori-
ties. Shouldany difficulty erica in sending the offender
to Allahabad, eitheir by reason of its distance from the
place of arrest, or otherwise, the offender should be im-
prisoned until the orders of government can be obtained,
unless for special reasons it may be necessary to punish the
offender forthwith, in which case a report will imam-
diatele afterwards be made to the government.
Sec. 3rd. Ev'ery mutineer or deserter who may be
taken before or apprehended by the civil authorities,
and who may be found t r belong to a regiment which
killed any European officer or other European, or com-
mitted any other sanguinary outrage, may be tried and
punished by the civil power. It the prisoner can show
that he was no: present at the murder or other outrage,
or, if present, that he did his utmost to prevent it, full
particulars of the case should be reported to goveratneut
in the military department, before the sentence, what-
ever it be, is carried into effect, otherwise the sentence
shonld be carried into effect forth

Sec. 4th. It it cannot be ascertained to what regiment
a mutint.o: or deserter taken before or apprehended by
the civil authorities belonged, he is to be dealt with ai
provided above by the 2d Rule.

7. Lists showing the cereral regiments and detach•
ments which have mutinied will be prepared with all
' practicable despatch in the military department, stating
in each case a I known particulars of the mutiny, and ac-
companied by nominal rolls, with approl rate remarks
opposite to the names of those native officers and men
who are known to have been absent from their regimen b
at the time of the mutiny, and of those who, if present,
are known to have taken an active part either in pro-
moting or suppressing the mutiny, or to have simply
joined, or abstained from joining it. These nominal rolls
as soon as prepared, will be printed and circul sted t') all
civil officers, and to military officers in command.
8. The Governor-General in Cuuncil is anxious to pre•
vent measures of extremeseverity being unnecesserily re-
sorted to, or carried to excess, or applied with. ut 4 re die-
criniination, in regard to acts of rebellion committed by
persons not mutineers.
9. It is unquestionably necessary, in the first attempt
to restore order in a district in which the civ.l autho-
rity has been entirely overthrown, to administer the
law with such promptitude and severity as will strike
terror into the minds of the evil disposed among the
people, and will Undue() them by the fear of death
to abstain from plunder, to restore stolen property, and
return to peaceful occupations. But this object once
in a great degree attained, the punishment of crimes
should be regulated with discrimination.
10. The continued administration of the law in its ut-
most severity after the requisite impreseion has been made
upon the rebellious and disorderly, and after order has
been partially restored, would have the effect of exasper
ating the people, and would probably induce them to band
together in large numbers for the protection of their
lives and with a view to retaliation, a result much to be
deprecated. It would greatly add to the difficulties of
settling the country hereafter if a spirit of animosity
against their rulers were engendered in the minds of the
people, and if their feelings were embittered by the re-
membrance of needless bloodshed. The civil officers in
every district should endeavour, without condoeing any
heinous offences or making any promises of pardon for
such offences, to encourage all persons to return to their
usual occupations, and, punishing only such of the prin-
cipal offenders as can be apprehend,d, to pastpone as
far as possible all minute inquiry into political offences
until such time as the Government are in a position to
deal with them in strength after thorouJh investigation.
It may be necessary, however, even alter a district is
partially restored to order, to make examples from time
time to time of such persons, if any, who may be guilty
of serious outrages against person or property, or who,
by stopping the dawk or injuring the electric telegraph
or otherwise, way endeavour to promote the designs of
those who are waging war against the state.
11. Another point to be noticed in connexion with
' subject is the general burning of villages, which the
Governor-General in Council has reason to fear may
bays been carried too far by some of the cirri officers
employed in restoring order.
12. A severe measure of this sort is doubtless necessary
as an example in some cases where the mass of t .e
inhabitants of a village have committed a grave outrage,
and the perpetrators cannot be punished in their per-
sons ; but any approach to a wholesale destruction of
property by the officers of Government, without due re-
gard to the guilt or innocence of those who are affected
by it, must be strongly reprehended. Apart from the
effect which such a practice would have upon the
feelings and disposition of the country people, there can
be no doubt that it would prevent them from returnir4
to their villages and resuming the cultivation of their
fields, a point at this season of vital importance, inas-
much as if the lands remain much longer unsown, dis.
trese'and even famine may be added to the other difficul-
ties with which the Government will have to contend.
(True copy.)
Secretary to the Government of India.