The Sun.
London, England, 1861-08-23 00:00:00

THE BOMBAY MAIL.

By the arrival of the Bombay mail we have re-
ceived our private correspondence and files of papers
from Bombay to the 27th of July, and from Cal-
cutta to the 16th of July.
We take the following heads of intelligence from
the Bombay Gazette of the 27th of July :
Rain is falling abundantly throughout India; cul-
tivation is everywhere progressing most actively ;
and the prospects of the country as regards the
fruitfulness of the season are of the brightest and
most cheering character.
Throughout the famine districts there is still an
amount of existing distress demanding continued
and most earnest efforts for its relief. There can-
not be any considerable diminution in the number
of persons relieved by the Famine Fund before the
end of October. Deaths from starvation only occur
in those villages to which it has been found impos-
sible to extend relief.
Cholera is now ravaging the famine districts, and
threatens to decimate the population.
The Finance Commission, appointed to examine
the state expenditure of the Nizam, have com-
menced their operations in earnest at Hyderabad.
Considerable reductions, both civil and military
are to be effected.
Mr. Ellis, of Madras, in an elaborate report on
the Income-tax, has recommended a poll-tax, rang-
ing from 10r., the highest, to lr., the lowest, per
annum. It is believed that Government have the
recommendation under consideration.
The Chambers of Commerce of Calcutta, Madras,
and Bombay are to transmit to Galle, in time for
the steamer leaving that port every fortnight, com-
mercial messages to be published for general infor-
mation on arrival in England.
The British ship Louisiana, 1,264 tons, Captain
Clever, and belonging to Charles Sanders, Esq., of
Liverpool, was totally wrecked off Alibaugh on the
16th inst. Five seamen were lost.
The Semiramis, 1.N., Commander Worsley, ar-
rived in Bombay from Zanzibar on the 17th July,
and brought intelligence of the dangerous illness of
Syed Majdid, the ruler of Zanzibar. All hope of
his recovery was abandoned.
The French are still making encroachments on
the African coast. There seems to be none of the
entente cordiale between the naval officers of the
French and English squadrons. The French are
said to have made claim to the protection of the
whole island of Madagascar.

Camps of exercise, or larger assemblages of troops,
are to be formed at different stations in the upper
provinces next cold season.
Considerable changes are about to be made in the
Bombay Native Army, which, on their completion,
will consist of 30 regiments of infantry of six com-
panies each. The regular line army is to be ana-
mented by the two Belooch battalions, Jacob's Rifle
Regiment, and the marine Dat i ILv.. Lcina brought
on the strength.
A large number of Indian officers have recently
been elected for the Staff Corps.
Mr. W. J. Turquand, of the Bombay Civil Ser-
vice, committt. d suicide on the 12th inst., at Poonah,
by shooting himself. He had been on Dewanee
allowance for two years for insubordination, Indi-
cations of insanity were lately observable in his
demeanour. He arrived in India in 1838.
The Governor of Bombay is residing at Poonah.
Extensive portions of both lines of the Great
Indian and Peninsular Railway have been washed
away by the heavy rains. Loud complaints are
made by the public against the engineers.
About 70 inches of rain have fallen in Bombay.
The health of the town is improving.
The English mail of the 3d July arrived in Bom-
bay in the evening of the 24th July.
The previous mail brought us the Indian Bills of
Sir Charles Wood, with which people generally
express decided satisfaction.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
THE BOMBAY MARKETS.
(From the Times of India of July 27.)
The English mail steamer, with London dates to the 3d
inst., arrived on the night of the 24th idem.
During the past fortnight copious falls of rain have taken
place, while the up-country accounts continue to report
favourably of the progress of the monsoon.
Money keeps very easy, and the Bank of Bombay has
reduced its rate of discount 1 per cent., and now grants ad-
vances at 3 per cent. against Government paper, and 5 per
cent. on short dated private bills. Securities are rather
easier in value, and not much sought for. We quote the
Fours at 81, the Fives at 951, and the Five-and-a-Half per
Cents. at 1021.

(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)
CALCUTTA, JULY 24.
Money market continues stringent.
Discount—On Government securities, at the rate of 7
per cent. per annum.
Securities—Five-and-a-half per Cent., LI to 2 premium ;
Five per Cent., sto 5 discount; Four per Cent., 181 to
184 ditto.
Exchange on London, for first-class bills at six mouths'
sight, 2s ON to 28 Old. per rupee.
Freigkt to Loudon- r. .eeas, £3 76 pa per ton.
COLOMBO, JULY 24.
Freights for England—Coffee in casks, £4 per ton ; coffee
in bags, £3 per ton ; oil, £3 5s per ton.
COCHIN, JULY 24.
Cocoa-nut oil, 83r. per candy ; coir yarn, mixed, 35r.
per candy; coir rope, 32r. per candy.
KURRACHEE, JULY 20,
Freight for England, £2 2s. 6d. per ton.
Rained all over Scinde and Kutch.

THE MURDER AT DlTTON.—Between four and
five o'clock yesterday (Thursday) afternoon the body of
Thomas Harvey, who murdered his mother at Ditton, near
Cambridge, was discovered hanging on a lofty and wide-
spreading tree, hardly 100 yards from the back of the pre.
mises where the deed was done. The tree is situate in a
field in the occupation of Mr. Stephen Smith. A thrashing
machine has been at work in the field all the week. This
afternoon Mr. Smith thought he saw one of his men in the
tree. On closer inspection he detected the body of the
murderer hanging among the foliage on a bough nearly 40
feet from the ground. Every precaution was taken to get
down the body without injuring it. It was lowered by a
rope to the ground, whence it was conveyed to the Plough
to await an inquest.

TOMBSTONE FOR FLORA MACDONALD.—Captain
John Macdonald, of her Majesty's Bengal Staff, grandson
of Flora Macdonald, has given instructions to Mr. D.
Davidson, monumental stone engraver, Inverness, to execute
a tomb and slabstone of fine Italian marble, to mark her last
resting-place in the churchyard of Kilmuir, Isle of Skye.
The tombstone is four feet by two feet six inches, and is to
be encased in a framework of beautiful Gothic structure.
The slabstone is five feet by two feet. On the perpendicular
stone at the head of the grave the inscription is to be as
follows:—" In the history of Scotland and England is re-
corded the name of her by whose memory this tablet is
rendered sacred ; and mankind will consider that in Flora
Macdonald were united the calm heroic fortitude of a man,
together with the unselfish devotion of a woman. Under
Providence she saved Prince Charles Edward Stuart from
death on a scaffold—thus preventing the House of Hanover
incurring the blame of an impolitic judicial murder."—
Edinburg It Conant.