The Sun.
London, England, 1857-04-03 00:00:00

occurrence received in this country by the Over-
land Mail, which arrived in town only yesterday,

is derived from the victorious General himself in

his official despatch addressed to his Excellency,
the Governor of Bombay. That document, penned
by Sir JAMES OUTRAM on the 10th of February,
in the British Camp, near Bushire—is to the full
as worthy of the gallant soldier's hand as the
deed of glory achieved by it two days
before, and of which the despatch itself
constitutes the manly but modest commemoration.
Observe—in testimony of this—that twice in the
course of his official communication to the Go-
vernor of Bombay, General OUTRAM explicitly
repudiates the notion of his wishing for one
instant to arrogate to himself the honour of the
achievement. At sec. 19 he says, "To Major-
General STALKER and to Colonel LUGARD my
especial thanks are due"—while earlier in the
same despatch, at sec. 6, he yet more expressly
declares, "To Major-General STALKER and Colonel
LUGARD, chief of the staff, is the credit due for
successfully guiding our troops to victory on this
occasion." The heroic Commander-in-chief of the
"Expeditionary Force previously observing of
himself in explanation sec. 5 : " I myself
had very little to do with the action, being
stunned by my horse falling with me at the com-
mencement of the contest, and recovering only in
time to resume my place at the head of the army
shortly before the close of this action." A cir-
cumstance so far from diminishing Sir JAMES
OITRAM'S glory as the Victor of Khooshab, that
it may be rather said to enhance it in a very
peculiar manner—seeing that while stunned by
this unfortunate casualty during one portion of
the deadly conflict, OUTRAM was nevertheless " at
the head of the army" directing its movements,
cheering it on, and conducting it to victory,
both at the commencement and at the close of the
heroic achievement.
And that achievement—the battle of the Bth
of February—the Victory of Khooshab ! What
of it? Briefly it may be regarded as a brilliant feat
of arms, worthy in every respect of being added to
the long catalogue of British triumphs in Asia,
from Plassy to Goojerat. We are scarcely ex-
aggerating in any way, we believe, when we avow
that for its splendid Heroism Sir JAs. OUTRAM'S
Cavalry Battle of Khooshab may take rank with
Sir HARRY SMITH'S memorable Charge on the field
of Aliwal !—a victory won by a British Cavalry
Force of 400 over a Persian Army of very
nearly 7,000. The British Forces, under
OUTRA3I, comprising merely 419 sabres—
namely, 176 Poonah Horse, and 243 3d
Cavalry; together with 2,212 European Infan-
try (64th Foot, 2d Europeans, and 78th High-
landers), and 2,022 Native Infantry, in-
cluding 523 of the 4th Rifles, 479 of the
26th Native Infantry, and 460 Beloochees !
While the Persian Force, under SHOOJA-00L-
MooLK, comprised—in its total of 6,900 fighting
men—Guards, Khaskai, Eilkhannee Sufeuchees,
and together with an Arab Regiment 900 strong,
and the cavalry of Shiraz, four regiments of
Sabriz, and two of Karragoozloo.
It appears that almost immediately upon
his arrival at Bushire, on the 27th of
January, Sir JAMES OUTRAM resolved upon
seizing the very earliest opportunity of con_
ducting the British Forces iu land against the
Persian army, then encamped, at a distance of
forty-six miles from the seaboard, in a strong in-
trenched position at Burazjoon. A resolution
carried out shortly afterwards with characteristic
decision and promptitude. Upon the 31st of
January and the Ist of February the Expedition-
ary Forces from Bombay reached Bushire. On the
2d they were landed. On the 3d, towards even-
ing, they marched from the camp 4,653 strong,
" without tents or extra clothing of any sort, each
man carrying his great coat, blanket, and two
days' cooked provisions, the commissariat being
provided with three days' in addition." Thus
equipped the British force, in 41 hours, marched
the projected 46 miles—arriving at Burazjoon
only to find that it had been precipitately de-
serted by the Persian army, affrighted by our
approach, from their entrenchments ! "Satisfied
with the moral effect of our occupying their posi-
tion for two days," says Genersl OUTRAM,
" I decided upon removing the troops back t 3
Bushire." Thereupon the Persians take courage
—altogether mistaking the true meaning of that
retrograde movement. At midnight (7th-Bth
February) they commence an attack upon the
British rearguard—the Eilkhanee, with his horse,
having returned from his hasty retreat into the
Pass leading to the Huft Moolla, and SOOLJAH-
00L-MOOLK, with his force, from his hasty retreat
into the Mhak Pass leading direct to Shiraz ! At
daybreak on the Bth February our cavalry and
artillery alone—(for says General OUTRAM, in his
despatch " the enemy moved away too rapidly for
-the infantry to overtake them")—cur Cavalry
alone numbering, in all, only 419 sabres, assisted
by 18 guns, defeated, signally defeated, and not
only defeated but utterly routed the Persian
army, numbering, as we have seen, from 6,000
to 7,000 in the aggregate. By this splendid
achievement—a victory costing ourselves only
some 10 killed, and from sixty-two to
seventy-two wounded, but causing a terrible
loss to the defeatedenemy, the Persians leaving, of
dead alone, some 700 upon the field—the
troops in a few hours brought the campaign (as
events proved) to a sudden and most satisfactory
conclusion. Routing the foe at Khooshab, and re_
tiring in triumph (after a few hours' rest in
bivouac) to Bushire. Within the short period of
some fifty hours, as Sir JAMES OUTRAM remarks,
was begun and ended this most successful expedi-
tion During the course of it the enemy's maga •
zines, containing 40,0001b5. of powder, were
destroyed, together with small arms and a
vast quantity of shot and shell—all found in the
deserted intrenchmenti at Burazjoon. Besides
which, there were carried away by our forces from
the same place considerable stores of flour, rice,
and grain—as well as from the battle-field of
Khooshab two guns and a standard of the Khasli-
kai Regular Infantry Regiment. Such, in brief,
were the glorious successes gained by the British
Cavalry in their memorable expedition, under
General OUTRAM, between Bushire and Burazjoon.

The Bank of England has once more raised the
i
minimum rate of discount, which now stands at
6 per cent. The Directors fancy
that they are
now safe, that the renewal of the Charter
with-
out change or modification for a further term of
ton years is certain, and they therefore unhesita-
tingly raise the prico of money t) the great detri-
ment of the commercial, naanufacturino. and
trading interest,. The blow thus inflicted created
astonishment in the City. It vra,i -wholly un-
expected, and i 3 therefore more Reverely felt than
if it had been deaned probable, and that full
provision had been made for the change. Fur a
considerable time we have been assured that the pres-
sure was merely temporary, that it would spe-dili
cease and that beneficialresults would ultimately arise
from our long-continued endurance of the drain of
the precious metals. But each time new ap'log ies
are put forward. In fact, as we have repeate city
stated, these evils, ro universally- acknowledged
are the natur-1 re3olts of our Monetary Sy' stm,