The Sun.
London, England, 1857-07-21 00:00:00

THE G WALIOR CONTINGENT.

We have been favoured with the following ex-
trait from a letter of a gentleman in India :—June ,
5.—" In the mean time, all honour to tho3e who
with strong hearts and hands manfully do their
duty in front of danger and difficulty—among
whom is Henry Cockbnrn. The regiment of irre-
gular cavalry (Ist Gwalior) has been staunch, and
done well. It has rescued 25 unfortunate crea-
tures, Europeans and East Indiana, who were
forced to leave a station taken possession of by •
mutineers. A letter has been sent to me to read
from an officer up in these parts, who says—' Last
evening a most successful rush was made three miles
off by Cockburn and 50 mon. The robbers had
collected in numbers of 500, and were stopping and
plundering every one on the road in a most shame-
ful manner. Cockburn sent a bullock cart with
red curtains, such as women go in, but with four
troopers, representing the weaker sex. The main.
body kept 400 yards lathe rear, and were to rush
up when the four men fired. A capital. ruse,
as the object was to get the robbers to show them-
selves. Well, the wretches made a rush for
plunder ; the four women instantly fired, and Cock- -
burn's party galloped up at full speed to the
spot. They bad rough ground at first, and the
robbers broke, of course, but too late to save them-
selves. Cockburn was nearly unhorsed 'by a man
who, after making a out at him, which he parried,
seizel him by the leg. Cockburn swung round his
horse, and killed him with his sword. His troopers
killed 50, and made prisoners of others. A num-
ber also jumped down wells, and unless rescued
must have been drowned. None of his men were
touched, and the moral effect in the country round,
in the present crisis will be very great.'" We give
also another extract of a letter from Captain Alex-
ander, commanding Ist Cavalry Gwalior Contin-
gent, dated Hatttoss, 31st of May, 9 p.m. :—"
telligence was brought in this afternoon that a,
number of plunderers bad attacked a village near
to this. I sent out a party under Lieutenant
Cockburn, and several officers of the 9th accom-
panied him. Between 20 and 25 cf the leaders
have been cut up. The Sowars behaved admirably.
L sutenant Cockburn dismounted 12 men and took
the village by storm. Every praise is due to Lieut.
Cockburn—a gallant soldier, and who had some
vetynarroweLcatpdi
es4uHr; killed four men with
his own lianv

Tne amount of silver to be despatched by the next
overland mail, on the 4th of August, is expected to be
large ; and, as the 400,0001. which is looked for from
Mexico will not reach London in time, supplies will
have to be procured from the continent. Some persons
rour
anticipate that the drain to India will be greatly in-
creased,
manufacturedow i ogto
goodsth e
thatdi diminution in
mustut i
onbeincothnesedqeumenatu(!a
fora
existing outbreak ; but, on the other hand, the pay-
ments of the Indian Government to this country for
transport service and war material will be extremely
heavy.
THE ROYAL MAIL STEAMER PERSIA.—In August last
we reported the Persia's unparalleled trip from New
York to Liverpool in 9 days 2 hours and 40 roinutes, or
to the Bell-buoy in 8 days 23 hours and 30 minutes. This
was considered thl height of perfection in steaming, and
nautical men at that time were sanguine in the belief= hat
this speed could not be approached at any future peod.
We are, however, glad to chronicle another feat by this
vessel. On Friday afternoon, at 20 min. past 4, the Per.
sia (which started from Jersey City at 8 20 a.m• on the
Btb of July) passed the Rock Lighthouse in 9 drys Ihour
and 15 minutes from New York, the difference
of time between the two ports, together with two
hours detention off the bar for water, being de.
ducted. The time occupied in reaching the Bell-
this occasion was 9 hours and 35 em.
buoy on last
Au.
P
.notee, being 60 minutes longer than her trip
gust, but shorter to the Mersey by 1 hour and 25 min.
It will thus be seen that this the quickest pLesage on
record between the two ports. The first part of the pas-
sage was characterised by light variable winds. During
the la t five days she experienced more favourable
weather, during which time she ran 1,689 miles, being
an average of over 14 miles per hour. Our Transatlantic
friends, whose praiseworthy exertions towards redeem-
ing the tedium of a sea voyage between the United
States and the mother country cannot be t( o highly
commended, must henceforth yield the palm of unitise.
tionable superiority to the Canard Couipanfi Whose
laudable enterprise has enabled them to produce a mag-
nificent fleet of steamers only little inferior to the.T'arsis
in Point of speed and sea-ping qtartiitiee.... Li/corp.° Z
( 4 iblon