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

CALCUTTA MAIL.

We take the following summary from the Bengal
Harkaru of Sept. 9 :
" Seventeen days have glided by since the last
mail left Calcutta, and if we have no great successes
to record, there are at least no fresh massacres to
lament. So far as we know Delhi has not yet been
taken, and, certainly, Lucknow is yet unrelieved.
Agra still holds out, and, thanks to the fidelity of
Scindia, it is not threatened ; and though the at-
mosphere seems charged with thunder the storm
has not broken out afresh during the last fortnight
in any of the disturbed districts.'
" When the last mail left we were entering upon
the Mohurrum—that season during which the Ma-
homedans often work themselves up into ungovern-
able fury. Thanks to the precautions forced upon
the Government the dreaded week has tided over
without the smallest attempt at disturbance or in-
surrection. Meanwhile every eye has been turned
upon Lucknow and our heroic countrymen there
who have so long defended their position against
enormous odds. Their fate has been trembling in
the balance. On the 10th of July last intimation
was cone eyed to Government that their provisions
were sufficient to support them for 6 weeks. This
brought them up to the 22d Aug. That day, how-
ever, approached, and there were no signs of relief.
But General Havelock, though he failed in his at-
tempt about that time to relieve Lucknow, so far
succeeded that he drew the besiegers upon his small
force. This enabled the beleagured garrison to make
a sally, which was not only successful as to the de-
struction of the enemy, but enabled them to bring
in a further amount of bullocks—sufficient for about
three weeks' consumption. It was then calculated
that they could hold out up to the 9th or 10th
Sept. ; and it was hoped that reinforcements, con-
sisting of the sth Fusilieers and 90th Foot, would
reach Cawnpore at the latest on Sept. 1, and thus
easily enable Gen. Havelock to effect the relief of
the garrison before the 9th. There is, however, au
old adage that too many cooks spoil the broth. Sir
Colin Campbell had not been allowed at that time
to take his
,seat in council, and he therefore could
exercise no effectual control over the movemen's of
the troops. Gen. Outram and the officers command-
ing at Dinapore and Benares had all fingers in the
pie, and the result was that the two regiments on
reaching Mirzapore were called back t:Disepore,
and then sent on again in the Mirzapore and Allaha-
bad direction. It is but fair to Gen. Outram to add
that letters recently received assert that the recall
was in no way his deed, and that he disapproved it
from the first. Be that as it may, the subject is one
which demands a searching inquiry, and the po
session of high office either in the civil or in the mi-
litary department should not be allowed to screen
the culprit. A delay of ten days was by th;s
mismanagement caused at a most critical period,
and, but for the marked intervention of Provi-
dence, must have proved fatal to our country-
men at Lucknow. Happily, however, another
opportunity presented itself for making a
sortie. This time it was attended with greater suc-
cess than ever.prore than 1.00 of ithe enemy were
blown into the air by a mine ; a 24-pounder gun
which had greatly annoyed them was spiked, and
large supplies of provisions were secured. The
garrison now consis's of about 500 men, of whom
150 are in hospital ; there are also about 300 women
and children, who have gone through all the dangers
and hardships of the siege, certain (for the fate of
the Cawnpore garrison had reached them) of a cruel
death if compelled by famine or any other cause to
surrender. We may now almost look upon their re-
lief as secure ; humanly speaking it is quite so.
General Outram, with 1,300 men of the sth Fusi-
leers and 70th, was at Allahabad on the Ist inst.
They were expected at Cawnpore on the 11th; there
they wottld find General Havelock with 1,100 men
and 20 guns, some of them of large calibre ; and a
strong conviction was felt that such a force, urged
on with determination, would ba sufficient to over-
come the opposition, great as it was likely to be,
waiting for it on the Lucknow-road.
"From Delhi we receive cheering intelligence.
The insurgents had commenced fighting amen rethem-
.selve s, and the King had transmitted a secret mes-
sage to Mr. Colvin, offering to give in provided lie
was replaced in the position he occupied before the
revolt. It is to be hoped that this offer was rejected
with scorn. Our army occupied an unassailable posi-
tion before Delhi, and had been largely reinforced by
the moveable column, consisting of her Majesty's
52d and a wing of the 61st, with some Sikh corps,
under Brigadier-General N icholson, a young soldier,
but one marked ont for distinction. Shortly after
his arrival in camp the Neemuch and Bareilly
mutineers made a strong effort to attack our forces
in the rear. General Nicholson was sent out against
them with his division, and completely defeated
them, capturing 12 pieces. It is believed that the
final assault on the imperial city will not be much
longer delayed. Sir Colin Campbell, it is rumoured,
has sent up orders to make short work of it,
and General Wilson is not the man to retard the
execution of such an order a single hour.
"The province of Behar, and the districts around
the cities of Benares, Patna, and Mirzapore are still
in an unsettled state, but in all of them the Mo-
hurrum passed without any decided manifestation
of insurrection. At _Benares, indeed, an impreg-
nable fortress has been erected near Raj Ghat on the
bank of the river, commanding the whole city, so
that the smallest demonstration could be most effec-
tually quelled. That city istherefore safe. Patna!),
too, has continued quiet. That it has remained so
is due entirely to the exertions of Mr. Wm. Tayler,
who overawed the natives by a judicious coarse of
severity.
Sir Colin Campbell, it is believed, will leave for
the North-West in about a mouth, and, taking up
Havelock's force, w,ll open direct communications '
with Delhi. There are several first-rate officers in
Calcutta waiting for employ, who will be glad to
accompany him.
" The past fortnight has been one of almost un-
equalled pressure in the money market, the Bsnk
of Bengal having refused to discount Court of Di-
rectors bills with more than 60 days to run, or to
make and renew loans upon Government paper to
the other banks. The immediate cause of these
steps is believed to be the crippled positiou the
bank directors find themselves in by having ad-
vanced to a large extent upon Company's paper
without reserving a sufficient margin tospecula'ors
and of hers who have left the Bank in the lurch wis 11
the paper, not being able to take up the loans or to
pay the difference between what it is really worth
and the amount advanced upon it by the Bank.
We leave our readers to judge of the wisdom and
ability which governs the Bank of Bengal, and
which has produced such a state of things. We
have since heard that two of our local banks,
which held a large amount of Court of
Directors' bills, finding them inconvertible into
cash, applied to the Government to pay them
under discount, which has been granted under the
special circumstance', and will no doubt aff.)rd
some relief to the fair trading puhlic, whose
interests heve been so ruthlessly sacrificed by the
directors of the Bank of Bengal to the speculatere
and jobbers in Company's paper.
" Exchange opened at 2s. 21,1. for first-class six
months' sight bills, and, in consequence of the
pressure in the money market advanced to 2s. 34d.,
but closes a trifle easier."
The Calcutta Englishman of Sept. 9 makes the
following somewhat gloomy observations :
" We yesterday published news from Delhi to
the 26th August, by which it will be seen that
Delhi still holds out, and that no positive &Ito can
yet be fixed for its reduction. With regard to
other districts, so far from peace and good order
being re-established, disorder and rebellion have
extended to provinces which in June were pE-rfect'y
tranquil. The greater part of Behar and the south-
western frontier of Bengal are in confusion, ar.d