The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-07 00:00:00

INDIA.

By the arrival of the Overland Mail we receive
intelligence from Bombay to September 11. The
ceremony of the investiture of Sir Hugh Rose with
the insignia of the Order of the Most Exalted Star
of India took place at Calcutta on August 26.
The Tinges of India gives the following summary
of news:—

"The cholera, which has raged so virulently in
the Punjaub, has decreased. Sad havoc has been
made in 11,M.'s 51st and 94th Regiments. The
epidemic is said to be abating also in the north-west
provinces.

" A munificent entertainment has been given at
Surat by the managing agent, engineers, and officers
of the Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway
to the staff of mechanics, inspectors, &c., in celebra-
tion of the successful close of the past working
season.

" The inauguration of the statue of the late Briga-
dier General Neill took place at Madras on the 24th
August, in the presence of thousands of spectators.
" The Rev. Mr. Long, sentenced by the Calcutta
Supreme Court to one month's imprisonment, for
his publication of the Nil Durpan drama, was
liberated on the 24thAugnst, and proposes, it is said,
to visit England.

It is reported that her Majesty's 103 d Regiment
(First Bombay Fusilier) will leave India for home
service in a few months.

" The city of Benares was lately visited by an
earthquake and hailstorm. Hundreds of houses and
cattle were destroyed, and 200 or 300 men buried
under the ruins of houses.

" The native community of Calcutta held a public
meeting on Aug. 26, for the purpose of representing
the conduct of Sir Mordaunt Wells, Paisne Juisne
Judge of the supreme Court, Calcutta, to the Secre-
tary of State for India.

" Mr. Seton-Karr has a second time tendered the
resignation of his seat in the Legislative Council ;
but the Governor-General has declined to accept it.
" The Governor-General, it is stated, will leave
Calcutta shortly for the North-West Provinces to
confer the honour of the Most Exalted Star of India
on the native chiefs selected for the honour. On his
return he will proceed to Rangoon, and go back to
Calcutta to await the arrival of Lord Elgin.
" A Cabool letter of Aug. 1 states that cholera
was rife at Kandahar, 600 or 700 men a day falling
victims to the disease."

AMERICA.

QUEENSTOWN, OCT. 5.

The Royal Mail steamship Africa arrived here at
nine o'clock this evening, with 39 passengers and
5,806 dols. in specie for England. She landed all
mails, except those for Liverpool, and proceeded at
9 15 p.m. ; all well.

The Africa left New York on the 25th ult.
The Confederates captured a quarter of a million
of dollars in the fort at T,pvinaton.
Secretary Chase's proclamation on the Confisca-,
tion Act refers only to property used in aid of the
rebellion, and not to deposits of Southern funds.
Mr. Seward, in answer to the memorial requesting
the attention of the Government to the letters of
Mr. Russell, the Times' correspondent, has expressed
his refusal to interfere in the matter.

Draugh ting for the Federal army has commenced.
at Chicago.

The Federal Government has issued an order for
accommodation to be prepared for 100 politica/
prisoners on George Island, Boston harbour.
The St. Louie Republican estimates that 1,0011
Confederates were killed at Lexington.
The Chicago Tribune states that strong fears are
entertained that the Confederates will capture Gen.
Prentis's command, as it is reported that his com-
munications have been cut off by Gen. Price.
The Confederates are marching on St. Joseph:
It is reported that General Fremont will take the
field immediately with a large force.
The New York press complain loudly on account
of General Fremont not having reinforced Lex-
ington.

The Federals have destroyed the fortifications
deserted by the Confederates at Ocracoke Inlet.
The New York Herald states that naval expedi.
tions are preparing for Galveston and New Orleans.

. .. __.
The Sasonia and the Persia have arrived_ out.
The commercial news by the Africa has been anti•
cipated via Cape Race.

111 R. HORATIO .ROSE ON RIFLER.

Mr. Ross, of Netherley, has addressed a letter
to the Inverness Courier, from Which we make the
following extract:--
my practice with rifles of all descriptions has
been considerable, and I have no hesitation in pro-
nouncing the Enfield to be the worst of " modern"
rifles. It has every fault—a high trajectory ren-
deringit a matter of great chance hitting a distant
object when the ground is not accurately measured;
a slow flight, which increases very much the diffi-
culty of hitting a mark in motion ; and very in-
ferior powers of penetration. I lately read a para-
graph in the newspapers of very great significance,
"4 and which bears on this point. It is stated that
Mr. Whitworth had had an interview with the
Emperor of the French, the object of that interview
being to conclude a bargain for the purchase of
30,000 Whitworth rifles. Experiments were carried
on in the presence of the Emperor for two days, and
as he was not quite satisfied with the shooting of
the rifles, the order was not given. We know some-
thing in this country about Whitworth rifles, and
the Emperor, did not
itfhtinhkattmheo shrewd
them good
goodenooufgmh men, the
his
army,
we may form
some notion
of the excellence of the arms with
which he ultimately intends to equip his soldiers.
Put two regiments down in an open country at the
distance of a mile, one armed with Whitworth rifles,
the other with Enfields, what would be the result ?
I belive the latter would be destroyed before their
opponents came within the range of the Enfield
rifle. I therefore think that all corners prizes' are
most useful for the sake of bringing out the best
shot and best rifle. But they will cease to have
anyinterest beyond that of the mere neighbourhood
of the meeting if they are not left to perfectly free
and open competition. I however gather this, that
the people of Inverness are dissatisfied that so many
prizes fell to the lot of my son and myself, and
thus they want to exclude us from their future
competitions by heavy handicaps. I must confess
that I am disappointed at finding Highlanders to
be the first who have called out. But 1 will relieve
their anxiety ;we won't compete next year, but if
alive and well, we may perhaps join the shooting
of 1863, by which time. if they attend to the spiri-
ted advice of Cluny, and follow the manly example
of the Master of Lovat, who shot beautifully, and
g .spirit at the meeting, they
gained proper confidence, and
will,spo spoke whiothpe b, ehcoamvein
prove themselves foemen worthy of any man's
steel.'"

THE GREAT EASTERN.—After receiving the re-
port of the Great Ship Company, which contained only a
brief notification of the catastrophe, the officers of the marine
department of the Board of Trade issued instructions, call-
ing upon the owners and commander of the vessels to for-
ward, under the requirements of the Mercantile Marine
Act, an official account of the casualty and amount of
damage occasioned, prior to directing a local inquiry into
all the circumstances by Capt. Robertson, the head of the
department, in conjunction with the Local Marine Board
at Cork,