The Sun.
London, England, 1857-10-24 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 24, 1857,

THE INDIAN MUTINIES.

The delivery of the heavy portion of the Indian
Mail, which has arrived via Southampton, places
us in possession of a few details of news comple-
mentary of that by the Overland Mail. We select
a few of the more important items :
THE STEAM FLOTILLA ON THE GANGES

ABOVE ALLAHABAD.
The following is from on board the Hon. Com
pany's steam gun-boat Jumna, dated Allahabad,
23i August :

"By my last letter from this place I informed
you that we were to proceed on an expedition to
Cawnpore. We left this on the evening of the
19th, and arrived at Monnepore on the morning of
the 21st. This place is about 4 miles below Kalley
Kuncar (which I learn is 'well fortified), and about
50 milts below Cawnpore. Having reason to be-
lieve that this fortification is friendly to us (and for
other reasons which I have not been able to dis-
cover), we returned towards Allahabad from Mon-
nepore, burning up at that place 5 country boats,
broke up 1, and took 2 in tow that were laden with
railway materials, which were made over to the
Thanadar and Zamiudar at Kara. About 2 miles
below (Shaadpore) we scuttled 7 country boats, and
about 4 miles further (Narsiug) we scuttled 3 more,
burnt 1, and took 2in tow. lof these we broke
up the same evening, after anchoring at the mouth
of the Nullah, running under a large village called
Jehauabad, on the Oude territory, intending to
reconnoitre the place at daylight. In this Nullah
14 country boats were moored. At 4.30 a.m. of
the 22nd instant (Saturday) Lieutenant Batt sent
a pinnace's crew down, and with one of our 12
pounders in her, to reconnoitre, under charge of a
midshipman (Mr. Parker, of Auckland). The
commander of the vessel also went in the jolly boat
to sound the Nullah, and the rebels very kindly
advised him to return, but he opened fire on the
pinnace, which she returned with canister. None
were wounded ; seeing this we got the Jumna
under way, backed her into the Nullab, brought
up, and engaged the enemy. The firing on both
sides was kept up about 1 hour, and in the engage-
ment one Lase tr was killed, about three feet from
me, one wounded in the hand, one European sea-
man mortally wounded, and another slightly i❑
the forehead. A ball struck another seaman on
his belt (but did him no injury), struck the table,
and broke the log slate. Our force being too
small to cope with the enemy, who began with
round shot, and moreover being under strong
cover, hove up, steamed out of the Nullah,
anchored in the stream, and began shelling the
enemy, after destroying as much as possible the
boats that were in the Nullab. Our comings are
riddled with balls, but the Jumna has stood the
whole well. The engagement lasted in all about
5i hour., and we expended 167 rounds of shell and
round shot ; and of rifle ammunition, 580 rounds
by the seamen, 620 by Fusiliers, and 230 by the
Seikhs. Our force consisted of only 29 seamen
belonging to the steam frigates Zonobia, Punjaub,
and Auckland ; 20 of the Madras Ist Fusiliers,
under command of Lieutenant Barclay ; as also
14 Sikhs. The enemy have built up several breast-
works, and appear to number about 3,000. Nothing
further of any interest has transpired, and it is my
humble opinion that it would be madness to ap-
proach the place without a strong land force. We
have just returned, and I am thankful to say I am
quite well."—Calcutta Phoenix.

Nukbee Khan, the arch-traitor, shall be executed.

THE POPULATION OF OUDE.
We (Calcutta Phcenix) subjoin an extract from a
letter from au officer with the force, dated Aug. 8,
and written at a place about eight miles from the
Ganges, on is left bank, in the Ode territory
‘` We have advanced twice against the enemy,
inflicting severe less upon him on both occasions.
We have also suffered ourselves from casualties in
the field, and from cholera and the sun. We are
weak and see no prospect of reinforcements from
the [lower provinces, which has probably been the
,cause of our pulling up where we are and not pro-
ceeding further towards Lucki.ow. Every village
here is a fort, and of some strength too, well garri-
soned and armed. The entire population are sol-
diers, and on which side I need not say. The bridge
over the Goomty has been destroyed by
the enemy,
and to make matters worap, they have strongly
stockaded the opposite bank of the river. Their
stocka& is garnished with heavy guns. The force
of the enemy about Luckliow is said to be 38,000
men of all arms, and they expect reinforcements
from the neighbourhood to the tune of 20,000 mere.
Thus, you see, we are sadly overmatched."

NAVAL AND MILITARf INTELLIGENCE

Yesterday the court-martial appointed to try
Lieutenant George William Vansittart Yule, Royal
Engineers, at Chatham, was occupied in hearing
evidence in support of the list charge preferred
against the prisoner—that of scandalous conduct,
unbecoming the character of an officer and a gentle-
man, in having falsely stated that he was out all
day on the sth of September, and therolute could
not answer an official letter addressed to him by
order of Colonel Sandham. The let er from
Colonel Sandham was provedtohave been del' vered
at the prisoner's quarters on the nartr ion of the
sth of September, with directions to the servant to
give it immediately to Lieutenant Yule. The letter
was taken to the prisoner, who was asleep in bed,
the servant waking him and informing him that it
was "On Service." Pr.soner. however, took no
notice of the letter, which was then laid on a table.
On that day the prisoner did not leave his bed till
five o'clock in the afternoon. He afterwards told
the colonel that he bad not seen the letter a•ldressed
to him, which was his reason for allowing
it to remain unanswered, and he further stated
that he was not at home when the letter
arrived. Lieutenant-Colonel Reynolds, the Deputy
Judge-Advocate, then informed the Court that toe
evidence for the prosecution was closed. The pri-
soner, when called upon for his defence, prayed the
Court to allow him time to prepate hts defence,
which request the President at once granted, giving
the prisoner until Tuesday morning for that purpose.
The Inspector General of Musketry Ins ruction,
Col. C. C. Hay, has arrived at Chatham, from the
Sohool of Musketry at Hythe, for the purpose ( f

inquiring into the progress of the oflicersiact troops
stationed at that garrison in /he theory and prac-
tice of the Enfield rifle. The number of troops daily
undfrming instruction iu the use of the Mini(' rifle
at Chatham is upwards of 300, and a second-class
instructor from Hythe has been attached to each
bAttalion in order to ha ten the instructions of the

drifters and men who are about to proceed to India.
The following officers, under orders to proceed
to India, have joined their depots at Chatham :
Captain J. M. Lyle, 29th Regiment, and Eti-ign
W. Walsely, 84th Regiment. Leave of absence,
previous to their embarkation, has bon granted to
Lieut. R. D. Knight and Lieut. R. H. Lewis, 94th
Regiment.
The monster cannon whieb was put through a
see ies of preliminary trials on Monday at Woolwich
was examined yesterday preparatory to a cont.nua-
tion of experiments. From the appearance of the
se.;mPnt constituting the breech it was dearneil
pendent to order the *traction of the proofs
beyond the day originally fixed—Monday next.
Al though care had bean taken to in with saw-
dust the vacuum left in the chamber by the pi o-
grossive variation of the charge, a rant was disco-
vered in the metal, and a committee consisting of
Mr. Mallett, the founder, and soino of the otticia's
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has been ascertained to be 16 feet.
The Hannibal, 91, screw, will haul out of the
steam basin dock at Portsmouth to-day, and havo
her masts taken out of her to undergo a thorough
survey.__

The Urgent, 6, screw troop frigate, Commander
John W. D. M'Donald, went out of the steam
basin at Portsmouth yesterday afternoon, and
attended by the Echo, steam tug, Mr. Harding
in couimand, proceeded to the measured mile at
Stokes Bay, first taking a turn round the Nab
Light to warm her engines, and to correct a little
priming which was visible. This d.fficulty havinz
been overcome, she made her first run with
the tide, and performed the distance in 4 minutes
19 seconds. She returned against the tide, doing
the distance in 5 minutes 20 seconds. She took
other two runs with the like results, and as a mean
of the whole she gives a most satisfactory averaged
speed of 12 full knots an hour. Her engines are of
400 nominal horse power, and worked like a lathe.
The average of her revolutions were 69, barometer
24, and steam pressure say 13 lb. She has accom-
plished a knot an hour more than was expected of
' her, and she may be pronounced a most healthy
and efficient troop frigate. In corning into the
harbour her gallant commander ordered the star-
board cutter to be manned and lowered, which was
dose by every hand or stranger, and in a few
seconds, thus proving its simplicity and value. The
Urgent has moored alongside the Victorious hulk,
where she will complete for sea.

The freightship Oscar was yestercl ty taken up by
Government for the conveyance of military stores
from Woolwich Arsenal to Cape Coast Castle ; and
the Lady Macdonald, for Hong Kong ; the De-
pendent, for Bahamas ; the Lobilia, for Sydney ;
the Sir G. Seymour, for B-trinuda ; the Indian
Queen, for Barbadoes ; the British Liou, for Cal-
cutta.

The transport IsabJlla Blythe is expected at
Woolwich Arsenal to-morrow to prepare for the
embarkation of troops for India.

I • Mr. Richards, pilot, who landed at Plymouth
yesterday (Friday) morning, reports that the screw
steam transport, Prince Albert, Commander Watti,
which left Spitboad the previous evening with the
72d Highlanders, a battering train, &c., for Bom-
bay, experienced a Ane passage down Channel, and
was all well at eight in the morning, with every
prospect of a successful voyage. Oa ThuriJay
afternoon a large steamship, with two funnels, was
observed off Plymouth, going up Channel with a
disabled sailing ship in t•or.
A new species of sills pump, invented by Mr.
W. Roberta, of Mi israll, has jut been subjec'ed to
a series of experiments by the authorities of W0,,1-wich
wich Arsenal on board the flagship Fisgard. The
result is that the committee have recommended that
the pump el- Juld be introduced into the navy. The
simplicity fits construction and the facility with
which it can be moved from place to place are among
its chief recommendations, while its admirable
working qualities were proved by the fact that it
pumped 800 gallons of water over the decks of the
Fisgard in 7 min. 45 sec., or 1031 gallons per
minute.

THE MILITIA.
The sth Northumberland Fusiliers, a new regi-
ment, is in course of formation. Liberal terms
have been offered to recruits.
It is understood that the Royal North Lincoln-
shire Militia will be called upon to undertake gar-
rison duty in the Mediterranean.
The Royal Glsmorganahire Militia has been in
trainine, at Swansea. The regi•nent will not at
present be ordered for embodiment.

-Tae Cardiganshire Militia has just completed its
ordinary period of trainieg. The regiment is slid
to be in a high state of efficiency.
The Royal North Gloceatershire Militia are or-
dered to reassemble at Cirencester on Tuesday, the
3d of November.

A RUSSIAN CANNON FIRED UPON AN ENGLISH
TOWN.—Tae generosity of the Government in the dis-
tribution of the guns taken from the enemy in the hte
war seems likely to lead to some inoonvenience to the
grateful recipients. A few days since c considerable
alarm was excited at midnight in the borough of Read-
ing by a tremendous explosion, the cause of which at
first could not be divined. It appears that the patriotic
inhabitant...ll)f the borough some time since petitioned
Lord Panunure that one of the large guns captured
from the Russians in the Crimea might be presented to
the town, as an enduring trophy of British prowese. A
lengthy correspondence took place between the inhabit-
ants and the War-office, and at length the joyful news
was officially communicated that a piece of artillery of
the largest calibre was about to be forwarded to the
borough. The inhabitants, grateful for this signal mark
of favour, had a costly and elaborate piece of machinery
constructed on which to mount the formidable weapon.
In doe time it arrived at the station, and was carried
amidst the demonstrations of the loyal to the site selected
for its reception on Foshury-bill—an eminence which, it
may be observed, dominates the town. Here it was
planed in what washoped to be a state of repose ; hut its
isolated position offered too great a temptation to some
of the amateur artillerymen of the borough. One night
last week, about "the witching hour," some ardent
students of the art of gunnery stormed the bill, capt,ired
the gun, and actually had the hardihood to load it with
a heavy charge of gunpowder and gravel, and turn it
upon the devoted town and its slumbering inhabitants.
A fearful report announced that some terrible catastrophe
had occurred. The windows in the neighbouring houses
were shattered, the gaslights were extinguished, a
terrible gloom overshadowed the town, and two police-
men on duty at the Great Western station were nearly
killed (with fright) by the concussion of the atmosphere.
The alarm which this joke created was, so great that it
was at first supposed some of the locomotives at one of
the tbree termini which Reading possesses bad exploded,
spreading death and desolation around. The gun, the
immediate cause of this commotion, has already cost the
inhabitants about 501. for conveyance and mounting, and
that expenditure will probably have to be increased by
the weekly stipend of a retired Crimean, warrior to be
stationed on the hill to prevent future experiments by
the amateur gunners of the neighbourhood,