The Sun.
London, England, 1850-07-19 00:00:00

OVERLAND MAIL

INDIA AND CHINA.

(From the Chronicle.)

We have received by express in anticipation of the
Overland Mail, files of papers from Calcutta to the
Ist of June, Madras to the Bth of June, and Hong-
Kong to the 23d of May. The intelligence conveyed
by the electric telegraph from Trieste, that the
Bombay mail bad been delayed, is confirmed. We
have not received the letters of our correspondent,
nor the Bombay papers.
(From the Overland Star.)
Without the advantage of our London contem-
poraries, who have a field as wide as Europe with
its ever constantly changing aspect to survey,
writers on East Indian affairs are necessarily
limited in the scope of their observations—between
mail and mail—to such occurrences as are passing
within the more confined range of the company's
dominion?, where every thing bears the same
uniform stamp of continuous action unless oc-
casionally varied by the episode of a rupture, or
some exquisite specimen of gubernatorial folly in the
shape of unpopular enactments. Even from these
we are cut off at present, inasmuch as, save Golab
Singh, who is not inclined to quarrel, there is nothing
left to fight for, and no one left to squabble with,
and the absence of the Governor-General reduces
legislation to a mere nullity. In our last we recorded
the explosion at Benares : th 4 dreadful accident was
the parent of other rumours—as if it were a good
thing to find something to write about—something

to cause excitement—without much care for those
feelings of alarm and anxiety that the narrative
would create. Thus the blowing up at the
holy city inspired the report of a second one in
the magazine at Ferozepore, which was said
to have sent town and suburbs into the air, though
these were full three miles distant from the spot
where the damage was done. Total silence in the up
country papers soon quieted all fears, and the Fe-
rozepore blaze and an asserted sale of public stores
and implements of war from the arsenal of Delhi,
have been consigned to oblivion as mere matters of
imagination. More the last mail came in, it was
reported Sir William Gilbert was nominated Pro-
visional Member of Council. This is confirmed;
but what becomes of Sir John Littler ? Two mili-
tary members is against rule, and Sir John's time
is not yet up. Will they, with so many gapirg
fur commands, keep Sir W. Gilbert still on the
stall'? That would be another violation of rule. To
reward him is all right, but not at the expense of
others. Purely domestic matters are not of moment
enough to dwell upon at any length. The Cower-
vancy Act is likely to undergo revision, and it is be •
lived both commissioners and electors will be les-
sened. The loyalty of the lieges was manifested at
the bail and supper given in honour of her Majesty's
birthday. Both Lord Dalhousie and Sir Charles
Napier are said to be ill; the latter is certainly so,
and retires, we understand, in October. As Sir Wil-
liam Gomm has been appointed to the Bombay com-
mand, perhaps he is destined to be Sir Charles's suc-
cessor—it would be but a fair recompense for prior
disappointment.
(From the Madras Overland Atheneum.)
The various members of our Indian Court have
again re-united on " Simla's breezy heights." The
Governor-General arrived here on the 2d ultimo,
having been proceeded a short space by the
Marchioness of Dalhousie and Sir Charles Napier
with their respective suites. Lord Dalhousie's in-
disposition, we are happy to learn, has completely dis-
appeared since the change to a cooler climate, and
the report that failing health would take him home
before the expiration of his term of servitude, which
was at one time prevalent, no longer obtains credit.
India, we trust, will not be deprived of the full
amount of benefit which the abilities of her present
able ruler are so competent to bestow. With our
Commander-in-Chief there is reason to fear the case
is different. The assertion that be has sent in his
resignation, and purposes leaving his command in
October next, has been made with a positiveness that
nothing but the most unquestionable authority could
have warranted. _

From the prospective retirement of the Com-
mander•in-Chief to the actual retirement of the Ad-
jutant-General of the army, who stands next in in-
fluence if not in rank, is an easy and natural transi-
tion. The resignation of Colonel Grant has taken
the Indian military world by surprise, and specula•
tion has been busy to discover the cause of a step so
unexpected and perplexing. The currently received
rumour is, that a committee of Queen's officers
having been formed under the directions of Sir
Charles Napier, for the purpose of collecting infor-
mation with a view to the exclusion of the officers of

the Company's army from the highest grades of com-
mend, Colonel Grant remonstrated at being excluded
from it, which producing only a cool reply, he sent
in his resignation. How far this story may be true,
is rather difficult to say ; but the fact that the Com-
mander-in-Chief is busily engaged in amassing all
the facts he can, which may be used at the approach-
ing Charter discussions against the East India Com-
pany, is looked upon as tolerably correct.
Colonel Grant's successor in the Adjutant-General.
ship is Lieutenant-Colonel H. T. Tucker. This ap-
pointment has created some dissatisfaction among the
advocates of the seniority principle, on the ground
that the nominee, though a Brevet Lieutenant-
Colonel, is only a Regimental Captain, and that for
fifty years past, with only one exception, no man
under the rank of a Field Officer has held this im-
portant and influential post. A sufficient answer to
this objection will be found in the facts, that though
only a captain in his regiment, the new adjutant-
general has seen a full quarter century of honourable
and distinguished service; that he is an officer of
talent and experience acknowledged to be inferior to
these of no one even among his superiors in rank;
and that, above all, he has enjoyed the benefit of a
complete training in the department over which he
has been called to preside. - -
Of political intelligence we have not a shred. From
the north-west frontier we have not had a line of im-
portant intelligence. The Afreedees remain perfectly
quiet ; so pacific, indeed, have they grown, as not
merely to allow a body of our irregular cavalry to
come through the pass unmolested, but some of the
chiefs undertook to form an escort. It has not yet
transpired what steps are to be taken with them. A
very general feeling exists against the policy of buy-
ing their submission. Of Dhost Mahomed nothing
has been heard during the past month.
Sinde is about to lose the valued services of Mr.
Pringle, who has resigned his office of commissioner
ostensibly on the ground of ill-health ; but really, it
is believed, through differences with the Bombay
Government. A rumour prevails iu Sinde that the
Governor-General contemplates joining Young Egypt
with the Punjaub—a junction which was at one time
recommended strongly by Sir Charles Napier. The
advantage of having the entire western frontier under
one charge is, we imagine, the chief recommendation
of the proposed union.
Since our last, money has become more plentiful,
and the excessive tightness of the rates of discount
been relaxed. At the Madras Bank bills of thirty
and ninety days may be done now at 8 and 9} per