The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-03 00:00:00

OVERLAND MAIL

INDIA AND CHINA.
(From the Times.)

By extraordinary express from Marseilles we have
received, in anticipation of the Overland Mail from
Bombay, letters and papers from all parts of our
Indian Empire.
The latest dates are from Bombay to the 20th, and
from Calcutta to the 11th of May, from Macao to the
10th, and Hong-Kong to the Bth of April. The
mail from England of the 6th of April had reached
Bombay on the 12th of May.
The principal intelligence brought by the Indian
mail of the 20th of May relates to the state of
the Punjab, which appears now to be more dis-
tracted than ever. A bloody fight is stated to
have taken place on the 7th of May, between Heera
Singh, the present Prime _Minister, and the party
of the sons of Runjeet Singh, who are opposed
to him, led on by Ittur Singh, a chief of consi-
derable influence. In September last, when Ajeet
Singh had murdered the then King, Shere Singh,
and the Prime Minister Dhyan Singh, he was him-
self slain in a fight with Heera Singh, who avenged
the death of his father, Dhyan, by ordering all the
family of Ajeet to be butchered. One boy of nine
years was allowed to live, and an uncle, named Ittur
or Utter Singh, escaped into the Sikh states, pro-
tected by the British. After seven months' residence,
he went back on the 30th of April, and joined the
party under Cashmeera Singh and Peshora Singh,
both sons (though of minor ranks) of old Runjeet
Singh. They proceeded to attack Heera Singh, and
a bloody conflict took place, in which Heera was said
to have been wounded. Ittur Singh was considered
by some of the partisans of Heera as being supported
by the British, and they therefore have threatened to
invade the territories of the latter, to revenge them-
selves on those who had countenanced the proceed-
ings of Ittur Singh.
The threatened movement of the notorious Akbar
Khan on Peshawur had not taken place. The posi-
tion of his father, Dost Mahomed, was by no means
satisfactory; his age, his infirmities, and the compli-
cated state of the affairs of Caubul would, it was
thought, induce him to resign his sovereignty into
the hands of Akbar.

The news from Sinde extends to the 16th of May.
Sir Charles Napier was busy in making preparations
for the meeting of the Beloochee chiefs, which was to
take place on the 24th of May, when it is said that
upwards of 17,000 of them would attend, each having
an unarmed attendant. Thirty thousand men assem-
bled to deliberate would present an odd appearance.
It was supposed that Sir Charles had some important
measures to propose to their attention. In Upper
Sinde, where General Simpson (who was to be suc-
ceeded by General Hunter) commanded, nothing re-
markable had occurred. Preparations were going on
for the purpose of putting down the freebooters under
Beeja Khan, who had acquired new strength in con-
sequence of the unsuccessful attempt made by the
force under Capt. Tait and Lieut. Fitzgerald to storm
Poolajee, as mentioned last month.
The Bengal troops had arrived at Sukkur, where
they were making arrangements for locating them-
selves. General Hunter was expected there from
Ferozepore.
Great expectation was entertained respecting the
meeting of two large corps of troops, which are to
be collected towards the months of August and Sep-
tember on the Sutlej ; the one to the west to be
commanded by General Sir Charles Napier, and the
other, near Ferozepore, by Sir Hugh Gough. The
latter statement might be doubted, as it was said
that the presence of the Commander-in-Chief
was required at the Council Board at Calcutta.
It seems. however, more likely that either
this Gallant General or Sir Charles Napier will
attend the movements of the Governor-General, who
was, it was reported, on the eve of going from Calcutta.
to the north-western provinces, and who would reach
Meerut in September. The disturbed state of the
Punjab is calculated to hasten the movements of the
British Indian armies in that direction. The attempts
lately made to corrupt the fidelity of the British
sepoys, and the large sums sent to Ferozepore and its
vicinity (170,0001.), have excited a strong wish for
punishing the unprincipled chiefs of Lahore. The
large force of 80,000 men was therefore ordered, and
it was thought Lord Ellenborough and Sir C. Napier
would undertake the conquest of the Punjab, the
former as a diplomatist and a politician, and the latter
as a general.

In Gwalior there were intrigues fomented by the
Queen Dowager against the British and the Regent
established there ; but a caution and a threat had been
given her on the part of the Supreme Government.
Tranquillity prevailed in the capital, and the people
were satisfied, for an excellent police had been
arranged there by the British officers. The ancient
capital of Candeisb, called Burhanpore, had been
ceded to the British, and was taken possession of by
the troops from Alhow and Asserghur. The oc-
cupation of it by the British is satisfactory to its
inhabitants, as it was going to ruin under the Mah-
ratta yoke.

One of the freebooting chiefs of Boghilkund has
had his castle levelled to the earth, and is himself a
prisoner, in consequence of his refusal to obey the
orders of the Supreme Government, and. to restore
some plunder which he had taken from some mer-
chants, British subjects, who were travelling through
the country. This decided act of the British autho-
rities, is highly acceptable to the ryots and tradesmen
who are delighted when those petty tyrants are pu-
nished for their robberies and insolence.

The other parts of India were tranquil, and ex-
pected to be so during the rainy season.
Admiral Sir W. Parker was at Madras on the 11th
of May, when he was feted by the inhabitants.
The large native-made piece of ordnance which
was found some years ago at Kurnaul, has been
shipped on board her Majesty's ship Cornwallis, and
was to be removed to England. It weighs upwards
of eight tons.
In Bombay there was a discussion going forward
respecting the conduct of the native justices, who
had not exerted themselves to procure the arrest of
a man named Moo Paroo, against whom evidence
had been discovered to prove his being implicated in
the burning of the five ships from that harbour
during the last two years, and also of his being con-
nected with the gang of pirates, smugglers, bcc.,. dis-
covered in 1843.
The news from China comes down to the 26th of
March, but it adds nothing to the facts already
known.

Further intelligence had been received at Bombay
from China, just before the departure of the mail, by
way of Calcutta. It is to the 10th of April, but is
still destitute of political news. Malwa opium was
said to have declined very materially in price in con-
sequence of its inferior quality.
The mail from Bombay was brought to Suez by
the Hon. East India Company's steamer Cleopatra,
which arrived there on the 16th ult., with forty pas-
sengers. The Peninsula and Oriental Company's
steam-ship Hindostan reached Suez on the following
day with upwards of 100 passengers, having left
Calcutta on the 11th of May.

The Great Liverpool steamer, which had on'y
reached Alexandria on the 19th, from Southampton,
was to leave again on the 21st, cn her return voyage
with a full complement of passengers.
Sir Henry Hardinge was expected at Alexandria
on the 21st ult.