The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-02 00:00:00

gratuity of six months' batta to the troops engaged in the
battles of Meanee, Hyderabad, Maharajpore, and Punniar,
breathes the right spirit, and shows the real " friend of the
army." The allusion to the claims of those who were not en-
gaged, but have endured the privation incident to their service
in Sinde, is alike judicious and generous. We have nothing
to say, save what is laudatory, of this proceeding, if it be
understood as a boon granted by the State, without reference
to, and possible disappointment in respect. of, prizes captured.
THE ARHY.—A twelvemonth ago Sir Charles Napier, on
the field of battle, and after a signal victory, recorded his
conviction of the great disproportion of European officers to
the native troops, and warned Government of the risk which
it entailed. It was naturally expected, that advice dictated
by such experience as the battle of Meanee afforded, in which
the loss of half a dozen more officers might have led to the
most disastrous retults, would have produced some salutary
effect on the minds of those who are entrusted with the wel-
fare of the empire. As yet, however, the only result has been
to increase that dangerous disproportion. A body of troops
to the number, it is believed, of 10,000, has been raised
for the Gwalior State, and they are to be officered from
our own army ; and during the last week the army itself
has been increased at this Presidency and that of Bombay,
to the extent of 10,000 men, without any corresponding
increase of European officers. So great, indeed, is the want
of officers felt in one arm (that of the Artillery), that the
Governor-General has been constrained to remove some
officers from important political appointments, which they
occupied with credit to themselves and advantage to the
public, and to remand them to regimental duty ; and other
officers in situations of great political trust have received in-
timation that whenever the exigencies of the service may
require it, they must be prepared immediately to quit their
present posts and join their corps. It is usual we know to
cast the blame of this deficiency of officers on the parsimony
of the Court of Directors ; but that body has long ceased to
have any voice in the practical management of the empire.
It appears to exercise no other function but that of distribut-
ing the loaves and fishes anion its friends and connexions.
It is also the receptacle of all the grievances of the discon-
tented which it had little power to redress, and can relieve
only by sympathv. Whenever that sympathy happens to be
misplaced, which is often the case, it serves to weaken rather
than strengthen the cause of good government in India. We
must not, therefore, look to the Court of Directors for the
cause of that unwillingness, which is so justly complained of,
to render the army efficient by a suitable increase of officers.
If her Majesty's Ministers, in whom the actual government
of India now centres, thought such an augmentation neces-
sary for its safety, they would doubtless find as little difficulty
in persuading the Court to issue the necessary orders as the
Queen does in prevailing on the Dean and Chapter to obey
her conge &dire in the election of a Bishop. On her Ma-
jesty's Ministers, therefore, must rest the censure of this re-
luctance.

Tice popularity of Lord Ellenborough appears to be on the
increase in Calcutta, where a public meeting was called by
the Sheriff for the purpose of addressing his Lordship on his
return from the campaigns in Gwalior. The newspaper
readers of Bombay cannot fail to have observed the silence
of the violent assailants of the policy of his Lordship. They
cannot blame his late successes, and they now maintain a
prudent reserve.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
(From the Bombay Price Current, March 9.)
THE BOMBAY MARKETS.—In consequence of the interven-
tion of the Hindoo Festival of the Holee, the past week has
been an entire blank, and we have no transactions of any con-
sequence to report. The market for cotton is very inactive
at present, and prices have still further receded. The remain-
ing stock of old cotton is mere rubbish, unfit for exportation
to Europe, and prices are nominally as under :
PRICES CURRENT OF RAW COTTON.
Per Surat Candy
of 7 cwt.
Surat, Broach, and Jumbooseer 7B to 82 Rs.
Oomrawutty 72 to 78
Gogo, Dhollera, and Bhownuggur B2 to 84
Komptah
Mangarole and Porepunder 72 to 77
Bharsee
Rajapore
Our quotation of opium is rather higher, say 1,215 rupee
to 1,220 rupees per chest for Malwa, at which rate there is
more firmness than could have been expected considering the
adverse nature of the accounts from China. In piece goods
and metals transactions are few, and have been done at pre-
vious rates. Freights are rather firmer, and 31. 7s. 6d. to
31. 10s. per ton to London, Liverpool, and the Clyde, and 17
rs. per candy for cotton to China, are now the current rates.

- THE MONEY MARKET.
Exchange on London—ls. Ild. to Is. 11*d. per rupee for
bills at six months' sight.
Exchange on Calcutta-101 rupees 10 annas at 60 days.
Exchange on Madras—Par, at 60 days' sight.
Exchange on Canton-217 rupees per 100 dollars for bills
having 60 days to run.
Sovereigns-11 rupees 3 annas each ; and Bank of Eng-
land notes, 10 rupees 14 annas per pound sterling.
Spanish Dollars (whole)-224 to 224-8 rs. for 100 dollars.
German Crowns-216 to 217 rs. for 100 crowns.
Sycee Silver—Large ingots ion to 104 rs., and small in-
gots 1034 rs. per 100 Colas, of 1 r. (Company's) to the tola.
Gold Leaves-17 to 17-8 rs. per tola.
Bombay Bank Shares-42 per cent. premium.
Bank of Western India-150 rs. per share premium.
Government Securities—Government Loan Paper is firm
at our quotations.
The Transfer Loan-115 to 116.
4 per Cent. Company's Rupees (1835-36)-99i to par.
4 per Cent. Siccas (1832-33)-106 rs. 4 an. to par.
5 per Cent. Siccas (1834-35)-110 rs. to 115 rs.
5 per Cent. Company's Rupees (1841-42)-111 to 111*.
5 per Cent. Company's Rupees (1825-26)-110-8 to 111.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-(THIS DAY.)
The House sat to hear writs of error. The Peers present
were Lord Cottenham, Lord Brougham, Lord Campbell, and
Lord Kenyon.