The Sun.
London, England, 1844-01-04 00:00:00

OV:ERLAND MAIL

IN: DIA AND CHIN A
(From the Times.)
,ns Bombay to Dec. 1. The principal
.The is 'dian Mail has arrived, with letters and
to to the prevalence of great sickness
newly-acquired possessions of Sinde
sghout British India, although the
d of Hong-Kong, in China. Peace
papersiiirtnieitltittisled7::ll:a: ,(a3t,
r .war were busy throughout the
prevails thro.
istricts. An army of about
preparations ft
sembled on the banks of the
north-western GI
15,000 men was as.
Sutlej, and another was collecting at Agra;
the former to compel the
.Sikhs to adopt some
regular fixed system of gG'vernrnent, and the
latter to three the Government of Gwalior to
make proper arrangements.
The fall of the Indus, consequenst on the ces-
ste`jurl of the monsoon, has always produced a
descr.'utts sn of malaria in a country where no im-
provements
have been carried during centuries;
and it was rem
to be expected that the British
troops should not suffer in districts where
N,-as sacrificed to making hunt..
every advantage.
ing grounds for the Asneers.
In Hong-Kong the sickness has arisen, as the
Chinese say, from the nature of the waters of
the islands, which they pretend cannot be used
for any time without the worst result. It was
even asserted that the British authorities con-
templated the abandonment of that island since
the death of the much lamented Mr. Morrison.
Much attention has been directed towards the
Punjaub. The chiefs are represented as dis-
united, the soldiers are mutinous, and the pro-
vinces are distracted by their fears, for they
dread an invasion from the Affghans at Pesha-
wur, and of the British at Lahore. Mooltan is
described as highly disturbed; the inhabitants,
who do not profess the Sikh religion, are in
dread of massacres and plundering. Many of
the natives are seeking every opportunity of
abandoning the Sikh districts, and of escaping
with their property into Hindostan. Even the
French officers are quitting Lahore. General
Ventura, the last of the foreign favourites of
Runjeet Singh, has solicited leave to resign the
service, and to retire to his own country. Two
of the other junior officers have been dismissed.
General Court had left, and General Avitabile
was at Calcutta.
It is difficult, even in India, to obtain correct
, intelligence of what is going on at the Court of
,Lahore, and many of the rumours circulated,
have proved unfounded. Heera Singh, the
yo ung Minister, appears still to retain power ;
he is, at it. is known, the son of Dhyan Singh, ,
o was the all-powerffil Minister of Runjeet,
and a his successors, until his death, in Sep•
temboi" last. Heera Singh, who has the puppet
child, "Ong Dhuleep, in his custody, is now said
to have .obtained the aid of Goolab Singh, his
father's eldest brother, and a leading Hill Chief,
who, at title head of 22,000 men, came in the
beginning of November to the capital. Goolab
Singh is lotsked upon as hostile to the British,.
And will, it is thought, bring about a decided
conflict, by imfluencing his nephew and the Court
not to assent et, any proposals coming from the
Government of India.
A crisis was ,expected at Lahore, when the
Governor-General shall :have reached the banks),
of the Sutlej. ;,Several corps of the British
troops were in movement in that direction. The
number of troops at Ferozepore, Loodiana, and
Umballa, was estimated at 14,000 men. Major
General George Hunessr commanded at the two
former places, while Vajor-General Sir Robert
Dick had the command (of the Sirhind and Mee'
rut divisions.
The last intelligence fi.om Lahore states that
Heera Singh had enteresi into a combination
with Futteh Jung, the soils of Shah Soojah,
which had excited the jealousy of the Sikh
soldiery, who threatened to attack and plunder -
both those young men.
It was expected that there would be an attempt
on the part of the soldiers to piPiage the wealthy
inhabitants of the towns.
The news from Caubul currel nt during tbs
month was, that Dost Mahommt ed had bege
murdered; but though believed .by many, It..
eventually turned out to be a fabrieotion. It
true that his position is far from an en viable over
he has named his son, the notorious Akbar, t°
he Governor of the Hill country, near Jellalabade
whence it is thought that he will attempt, ere
long, the invasion of Peshawur. Peshawar,
is described as in a ticklish position, for there O.
no longer an European General to defend it, and
all the plunderers round the Kyber Pass are
anxious for an opportunity to sack it.
In the central part of India the affairs of Gyre
lior are at present most interesting; the Aria
of Exercise is assembling at Agra. On Sunda'',
the 19th of November, a dispute took place be'
tween some of the troops at Gwalior, which
, ended in their fighting, with each other, 10300
400 were slain on both sides. Khasgeewalla, the
usurper, who, some months ago, had endeavoured
to oppose the influence of the British, had bee"
taken prisoner, and nearly sacrificed by the
insubordinate and ertraged soldiers. He Wsg
saved with difficulty, and the insurgents appease'
merely by the promise that he should be give°
up to the Hon. Company.
Judging front the army assembling at Agri':
and from the approach of the Governor-Genersh
it was at one time supposed that the settlement
of the Gwalior question had been decided upoll.
humour spoke of certain cessions of territory i°
Bundelkund, in the Doah and the Deccan, bar.
ing been demanded by the Governor-Generate
e
as being so situate as to be requisite for th-
convenience of the Honourable Company, and
also that a great portion of the rabble trooPg
should be disbanded, and that a contingent force,
under the command of British officers, should be
organised in Gwalior, as in the Nizam's dosni.
nions ; and, finally, that the exp.anses caused to
the Company by the irregular proceedings *of the
Gwalior Government should be defrayed. It viii°
thought there would be considerable difficult)/
in obtaining the consent of the Gwalior Govern'
ment to those conditions, but the dread of the
coming of the British bad obliged some of the
leaders at first to make a show of submission
but they have attempted to deceive, and the con:
sequence was, that the most decided measure"
were about to be adopted by the Governor-Geci
neral. A sort of expectation had been raised
.e
that the resolution had been adopted by the,
British statesman now governing India Alt"
gether to take possession of' the states of Gwalior'
Hence the probability of the siege of that city
was spoken of, particularly as the natives hr.
formed an exaggerated notion of its streog"
although its capture in 1780, by Major Popboliti
at: the head of about 2,000 raw Scpoys, is 11°4
forgotten, nor its surrender in 1804, to Sir Harry
White.
There appears to be a general acquiescence
throughout India to the British taking final 13? r,
session of the territories that once were Slfe
diah's. There is no lawful sovereign, fort 6
child now called to govern is hut an adonty
son ; aed the oppressions of' that Governale pt
oh
have been such, that the whole population wild
to become British subjects, in order to be 804
from the continual pillage of the relentless a'
unpaid soldiery. lief,
Bundclkund, which is contiguous to Gw's .
also requires the application of force to este:oll6s,
a regular system. At present there is a unlor
tude of turbulent characters, who seek for 81,1,10.
~.h' ers
portunity of confusion, in order to enrich tn
selves, either by plunder or by conquest. oil
was but little doubt that the Governor-Gel:0ot
as soon as the paramount question of GVVO for
was decided, would adopt efficient measure ifte
introducing order and tranquillity amongst
mountaineers of Bundelkund.
There was a small insurrectionJe3r:
in the
poor territory of Shekawatee, south of Peied.
when a chief raised 5,000 or 6,000 men, 011'
a fortress, and hurled defiance against theoe,
thorities. Major Foster, at the head of tile After
au
kawatee Brigade, proceeded to attack lf
.

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