The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-26 00:00:00

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fall to pieces by the vice of its conaiatittion? Will not
such a Government maintain an incessei petty hostility
against us? Will it not incessantly commit, breaches of
treaties, those treaties by which alone we have env right
to remain in this country and must therefore. rigidly up-
hold? I conceive such a state of political relatiGns can-
not last, the more powerful Government will at no dis-
tant period swallow up the weaker. Would it no!: be
better to come to the results at once? I think it would
be better if it can be done with honesty. Let me then
consider how we might go to work on a matter so criti-
cal, and whether the facts to which I have called your
attention will bear me out in what I propoe.
" Several Ameers have broken treaty in, the various
instances stated in the accompanying "Return of Com-
plaints." I have maintained thatiwe want only a fair pre-
text to coerce the Ameers, and I think these various
acts recorded give abundant reason to take Kurrachee,
Sukkur, Bukkur, Shirkarpoor, and Subzulcote, for our
own, and obliging the Ameers to leave a track way along
both banks of the Indus, stipulating for a supply of
wood; but at the same time remitting all tribute, and
arrears of tribute, in favour of those Ameers whose con-
duct has been correct; and finally, enter into a fresh
treaty with one of those princes alone as chief. I cam-
not think such a procedure would be dishonourable or
harsh. lam sure it would be humane. The refractory
Arneers break the treat to gratify their avarice, and
we punish that breach. I perceive no injustice.
" If it be determined to keep Sukkur and Bukkur,
I think it would not be politic to give up Shikarroor.
The town of Sukkur stands on an elbow of the Indus,
which surrounds the town on two sides ; on the other
two, at about four miles distance, it is closed in by a largo
jungle, through which passes the road to Shikarpoor
where the jungle finishes. If we evacuate Shikarpoor,
the robber tribes will descend from the hills and e;kta-
blish themselves in the jungle, Sukkur will be blockaded,
and no one be able to move beyond the chain of sentries
without being murdered. To clear this jungle with in.
fantry will be impossible ; the robbers will retreat, and
when the troops retire again occupy the jungle. But if
Shikarpoor is occupied, a body of cavalry stationed there
could spread along the outskirts of the jungle, while in-
fantry would by concert push from Sukkur through the
wood. The robbers thus cut off from the hills, would
receive such a terrible punishment as to deter other tribes
from trying the same experiment.
" In a commercial point, Shikarpoor is of consider-
able importance. It offers a depot for goods from the
north and west, with the countries of which it has long
possessed channels of communication. Adverse circum-
stances may for a while interrupt these, but under a firm
protecting government they would soon be re-opened ;
Shikarpoor goods would be sent to Sukkur, there to be
shipped on the Indus ; and they would also be passed by
land to Larkaana, and thence to Kurrachee. These
seem to have been formerly the lines of trade ; they are
geographically and naturally so, and will, therefore,
,quickly revive. But if Shikarpoor be left to the mercy
of the surrounding freebooters commerce cannot thrive ;
nor, without Shikarpoor he strongly guarded, can it pass
through the jungle to Sukkur. These two towns natu-
rally support each other in commerce.
" ' In a political view Shirkapoor has the advantfoga of
being chiefly inhabited by a Ilindoo population, tr,;lerated
for ages by the Mussulmans, and, consequent).-s, forming
a pacific link of intercourse between us 4Tla the nations
north and west; through Shirkarpoor these Ilindoos will
gradually filter the stream of commerce, and be the
means of social intercourse between the Mahomedans
and ourselves, in time uniting those who will not
abruptly amalgamate. Shirkarpoor contains many rich banking-houses, which is a sure evidence of its being a
central point of communication between surrounding countries. and, consequently, one where the British Go-
vernment would learn what was going on in Asia, The
money market is generally the best political baro-
meter.

" The robber tribes in the neighbourhood have kept
down this town in despite of its natural and acquired
advantages; in fact, the robber is everywhere the master;
therefore all around is barbarous, and barbarous must
continue to be, till civilization gradually encroaches on
these lawless people, and I think Shirkarpoor is precisely
one of those grand positions which ought to be seized in
that view. I have, therefore, directed Major-General
England not to evacuate that town till further instruc-
tions are received from the Governor-General.
‘• I have drawn up this memorandum entirely on ray
own consideration of the subject ; but since Major
Outram's arrival, which took place when I had finished.
the last paragraph, he has given me every possible 'as-
sistance. He concurs in all I have said, but, at the Jame
time, he has added much to my local knowledge, and in
justice to the Ameers, I must, with this increase of in-
formation, enlarge upon what I have stated.
" The Ameers say, they did not understand article
11 of the treaty to prohibit the levying of tolls on their
own subjects, 'They urge, in proof of this misconcep-
tion, that they resisted the treaty because of other arti-
cles less important, yet never objected to article 11,
because they relied on article 5. This may be ; and I
would willingly, if possible, suppose that they really did
conceive the treaty gave them tolls on their own sub-
jects ; but they have attempted to levy tolls on the boats
of the Khan of Bhawulpore, which the treaty assuredly
does not give them a right to do , and they have fired
into the boats of merchants from Bhawulpore. The
treaty could not have been misconstrued en these points,
and therefore Ido not believe they misconstrued article
11, but broke it purposely. The treaty has also been,
broken by treasonable correspondence, and other vexa-
tious acts, as set forth in the return of complaints.
" Now, what punishment do I propose for their mis-
conduct ? Injury to their family ? No I Injury to
their subjects ? No I What then ? The reduction
of their territory by four places; two of which, Sukkur
and Bukkur, are barren spots yielding no revenue; the
other two, Kurrachee and Shikarpoor, towns nearly
ruined by their tyranny, and for one of which, Shirker-
' poor, we have negotiations pending. To obtain these
places in seignorage it is proposed to remit all tribute in
arrear, and for the future withdraw our resident from
Hyderabad, ensure the amelioration of the impoverished
state in which their subjects languish, and, in time, add
to the power and wealth of the .Ameers themselves by
opening the commerce of the river. To their selfish feel-
ings, their avarice and love of hunting, ought such great
general interests to be sacrificed? I think not. The
real interests of the Ameers themselves demand that
their puerile pursuits and blind avaricious proceedings
should be subject to a wholesome control, which their
breaches of treaties, and our power gives tis at this mo-
ment a lawful right to exercise, and the means of peace-
ably enforcing. If any civilised man were asked this
question.—" Were you the ruler of Sinde, what would
you do?" His answer would be. " I would abolish the
tolls on the rivers, make Kurrachee a free port, protect
Shirkarpoor from robbers, make Sukkur a mart for trade
on the Indus. I would make a track-way along its
banks; I would get steam-boats." Yet all this is what
the Ameers dread.

" ' They have broken treaties, they have given a pre-
text, an I have a full conviction, perhaps erroneously,
that what I propose is just and humane. I will go
farther, rand say, as Nusseer Khan, of Hyderabad, has
openly broken the treaty, if the Governor-General
chooses to punish him, he may justly seize the district of
Subzulcote, and give it to the Khan of Bhawulpore, as I
have understood there was some intention of doing,
" The second point to which Major Outran has
drawn my attention is a very strong one. lle tells me,
the tribes on the river, above that part possessed by the
Ameers of Sinde, do levy tolls, and that there is no
treaty or public document forthcoming in virtue 'of
which we can call upon the Ameers even of Upper
Sinde not to levy tolls upon their own subjects. It is
therefore evident that to call upon the Ameers of Hy.
derabad to desist from levying tolls, and to allow the
tribes above them on the river to do so, would be unjust;,
that is to say, it would be unjust to allow the others to
levy tolls, but not unjust to prevent the Ameers from
doing so. The answer to the argument :—" That tolls
are levied on the Northern Indus" is just this. Say to
those Northern tribes, " We have, with great trouble,
secured to your boats a free passage on the river through
Sindo ; we are resolved to open the commerce of that.
great highway of nations ; and you, who receive benefit
thereby, must join in this measure leading to the good
of all, and to the loss of none." Wherefore to excuse the
Ameers upon the ground that others are not equally
coerced, is answered by coercing the others.
"' Having thus given the best view I can take of this
intricate subject, I shall accompany this report by va-
rious documents, among which there is one giving a kind
of return, if I may so call it, of the accusations against
the Ameers, upon which accusations (relative to which
I have read every paper), I have founded my opinion of
their conduct ; and by referring to this return, it will
be seen whether I have justly estimated the complaints
made against them by the political agents. I have also
added the documents verifying each transaction. I have.
caused Major Outram to give me a memorandum of the
state in which the treaty with the Ameers for the pur-
chase of Shikarpoor remains, as it has been in abeyanre
since last year. From this memorandum it would appear,
that in addition to the great advantages for Suldtur„
which would attend the occupation of Shikarpoor, this
district would be a very valuable acquisition, in point of
revenue, in time ; and would, with the aid of Kurrachee,
cover the expense of guarding our newly-acquired towns
on the banks of the Indus. Should it hereafter be
deemed proper to make the proposed arrangements with
the Ameers, so as to punish those who hare broken the
treaty, the details of suck arrangements can be ea.silx
made. The transfer of tribute due, would adequately
repay whatever portions of the districts in quesfAen
belong to the Ameers whose conduct has been loyal,"

A SLAVER AT GLOUCESTER.Many of our readers
may have observed a pretty little rakish crAft which
has been for some time lying in the Glotr.iester and
Berkeley Canal. She is the Emmeline, and is the
property of Mr. E. N. Harvey, of Over Ross, and
arrived in this port with a cargo of guano from
Ichaboc. Her former pursuits were, however, of a lose
peaceful and unobjectionable nature. She was, in
fact, a slaver, employed in carrying captured negroee
from the coast of Africa to the Brazils, for which pur-
pose she was well adapted, as far as regards sailing
capabilities ; but her stowage is so confined, that to
look at her and contemplate the hundreds of unhappy
human beings who were packed together in such a smalk
space makes one shudder at the villany of the atrociotas
traffic is flesh and blood which was carried on in her.
She was captured in 1843 off St. Helena, by the
Spy, and condemned. She had on board at the time
she was taken no less than 538 miserable blacks,
chained together in gangs, and packed and stowed away
between decks, like so many bales of inanimate goods,
Some idea may be formed of the inadequate space ai?.
portioned to these poor wretches, when we state that
the vessel was capable of carrying only about 120 tons,
and, in addition to her human freight and hor crew, she
was of must prortderl with water and other bulky
stores. She will /te at our port during the winter, where
her present Owner is fitting her out as a pleasure yacht..
and she is intended to join the Royal Yacht Squadron in,
the season,— Gloucester Journal.
Sir (I,ward Walter, Bart., was married on Fri.,
day last to Miss R. Guinness, daughter of Mr. Arthr4t
Guinness, of Beaumont, county Dublin,

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