The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-02 00:00:00

LAHORE.

No sooner has one scene of blood and strife been con-
cluded on the theatre of this miserable country than ano-
ther presents itself to view. More blood has been spilt,
more insurrections have taken place, more money has been
squandered on the vacillating troops of the State, to se-
cure their services for the nonce, and each circumstance
has weakened the present Government, and reduced it
to a point below which it cannot well descend. In our
last we mentioned that further troubles might be ex-
pected, and they have indeed burst on us with
a violence which we did not expect. To proceed,
however, with a narrative of events as best illustrating
our position of the necessity of interference. It may be re-
membered that an influential member of the Sindhanwallah
family, Ittur Singh, uncle of Ajeet Singh, the murderer of
Maharajah Shere Singh, succeeded in effecting his escape
from the Punjaub into our territory, and thus preserving
a life which would have been forfeited to the oath
of Raja Heera Singh to put every member of the family
who might fall into his hands to death, for the act of Ajeet
Singh in murdering Dhyan Singh, and which was kept, ex-
cept as regarding a lad of about nine years old, who was
spared at the urgent intercession of one of the Sirdars. The
family residence of the Sindhanwallahs, at Raja Sansee,
near Umritser, had been destroyed, and the whole of their
lanced property seized or resumed. Ittur Singh continued,
therefore, with a son and some nephews who had also
managed to escape, to reside within the British territory,
first at Patteealah, or Umballah, and lately at Thanesur, a
holy city near Kernel. It is supposed, but not ascortained
for a tact, that when Sirdar Lena Singh, one of the most
powerful and influential chiefs in the Punjaub, left the
country on a pilgrimage to Hurdwar (in April), he entered
into communication with Sirdar Ittur Singh (probably had
an interview with him), and kept up the same until his return
northwards from the great gathering to which he had been at-
tended by a retinue of upwards of 5,000 men. On Sirdar Lena
Singh leaving Hurdwar, and before anything was surmised
of the movements of Ittur Singh, it was generally asserted
that he had no immediate intention of returning to Lahore—
a declaration equivalent in any native state to ore of dis-
affection to the existing Government, and he spent his time
in visiting the valley of Dhera and its neighbouring settle-
ments. Shortly after his arriving in the vicinity of the
residence of Itturpeogh, it became known that that
chief entertained an intention of re-crossing the Sutlej,
in the hope of creating a diversion in his favour
amongst the troops, who it is said, had, as in the case
of Raja Suchet Singh, made overtures of a favour •
able nature to him, and in default of any heirs to the throne,
Ittur Singh was the next claimant through a descent from a
mutual ancestor with Runjeet Singh. He consequently
assembled a number of men (about 700, chiefly horsemen),
and with them (who must, we apprehend, have been a part of
Lena Sirigh's retinue) crossed the Sutlej about the 30th of
April, but where was not exactly known to us, though it
must have been in the neighbourhood of Loodhenah. Indeed
subsequent accounts have it that he crossed out of the terri-
tories of the Raja of Lodwa. It cannot further have been for-
gotten that a Sikh priest of great influence, named Bhace
Beer Singh, had assembled a number of followers, with
whom he had attended the great bathing ceremony at Urn-
ritser, and subsequently taken up a position on the banks of
the Beeah (a tributary of the Sutlej, which it joins at or
near Hurreekeputtun). This party of Bhaee Beer Singh's
had for some time past been strengthened by the coalition
of the two Princes Kashmeera Singh and Peshoura
Singh, illegitimate sons of Runjeet Singh, who having been
driven out of Seealkot, which they had defended for some
time with spirit, took refuge with the Bhaee Beer Singh as
a holy character, under whose protection they would be safe
from the machinations of Raja Heera Singh. The number
of followers of Bhahee Bheer Singh and of the Princes has
been variously estimated at from 5,000 to 7,000. The former
probably the true number. The first step of Sirdar Ittur
Singh, after crossing the frontier river, was to join this party,
and he did so within two days, when the whole body moved
slowly down the right bank of the Beeah In the direction of
Hurreekeputtan. The intelligence of the invasion of Sirdar
Ittur Singh became only known at Lahore on the afternoon of
the 3d May, and we will give an account of the transaction at
the capital from the notes of our correspondent there,which may
be depended on, as we have concomitant testimony of their
accuracy :—" In the evening important news arrived that
Sirdar Ittur Singh had recrossed the Sutlej, and was on his
way to join Bhaee Bheer Singh and the Princes. Raja
Heera Singh was greatly concerned on hearing this intelli-
gence, and immediately summoned a council of those
who were his friends, and having consulted them, repre-
sented that Ittur Singh had no doubt crossed the Sutlej
with some bad intentions. The officers of the different
battalions were summoned to the durbar, and directed
to bring with them two sepoys of each battalion, brigade,
or rissallah. They accordingly assembled, and were ad-
dressed by Raja Heerah Singh, as follows:—' That he
beard on good authority that Ittur Singh had given to the
British authorities a promise in writing to divide the revenue
of the Punjaub, their share to be six annas-on every rupee;
that he was now with Bhaee Beer Singh, and was doing his
utmost to unite the whole of the Sikh troops, when, with the
assistance of the British, he would take possession of all the
territory of the Punjaub. He, the Minister, was only a ser-
vant of the Sirdar Khalsajee, and was prepared to attend any
orders the Sirdar Khalsa might communicate to him, but he
must ask them where they (the troops) were to get their pre-
sent high rate of pay from, if Ittur Singh should succeed and
give up six annas on the rupee to the British authorities ? He,
therefore, should desire them to think over the subject, and by
their answer enable him to make*such arrangements as should
overcome all opposition. As for Bhaee Beer Singh he did
not know why he was opposed to him, as he could get every-
thing he required from the Sirdar, and his aiding in destroy-
' ing the country was wicked.' On this the officers and sepoys
said they would take the night to consult, and give a posi-
tive reply on the following morning; they then took their
leave, but Heera Singh kept the chiefs for a long while in
I consultation. Purwanalm were ordered to be addressed to