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

t fall to pieces by the vice of its construction? Will not.
such a Government maintain an incessant petty hostility
against us? Will it not incessantly commit breaches of
treaties, those treaties by which alone we have any right
to remain in this country and must therefore rigidly up-
hold? I conceive such a state of political relations can-
not last, the more powerful Government will at no dis-
tant period swallow up the weaker. Would it not be
better to come to the results at once? I think it would
be better fit 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 propose.
" Several Ameers have broken treaty in the various
instances stated in the accompaning " _Return of Com-
plaints." I have maintained thatjwe 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 cerrect; and finally, enter into a fresh
treaty with one of those princes alone as chief. I oan-
not think such a procedure would be dishonourable or
harsh. lam sure it would be humane. The refractory
Ameers break the treaty 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 Shikarpoor.
The town of Sukktur 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 large
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 esta-
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,
quicly 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 advantage of
being chiefly inhabited by a Ilindoo population, tolerated
for ages by the Mussulmans, and, consequently, forming
a pacific link of intercourse between us and the nations
north and west; through Shirkarpoor these Ilindoos will
gradually filter the stream of commeree, 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 my
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 same
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/On these points,
and therefore I do 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 ! Injury to
their subjects ? No ! 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 ono of which, Shirkar-
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 net. 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 us 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, and 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 tv overnor-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 Outram has
drawn my attention is a very strong one. He 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, v,ith great trouble,
secured to your boats a free passage on the river through
Sinde ; we are resolved to open the commerce of that
great highway of nations ; and yoo, 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 taketif 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 abeyance
since last year. From this memorandum it would appear,
that in addition to the great advantages for Sukkur,
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 have broken the
treaty' the details of such arrangements can be easily
made. The transfer of tribute due, would adequately
repay whatever portions of the districts in question
belong to the Ameers whose conduct has been loyal.'"

ECCLESIASTICAL INTEL-
LIGEN CE.
(From the Western Luminary.)
We have authority to say that the Lord Biihop of
this diocese, in consideration of the strong feeling
which subsists in many places against the use of the
surplice in preaching, has withdrawn his order in
re'pect to that particular. To the enforcement of
the rubrics his Lordship firmly adheres. A circular
letter to the clergy to this effect has just issued.
'We are authorised to state that the Bishop of Exe.
ter has withdrawn the postscript to his letter to the
Dean. The statement made to him originated in a
mistake, which has since been explained.

` A CHILD BURNED TO DEATII.—On Tuesday Mr.
Baker-held an inquest at the Blue Last., Curtain-road,
Shoreditchc on the body of Mary Ann Malmsbury, aged
seven years. Elizabeth Charelen stated that she resides
in the same court with deceased's parents. On Monday
evening she was in her own room, and on accidentally
looking out of the window, saw a great light or blaze in
deceased's parents' apartment opposite. Witness imma.
diately ran down, and upon entering the house saw de-
ceased enveloped in flames. With assistance site ektin-
guished the fire, but not until deceased had been dread-
fully burned all over her body. Mr. Smith, a surgeon,
was sent for, who promptly attended, and administered
the proper remedies, but without avail. Verdict—"Ac-
cident.al death."