The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-04 00:00:00

KOLAPORE AND SAWUNT WARREE

The proceedings in the disturbed districts have been of little in-
terest during the month. Our chief anxiety has been to see how our
troops were to begot creditably withdrawn where so little had been
done, and nothing at all concluded. They are now, however,
everywhere on the march, and the campaign may already be said to
be at an end. We noticed in our last that a party of her Majesty's
14th Drage ons, with some native troops, had been dispatched in
quest of Lall Geer Gosain. The chase continued some days, when
the rebel chief doubled upon his pursuers, and sought refuge in
Kolapore. A price had been put upon him, and he was betrayed
by a female friend in whom he had placed confidence. He was tried
by military commission, and on the 21st hanged, and very de-
servedly, for his crimes. Large rewards have been offered for the
apprehension of the Sawunt Warree rebel, Phond Sawunt, who at
present skulks about the Goa borders. The remainder of the in-
telligence consists entirely in the movement of troops and breaking
up of the army. The head-quarter, wing of the. 2d Queen,'s
iiied here yesterday morning fromVingerla by theseesostiht.

- - -CH INAt- •-

(Frcm the Ilong.Kong Rrgiskr, Dec. 31 )

By an ordinance published last week power has been granted to
the Governor, with the advice of the Executive Council, " when
and so often as the exigency of the case may seem to him and
them to require such procedure," to declare that in any district of
the isl.nd, or in any l.ubllc or military station, martial law shall
prevail—such proclamation having the force of al ordinance. We
hope this power will have the effect for which it is intended, which
is declared to be an order to afford her Majesty's subjects adequate
protection from armed and predatory parties landing in numbers
on the island. By a second ordinance it is enacted that
in order to raise such funds as may be necessary to
defray the civil expenses of the colony, -no person shall
act as a weigher or broker of salt, or shall retail opium,
bhang, ganja, baun, betel, or betel leaf, in the island, or its
dependencies or waters, in less quantities than one chest, without a
license for that purpose. The Governor in Council may grant the
exclusive right and privilege for these purposes to one or more per.
sons. Such license is to be granted to the highest bidder, and a
penalty will be inflicted upon unlicensed persons retailing these
articles. It is further enacted that no person shall act as pawn.
broker, and auctioneer, or shall keep a public billiard hble, with-
out having obtained a license. The Governor is empowered, if he
shall see fit, to levy an auction duty of 21 per cent. on all sales by
auction within the colony. It is sufficiently understood that
money must be raised within the colony to meet the expenses of
the civil establishment, and such being the case, the articles men-
tioned in this ordinance are probably as proper subjects for taxa-
tion as any other, and if proper regulations are adopted we can see
no objection to a moderate tax.

COMMERCIAL SUMMARY.
(From the Calcutta Englishman.)

Since our last commercial report the tendency which we then
noticed of produce to rise, and fif import goods to fall, has con-
tinued, and the latter are extremely dull of sale and in general
almost without demand, whilst sales of produce have been large and
at advancing rates. The second opium sale of the season took place
on the 10th inst., at somewhat higher prices than the first, parti-
cularly for the Benares quality. This sale, consisting of 2,650
chests, puts about 32 lacs of rupees into the Company's treasury.
Exchanges hare not materially varied, but notwithstanding the
reduction of the Company's rates to one-tenth, the amount of bills
since negotiated by them is only 7,30,159 Company's rupees. Being
thus disappointed of making the intended remittances, it is under.
stood that the Government has purchased 12 lacs of Sycee silver,
and that bullion remittances will be continued till the mer-
chants show more eagerness to avail themselves of the Com-
pany's advances. Nothing can prove more clearly the desire
Somewhere felt to cling to an erroneous system, than this
remittance of imported bullion instead of selling bills in the
centre of 'all great money transactions. It is evident that
Sycee silver must be burdened =with the freight insurance
and commission, between Canton and Calcutta, and that it could be
shipped direct from China as cheap as from Caficutta to London,
after these charges hare been incurred. If the Company were
satisfied with selling their bills in the open market In London, the
amount would be remitted on to China, and the Sycee shipped on
private account with the least possible expense. It is, however,
satisfactory to sec that the advance system is breaking down of it-
self, and it is obvious that sooner or later the Court of Directors
will be obliged to avail themselves of the capital by which they are
surrounded. Last week has also produced another financial mea-
sure which has given great dissatisfaction to the merchants—viz.,
the announcement of an Intended Act to raise the duties of customs
upon staple imports. Manufactured goods, metals, wines and
spirits, are the principal articles which are affected by the
change. The duties were so low before that the increase may
not prove very injurious to the commerce of the country,
but seeing how it has thriven under the moderate system,
it must be regretted that financial necessity should have induced
an alteration which may be only the preparation for further exac-
tions. The difficulty of collecting heavy duties in this country
would probably make them utterly unproductive, but that would
hardly effect their removal till a serious injury had been done to
an increasing and highly prosperous trade. Such a measure is the
more to be regretted, because the Government possesses an ample
source of revenue in the Malwa opium, which at present pays only
about a fourth of what is levied on the Bengal drug, though it is
of higher value in the market of consumption. The excuse for
this inequality has hitherto been the difficulty of preventing smug-
gling through the native states, but as we have now undisputed
possession of Sinde there arc only two insignificant ports to watch,
the access to which is through our own territories. It is therefore
extraordinary, at a time when the British Government is doing all
in its power to remove fiscal obstructions to trade, that the Indian
authorities should be imposing additional duties.

(From the Calcutta Overland Price Current, Feb. 17.)
Since the dispatch of the last mail, per steamer Precursor, our
market for every description of country produce has maintained
the activity then manifested, both as regards demand and price.
The high ruling of freights might have been expected to cause a
falling off in the inquiry for the more bu!ky articles, but such
would appear to have been the case only to a very limited extent,
as our export list still shows considerable shipments, but it is im-
possible that these can be kept up without numerous arrivals, as
almost the entire amount of available tonnage has been engaged.
Our import market still continues in a most unsatisfactory state,
and, notwithstanding the almost unprecedentedly low price at which
goods are procurable, there still appears no inclination on the part
of dealers to lay in stock.
We notice in the Government Gazette, of the Bth inst., the
draught of a proposed Act for raising the import duty on all Eri-
tish staples (with the exception of twist) to 5 per cent., which is
to be reconsidered by the Legislative Council of India on or about
the Bth of May next.
Indigo—The scarcity of this dye in the market has only allowed
of one public sale being held since our last issue of the 7th inst. ;
and by private contract, also, we are aware of but few transactions,
which, however, have been effected at prices somewhat in advance
of our last quotations, for the purpose of immediate shipment on
vessels about to clear.

From the deficiency which has been experienced in weight we
are disposed to think that the outturn of the crop will prove under
our former estimate of 1,40,000 mds., and in fact we almost doubt
its reaching 1,35,000; and further, as a considerable portion ar-
rived ant was shipped early in the season, when it must necessarily
have been fresh, we are inclined to think that when the indigo be
opened oul for the inspection of parties in the docks, a consider- •
able deficiency will again be experienced.
The latest accounts from the Persian Gulf would appear to have
been more encouraging, as the Moguls have been buying pretty
freely, and will now, it is evident, take off considerably more than
we previously calculated on ; and as this would appear to be the
case with the Americans also, we find there only remains about
26,000 chests for Great Britain, out of which 21,174 have already
gone forward.
The French have taken more than their usual supply, and, as
customary, principally of the finer qualities, but we think the
assortment for that country this year is even superior to former
rears.
Sugar—We have again to notice a large business in this staple,
without, however, any material alteration in price, and our bazaar
is now almost cleared of the finer quality of Benares. Dates still
continue in inquiry, but some of that now coming to market being
of somewhat inferior quality, prices are rather easier. Khaurs
and Ghoor are sought after at full prices for local manufacture ;
the present high rates of freight precluding shipments of those sorts.
Exports from the Ist instant up to date amount to 69,016 mds.
Saltpetre—This article has been in moderate inquiry for Great
Britain, and the Americans and French being out of the market
at present, purchases have been effected at a reduction of about
4 annas per maund. Exports from the Ist instant up to date are
as follows, viz. :
To Great Britain......
Rum—Shipments have been rather light, but this we think is
entirely owing to the great difficulty at present experienced in pro-
curing freight for the article, all manufactories being now in full

work.
Exports to Great Britain from the Ist inst. up to date amount to
15,833 gallons.
Raw Silk—Nearly all descriptions have been in brisk demand,
but snore particularly Cossinabazar and Junghypere of the No-
vember bund, of which sorts our market has been nearly cleared.
In Hurrypaul and Radhagore some few transactions have been
effected at about former rates for the finer descriptions, whilst low
qualities are neglected, except at a decline.
Exports from the Ist inst. up to date have been to Great Britain
1,635 maunds.
Silk Piece Goods—A few parcels of corahs, manufactured from
silk of the November bund, have come to hand ; and being of
rather superior quality to those which have been offering for some
time past, found purchasers at from 140 to 143 Company's rupees
per corge, whilst those remaining on hand are procurable at a
slight reduction on the prices formerly asked. In Choppas and
Bandannas we do not hear of any transactions.
Opium—The second sale of the season was held on the 10th
nst., with the following result :
cliesls. lliphc t. I,nwest. Average..
1,800 1,265 1,235 1,253. 1.9 Proceeds.
859 1,150 1,14022,4)5,600
1,143.10.9 9,72,125

Behar ..

Benares ...

32;27,725
Sinc-e the tale. shipments have gone forward freely, and out of
the 8,500 chests disposed of at this and the previous sale, there
now remain uncleared only 1,725 chest,: of Patna and 1,125 of
Ilenares, and considerable shipments are still in progress. Prices
have very slightly fluctuated, being now for Patna 1,250 Com.
pony's rupees, and for Bewares 1,135 per chest.
Rice—We have not heard of transactions to any extent lately,
and although shipments continue, they must, we think, consist of
former purchases, for which shipping orders bad been previously
obtained ; we cannot, however, notice any decline in price. Ex.
ports from the Ist instant, up to date arc as follows :—To Great.
Britain, 39,892 mds. ; to the Mauritius, 8,600 rods.
Cotton—We are again unable to report a single transaction in
this market, except for local purposes, and we believe the up-
country marts are in an equally inactive state. Prices are, in con.
sequence, almost nominal. The only shipnent since our last is
one of lie bake to Chine.