The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-04 00:00:00

COAST OF AFRICA.

houses.

MURDER OF AN OFFICER AND EIGHT MEN OF THE WASP BY THE
Calm or es SLAVER.-A most distressing circumstance has oc-
curred in the African squadron. The Wasp, 15, Commander S.
H. Usher, took a prize, which was sent to Sierra Leone to be con-
demned. On her way this prize fell in with and took another
slaver ; the Lieutenant in command still keeping charge of the
first vessel, put a Midshipman, named Harmer, with eight men,
into the other. The vessels then separated. Unfortunately, Mr.
Harmer allowed a strong party of the slave crew to remain out of
irons, and at night they rose and murdered every Englishman on
board ; and when daylight broke, exchanged signals with and fired
at the other prize, and then bore away. In a day or two after.
wards she fell in with the Star, 6, Commander Dunlop, who took
her, and brought the whole of her murderous piratical crew to
Ascension. The. villians will shortly be sent to England in the
Heroine, 6, Lieut. Commander Foote, and the Rapid, 10, Comman-
der Earle.

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INDIA ANThealtiktpo S
•
Intelligence ten received by e` • rt.? ,
Bombay to the Ist of May ; Calcuttlift e s
the 21st, and China to the Bth of 'll bit w
scarcely one new fact of the slightest importance. Mash.
India was perfectly tranquil ; Sir Charles Napier had re-
turned to Kurrachee, the troops in Sinde were healthy, the
disturbances in South Mahratta had ceased, and the chiefs
of Sawunt Warree had all been captured by the British, or
surrendered to the Portuguese authorities at Goa, who had
guaranteed their safe custody till their final surrender should
be arranged between the Governments of the two countries.
The news from the Punjaub is more satisfactary,
No new outbreak or murders had taken place, and the
leading chiefs seemed inclined to submit to the authority of
the Ranee Raja. Goolab Singh had proceeded to Lahore, and
a durbar was held in the lluzooreebaugh, at which he swore
fealty to the Ranee and afterwards to the young Raja, at
the same time presenting rich presents as a token of recons.
ciliation. It was understood that Goolab Singh would be
appointed Wuzeer. The British troops were collecting in
considerable numbers at the Sutlej, but no immediate hostile
movements against Lahore were anticipated. According to
the correspondent of the Herald, who writes from Bombay,
" numerous boats constructed for bridging or navigating the
Indus, as occasion may require, continue to be dispatched
twice or thrice a week from Bombay to Kurrachee ; and every
efibrt is making to complete the large flotilla of steamers and
accommodation boats demanded by the Government of
Sinde. These preparations, rumour has it, have a refer-
ence to an approaching conflict with the Seikhs." We rather
think they have reference to Akbar Khan.
The troops engaged in the expedition under Sir Charles
Napier in Upper Sinde had all returned to their cantonments,
with the exception of a force of 3,000 men, consisting of
the 7th Irregular Cavalry, the Bundelkund Legion,
and Fitzgerald's Camel Corps, who form a cordon
extending from Larkbana to Shahpoore, and from the former
place to Eehwan, under the command of Captain Beatson.
This force ie directed to patrol from post to post, preventing
the passage of the robbers, attacking them when they show
themselves, but prohibited from following them into their
fastnesses without the special permission of the Governor.
Intelligence had reached Bombay of the death, from apo-
plexy, of Meer Nusseer Khan, one of the deposed Princes of
Sinde. This event occurred at llum-Plim near Calcutta.,
;
The 78th Highlander arrived at Poonah or, the 18th of April,
and their health continued steadily to impross'• Upwards of
100 of the invalids of the corps were to leave for England
on the 11th of May. The Affghans were makinW prepara-
tions to attack Peshawur. Mahomed Akbar Kahn (pitted
Caubul for Jellalabad on the 15th of February, after a stay
there of only eleven days, and is again in the valley
_of Nun-
gunhur prosecuting his arrangements fur offensive operations.
The following commercial intelligence appears in the
Times:—
"In Bengal the commercial news from England induced
some speculation in sugar, and parties are known to have
received private information as to the alteration in the sugar
duties, which enabled them to get the start of their neigh-
bours. Government secrets are generally well kept in Eng-
land, but this time the subordinate officials in London seem
to have been as communicative as their Calcutta brethren.

" Our reports from the indigo districts are more favourable,
heavy rains having been very general. A letter from
Jessore says, they fully make up for the previous drought.
In Tirhoot there are complaints of hail-storms, and the
eastern districts have suffered considerably, but, on the whole,
the prospect of a full average crop is maintained:
" The shippers of opium at the first sale of the season hav-
ing received favourable accounts, a spirit of speculation in
the drug has recommenced, and it being now known that
the Malwa crop of the past season will not turn out within
some thousand chests of the estimates made at the beginning
of the year, prices are expected to go up, and may pro-
bably i each 1,600 Company's rupees in the coming sales.
The company will consequently receive a most splen-
did revenue from this article, perhaps half a mil-
lion sterling more than was calculated upon. Ex—
changes and public securities continue very steady, aiui
money, though not abundant in the bazaar, is not becoming
so scarce as was anticipated from appearances amongst the
great native shroirs some weeks ago.
" The news from China is to the Bth of March, but is of
little interest. Governor Davis, while on a visit at Macao,
had been attacked by some Chinese footpads, who got him
down, and were proceeding tO strip him, when they were
scared away by the appearance of stzme Portuguese gentlemen
of the place."

COMMERCIAL INTELLIG),:NCE.
(From the Chamber of Commerce Overland Price t,:wrent.)
BOMBAY, MAY I.—The business done in imports sines; the de-
parture of the last steamer has been, on the whole, limited in ex-
tent. Prior to the arrival of the overland mail on the 9th instal.t
the market was generally in a very inactive state; but subsequently'
some degree of animation has been manifested, attended, in a few
instances, with an improvement in prices. The selling season will
now shortly terminate with the setting in of the S.W. monsoon,

which puts an end to exportation to the coast.
Metals—There has been a moderate demand for most varieties,
and the market has been, and still continues, very steady. British
_ . _

bar iron was sold largely at 25 rupees per candy in the early part of
the month; but since the arrival of the mail prices have consider..
. . .....

ably improved, and 27 rupees have been offered and refused. The

purchases have been chiefly speculative ones, made by European

We have heard of no transactions in Swedish bar, btit 49 rupees
would be readily paid for it, were holders disposed to sell at that

rate. Hoop of small size has been sold at 7 rupees per cwt., but
the price now current for average descriptions is 5i rupees. In

other sorts of iron—save nail, of which there have been a few

small sales—little or no business appears to havebeen done. Copper
has generally improved in price, an advance of 1 to 3 rupees per

cwt. having take❑ place on all kinds except South American, which
has declined a little owing to an importation from China. Sheathing
and braziers' have been sold respectively at 54 to 55i rupees per

cwt. VPithar in r2i...4 - 4:1-
hands at 91 rupees per cwt. S'pelter has been sold at 141 rupees
per cwt. for large-sized plates. Tin plates exhibit a slight advance

upon last month's prices.
Cotton Manufactures—The goods chiefly in demand by dealers
during the month have been the better sorts of gray shirtings and
Madapollams, and medium to good qualities of bleached shirtings.
The former have advanced in value 2 to 3, the latter 4 to 6 arnms
per piece. For the inferior descriptions of these fabrics there has
been little demand on the part of the native buyers ; but low Ma-
dapellams and jaconots, both gray and bleached, have been pur.
chased on speculation by some European firms, and this has cause&
a slight improvement iu the prices previously current for them.
In gray domestics we note a few sales, but no advance on last
month's depressed rates is perceptible ; bleached are quite
neglected. Fancy cambric, and muslins are only saleable in
small quantities, and at reduced prices. Turkey red cloths, plait,
and twilled, have been disposed of to a small extent, but at much
lower prices than last month, these fabrics being at present dull of
sale, owing to the regular buyers of such goods having terminated
their operations for the season. Prints, zebra dresses, and almost
all varieties of fancy goods, continue in a very depressed state.
Yarns—The market for cotton twist has since our last exhibited
considerable animation, and in Nos. 30 and 40 mule, and 20 and
30 water, a rise in price has taken place. The European houses,
whose speculative transactions in piece goods we have above no-
ticed, have also taken some 300 bales of yarn in the same manner,
chiefly consisting, we believe, of No. 20 mule, the stock of which
has been for some time very large. The principal advance has
been in No 40 mule, which has improved to the extent of 1 wine
per lb.—a cireumstance mainly owing to the extreme scarcity of
this particular number. There is a slight improvement in the
price of Turkey red twist, but orange is dull, and without change:
Woollens- -The market for these goods is exceedingly dull, and
we hear of very few transactions ; purchases for exportation, in•
deed, have entirely ceased, and dealers now only buy in Mali
quantities for local consumption. There have been a few auction
sales of sea.water damaged cloths, and we have been apprised, be-
sides,of a transaction in serges, 160 pieces of which (sound) have
been disposed of at 1,4 rupees 8 annas per piece of 24 yards by 31

inches.
sfarine Stores—We have few alterations to notice in the prices
of the articles under this head. White and green paint, pitch,
linseed oil, and spirits of turpentine, are slightly lower than before.
Swedish tar has advanced Ir. per barrel, and the remainder are
without change. The following sales have taken place :—IZ)
bolts of unbleached canvass, at 16rs. per bolt; 175 cwt. of cordage,
assorted, at 20rs. Ba. per cwt. ;70 cwt. of rose nails, to Sin..
at 13rs. 14a. per cwt.
Beer—About 500 hhds. of Allsopp's, of the new brew, have
come to hand, and are in the course of delivery in fulfilment
but we
ef
contracts made to arrive. There is none yet for sale ;
quote both this and Bass's lOrs. per hogshead higher thine
last month. 10 hogsheads of Tennent's have been sold at 401
rupees per hogshead.
Spirits are without much change; brandy maintains a slight ad.
vance upon last month's quotation.
Red Lead is in fair demand, and our last quoted price for it fully
maintained.
Cochineal exhibits a decline of about two annas per pound
since our last. A supply has arrived, but no sales have as yet
taken place.
Sail on—Prices are without change. The only sale of which we
heard is one of 601 b., at 21rs. per lb.
EASTERN PRODUCE.

Cotton—This staple has been steady in price throughout the
month, and the only material change is in Comptali (of the old
crop), which is from 2 to 4 rupees cheaper than at the date of our
last issue. The transactions have been to a considerable extent,
but principally for the China market. Until within the last week
the receipts from the cotton countries have been very light.
Coffee—We quote Mocha a trifle lower than last month, but
there is scarcely any at present at market.
Ivory—The market is quite bare of this article, and prices are
consequently nominal.
Gums—There is little or no Arabic or Olibanum to be had.
Animi exhibits no change in value.
Hemp—All three varieties have risen in price to the extent of S
to 5 rupees per candy.
Opium has a strong upward tendency, owing to the smallness of
the anticipated supply, and may now be quoted at 1,275r5. per chest.
Pepper—Both Bhutcoll and Malabar have declined, the former to
64r5., and the latter to 51rs. per candy.
Wool—Our quotations Wool ate
regarded as merely nominal ones,
there being scarcely any Wool at present at market.

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