The Sun.
London, England, 1842-06-06 00:00:00

OVERLAND MAIL.

INDIA AND CIIINA.

The intelligence from Bombay is of three days' later dale
than usual, the mail having been detained until the 4th of May,
tr wait for the Governor-General's despatches. Our dates
from Calcutta are to the 24th of April, and from China to the
10th of March.
The British Indian troops have re-entered Affghanistan,
and (have gained higher honours and mare glory than ever.
They have forced, with very little loss, the dreaded pass of the
Khyber. The redoubted leader of the Affghans, Akhbar
Khan, with 6,000 men, has been routed by the garrison wtich
he professed to blockade. As if to serve as a foil to these
successes, there have been two partial reverses, one of which
had during some time been expected, while the other is compa-
ratively trifling, and can b.: easily retrieved.
The British Indian armies to 'the west of the Indus during
the months of March and April may be classed under five dis-
tinct beads, viz., those of-
-Ist. The Bengal division under General Pollock, which has
entered the Khyber pass from the neighbourhood of l'eshassar.
2d. The troops forming the garrison commasded by Genera
Sale at Jellalabad.
3d. The Bombay detachment., under the orders of General
England, which having gone through the celebrated pass of
Bolan, had, after some fighting, taken its stat ion at. Quetta.
4th. The garrison at Candahar, under the command of
General Nott; and
sth. The surrender of Ghuznee.
The division under General Pollock have gained the renown
of opening a pass which even Nadir Shah was obliged to pur-
chase. Having taken due precautions, this division, consisting
of her Majesty's 9th regiment of Infantry, arid the 26th, 30th,
33d, 53d, and 64th Bengal Native infantry, and a regiment of
Jezailehets, with artillery, in three columns, on the sth of
April, forced the difficult pass of the Khyber, and, notwith-
standing the determined resistance of the Afreetlees tribe, sue-
credal in reaching Ali Musjeed, with the loss of only one
officer (Lieutenant Cumming, of the 9th, and 13 rank and file
killed, and 104 wounded. On the 9th of Aptil the division
was at Lundee Khan, whence to the point of junction with the
garrison of Jellalabad, nothing like effectual opposition was to
be expected. The Sikh troops, who on the occasion attacked
another part of the pass, co-operated cordially with the British,
and behaved with great gallantry.
During the period of theattaekon the Khyber, Akhbar Khan,
who with 6,000 Affghans had invested I-Hal:thud, exhibited
great eagerness, as if to aid the tribes around the pass in de-
fending it. On the evening of the 6th be caused a feu cic joie
to be fired in honour, as he said, of the repulse which the Bri-
tish troops had met at the entrance of the pass near Jurnrood.
But the gallant and experienced warrior, General Sale, was not
to be deceived; he resolved to anticipate what he considered to
be an intended retreat of the Sirdar, and on the morning of the
7th sallied forth to attack the Affghan camp. Three columns,
composed of her Majesty's 13th Infantry, and 35t.h Bengal
Native Infantry, with a detachment of the Sappers and Pliners,
supported by a light field battery and a small cavalry force,
issued from the " blockaded" town, and completely routed
Akhbar.Khan and his 6,000 men, burned their camp, and
retook four guns of those seized at the massacre of Khoord
Caubul in January last, " the restoration of which is regarded
by the troops with much honest exultation." This victory,
glorious as it is, has been dearly purchased by the fall of Col.
Rennie, whose death, even upon the field of honour, will be
regarded as a great calamity, while his memory will be always
held sacred, as a brave and worthy officer.
The reverse already mentioned as comparativeiy trifling, was
experienced by General England at the pass of Kojuck, 63
miles from Quetta, on the march to Candahar. His torce was
composed of 5 companies of her Majesty's 41st Regiment, 6 com-
panies of the light battalion of Native infantry, 1 troop of light
cavalry, 4 guns of Leslie's horse brigade, and 50 Poonah horse,
having in charge a convoy, consisting of treasure, medical
stores, and ammunition, together with 1,500 camels, &c., de-
stined for the relief of the troops at Candahar. The convoy pro-
ceeded, without encountering any great obstacles, and without
receiv itsg notice from the inhabitants of any contemplated plan
of resistance, to the pass, where it, on the 28th of March, found
that some field-works had been erected. An attempt was made,
by sending 200 men to attack those works, to dislodge the
enemy, when they showed a strong force of infantry and cavalry.
Capt. May, of the 41st, was shot dead, as well as several of his
men. Major Abthorp, of the 30th Native Infantry, was cut down
(he died of his wounds on the following day), when the Gene-
ral resolved not to risk the loss of the convey, and made a
skilful retreat to a neighbouring village which he defended,
and thence withdrew to Quetta, where he intrenched himself
and waited for more troops, then on the march from Dadur
and Sukkur, to join him. The loss on this occasion, besides
the officers mentioned, was 2 sergeants, 1 corporal, and 14
privates of the 41st killed, and 1 sergeant, 1 corporal, and 50
privates wounded of the light battalion. Of the 20th, 25th,
and 6th Regiments Bombay Native infantry there were 9
killed and 18 wounded. The great difficulty of the position at
Quetta has been the want of forage for the camels, and the
efforts of the Government are directed towards enabling the
troops to proceed onwards as speedily as possible.
As a contrast to this reverse, a force from Candahar, which
was sent by General Nott to meet General England, having
been attacked, after two day's march, by a large body of
Affghans, gave the assailants such a reception, as obliged them
to take to flight. They are described as fighting with reckless
bravery, and charging up to the bayonet's point; they there-
fore suffered a great slaughter, particularly as they were
charged by the British cavalry during their flight. About 300
are said to have fallen, including five of their chiefs. The loss
on the side of the British was five killed and 25 wounded. The
Commander of the British force was Col. Wymer. Candahar
is stated to have abundant provisions, but there is want of am-
munition. The pass of Kojuek can, as it is now affirmed, be
easily turned.
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the surrender, on the Ist of March, by Col. Palmer, of the
celebrated fortress of Ghuznee. The letter of the Colonel,
whose regiment, the 27th Bengal Native Infantry, formed the
garrison, will be found in another column. Attempts have
been made in India to excuse his conduct on the
ground of the difficulties with which he had to contend, but it
certainly does appear strange that a commandant should ven-
ture to surrender such a fortress upon the authority of a letter
received, as it were, from his superior by the hands of an
enemy, and that he notifies that surrender not to that superior,
but to another officer placed also in command of a distant
garrison, and which latter officer has immortalized himself by
his gallant defence.
The opinion which we have always maintained that the
disastrous occurrences at Caubul (and nosy at Ghunzce, the
garrison of which place is described as having in March suf-
fered the same fate as the troops of Caubul in January, the
soldiers being massacred by the Ghazces, or dispersed, and
the officers being prisoners for the sake of their ransom), are
to be ascribed to the want of efficient military arrangements
and proper precaution, and not to the prowess of the Affghans,
has been confirmed by the publication of several orders in
Council. These orders were published on the receipt of the
news of the fall of Ghuznee, and are as follow :
" The Governor-General in Council has directed that the
Commander-in-Chief will submit the conduct of Licutcnant-
Colonel Palmer, in surrendering the citadel of Ghuznee, to the
judgment of a Court-martial, at the earliest period at which
such Court can be duly assembled.

The Governor-General in Council has already (on the
28Th of January last) directed that a full military inquiry shall
be made into all the circumstances connected with the direc-
tion and conduct of the troops at Caubul, at tie earliest period
at which such an inquiry may be practicable.
" The Governor-General in Council has now directed that
the conduct of Major- General Elphinstone in Afghanistan
shall be submitted to the judgment of a Court-martial, at the
earliest peri.Al at which such Court can be duly assembled.
" The Governor-General in Council will further direct that
a full inquiry shall likewise be made into all the political func-
tionaries employed at Caubul, at the earliest possible period
after he shall be in possession of certain material documents, of
which he has already ordered the immediate transmission to
Government.

" By order of the !light Hon. the Governor-General of India
in Council, " T. H. MADDOCK,
" Secretat y to the Government of India."
The fate of Affghanistan forms now a curious problem.
Shah Soojah, who by temporising and truckling to his enemies,
and by many other manoeuvres available amongst the Affghans,
had contrived to secure himself a precarious existence in the
Bala Ilissar at Caubul, has at length, as it is now stated, been
murdered. Ills sons have, as it appears, taken different parties,
one or two being favourable to the British alliance, while two
or three are opposed to it. Various factions are described as at
present contending for the shale of influence and power,
and general confusion, uproar, and bloodshed prevail in Caubul.
Shah Kainram, of Herat, nephew of Shah Soojah, atter a
long contest with his Vizier, Yar Mahomed, is also stated to be
dead; so that Affghanistan, from the frontiers of Persia to the
mountains west of the Indus, may be regarded as in perfect
anarchy.

In the mean time Lord Ellenborough, accompanied by two
or three secretaries, had set out from Calcutta to the upper
provinces of Bengal. His object in this journey is stated to
be twofold—first, to be enabled to communicate without delay
with the Generals of the army west of the Indus, and the offi-
cers commissioned with the management of those provinces;
and next, to introduce some reforms there. His Lordship,
whose decision and promptitude are highly praised, has, it is
asserted, required that the Commander-in-Chief of the Army
should quit his cool retreats at Simla in order to join him at a
more central position. The want of vigour, which was much
felt from the beginning of November last, whAn the Caubul
insurrection broke forth, for Lord Auckland hesitated to com-
promise his successor by any active measures, is no longer com-
plained of.
In the interior of India general tranquillity prevails, except
that in Bundelcund a movement, which is more particularly
noticed in our Private Correspondence, had taken place. The
Governor of the ;Madras Presidency had published stringent
orders respecting the late insubordinate proceedings of some
native troops at Secunderabad. Subscriptions to a considerable
amount had been entered into all over the country in favour of
thst widows and orphans (unprovided for by the regulations of
the Government) of those who fell. during the recent disasters
at Caubul. A commercial crisis has taken place at Calcutta;
but confider.e.s was beginning to return. A large sale of opium
was effected there on the 18th, which produced the Govern-
ment upwards of 300,0001. The steamer India arrived in Cal-
cutta on the 9th of April, after a voyage of 28 days, from
Suez, having been delayed 11 days at different places, chiefly
by taking in coal. She went iuto dock immediately, and was
advertised for another voyage to Egypt about the 28th ult.
The cholera has committed frightful ravages at Kurachee.
Her Majesty's 22d Regiment had lost 98 men in six weeks up
to the 24th of April. The ship Ilarriet, bound for London,
took fire and blew up at Calcutta. There is a rumour of Lord
Ellenborough's intention to reduce the great salaries of the
higher branches of the civil servants, particularly in Bengal.
Tharawaddie, King of Burmah, whose movement towards
Rangoon produced " a sensation" some time back, was occu-
pied at home in suppressing a rebellion. The British troops
sent to Moulmein, is order t o keep him in check, are therefore at
liberty to be removed to other places.
The Chinese soldiers who drove the Sikhs out of Thibet ap-
peared disposed to revenge themselves upon the invaders by
attacking some of the frontier garrisons of the province of
Cashmt re. This attempt is important, as it may lead the Bri-
tish Generals, on terminating the campaigns in Caubul, to
turn their arms against the Chinese in Thibet, and produce,
by the defence of the country, the cession of Cashmere and of
the Punjaub, by the present weak Government, to the rulers
of India.

(From the Bombay Times.)
We. have received the following letter from Macao, dated
March 3, 1842 We have little to communicate on the
state of our market since the 7th ult., the date of our last cir-
cular. Trade at Canton continues face from interruption, but
owing to the Chinese holidays, there has been little done either
in exports or imports. It is difficult to give any quotations for
raw cotton, or British manufactures, prices remaining romi
nally the same; but as the dealers are now beginning to re-
turn to business,
we hope shortly to be able to report some ac-
tivity in our market at former prices. Shipments of tea con-
tinue to be made on a limited scale. Low Congous may be
quoted at 25 to 23 taels; Twankays, according to quality, at
24 taels and upwards. The season's export of tea from Nov.
to Feb. 28 amounts to—Black, 17,065,1681h5. ; Green,
3,502,9851b5.—t0ta1, 20,568,1531b5. Freight to England is
scarce, and may be quoted at 4/. 10s. to 5/. Exchange on
England has declined to 4s. 101.
Sir Henry Pottinger is still at Hong-Kong, and has issued
the notification alluded to in our lent circular, declaring Hong-