The Sun.
London, England, 1842-01-08 00:00:00

ZANZEBAR.

UNWARRANTABLE CONDUCT OF THE IMAUM OF
MUSCAT.-It appears from some communications which
have been recently published in Bombay, and the correct-
' ness of which there is no reason to doubt, that the Go-
vernment of the Imaum of Muscat have of late
been doing their utmost to render nugatory the ad-
vantages conferred on British traders by the
Convention of Commerce entered into last year. Mr.
Norsworthy, an English merchant residing at Zan-
zebar, is the party who has suffered from these at-
tempts, and the accounts he gives of the state of affairs
must satisfy the most incredulous that the 'minim has
violated the treaty in the most open and barefaced man.
ner. The Bombay Government have bees appealed to,
but it would seem that a reference has been made to
England on the subject—until the receipt of a reply to
which no measures can be taken. It is hoped that the
decision of the proper authorities will be intimated with-
out delay, for no time should be lost in proving to this
insolent potentate that his present course cannot be pur-
sued with impunity.

THE PRESIDENCIES—CALCUTTA
THE STEAMER INDlA.—Government having declined
to buy this vessel, on the ground that her .accommoda-
tions for the conveyance of troops were insufficient, she
was put up to sale by auction on the 12th ult. ; and a
subscriber to the proposed " India Steam Company," who
had been deputed for the purpose, attended and pur-
chased her for three and a half Lacs of rupees. She will
make her first trip to Suez on the 10th January, and
several psrsons, among them Sir E. Ryan, the Chief
Justice, have already taken their passage. The specu-
lation is expected to prove a profitable one.
EARTHQUAKE.—A smart shock of an earthquake was
felt on the 26th October, at ten minutes to four. A.M.
There was also a similar shock at Delhi on the 27th, at
eight, P.M.
COLONEL SIR WALTER SCOTT.—Some of the Calcutta
papers have been lately engaged in endeavouring to
prove Sir Walter Scott, the Colonel of the King's Hus-
sars, guilty of much inhumanity in the exercise of his
command. They accuse him of having practised a sys-
tem of mid-day drilling, which has been attended with
results most injurious to the health of the men. The
overland summary published by the Calcutta Englishman
contains, I believe, some very severe observations on the
lsubject ; and I would therefore remark, for the informa-
tion of such of your readers as may peruse them, that the
facts on which they are professedly grounded appear to
have been greatly exaggerated by the writer or his in-
formant. The Madras Spectator—a paper whose autho-
rity on all military subjects is excellent—states that the
drilling was " nothing more than an inspection in a ve-
randah, in the comparatively cool climate of Bangalore,
' at an elevation of 3,000 feet above the level of the sea."
And this statement comes from the Presidency where
Sir Walter holds his command, and where accurate in-
formation is much more likely to be obtained than in
Bengal.
ASSAM TEA.—The medal of the Agricultural and Hor-
ticultural Society of Bengal has been awarded to Capt.
Jenkins, for his share in the discovery of the Assam
tea plant. There seems, however, to have been great
difference of opinion among the members of the Society
as to the propriety of conferring this honour, the ques-,
tion being carried by a majority of one only.