The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-02-09 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

FOREIGN 6- INTELLIGENCE.

INDIA AND CHINA.
Indian papers were received on Thursday, in anticipa-
tion of the Overland Mail. The latest dates are—China,
Nov. 28 ; Calcutta, Dec. 23 ; and Bombay, Jan. 2.
Important events have just occurred 'in the Punjaub
and Scinde. The Wuteer-Lall Singh having been sus-
pected of a treasonable connexion with the Cashmere in-
surgents, had the charge brought home to- him by the
Sheik Emaum-ood-Deep, on the evidence of letters writ-
ten by the Wuzeer to him while in arms. The inquiries
were conducted in presence of a Commission, consisting
of Sikh chiefs and British officers—Mr. Currie and Cols.
Lawrence and Goldie being amongst the latter. It was
intimated to the Dunbar, that should a convicted traitor
remain in power, we should be under the necessity of
ceasing to hold intercourse with the GoVernment, and
Lall Singh was accordingly deposed and removed, under
our protection, to Hindostan. Had he remained in his
own country his life would quickly have been sacrificed
to the indignation of the people. The government was
now intrusted to a commission of chiefs, and the question
pressed as to the arrangements contemplated by them on
our retirement. After much equivocation and delay it
was determined to ask of us to permit an army cf 10,000
men to remain at Lahore during the minority of the Ma-
harajah, our commissioner virtually to exercise the func-
tions of Wuzeer. To this we assented, the Sikhs defray-
ing all the charges of our troops, amounting to a quarter
of a million stetting annually. The Maharajah is now a
child of seven years old ; and for the next ten years at
least the Punjaub is in the hands of the British Govern-
ment, and controlled by a British army. The Sikh Go-
vernment have thus voluntarily undertaken to defray the
extra charges of an army at Lahore, which, for our own
protection, we must have maintained at any rate on the
frontier. Such has been the success of the much-cen-
sured policy of Lord Hardinge, refusing to conquer or
spoil the country which has now lien voluntarily and
tranquilly placed in our hands without obloquy, trouble,
or charge.
Just as the army of the Indus was about to be reduced
from 22,000 to 14,000 men, a foray of the Booghtie tribe
from the mountains has driven in our outposts and com-
pelled a whole cavalry regiment to retire. The enemy
were computed at 2000 on their first appearance in the
field. • They succeeded in ravaging numerous villages,
carrying off sheep and cattle in the face of our troops. A.
wing of the 4th Rifles, Jacob's Scinde Horse, and Fitz-
gerald's Camel Corps, were on their way to reinforce
Shahpore at the date of last despatches. The robbers are
doubtless long ere this time safe within their mountain
holds where we cannot follow them, waiting till our out-
posts are again weakened by sickness or military indiscre-
tion. Had the present attack been made during such a
season as 1843, when nine-tenths of our troops were in
hospital, our cantOnnients night have been tired, and
their occupants roasted in their cots before human aid
could have reached them. The ravages of pestilence in
Upper Scinde are quinquennial. If 1848 sees us on the
banks of the Indus the Cabul catastrophe may not be
without a parallel ; the Belooches, like the Ghilzies, abide
their time: Sir Charles Napier continues at Kurrachee,
where the climate ig healthy. He is expected at Bombay
in Februafy, on his way to England ; the government of
Scinde to be intrusted to a civil commission, preparatory,
it is to be hoped, to its final abandonment.
Matters at Cabul would seem to be in a better condi-
tion than formerly. The Ghilzie chief, who had so long
been annoying the Government, had intimated his desire
for a cessation of hostilities, and, in token of the sincerity
of his intentions, had sent his son as a pledge of his future
peaceable behaviour. A vakeel from the British Govern-
ment was said to be on his way to the Cabal chief, though I
the nature of his mission was unkdown. A present of
horses and fruits for the Governor-General left Cabul on
the Ist of October.

The Governor-General was at the latest dates still on
the left bank
.of the .Beeas, where it was supposed he.
would remain till rejoined by Mr. Currie, from Lahore.
The Commander-in-Chief of India was en route for Loo-
diana, and was expected to reach Delhi by the 20th Jan.
The districts around Gwalior are said to be in a sad
state ; murders and robberies being of frequent occur-
rence, the commission of any. atrocities being overlooked
by the native authorities fora consideration.

The sword sent out by the Court of Directors for pre-
sentation to the Rajah of Sanghae, in token of their appro-
bation of his cond:z:•t during the'Kolopore disturbances;
was presented to that chief on the 19th ult. at Belguum,
in presence of the troops of the station, and an immense
concourse of people.
The ship Augusta, of Bombay,. one of the vessels which
left the Madras roads at the commencement of the hur-
ricane of the 25th of November, was wrecked near Point
Pedro, off Ceylon—mw all saved. Upwards of £2500
have been subscribed for the relief of the sufferers by the
gales of October and November, £lOOO of which was mu-
nificently bestowed by the Government.