The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-02-10 00:00:00

choly inciden

and irregular manner

severe and serious attention
rd it!

—with sincere

" Hurry on this edict at more than at the rate of 600 le a
day, and order him (Keying) to inform himself of its con-
tents.—Respect this. —Canton Register, Oct. 24.

GENERALS NOTT AND POLLOCK

,na the Bombay Monthly Times for December.)

A discussion has of late blten going on in Calcutta as to the
relative merits of Generals Nott and Pollock. The subject
appears to furnish so few grounds for bontroversy that it dis-

.s considerable ingenuity to discover what are the points
on which any comparison whatever betwixt the two can be
instituted. The simplest mode, perhaps, of coming to any
definite or intelligible conclusion, is to take a short review of
the actions in which the two commanders have been more
immediately engaged, endeavouring, by this means, to de-
termine the merits of each. From the time of the commence-
ment of the insurrection in November, till the renal retire-
ment of our troops, there are only four actions in which
General Nott appears to have commanded—that of the 12th
January, where each side numbered 5,000 men, we having
the advantage of 16 guns, the enemy having none; the series
of skirmishes betwixt the 6th and 13th March, where num-
bers were once more equal, and about the same as those
above stated, but where the Affghans out-generalled us, got
into our rear, and nearly succeeded in burning our canton-
ments; and those of the 29th August and 9th September,
where Shumsooden, with 12,000 irregulars, was beaten by a
British force of 7,000, with 18 guns. To proceed in detail,
however. The first opportunity on which General Nott had
occasion to act after the insurrection of November, 1841, was
that of the I2th January, when Mahommed Atta, the insur-
gent chief, and Prince Sufter Jung, moved down the tirgun-
dab valley in the direction of Candahar, with an army of
about 5,000 men. General Notes force at this time con-
sisted of 7.200 men, with 18 pieces of artillery. Leaving a
sufficient force to defend the city, he marched out to meet
them with 51 regiments of infantry, 16 guns ,and 1,000 horse,
a force probably about equal to that of the enemy. Having
drawn up his mel in proper order in front of them—an
operation which seems to have occupied some couple of hours
•—he at length opened fire • it is needless to add that before
such a battery, the wild and irregular troops of Affghanistan
broke and fled. 150 were found dead upon the field, and
about 200 more were reported to have been wounded. With
1,000 horse and 16 pieces of ordnance on the field, no attempt
whatever appears to have been made to bike the enemy in
flank or rear, or cut off his retreat. Her Majesty's 40th and
the Bengal 39th were so galled by the matchlock fire, before
the veteran general got them " in order duly sat," that they
are said to have broken their ranks and rushed upon the Aff-
ghans. Surely there was nothing in this " victory," which
the Europeans of the force with a couple of guns could
readily have effected, calling for our special commendation.
It is not very marvellous that 5,000 British troops, with 16
guns, should beat a similar number of Affghan irregulars
without any guns at all. The next affair of which we read in
the despatches is that of the 6th of March. The general once
more moved out with a force of about 5,000 men and four
pieces of artillery, to attack the enemy, who approached Can-
dahar about 6,000 strong. He appears to have suffered him-
self to have been decoyed by them 30 or 40 miles from the
city ; when, leaving 2,000 of their troops to keep him in occu-
pation, the remainder got into his rear, and made a dash
upon his quarters. They succeeded in setting fire to the
Herat gate; and, had their fortunes been as much better as
their generalship was more skilful than ours, they would to
a certainty have succeeded in destroying our ammunition and
commissariat stores, compelling us to fall back upon Quettah,
150 miles in our. rear. From 600 to 1,000 men are said to
have fallen on this occasion in the attack upon the city. Nott
had then less than half the requisite number of baggage cat-
tle. Over a part of the 150 miles he would have had to tra-
verse, the snow lay thick, and the whole country was bleak
and barren. It was his luck, not his skill, that saved his
army from a fate a few shades less disastrous only than that
of Cabool. It was during the seven days' absence, from the
7th to the 13th of March, that General Nott brought into
use the village-burning system, afterwards so highly pa-
tronised as a noble innovation in the art of civilised war !
We pass over Col. Wymer's affair of the 10th of April,—it
appears to have been a brilliant one : with 1,500 men under
his command, he left 300 of the enemy dead upon the field ;
but this was none of the general's doings. By much the most
spirited and triumphant fight in which the Candahar force ap-
pears to have been engaged was that of the 29th of May.
The enemy were about 6,000 strong, and we had about 3,000
in the field, with a park, however, of 12 guns. The Aff-
ghans were not only beaten and dispersed, but pursued to
their camp, with a loss of upwards of 400 men. In this,
Col. Stacey appears to have had all the merit : when the
fight was brought on, he was sent oat to reconnoitre. Gen.
Nott does not appear to have been in the field. The desul-
tory, village-burning, orchard-destroying expedition which
concluded the campaign, appears also to have been well-ma-
naged; but the arrangement of the troops sent out for duty
on this occasion was all the share the general possessed in it.
We now come to the preparations for the advance on Ghuz-
nee. It was of such sovereign importance that General Nott
should keep open a line of forts in his rear connecting him
with Quetta, in case of accident, that we should have no
hesitation in affirming that Kelat-i-Ghilzie ought, from its
position and strength, to have been re-occupied and main-
tained by, say 1,000 men, notwithstanding its previous aban-
donment. This could, however, most readily have been
accomplished-7,000, the force which moved on Ghuznie,
was in fact superfluously strong for the work to be 'per-
formed,
and troublesomely numerous for the state of the
commissariat. In this case he would have had Quetta as the
base of operations, connected by Killa Abdoolla, Candahar,
and Kelat-i-Ghilzie, along the route of the main army, main-
taining a line of no less than 230 miles running right into
the centre of the enemy's country, and where the troops
would have beets in the most perfect condition to maintain
themselves till the approach of winter made it convenient to
retire. They would have proved a check to all annoyance
from the rear, and kept that part of the country quiet ; and
as the distance from Ghuznee round by Quetta, and across
the country by Dejerat to Jellalabad is less than 100 miles,
and may be traversed in eight or ten days, instead of Gen.
Pollock being kept entirely in the dark as to the nature of
their progress and operations, the most perfect concert might
have been maintained betwixt the armies. Kelat-i-Ghilzie
320 miles, or little more than a month's march from
Dadur : so that, so soon as it was ascertained that the ar-
mies had met at Cabool on the 17th September, the forts
might have been abandoned in succession, and successive de-
tatcliments falling back upon each other, and all been in
• in the month of November. The abandonment of
eiese forts, leaving the advancing force in a state of utter
soiation, seems one of the most inexplicable and censurable
leasures with which even the Affghan war has supplied us.
hi the 30th of August our army met with the troops of
;humsooden, mustering about 12,000 strong, with a couple
f field pieces. A battle ensued—we, of course, were victo-
ious. General Nott, on this occasion, employed but one-
alf his force. Why he reserved the other half is not ex-
lained "an hour more of day-light would have enabled

him to have destroyed their infantry ;" as it was, he merely
drove them off the field so little affected brdefeat, that they
were able to meet him on his way to Cabool, ten days after-
wards, in sitrOlar strength as before; on this occasion, again,
he was merely able to'clear the. heights, and push them out
of his way, without the slightest manifestation of general-

ship. The preparations for the assault on Ghuznee appear
to have been very judiciously managed, though not called
into use; but these seem to have been attributable, to Major
Sanders and the engineer and artillery officers alone. ---We
',are General Nott had in the arrange-
ments for descending the pass. The correspondents of the
time spoke very generally of the contempt with which the
Candahar army regarded the crowning of the heights, and
other essential precautions so ably carried out iii the ad-
vance; and if it be so that such were their vier-- ''

know little of the

thing but creditable to them

they wer

has since then so

much acerbity, and consequently uncertainty, crept into the
communications of the writers of the different forces, that

we shall not pursue our examination further than Cabool.
We see no reason to doubt that the whole of the retiring
army conducted themselves like British soldiers, and we can
say no more. We have confined our observations to the
military character of General Nott, whom we believe to be a
brave man, who would lead a regimeat as gallantly into the
fight as any one, without the fear of personal consequences,
but who would always like to see at least twice as many
troops around him as there was any real occasion for. This
is the sort of person who is called a " safe officer"—he is un-
likely to lose a battle, because be will never fight where there
is any chance of success for the enemy, but he is incapable
of discharging the proper duties of a general. His despatches
indicate an intellect of the narrowest calibre. Ho had under
him as fine and well-appointed a force as ever took the field
—who, when on separate duty, as under Brigadiers Wymer
and Stacey, always distinguished themselves ; and who only
failed to do so under General Nott because they were never
furnished with opportunities. This last is the only point on
which they have reason to complain of their unhappy fate.

THE MURDER OF LIEUT•COLONEL STODDART
AND CAPT. CONOLLY, IN BOKHARA.

The fate of that distinguished officer, Lieutenant-Colonel
Stoddart, distinguished alike for his talent, character, and
enterprise,—massacred in the meridian of life by the mandate
of an Asiatic despot, bas excited a very general interest to
become acquainted with the circumstances of his original de-
tention, his long captivity, the varied forms of insult and
cruelty to which he was exposed, and the cause of the last act
of the bloody tragedy which closed his existence.
It is of especial ithportance to the memory of Colonel
Stoddart that some reports, which have originated without
the slightest foundation, and been circulated without inquiry,
should be contradicted—namely, that after his duties as
military secretary to Mr. Ellis, our ambassador at the court
of Teheran, were terminated, Colonel Stoddart remained in
Persia on his own account, and without any official authority
from the British government, and afterwards proceeded
simply as a traveller to Bokhara, the capital of Asiatic
Tartary. We are enabled to furnish from authentic sources
the following facts :—Upon the return of Mr. Ellis, Colonel
Stoddart remained attached to the mission in Persia under
Sir .1. Those conversant with eastern affairs will
remember the activity and efficiency of Colonel Stoddart's
services in inducing the Shah of Persia to raise the siege of
Herat in 1838. From Hera he was despatched by orders
from government on a friendly mission to the Ameer of
Bokhara. For a few days after his arrival in Bokhara he
was treated with a show of hospitality. At this period many
false rumours prevailed in Toorkestan respecting the designs
of the English in marching an army to Affghanistan, and
probably occasioned the object of his visit to be suspected.
Colonel Stoddart was treacherously seized in his host's house,
with his attendants, stripped and thrown into a pit, where he
was left for two days without food; from thence he was taken
and strictly imprisoned for nearly two years, during which
time, but for the kindness of the Meershub, a police-master,
and one Futoollah Beg, the gaoler, who took compassion on
him, he would have perished from starvation. After months
of imprisonment the state executioner was sent to put him to
death, unless he would become a Mahomedan, and his grave
was dug before his eyes, but he evinced no fear, and ap-
peared to have calmly resigned all thoughts of life, when the
Meershub and Futoollah Beg, the kind gaoler, most earnestly
besought him to avert so foul a murder by repeating the form
required by. the Ameer, saying, " It is well known to all that
your faith will remain unchanged," and on their solicitations
the disguise was adopted. On the arrival of despatches from
the Indian government the Ameer was convinced of the
authenticity of Colonel Stoddart's commission, and releasing
him from prison treated him with the highest consideration
during eight or ten months, making repeated promises, alas!
but delusive ones, of release. During the time of his libera-
tion from restraint, Colonel Stoddart laboured most de-
votedly to promote the interests of his country and the
enlightenment of the barbarians. At one period the inter-
vention of Russia in behalf of his liberation was declined,
from a chivalrous feeling of honour that he should await
despatches from his own country, but the arrival of applica-
tions for his release, both from our government in England
and India, as well as others from Russia, Constantinople,
Khiva, and other neighbouring states, were equally disre-
garded, nor were the hopes which were entertained in
consequence of her Majesty addressing a letter to the Ameer
destined to be realised.

In consequence of intelligence which reached Bokhara
of the disasters which had befallen our troops in Cabool, the
tyrant threw Colonel Stoddart a second time, together with
Captain Conolly, an English officer recently arrived at Bok-
hara, into confinement. in the house of Topshee Bashee,
where they remained until June.. At that period a letter ar-
rived from Akhbar Khan and other chiefs at Cabool, inti-
mating that if the Bokhara chief feared to put the two English
officers to death, as they had done those at Cabool, he had
better deliver them up to the writers of the letter. Thus
stimulated, the Ameer no longer hesitated. On the 13th of
June, 1842, both the officers were seized and removed to the
common prison. In stripping Colonel Stoddart, a pencil
and some papers were discovered round his waist : the Ameer
insisted upon knowing from whom they were received. Upon
Colonel Stoddart's resolutely refusing to betray another to
the despot's fury, he was beaten with heavy sticks, and this
treatment repeated for two or three days. but in vain no re-
velation escaped him. On the 17th of June the Ameer gave
orders that Colonel,Stoddart should be put to death in the
presence of Captain Conolly. They were both led into a
small square near tee prison, where Colonel Stoddart's head
was cut off, and on Captain Conolly refusing to embrace
Mahomedanism, he also fell under the headsman's knife.
Their bodies were buried on the spot, in the graves which
had been dug in their presence.'
From Colonel Stoddart's earliest career to the time of his
death, whether pursuing his studies at the Royal Military
College, as an officer in the royal staff corps, in which he oh=
tained his commission in 1823, and served in New South
Wales and Canada in his post as secretary to the Naval and
Military Museum, secretary to the Institution of Civil F-
gineers, or as a member of the mission in Persia, it
too much to assert that he gained general esteem. He was
indefatigable in the pursuit of general and professional know-
ledge, and was present within the French lines at the siege of
Antwerp. Deeply devout in his principles and conduct, un-
shaken under his severe trials, and even acknowledging in
them a spiritual blessing, after a short but eventful career his
arduous duties are closed at the age of 36, beloved and
mourned, not only by his relations, but by a large circle of
friends, as a sincere christian, and a soldier devoted to his
sovereign and country.

WEST INDIES.

By the Solway steamship of the West India line, the ad-
vices from Jamaica are brought down to the 4th of January,
and from Demerara to the 3d ; from Trinidad to the 31st of
December, and from Port au Prince to the 24th November.
The Solway brought upwards of 600,000 dollars, and 276
bags of cochineal,
The House of Legislature of Jamaica was prorogued on
the 30th December to the 7th February by a speech from
Lord Elgin. A new tariff had been arranged and published,
with increased rates of duties. The imports and exports of
Jamaica, it may be observed, show a rather remarkable fall-
ing off in 1842 as compared with 1840.
Imports, British manufactured goods, 1840.. £1,256,881
Id. 1841.. 706,656
1842. 750,115

Exports, British manufactured goods, 18-10

392,694

1841.. 220,030
1842.. 297,698
The news from Demerara is unimportant. Complaints
were made of the inconvenience to which the colony was
exposed under the present system of steam-packet commu-
nications; and great anxiety was manifested to know the
determination of the Colonial Department on the question
of immigration.

IMPORTANT FROM MEXICO

From Mexico city the dates are to the 26th of December,
and from Vera Cruz to the 28th. Another revolution had
broken out and been accomplished in the capital, at the
head of which General Bravo, the provisional President,
placed himself with the troops. They had proceeded to shut
up the hall where the Congress held its sittings, and to dis-
solve that body by proclamation. The cause was the per-
sistance of the members in discussing and voting a federal
constitution against the known determination of Santa Anna,
who was resolved on a strong central government; the only
sort of government, it may truly be averred, under which
Mexico is likely to prosper or remain united. Gen. Bravo
subsequently nominated sixty leading persons, whose opi-
nions were known and who could be depended upon, whom
he had constituted into an Assembly of Notables, and on
whom the charge of drawing up the sort of constitution de-
sired was devolved. The federal party, on their side, thus
deposed from functions, had issued a declaration in vindica-
tion of themselves and their measure. There the matter
rested. In the meantime Santa Anna was at his country
house, ostensibly taking no part, but in reality directing the
whole affair. The revolution appears to have been effected
without bloodshed.

THE AFFGHAN WAR.--The following is a passage from
sby t
rl.a tLeotlgarq uie
Wellesley, 'ellebSulet
Y now,tosy It'he c-
ap
hleewt rwaedl dl
knownres sed hi
death of his uncle, Viscount Wellesley. It appears in a
pamphlet just published by the noble Viscount, entitled,
The Fifth Political World :—" Kingston-House, August 20,
1842. Your Mots aux Belges were excellent ; but we think
of nothing here but our own most disgraceful riots at home
and our disgraces abroad. The former I trust will be soon
quelled by the firmness of the government; the latter, of
which the main branch is the war in Affghanistan, was a
project begun in folly and madness, tliefirst success of which,
as !foretold, led to disaster and disgrace of the most appal-
ling kind, and would have terminated in the ruin of our no-
ble Indian empire, ff the grace of heavers had not interposed
to save us by the downfal of the Lambs. My brother Arthur
and I are quite united again, thank God ; and I am on the
most intimate and friendly terms with Sir Robert Peel, who
is a man well deserving what he possesses in a high degree,
the public confidence. Arthur holds my proxy in the House
of Lords. If God will grant me health and strength for two
hours, I think I could still rouse their lordships, as you re-
member to have heard me when I quoted—
Duo fulmina belli.'"

THE TREATY WITH RUSSIA.—The
We have very great pleasure in submitting to the
usSlA.—The Times, of Tuesday,
notice of our readers the treaty of navigation and commerce
recently concluded with this country and Russia. The
genera, purport of the articles (which are sixteen iu number)
is to secure for the vessels of both nations reciprocal privi-
leges and immunities.
Thus, the ships of Great Britain, on
entering or departing from any Russian port, will not be sub-
jected to higher duties than those imposed on Russian ships,
whilst, in return, the latter, on entering our ports, will be
treated as if they were British ; also, British and Russian
veesels arriving from other countries than those of the con-
tracting parties are to be admiited on payment of the same
duties as would be required of them by their respective na-
tions. And, generally, the vessels and subjects of the two
nations are to enjoy all the privileges, in their country, to
which they would be entitled in their own. Thus, whilst
French orators have been disclaiming against the arrogance
and pretensions of perfidious Albion—whilst the French
press has been exulting in the supposed decline of British
commerce—and whilst Portugal has been hampering both her
own and our trade by deferring the execution of a commercial
treaty which would be most beneficial to both nations—the
most powerful state of northern Europe enters into a con-
tract which we believe will prove not less beneficial to herself
than to Great Britain. We look upon this treaty as the pre-
lude to a relaxation of that restrictive system by which the
development of Russian resources—resources infinite in their
number and variety—has hitherto been obstructed ; and as
the first fruits of a sound, temperate, and vigorous policy,
which, without vaunting or promising much beforehand,
will yet steadily and surely extend the influence of British
commerce, and the fruits of British industry, to the most
remote, and now most unfriendly nations of the earth."