The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-11-08 00:00:00

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APV.H4ANIVPAN, ANt, CHINA,

(Front the Times of yesterday.)

Our despatches in anticipation of the-overland mail from
India to the Ist of October reached us last night by express
from Marseilles. Tile intelligence which they cdnyey is highly
interesting.
The decision of the government to send the armies towards
Cabal, and to take possession, even for a short time, of that
place, has given general satisfaction. The discontent occa-
sioned not only by the delays allowed to take piare since the
army under General Pollock had arrived at Jellalabad, but
by the prospect subsequently held out to the troops of their
retreat from before the Affghans, had ceased, and in its stead
confidence in the measures adopted and certainty of final
success prevailed. This confidence was increased by the
military movements in process of execution. General Nett,
at the head of a chosen army of about 7000 men, haying left
Candahar on the 10th of August, proceeded in the direction
of Ghuznee and Cabal, while General England, with the re-
mainder of the troops lately stationed at Candahar, marched
without encountering any obstacle worthy of notice back in
safety to Quetta. Candahar has therefore been relinquished
by the British.
The progress of General Nott into the interior of Affghan-
istan appears, notwithstanding the distance from Candahar
to Cabul (about 320 miles), and the accompanying dangers,
to have been thus far fortunate. His corps is described as
possessing in beasts of burden, &c., every facility for the ac-
complishment of the arduous undertaking. It would be
useless to disguise the fact, that this march from Candahar
to Cabal is one of great importance, for when successful it
will demonstrate to the world that all the clamour about
Affghan patriotism and their wonderful prowess was of no
value.

Intelligence from General Pollock to the 4th of September
states that his troops had been eminently successful in their
gradual movement to Gundamuck, and in routing some
bodies of the enemy. The Arrival in the camp of Futteh
Jung, the son and heir of Schah Soojah, who had effected
his escape from the prison of Akhbar Khan, was considered,
in the circumstances, as an event of great magnitude. He
came from Cabul attended by fourteen persons, although
only one was at first allowed to enter the camp, but orders
were subsequently issued to admit the remainder. On his
reaching General Pollock's tent a salute of welcome was in-
stantly fired. His reception proved the intentions of the
general to be favourable to his rights as Sovereign of Cabul.
The orders for a rapid move from Gundamuck to Cabul on
the 6th or 7th of September had, it was said, been issued,
but some doubts were entertained of that march being
effected prior to the certainty of the approach of General
Nott•from Ghuznee.
Among the rumours was one that Akhbar Khan had been
seized by the Kuzzilbashes, who constitute a large portion of
the inhabitants of Cabul, and who, in order to save the city
from destruction, were in the interest of the British alliance,
and for that reason also protected the British prisoners.
One item of painful news is that the gallant Sir Robert Sale
was seriously indisposed, in consequence of an inflammation
of the kidneys. There were many conflicting reports scat-
tered abroad respecting the prisoners, which subsequently
, proved erroneous. "It would not surprise me," said one
writer, " if a much greater number than is generally sup-
posed of the officers and soldiers said to have been massacred
in January last should make their appearance on the arrival
of the British troops at Cabul."
A report was circulated in Bombay, on the Ist of October,
to the effect that Ghuznee had opened its gates without any
great resistance on the appearance of Nott's army. This
fact, which the natives of India could have learned with ease,
may be correct, but it requires official confirmation, which it
was not likely to have until the two corps met in the neigh-
bourhood of Cabul.
Sir Charles Napier left Bombay in the beginning of Sep-
tember for Scinde, in order to take the command or the
troops from General England. Her Hajesty's 28th Regi-
ment had suffered severely from cholera during its passage to
Kurrachee. The corps under the orders of General England
was, after the districts around Quetta had been placed under
the jurisdiction of the young Khan of Kelat, to come through
the Bolan Pass on the 26th of September in order to take up
its station near the Indus. The presence of this corps had
become necessary in consequence of a quarrel and a conflict
which had taken place between the Ameers of Hyderabad
and some of their neighbours, the consequence of which was
calculated to be, that both parties, or at least the weaker one,
was likely to appeal to the British authorities for protection.
The tyranny of the Ameers is proverbial, and the removal of
their government would be a blessing to all the inhabitants of
the banks of the Indus. It was therefore considered proba-
ble that the British government will, for its own sake, as
well as for the advancement of civilization, be speedily in-
duced to control the oppressive acts of those mischievous
despots.
It seems to be expected in India that the British army, on
the junction of the two corps at Cabul, will, subsequently to
the liberation of the prisoners, be called upon to take decided
steps for introducing a proper system of government and the
administration of justice into the Sikh country. The present
chief, Shere Singh, is described as being in a most difficult
position, for he finds it almost impossible to control the fa-
natics and his soldiers, who, although forming a very small
portion of the population, have, by their turbulence, long
kept the Government at bay. Rumour asserts that Shere
Singh had expressed to the supreme Government his desire
to become a subsidized Monarch, and to place his country
under the management of the British. The 14th of October
was the annual festival of the Dussora, and disturbances were
apprehended for that day, when all the Sikh soldiery go in a
rabble to present their homage to the Chief. General Pol-
lock, on his return towards India, may therefore have ano-
ther object to attain worthy of the most energetic steps,
viz., the taking possession of the Sikh country. The mass
of that population, who are fully aware of the blessings pro-
duced by the British administration, are described as eager
to obtain the management of civilized rulers, such as the
British people have given to the other parts of Hindostan.
The clamour raised against the campaign in Affghanistan
will thereby be in some degree quashed; for the possession
of the Punjaub and of the banks of the Indus, besides the'
right of regulating the commerce of that noble river, will
very soon enable the Indian government to make good any
deficiency caused by the late expenditure of its finances.
Those advantages are enhanced by the demonstration now
afforded to the whole, of the Mahometans in Asia that they
are unable in any spot of that continent to cope with the
armies of England. The prospect thus held forth of form-
ing into a compact and easily administered whole is highly
satisfactory to the Anglo-Indians, and will probably be rea-
lized without delay.

Lord Ellenborough arrived on the 10th of September at
Simla, the proximity of which place to Lahore, as well as
many other indications, led many to consider the occupation
of the Punjaub as probable. The Governor-General and the
Commander-in-Chief being in the immediate vicinity of the
Sikh capital, could without difficulty learn how the British
forces, during their passage through the Punjauh, ought to
conduct themselves, so as to support the introduction there
of a good and just government. The different measures
lately adopted towards the army have contributed very much
to establish its efficiency, and to increase the confidence of
the native soldiers in the actual government. In addition to
the junior officers who had been appointed to all the regi-
ments in the service of the company, Lord Ellenborough
has, it is asserted, recommended that one more captain
be named to each regiment. The careful examination
instituted into the augmented expenditure has produced
official reports from the committees explanatory of the various
comparatively new items, while it has also insured economy
in the whole system.
In the interior of India tranquillity prevails. with the ex-
ception of the mountain district of Bundelkund, whither a
strong force was about to be sent in order to put down the
disturbances effectually by destroying the forts of the petty
chiefs.
The rains were most plentiful throughout India in the
month of September. The much-talked-of apprehensions
entertained of a famine in the district near Delhi have
vanished. The army of reserve has been ordered to assem-
ble on the Sutlej in the month of November, preparatory,
as it is said, to some demonstration against the Sikhs.
Their government at Lahore appeared to dread the-approach
of the army of reserve, and had given orders at its powder-
mills to prepare a quantity of that article as quickly as pos-
sible for the emergency.
There have been some serious losses in her Majesty's
50th and 62d Regiments while proceeding up the Ganges. A
boat was swamped near Cawnpore, and 18 men of the 50th
were drowned. A wing of the 62d going in boats near
Bhagulpore was overtaken by a storm at night, which forced
the boats from their moorings, and 38 men, including Lieu
tenants Scobell and Gason were lost.

The bark Ricardo, on its voyage from London to Calcutta,
struck on a sand-bank in the Hooghly and heeled over, and
in one minute went down. Ten persons were drowned.
The Delhi Gazette of the 21st September, the latest paper
received at the closing of the mail from the north-west of
India, states that Akhbar Khan had resolved to abandon
Cabul, and to take the prisoners to the Hindoo Koosh.
It is to be regretted that the intelligence of the proceedings
at Ghuznee or Cabul had not arrived at Bombay on the Ist
of October. _ _ _

The failure of the house of Fergusson Brothers and Co..
at Calcutta, was much talked of. The amount of their lia-
bilities in India was stated to be little more than £lO,OOO.
The cholera was making great ravages among the soldiers
lately arrived in Bombay from Europe.