The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-12-06 00:00:00

LIST OF PRISONERS BROUGHT OVER.

Her Majesty's 44th Foot.—Sergeants Wedlock, Weir,
Fair.
Corporals Sumpter, Bevan.
Drummers.—Higgins, Lovell, Branagan.
Privates.—Burns, Cresham, Cronin, Driscoll, Derney,
Duffy, Matthews, M'Dade, Marron, M'Carthy, M'Cabe,
Nowlan, Robson, Seyburne, Shean, Tongue, Wilson, Du-
rant, Arch, Scott, Moore, Miller, Murphy, Marshall, Cox,
Robinson, Brady, M'Glynn.
Boys.—Grier, Milwood:
Her Majesty's 13th Light Infantry.—Privates.—Binding,
Murray, Magary, Monks, Maccullar, M'Connell, Duff.
Bengal Horse Artillery.—Sergeants.—M'Nee, and Ire-
land.
Gunners.—A. Hearn, Keane, Dulton.
Surgeon Wade, baggage sergeant to the Cabul mission.

LATEST FROM CHINA.
(From the Ceylon Observer. Oct. 22.)

We have received the Straits Messenger of the sth Octo-
ber, by this opportunity, and hasten to give the Chinese in-
telligence it contains :

The steamer Auckland is just in from Hong-Kong the
27th ultimo. She brings the ratification of the treaty by the
Emperor of China. Major Malcolm. secretary of legation,
is on board, in charge of despatches to the Home Govern-
ment.

The intelligence by the Auckand is, that the Emperor's
written assent had been given to the treaty, with a trifling
alteration in details. _ _ _

The first and second instalments bad been paid ; and mo-
ney appeared to be plentiful, from the ready manner in ,rhich
the Chinese had come forward with the cash.

The whole of the native troops are to be withdrawn from
Chusan forthwith, and the island to be garrisoned by two
regiments of European infantry, till the third instalment is
paid up, for which the Emperor has two years allowed him
to pay it in; after which period he will be charged five per
cent. until he does pay it, while the troops will continue in
possession. It was expected, howeVer, from the way in
which the first two instalments were paid, that any length-
ened period would not be required by the Emperor.
Major Malcolm will remain in England but a few days,
when he will return with the Queen's approbation of the
terms of the treaty. The Auckland will wait his return at
Suez. We are informed that Sir Henry Pottinger made the
Chinese authorities aware of the fact that the treaty would

not be binding on our part until it had received the ratifica-
tion of the home government.
Sickness prevailed to a very great extent both among the
European seamen and soldiers, and they rejoiced at the pros-
pect of leaving so unhealthy a climate.
We subjoin an extract from a private letter from Hong
Kong, which does not altogether agree with the foregoing:—
" The tidings by the Tenasserim, or Sesostris, whichever
reached Singapore first, will have apprised you of the termi-
nation of hostilities with China, and made you acquainted
with the general tenour of the treaty. Since then the treaty
entered into between Sir Henry Pottinger and the Chinese
commissioners has ben returned from Pekin, assented to by
the emperor and his cabinet. The fleet will commence its
move downward from Nankin about the middle of Septem-
ber, and I hope reach Hong Kong by the 15th of the ensuing
month. There will be some little delay at Chusan, to land
the stores and make the necessary arrangements for the offi-
cers to be left in commissariat charge."
The Sincapore Free Press states that his celestial majesty
had deferred to ratify the treaty until the sign manual of the
Queen of Great Britain had been affixed to it. The British
forces were still at Nankin when Major Malcolm, the bearer
of the despatches, left for England. It is stated that, on the
withdrawal of the forces, the troops to remain in China are
to be placed under the command of Lord Saltoun.

The Paris Messager of Friday night contains the following
telegraphic despatches, received by the French Government
during that day :
" ALEXANDRIA, Nov. 12.

" The Emperor of China has accepted the treaty of Au-
gust 29, and engaged to ratify it as soon as he shall have re-
ceived a notification of the ratification by her Britannic Ma-
jesty. lle proposes to send an ambassador to London. A
steamer came direct from Nankin to Suez with this news.
She had on board Mr. Malcolm, English secretary of Lega-
tion. The English fleet will winter at Chusan, where exten-
sive works are going on for improving the sanitary state of
the island."

" MALTA , Nov. 25.

" The Emperor of China has given his adhesion to the
treaty, but refused to sign before her Britannic Majesty.
The motive for this refusal is based upon the exigencies of
the etiquette observed in China. Nevertheless, the half of
the first payment stipulated by the treaty has been received,
and put on board the Blonde frigate, which sailed immediately.
for England. The British land and sea forces were still at
Nankin."

THE INDIAN CAPTIVES.

(From a correspondent of the Times.)

The Delhi paper has just reached me, and I am thankful
to see the fullest confirmation of the escape of the prisoners,
and with many most interesting particulars regarding their
release, which cannot but be acceptable to you. A narrow
escape they had, poor souls, from the perfidy of Akhbar Khan,
and from the force under Sultan Jan, which, after having
been beaten by General Nott, pressed on to secure them, and
failed only by two hours. Honour to Sir Richmond Shake-
speare ! with the devotion of a true knight he has rendered
himself well deserving of his spurs, for had he not made a
march of 90 miles at a stretch, there is too much reason to
believe that the attempt at escape made by the prisoners
would have failed, and their lives have paid the forfeit of their
almost desperate effort. The particulars which follow I have
from a letter from one of the officers delivered, who appears
to have taken a very active part in the proceedings, and there
can be no doubt therefore of their authenticity and correct-
ness.

On the 25th of August, or when General Pollock's advance
was made known at Cabul, the whole of the prisoners, sol-
diers as well as officers and ladies, with the exception of those
I have before mentioned as having remained at Cabul, were
despatched to Bameean, under an escort of infantry. By the
way, offers of a lac of rupees were made to the commander of
the party to desert with them to General Nott's force, which
was known to be near Ghuznee. The danger was, however,
apparently too great, or the chance of success too small, for
the Affghan to listen to the proposal, and the party reached
Bameean in safety, but in dreadful anxiky as to their even-
tual fate, Akhbar Khan having openly threatened all with
slavery in Turkistan in the event of the British troops mov-
ing on the capital. The news of the fall of Ghuknee reached
the sufferers on the 10th of September, and must have had a
great effect on the chief with whom they were.
The commandant who had accompanied them from Cabul
requested a conference, and laying before them an order from
Akhbar Khan for their instant march to Kooloom, informed
them that he had been assured of 20,000 rupees and 1,000
rupees per month as a pension by Mooushee Mohnnhall, if
he would take them to Cabul. This was instantly guaranteed
by the officers acting as a committee for all the ladies and
officers there ; and a paper was signed by all, pledging them-
selves to the payment. It seems to have been a matter in-
volving life and death—but, thank God, a successful
alternative, to which there providentially occurred no hin-
drance. Having committed himself irretrievably with
Akhbar Khan, the commandant Schah Mahomed hoisted his
own flag on the fort, levied a contribution in a cafila
from Turkistan to pay his men, deposed the Governor
of the place, who was lukewarm in his cause, and
set about preparations for defence of the post, in case Akhbar
Khan, defeated at Cabul, should come to Bameean. The
officers and ladies were in one fort, and the soldiers in ano-
ther, and on the 15th, the chiefs in the neighbourhood hav-
ing given every assistance and tendered allegiance, mean-
while, some of the officers went into the soldier's fort, and
commenced its repair for defence. That day, however, came
the joyful news of Akhbar Khan's defeat at Tezeen, and with
one accord the whole party determined on taking advantage
of the panic, and forcing their way to Cabul. On the next
day Bameean was 10 miles behind, all being well and in high
spirits; the next, a mountain ridge 13,000 feet high was
crossed, and near the village of Karzar the gallant party was
met by Sir Richmond Shakespeare and his cavalry, and were
safe. What a meeting of joy must that have been ! What a
flinging off for ever of weary despair, and hopelessness of de-
liverance!

Two days after that their glad eyes rested once more on
the British uniform and colours, and Sir Robert Sale, with
a thousand cavalry and a thousand infantry and two guns,
had insured their freedom. Though Sultan Jan's force had
hovered near Sir Richmond and his party, they had not dared
to attack it, and Sir Robert Sale's advance precluded any
possibilty of an attempt on it. On the 21st, therefore, under
welcome of one of the most joyous royal salutes that ever
was fired, the captives entered General Pollock's camp, and
once more breathed the air of freedom.