The Express. — 1857-09-17 (London, England)

PRIVATE LETTER.) BOMBAY, AVG. 7. The most important feature of public occurrences of late is a very humiliating one u faros the Bombay army is concerned, and we can no longer say that all our native infantry regiments are loyal. A portion of the '27th Native Infantry mutinied at Colapore, on the night of the 31st, on which the Mahommedans at l'oonah end Belgaum were to have risen,and murdered all Europeans, it was said, it being the ere of the Buckree F-ed At those two stations the plot wu discovered, and the leaders seized. Colapore, as you know, is between the two places, and it is supposed that the people, on the 27th, were not aware that the movement would miscarry, and therefore played their part out. The officers got warning, and took refuge with the political superintendent, and the local corps remained staunch. We have not yet got all the rights of the story, hut there must have been some must shameful mismanagement, for there were only 160 mutineers, no native officers, and only three havildars ; and yet, after holding out for a day, they got clean away with their arms and 40,000nipees out of the military chest. The rest of the regiment seem not to have gone against them at all, so either they arc utterly untrustworthy or their office's, a parcel of boys.' are not worth their salt. Bat the worst feature of the case is, that the mutineers are not Purdeysees (Hindustanees), at all events not all ; for 23 were afterwards taken prisoners, and found to be Marathees from the neighbouring districts. llth.—Matters in the north-west, so far as we can learn, for we hear very little, continue very much in stalls quo. Here, in the Bombay Presidency, they are in by no means a satisfactory state. Three officers of the 27th Native Infantry are missing since the mutiny on the 31st alt., and I rather fear (from a telegraphic message) that affairs are taking an ugly turn in the Southern Mahratta country : for some days they were very uneasy about the 28th Native Infantry at Dhurwar, but it seems to be all right. Troops were to have been sent from Beffary. Belgaum has to take care of 400 helpless women and children of her Majesty's 67th, now with Havelock at Cawnpoor, in addition to taking care of itself, so that General Lester has an anxious and responsible divisional command. At Shalupoor they are by no means sure of the Madras Cavalry Corps; but last accounts say that the temper and demeanour of all the troops stationed there is to all appearance good. The Buckree Eed passed off quietly enough in Bombay, and I trust so will the 'reboot ; the 6,000 adult Musulmans know that government is prepared for them. The mortar on the ramparts of Fort George has the range of the Jumma Musjid, and a few 56-pounder guns at point blank range would make some ugly holes in the native town and its 600,000 inhabitants, although we have so few Europeans-400 of her Majesty's 33rd from the Isle of France, and 60 Royal Artillerymen. In spite of the severity of the monsoon, we have been despatching steamers to land European detachments on the coast to the southward, at points hitherto considered unapproachable at this season. They have made one trip successfully; their return from the second trip is anxiously looked for. Lord Elphinstone is worn to a thread paper with work and anxiety. Ile has shown very great energy throughout this emergency. The Madras army appears to be behaving beautifully ; and we feel it to be a great humiliation that one regiment of the Bombay army should have for. gotten itself. I fancy in the Madras N.J. corps you have not above a very few Pardeysees, foreignirs  (i. c. ilindustanees) ; we lime between 14,000 and 15,000. • • • • • • • •