The Sun. — 1858-11-20 (London, England)

THE SUN. SATURDAY. NOVEMBER 20, 1858.  Lord CLYDE is gradually drawing his net closely round the rebels, and few will have strength or cunning sufficient to slip through its meshes and escape the severe penalties in store for the most grievous offenders. The hot and sickly season has passed away. The proper time for action, so long and so anxiously looked for, has arrived. The British leaders are gradually concentrating their forces from opposite directions, keeping the enemy in the centre, so that they are completely surrounded, headed, in fact, in every direction whither they might direct their flight. The avenging Nemesis, which so long has tracked their footsteps, must speedily overtake and inflict exemplary punishment for their faithless treachery and cold-blooded and heartless cruelty. They have had but little rest, even during the period when they fondly imagined they would have been safe from British pursuit and British indignation. But the deliberate murder, mutilation, and even worse than murder, of helpless females and innocent children had excited their countrymen to the highest degree. There was nothing which they would not brave—no peril they would not encounter—to punish the miscreants who had acted with such diabolical atrocity. Every man was in fact animated with a lion's strength and a lion's courage, and it is sufficient to say that the leaders were worthy of their followers. We have repeatedly stated that the weather was by far more formidable than the weapons of the enemy. This assertion has received a melancholy verification in the casualties that occurred to the truly gallant Highlanders when, under General MICIIEL, pursuing TANTIA TOPEE, it is said, and we fear with too much truth, that no less than 200 died, or were placed hors de combat, from sunstroke, while hastening to the scene of action. The baggage, too, fell into the rear, and a considerable portion thereof was captured by the insurgents. But, despite all these untoward events, although they beheld their wearied brethren sinking at almost every hundred yards, the indefatigable and indomitable heroes pressed onward, and achieved a victory of no ordinary magnitude and no ordinary importance. It may be, and has been, said that General AlIenEL was wrong to press forward with such extraordinary haste. But it was of immense consequence to deprive the rebel chief of the prestige which his temporary success at Esanghur and Chundarce had conferred on him. Had the contest been delayed, the insurgents would have received a vast accession of strength, which might have caused greater difficulty and dsnger to our troops. There were, in fact, two actions, in each of which the English victory was of the most complete and decisive character; all that was wanting was cavalry, to cut off the fugitives and capture their treasures. This want will be partially supplied, inasmuch as Lieutenant KERR, with 600 Mahratta Horse, and ILAI 's 1i th Lancers, have already passed into Central India, although by different routes. They will be enabled closely to follow up the first triumphs, and perhaps the Generals TANTIA TOPEE, the Navrab of BAND k, and the RAO SAHIB may no longer be enabled to escape the earnest pursuit that will be enegetically perseirered in whenever a favourable opportunity may  arise.  General ROBERTS, who has already performed such brilliant exploits, is pushing onwards to join General MICHEL ; while General WilinocK is stopping a gap in another direction, and even with a diminished and divided force will prevent any movement of the enemy in that quarter. We may consider that matters in Central India are in a very satisfactory condition, and that, as we have  t. 44, "li•D „,, ~,,1411/ 1• MA4 s pu/e r , talk Arie 4.1 Oak: ." A .$ rs DR IT • ^ll,r, •