The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1872-02-16 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

THE CENE OF THE MURDER OF THE  VICEROY OF INDIA.  The Andaman Islands, lying in the Bay of Bengal, consi-t of four islands with several islets, in 92 deg. 30 min. east longitude, and occupying a space which extends from 10 deg. 32 min. to 13 oeg. 40 min. north latitude. Three of these islands are so contiguous, being only separated by very narrow straits, that they are usually considered as one island under the name of the great Andaman, and are generally so laid down in maps. Great Andaman is about 140 miles long and 20 miles broad. In the centre is a high mouniain called the Saddle Peak, which is about 2,400 feet above the level of the sea. The island does not include any considerible river. It is tolerably well clothed with trees, several of which afford timber of sufficient size for ship-building; among them are the poplar, ebony, a tree resembling satinwood, redwood, the cotton tree and almond tree, besides bamboos, g ound rattans, and numerous shrub,. The other vegetable productions are not numerous. The animals found in the islands are the hog, the rat, and a few where; while fish abound on the shores. The inhabitants are among the very lowest in the scale of civilisation of any people with which we are acquainted. They are small of stature, seldom exceeding five feet in height, and rmed, with large heads, and very slender limbs. In colour, hair, and feature they resemble the race of Afriean negroes. They are wholly unaccustomed to the use of clothing, and their implements, weapons, and dwellings are of the rudest possible description. In their disposition they are described as cunning and treacherous ; their disinclination to the, intercourse of strangers amount with them to a passion. They nuke no attempt to cultivate the soil, and are obliged to reside in the immediate neighbourhood of the sea, from which they derive the prine,pal part of their food. The origin of a race so very different from all their neighbours has never yet been satisfactorily determined. A settlement was att,mpted by the English in 1791, on the south part of the largest island; which settlement was, two years afterwards, removed to Port Coruwollis, near the northern end, in 13 deg. 28 min. north lat., and 92 deg. 54 min. east long.; but it was emirs, doned in 1794, on account of unhealthiness of climate. In 1824 the British force under Sir Archibald Campbell, dispatched against the Burmese, assembled in the harbour, where some of the ships remained about a month but it was not found possible on that uecasion to establish any intercourse with the natives who omitted no oppori unity of showing their hostile feelings by discharging their arrows at all the Europeans who came within their reach. Another visit was made in 1825, when the inhabitants showed an equally fierce disposition, and endeavoured as much as possible to obstruct our people while filling our water casks. Since that time the islands have been made the convict depot for Hindostan. The following passage, quoted by us last June from Alien's Indian Mail, has a paiaful significance at this moment "To judge from what has lately transpired concerning the usual life of a convict in the Andaman Islands, the penal settleme t there has for some time past been turned into a paradise of rum drinking and unlimited idleness- It appears that the European and Eurasian convicts, at any re' e, have been allowed to do pretty much as they pleased. They go freely into each other's rooms, wander where they like outside, take into their service the Sepoye who are supposed to guard, them, entertain their friends to dinner, and are free to draw for a whole gallon of rum at one time. Unluckily the dinners and the drinking sometime- lead to quarrels, whi:h now and then' lent to blood-shedding or downright murder. All' this came out at the Calcutta Criminal Sessions on