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    Tob Ohe Tthrri Time This Year, Parliamen...

    to a Committee of the House of Commons , who would also inquire into the causes which had led to ita present suspension . He denied that our Indian empire is now in peril , but joined ; Lord Derby in eulogizing its military and civil servants . As far as regarded the proposed Iteform Bill , he could only say that , as soon aa Parliament meets in : February-j the Government "will be ready to give a most free and ample account of tlie details of their intended measures . The Earl of Ellenborouch reproached the Governin . c :- '; with want of energy , and with the loss of time they had occasioned in sending ; out the troops to India ;—The Duke of Ar & tu / denied that any want of energy had been Exhibited ;—rTtie Earl of HardvincKK remarked that none but steam-vessels should have been employed in transmitting , troops to India .

    -r-Eari Gretn and Lord Oveestosk expressed their regret that there is no immediate intention on th « part of the ; Government to propose any alteration in the Bank Act of 1844 . —The Earl of Eouimix thought that Ministers ought to have a permissive power to relax the Bank Charter Act . —Lord Montkagleurged their Lordships not to allow that act to remain in its present unsatisfactory state ; but he was prepared to give entire approval to an Act of Indemnity for the suspension of the law in question , as he believed that , without an increased issue of notes , the Bank of England -would have been forced to stop- ^ The Address was then agreed to . Their Lordships adjourned at eleven o ' clock . ^—Previous to the commencement of business , Lbid fttACAULJiY was introduced by Lords Gampjbeixarid BfiUPEEy and took .. the baths . ' ... .. : . '¦" . ¦'¦' ' ' : v / . •' ' .- " :: . :-: ¦ ' : ¦¦ , ' . - ' v : ' - \ ' ¦ . ¦ .: ¦ '' ¦' . : V- ,: . ¦;¦ ¦ -:- ' - '¦ ¦

    In the HotfSE of ¦ Commons ( which resumed at a quarter to four )* some routine business , in the shape of the issue of new writs for vacant boroughs , & c , and ; notices of ; m © tion , was transacted ; after which ; Mr . \ V " yb ^ ham Martin tnoiyed the answer to the Address in a speech of ; a similar nature to that delivered in the Upper House by Lprd Portman , and va s secondeid by Mr , Aj ^ oyd . " The : first-named gentleman , though applauding the temporaryviolation of the Bank Act of 1844 , thought the main pro-visions of the measure satisr factory ; While his seconder > spoke yery unfayourabiy of the ¦ act generally , and ; was of opinion that Government would have done . ^ ell in interfe ring ; at an .. earlier P « riocL : V " : ¦ ¦ ; : :. ' . ' . ' ¦ . ¦ : \ i y ¦' ¦' ' - ' ¦ .:- ' - : -X ¦ - . ¦ : "'¦ . : 'W ; - '~ . " : " :. . ' ¦ : ¦ ¦ - > . '" --V : - 1

    :. - ; Mr . Disraeli said it appeared' that the Bank had not applied to the Government ,, but that : the Government had recommended the Bank to transgress the limits fixed in 1844 . The House , therefore , before passing a Bill of Indemnity , should require to be ; informed of the reasons which had induced Ministers to take that course . The Chancellor of the Exchequer had given' notice' of a motion to reappoint the Bank Committee of last session ; but he , for one , must condemn these frequent inquiries . Did the Government mean to stand by the Act of 1844 , or not ? If the answer were in the affirmative ,: he should demur to a Bill of Indemnity . But ^ if Ministers should announce that they are prepared to recommend a new ^ oeasure which would remedy acknowledged

    grievances , and make a satisfactory settlement of this great question , it would be the duty of the House to accord indemnity . With respect to foreign affairSj to China and to India , Mr . Disraeli expressed himself to the same effect as Lord Derby had done in the House of Lords , and pronounced a high eulogium on our Indian heroes ; " Government , however , should give some explanation of the paragraph in the speech which said ; ' The affairs , of my East Indian dominions will require your serious consideration ; and I recommend them to your earnest attention . ' It appeared to be a compromise paragraph ; as if somebody wished to do something about India , and somebody else wished that something should not be done . Everybody knows the evils pf a double Govern - went . But the evils of recent occurrence in India , were

    not the result of detail , but of system , and neglect , and unpreparedn « ss . If a measure on the subject were introduced , doubtless the House would give due attention ; but in a speech from the throne , or at all events in the discussion which followed it , frankness is indispensable . ' ' { Heory hear . ) Relative to the paragraph on the Reform question , he expressed a hope that the measure would be framed , not for the . purpose of favouring a party , but to promote the public weal . u He would go farther , and say that , unless so framed , it could not be forced through the House . In 1857 , the country is more learned on this subject than in 1882 . The bellowing of ' the Bill , the whole Bill , and nothing but the Bill , ' had taught ua all a lesson ; and all tho public

    men who had joined in it had since been obliged to do public penance . " ( 4 laugh , ) The proposed Reform Bill Bhould be produced on an early day , and perhaps the noblei Premier would name a day that night . Lord Paxmeiiston ( after alluding to the good-humour and 'levity of wit which then , as always , distinguished Mr . Disraeli ) maintained the propriety and consistency of the course pursued , with respect to the Bank Act , by the Government , which had been compelled to do what no Government ought to do without grave reasons . Referring to tho heroic deeds of our commanders in India , he announced ( amidst groat applause ) his intention , at an early day , to bring down a Message from the Crown on the subject of making a provision for . ' Sir Henry Ha-velock . The motion was then agreed to , and tho House adjourned at a quarter to eight o ' clock .

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    ' ; . ' -. ' /¦ ; . ¦/; ' ;_ . ¦ ' . . ; .:. " ¦ ¦ ¦ ' ¦ : . \ ¦; . ——?—— " ' ¦ ' . ¦ . " ;¦ . : ' )' - . ; " . ' . \^ - - ¦ ¦ : . ' , " -. The Overland Indian Mail ; bringing full details of those events 'which were briefly Intimated in our columns last week by means of the telegraph , arrived in London at a late hour on Saturday night .. Delhi is now no ; longer the great centre of interest . It is said to be almost deserted , and the very cats there are described as dying of starvation . The story of Brigadier Hodson having shot the sons of the King of Delhi "with his own hands is confirmed . ; He pointed out to tliem the hideous nature of their crimes , " -and ' . ' then askedhis meh-vrliat pianishment they deserved . The men replied , a instant : ' , death ! " upon which

    Hodson drew- his revolver , arid shot thera one after another . A <; dlumn of ourDelhitroops has gone to Allyghur and Agra another towards Meerut , with the intention , it is supposed , of reaching Moozufferinugger , where there have been disturbances ; and a third to the Kootub . The latter returned to camp with about 3 O , 00 C > rupees in , coin , ; . a' large number of elephants , camels , & c . / and cne thousand women . It is affirmed that the body of a woman was found cr licifiei inside the palace ^ b Delhi when bur men entered . The city , says report , is to remain as it is , with the exception of the Jumna Musj id and the defences , which are to be levelled . General Penny has succeeded to the comnaaiad , and General Wilson < whp is indisposed ) returns to his old command at Meerut . Police are in course of organization at Delhi

    > and it is anticipated that civil rule will soon be again insfcitutedi A good many of the native civilians have escaped into neighbouring states ' ¦ '; ., but several- were undoubtedly : killed in their hidingplaces by our trppps . " Many of the most useful andleastguilty of ' the inliabitants , such as clothmerchants , jewellers ^; & c , " says the : writer of ; a letter , " w ; ere aniong those who suffered . -The British have acted with extreme leniency towards these savages ^ and , had they given -themselves . ' -up ; instead of ; c 6 iicealixig : themselves ; in their houses , they . would have had their lives spared . " : Our sappeTs , it ' appears , were fired upon from the ropFs of houses ; and from behind walls , by several of the natives . A } party of English soldiers , therefore , went in searchof these persons , and a tHousaiid of them were killed . " ; ' ¦ •• . •¦ : ¦"¦> - . -i- . ^ - ^ : " . \ -V - " : V "" , ; : 'W /¦ ¦¦ ' ¦'

    •; v Aitpfficer who took part in the assault on Delhi communicates a sotaewhat difierent account of the shpdtitig of the princes by Hodson to that given above , Oh his entering the enceinte of thei tomb ^^ where the princes liad concealed themselves , from five to six thousand of the scum of the ! city and palace were found s armed with weapons and missiles . 'lit was indeed an . hour of trial , when a bold front and determined voice were of more avail , than even a sharp- swordi Wonderful , to say , notVa man of the gallant ; little band was hit ; arid , on Ho dsbn sternly reiterating his demand for instant surrender , they began to lay down their arm 3 . Five hundred swords , and twjtce that number of fire-arms , besides horses , elephants , & c

    were collected in less than an hour and a half , without another blow ; being struck . Hodson and his men then moved warily off to the city ; at a short distance from the walls , th « y found the bhylie was halted , witli much rabble collected around , who turned on the little party ; as they rode up . This was no time for hesitation or delay : Hodson dashed at once into the midst ; in few , but energetic words , explained ' that these -were the men who had not only rebelled against the Government , but had ordered and witnessed the massacre and shameful exposure of innocent women and children , and thus , therefore , the Government punished such traitors taken in open resistance / shooting them down at the -word . The effect was instantaneous and wonderful : not another

    hand was raised , not another weapon levelled ; and the Mahomedana of the troop , and some influential Moulavies among the bystanders , exclaimed , as if by simultaneous impulse , ' Well arid rightly done ! Their crime has met with its just penalty : these . were they who gave the signal for tho death of helpless women arid children , and outraged decency by the exposure of their persons ; and now a righteous judgment has fallen on them . God is great ! ' Tho remaining weapons ' were then laid down , and the crowd slowly and quietly dispersed . The bodies wore then carried into the city , and thrown out on . the very spot wliere the blood of their innocent victims still stained the earth . They remained there till the 24 th , when for sanitary reasons they wore reinoved from the Chibootra front of tho Kotwallee .

    The same writer thus relates some of the other exploits of Hodson : — " On the morning on which tho city and palace were finally evacuated * the whole of tho available Cavalry moved out through the suburbs in tho direction of , but not on the road to , the Kootub , and marched to tlio top of the hill on-which stands tho ' Eedgah , ' from tlionco overlooking ; the camp of the Bareilly and Nusseerabad mutineers under ' General' Bukhta-wur Khan , quondam Subabdnr of Artillory . It was 90011 porcoivod , by unmistakable signs , that the camp was being evacuated , and soon after a loud explosion took place , which ( old to practised cars tlmt tho rebels woro blowing iip their ammunition previous to a flight . Hodson ' s huvkarua

    coming m at the moment confirrned the fact . Hodson immediately got leave to report it to the General ealloping on his way right along tlie front of thecitv tb aeeirthi ^ was cl ear also . He then obtatned permission from the General to get to the rebel camp itself to see how the la ^ dlayv He ; started at one ? with his second m command , M'Dowell , and seventy-five sowars , and rode right round the city to the Delhi gate , having but few shots fired at them , and clearing the road of stray rebels as they went along . They found the camp all but empty •—they soph made it quite so—and theDelhi gate opeh They brought th left btile

    away ree guns y enemy , arid made arrangements for bringing in the empty tents & c . They recovered the mess plate of the 60 th Native Infantry , their standards , stripped however , and band instruments ; polishing off the big drummer , who , with his myrmidons , gave some trouble . Next day , Hbdsoh asked arid ! obtained permission t o go . after the King , whose capture , with that of his fayourite wife ( mother to the heir apparent ) , he successfiilly accomplished at the cost only ; of vast fatigue , some fightdrig , and imminent risk . His Majesty was couTteously disarmed , and then escorted into the city . " ' ; ¦ ^

    The principal traitors among the Mahamedan gentry at Delhi were being arrested at the last advicesj with tlje iatehtioh of bringing theni to trial . Tvie mare of the King of Delhi ^ s sons have been condemned to death , by a riiilitary commission ; and the King Himself was also ; to be-arraigned . v ; ; v The state of affairs atliticknow is not so satisfactpry as the telegrams led most pebpte to believe . It is ; true that the number of our troops there has been , increased ; but we have been unable to force the insurgents to raise ^ the siege , though we have established ourselves in the Residency , and some portioa of the cUy . The wounded , the baggage and beasts of

    burden , arid one thousand men ( some accounts ^ include the AvrpinenL arid children frpuo Xiuckriow ) sire entrehched at Allumbagh , about ^ three miles froro litickrioH-j where they are quite isolated ; and two expeditions liaye failed inendeavouring to release them from tlnsperilj though one of the expeditions succeeded in . bringing in supplies . The cpmiriunicatiori with Haveloclc arid' Outram at IiUckiabvr is effectually crit off by ; the rebels ; and those two commanders are in yirsLDt of provisions and reinforcements . It was belieiVed i however , tliat these Would speedily arrive . Such , in general terms , is the position in and near the Oudean capital : we now subjoin from the Bombay Times amore particular account : — : ; ^ ¦ ¦

    The enemy had : a foTmidable entfenchment thrown up and aimed with fifty pieces of caiinori , at a place called Allumbagh , a country residence of the princes of thV Princes of Oude , about three rniles froni Lucknow-, on the Cawnpore side . It is described as consisting of .. a large house , with a high wall all around , and an eaclosure of about five hundred yards square . Here began the first of a series of contests Tvlrich listed nibre than twelve hours . ; Our ineri haying - ' -captured all the guns and driven the enemy from their outwork , it was found sufficiently strong to be maintained by « a party of ' 64 th Foot , under Major Sibley , and here accordingly the sick , the wounded , arid tlie baggage were left behind . Betwixt Allumbagh and Lucknovy is an extensive plain ,

    traversed by a - \ yide canal . HavelOck , with the main body of the force , crossed this by a bxidge , which the enemy , hanging dose upon our rear , immediately desiroyed , occupying a position on the bank of the canalj so as to divide the two portions of our force from eacli other . Nearly a day was occupied by General Havelock in forcing hi * way to the llesidency through the city . The resistance was determined , and the casualties ( nearly five hundred out of a force of two thousand ) very sovere . On reaching the Keaidency , lie was still iired oa by the enemy from batteries recently thrown up , which were stormed in succession , arid carried at the point of the bayonet . Here fell the gallant General Neill—alike the hero and the idol of the army—witli

    Majors Perrin , and Lieutenants Graham , Preston , and Nunn , of her Majesty ' s 90 th . Here also fell Colonel Hamilton , Captain Hay , and Lieutenant Swanson of the 78 th , Lieutenant Haigh of the fith Fusiliers , besides Captain Shute , and Lieutenants Turner and Batcman , of the 64 th , with above thirty "wounded , many of them severely . Tho communications betwixt the tvo ' porr tjons of our force being thus completely cut off , those betwixt Allumbagh and Cawnporo were very imperfectly maintained . On the 26 th of September , severe fighting continued , and for the . next four days hoavv firing was almost incessant . By this time , ' above two mile tho

    town had fallen into our hands , and tho weakness of our force alone prevented the remainder from being secured . Haveloclc hud reached Lucknow with two thousand eight hundred men in all . Of these , nearly six hundred liad been disabled ; about as many more had been left « t Allumbagh ; so that , when , joined to . tho Residency garrison , about one thousand strong , ho had scarcely his original number , to meet a force of above fifty thousand in tho field against him ,, though with courage and management such as could bo relied upon , enough to maintain themselves iu tho Residency , and b ombiml and cannonade tho city .

    " For a time , our force was separated , Havclook , at the 3 talco Guard , being cut off from all communication with Outram . Tiioy are luckily onco move reunited . On tlie 3 rd of Octobor , a convoy of three hundred in < m of tlio

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 5, 1857, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_05121857/page/4/