Current:

Leader (1850-1860), 12th February 1859, Edition 1 of 2, Page 217, Untitled Article

Page 217
Page 25
25 of 32

On this page

  • Text (4)
  • Transcript

    • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

      Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

      Untitled Article

      hp a prejudice against it , as there was in the first instance against some of our best hill stations . When the ' European invalids were first sent up to Mus-< oorie ad equate barrack accommodation not being provided , but they being stowed together , they ¦ died , as one of their officers said , like rotten sheep , whilst the officers got into good health , having better Sh Since the return of Mr . Theobald to Calcutta , a most important memorial has been prepared by the Indieo Planters'Association of Bengal , in pursuance of the strong recommendations given by witnesses before Mr . Ewart ' s Colonisation Committee next vearThe memorial prays for the extension of the

      . ( urisdiction of the Supreme Court to Lower Bengal , and the introduction of the English language in courts of large cities and towns in the Mofussil . These latter courts would possess civil and criminal Jurisdiction ^ and administer English law to English citizens , native Christians , and others subject to English law , and lex loci and Mahomedan and Hindoo law to the native subjects now amenable to those codes . There is no measure so well calculated to encoiirage the introduction of Europeans , and to favour the application of their capital and industry

      for the improvement of the native population . In the hill settlements we must have English law , as we have in Canada , South Africa , and Australia . The Colonisation Committee was . reappoirited on Tuesday night in the House of Commons , on the motion of Mr , Ewart , with the full consent of the Government and the concurrence of all parties . The proceedings of . this committee are looked upon with the deepest interest in India , as they afford the basis for the future legislation and administration of India so far as English settlers are concerned .

      It will be observed that on this occasion the intercourse between India and -Thibet * China , and Central Asia is made a ' marked feature of the purposes of the committee , and thus a subject so long neglected may at length receive attention . Lieutenant-Colonel Carleton has received an extended leave for the whole of this year to Simla arid Mussoorie . \ The Rev . H . H . Pace has been appointed Acting Chaplain of Deesa and Aboo . —Mr . G . Inverarity , collector of Surat , has leave for Mahableshwur . Now that the English are getting more settled down , they are indulgingj as of old , in theatres and hounds . A pack of hounds is being hunted in the neighbourhood , even of Lucknow . .

      We regret to find that the native Punjab army consists of no less than seventy thousand men . Thus we have a new nuisance created instead of an old one , but it is one receiving the attention of the public in India and at home . Whatever may be the views of parties at home , the local Governments pf India are fully aware that they must carry out public improvements if they are to consult the welfare of their citizens and subjects . The Government of Bengal have just given directions through the Department of Public Works for particulars of the dimensions and draught of water of steamers frequenting Calcutta , so that a dock may be constructed able to take in the largest class of steamers .

      The dearth of steamers in India , which has been so prominently put forward by the public press , has led tp increased exertions , and we are happy to report progress . Twelve steamers are announced as having arrived out in India , and a now steamer for the Indus , on the American river boat plan , from Scott Russell ' s yard , has this week bad a trial trip down the Thames , and two companies are in the market here for funds to construct more steamers .

      The Oriental Inland Steam Company propose to double their capital , and tho East India Steam Navigation Company propose to raiso funds to puxchaso steamers and send out at once . The Dacca News says that at this time there is no steamer between tho groat city of Dacca and Calcutta , nor has there been for at least two years , only steamers for the conveyance of troops on two or three occasions . There is trade enough for a dozen steamers .

      The Calcutta Auction Company , limited , is at full work . Some wealthy Mahomedan merchants of tho Khoja sect have formed a company at Bombay for tho purposo of establishing a commission agency in England , with branch firms at Bombay and China . Tho capital is to bo 100 , 000 / ., hi omo hundred shares of 1000 / . each . Among tho nqw substances announced in India is ftpropavation of a well-known plant—tho Callicarpa —whioh has been found t , o givo rolief by smoking to sovere fits of asthma . It is not a narcotic , aud » fl frco from tho ovil efll-cts of etrainonium . A silvor cittrojt-oup is to bo prpscntod to Mr . JDftVld J > arkor by some of tho oiUcors of tho Madras Railway .

      Mr . VV . I ^ rdpn , tho oxooutivo engineer of tho KUowra salt mines in tho Punjab , has boon obliged to come homo for a time on account of 111 hoftlth .

      We are sorry to see that Captain A . B . Bayly , H . M . 8 th Foot , has been appointed to officiate as executive engineer in the Sealkote Division of Public Works . It is ten chances to one that Captain Bayly ever received any engineering education ; and it is . deeply to be regretted that such appointments are given to officers of the army instead of to eornpetent . eivil engineers . The railway companies have not yet been obliged to take officers out of the army , nor to employ sergeants a nd privates as subordinate assistants on public works . The Christian Vernacular Society of Madras have no less than 354 schools , with 12 , 516 pupils . The languages taught are English tp some few ; Telegoo , Canarese , Malayalim , Tamul , and Singhalese .

      As a further evidence of the Parsee intercourse with England , we learn that Professor Dadabhoy Nowrojee , late of the Elphinstone College at Bombay , is coming to England with Pestonjee Kuttonjee Colah , and Jamsetjee Pallonjee , to set up a new mercantile firm . He will also bring some lads of the Cama fainilv for education .

      Untitled Article

      INDIA . Detailed despatches , with the Bombay date of 11 th January , speak of Tantia Topee , Feroze Shah , and the Nana as being still at large , of the Begum of Oude as having attempted to render herself to mercy , and of the dissolution of the Enam Commission , as far as the Bombay Presidency is concerned . The Friend of India declares that the Commission is to be broken up . On the 17 th December , Lord Clyde arrived in the neighbourhood of Baraitcli , the head-quarters of the Begum

      and Beni Mahdoo .: On the 20 th he entered the city , and on the 21 st the Begum sent messengers to sue for terms . Her object was , however , frustrated by the rebel leaders , and the Commander-in-Chief resolved to inarch upon Vanparah . Some distance outside Vanparah , he had , on the 26 tb , a running fight with the rebels , inflicting great loss upon thein , but while riding over some broken ground his horse came down , dislocating Lord Clyde ' s shoulder and hurting his face . His Excellency has since . been carried in a dhoolie . The Nana Sahib did

      not wait to meet the Commander-iri-Chief ; he evacuated Churdali , and took refuge , in a jutigle-fort , thirty miles to the north-west . The fugitive Sepoys from Oude have been refused an asylum in Nepaul , those that ventured across the frontier haying been driven back by the forces of Jung Bahadoor . Feroze Shah's force has dwindled away to 700 cavalry , ¦ withqiit guns . The blow struck at him by Brigadier Napier at Runnede proved most fatal to his interest . His object now is to effect a junction with Tantia Topee , who is still at liberty ; we are however informed that he has met with several severe reverses . Major Roche ' s Neemuch . column had made forced marches after him ,

      and brought him to action at the pass leading from Pertaubghur , above Mundessore , to the Chumbul . Tantia , fancying he had to deal only with cavalry , entered the passage on the 24 th , and was totally surprised by Roche ' s force , whose artillery , under Captain Bolton , opened upon him at short range with considerable effect . Tantia did not attempt to resist . He fled , leaving some men and elephants in our hands , and proceeded to tho eastward . Colonel Somerset despatched Colonel Benson in pursuit . Tantia got to the Chumbul , crossed it before his pursuers , and , still running oast

      entered Zcerapore , in the territory of Holkar , one hundred miles south-east of . Neemuch , on the 2 Gth of December . Colonel Benson caught him at Zoeraporo , after a forced march , and fought another action , in which tho rebels lost more men and elephants . Still Tantia escaped and fled to the northward . On the . 1 st of January Colonel Somerset caught him at Buraocle , fifty miles north-east of Kotah . Colonel Somerset ' s strength was , however , too numerically weak to do more than disperse the rebels , and tho slippery chief caoaped into the Jeypore territory . '

      The ex-King of Delhi has been sent to Rangoon , instead of tho Cape of Good Hope . The Madras Presidency has felt a smart shock of an earthquake , which , seems to have extended from Pesimwur down to Madras . At Poona a military riot has occurred , in which the 8 Cth and Royal Artillery were the parties concerned . One nmn has been killod and six or seven wounded . A court of inquiry has boon sitting-. A roligious quarrel at Tinnevelly has torminatod disastrously . On the 22 nd December tho Brahmins of Tinnovolly commenced a riot , by endeavouring to

      provout a Christian funeral from passing along tho road in front oC their snored odiiiUjo . Throe companies of Sepoys wore called iu to restore order , and in doing so they used their lire-arms and killod thirty-nino of the pooplo . Tho imirdbror of Captain II are wus caught at Aehtoo , lu North Borar , on tho Oth Doconibor , aud blowu from a gun . Further telegraphic nows has boon reqolvccl this week from Alexandria . By a notification , dated Allahabad , tho 1 st of January , tho Punjab Is ruiaed into a separate Presidency , At Calcutta tho Oudo campaign was considered closed . A telegram from . Allahabad , dated tho

      11 th of January , reports from Gwalior that three thousand of Tantia Topee ' s force had crossed the Chumbul on their way to Jeypore . . . , '

      THE NANA SAHIB . Mr . Russell writes to the Times : — " The Nana is in the jungle fort of Cliurda , living with the Rajah of the place , eight miles north of Nanparah . To secure him is now actually the great object avowed by most people except the authorities . But he must not be startled from his lair ^ there must be no precipitate hasty move to-frighten the . cowardly , sanguinary heart of Bhitoor , till the toils are around him . And it will be difficult indeed to set them surely , for he is amid the jungles , where bis nature must be at home , and his capture will be effected probably by treachery and stratagem rather than by force . Already he is roused and away . Since I wrote the few lines above j we hear that the Nana has

      moved from Churda to the north-west , in denser jungle still . We shall see . There is 15 , 000 / . set on his person —if it were on bis dead body , Nana Sahib's head might soon be in our camp . We cannot secure the death even of the Nana by an offer for him " dead or alive . " There are , however , other means on which we may rely with more confidence—the treachery and avarice of his own friends . Already active brains are at work , and the spiders are spinning their threads . When we ¦ were at Fyzabad , the chief of police had already endeavoured to communicate with the Rajah of Churda , and was well pleased to find that the latter , as far as outward appearances went , was quite ready to betray the Nana upon certain conditions . A strong letter has ,

      at all events , been addressed to him , assuring him that if he captures the Nana he will not only receive all that ha asks , but secure the favour and rewards of the British Government . As to the means of the Rajah to seize upon the Nana we know nothing . The latter is at a remote fort in the Churda territory ; access to him on the part of our spies is all but impossible . Accounts as to his strength are different , but he is believed to have an escort of 300 or 40 O well-mounted cavalry , and two horse artillery guns . As he has never fought , it does not much matter how many men he has , but the Nana

      rides fast / and has taken care to have the best horses the country ; his escort know the passes ; in fact , there is no chance of surprising one whose every instinct is sharpened by the ever-present fear of well-deserved death ; who is on his guard night and day ; who knows every movement in our camp , and the route of every column . There is no doubt on my mind that while the Beg-um and her party are negotiating with us they and the Nana are also endeavouring to induce the Nepaulese Government to . give them an asylum . The attitude of Jung Bahadoor , as exhibited on one occasion recently , proves that he is alive to the duties of ail ally on such occasions .

      Untitled Article

      Steam Carriaqu on Common Roads . —The Mm-quis of Stafford is in pos ' session of a new kind of steam engine for running on the road . It weighs little more than a

      ton , and is capable of travelling at from fourteen to sixteen miles per hour . It runs upon three wheels , and is guided by a handle in front similar to a velocipede . It is of two-horse power , and is fitted with a seat in front capable of holding four passengers , Including the driver . The Marquis , Lord Grosvenor , Lord Blantyrc , and another , rode through Newport from Lilleshall Hall on Fridayi It appears to be somewhat unwieldy and rather noisy in its progress , and tho steam may probably be unpleasant to tho passengers , the funnel being close to their backs .

      A Sign pf the Times . —It is noticed that the number of Italian refugees in London haa considerably diminished during tho last few days . The CoALWiuprKKS . —A deputation from tho Coulwhippors' Association waited on tho Earl of Derby for tho purposo of inducing tho Govornmont to ro-onact the bill which expired in 1850 . The deputation consisted of Lord Kinnaird and several gontlomon conneotod with tho coal trade . Lord Kinnuird , in introducing tho deputation , suid that tho men wanted a " Parliamentary oflioo , " by moans of which tho omployer and employed

      might bo brought together without tho intervention Of " middlomon , " consisting of low publicans , coiftohousQkeopora , niul owners of lodging-housos , who frightfully mulotoil tho eonhvliippors on a truck systom of the in out not ' iu'ious character . He wart about to introduce a bill for tho purposy of restoring tho old system , which had workoil well aiul satisfactorily for musters aud invn , aud ho hopod tho Govornmont would givo it thoir support . Tho Enrl of Derby said the subjoot was deserving of consideration , and tho Government would givo thoir boat attention to it . He saw no objection at present to tho request of tho deputation .

      Untitled Article

      CHINA . Advices have been received from Hong Kong to the 29 th December . Lord Elgin ' s flotilla , composed of five steamers and several gunboats , had proceeded up the river beyond Nankin . The object of his expedition was considered of so much importance that the French Ambassador and tbe Chinese Commissioners had delayed their departure from Canton in order to await the result .

      Untitled Article

      # 0 . 464 yFEgRUA ^ 2 * 7

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 12, 1859, page 217, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2281/page/25/