INDIA AND THE EAST.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 355, 2 August 1875, Page 3

INDIA AND THE EAST.

[From the Argus.'] Galle, July 3. No official communication has yet been received by Governor Gregory (who closed an extra session of the Council on the Ist) of the approaching visit of the Prince of Wales, but the latest European intelligence says that the Prince will leave England in the middle of October and land at Bombay first. In that case he may come to Ceylon last—in March —which would suit well for elephant kraals and sport generally in the highlands and low country. The Prince of Wales is to be accompanied by at least one of his brothers. The installation of the new Guicowar of Baroda took place on June 16th, in the presence of a large number of sirdars and chiefs, with great ceremony. After bathing, and mixing holy water from the Ganges, Jumna, and the sea, and worshipping his family god and the national standard, he attended durbar in the robes of state, and took the oath of allegiance. He received gifts from the Rajahs of other states and subordinate chiefs, and signed grants for charitable objects, Another grand durbar was held in the evening, when Sir R. Meade and other British officers proceeded to the palace in state (the streets being lined with troops) to read a khureek or letter from the Viceroy, acknowledging and congratulating the Guicowar. Sir J. Madara Row wag then installed as Dewar or Prime Minister. On the 17th the Guicowar visited several temples, to be introduced to national gods. The procession was magnificent. The howdah of gold used was valued at £50,000. The festivities concluded with a state dinner. The chief subject of interest and discussion in India and China during the month has been with reference to the action consequent on Mr Margarey’s murder, and Sir Douglas Forsyth’s mission to the King of Burmah. The press considers that the Chinese Government is not dealing fairly about the investigation. The Hon T. E. Grosvernor. second secretary to the Legation at Pekin, and Mr E. O. Baker, formerly consul at Formosa, are the European officials selected to proceed to Yuiman to investigate, Mr Wade was supported by Admiral Ryder, in making a demand for satisfaction. < >ne of Mr Margarey’s Chinese servants is reported to have escaped to the coast. He says two attendants fought desperately before they were overpowered, but Mr Mnrgarey was cut to pieces without warning. Colonel Horace Brown, who commanded the expedition, has arrived at China, to consult Mr Wade. It was rumored on the 18th June, from Rangoon through Chinese merchants, that an army of 100,000 men was being concentrated at Mamoyue, where the massacre took place, and that large stores of grain had been collected. The visit of the Chinese or rebel general Leesetahi to the King of Burmah, who favorably received him, was connected with this movement, and is considered to implicate the King, On the 14th June a steamer with the British mission reached Mandalay, the Burman capital. Sir Douglas landed with due ceremony, and was received by a deputation of Burman officials. He was received by the King next day with full state ceremonies. The King denied all knowledge of Leesetahi’s complicity in the murder of Mr Margarey. He said he merely came as an ambassador to announce the Emperor of China’s death, and was received with appropriate ceremonv, The Rev A. G. Coplestonc, a tutor at Oxford and a young man of thirty, has been appointed Bishop of Colombo. He is the fourth living bishop—the first draws a pension from the colony of £BBO per annum; the second is chaplain-general of the army; and the third is Bishop Jermyn, lately retired from bad health. Steps are being taken in Ceylon to secure the disestablishment of religion. The Australian colonies are held to be an example of the good effect of separating the church from the state. The scandal of state supported bishops and clergymen is great in India and Ceylon, where the heathen pay the major portion of the taxes. The failure of A. Collie and Co, of Manchester, for £3,000,000, has disastrously affected the Eastern trade. The Loudon houses of Shaud and Co, J. Anderson and

Co, and J. C. Fowlie are implicated, and have brought down C. Shaud and Co, of Colombo and Madras, and one of the largest Ceylon planting firms—Duncan Anderson and Go. who had a sound and profitable local business which is now carried on by a new firm, Macgrcgor and Co. The firm of Fowlie, Richmond and Co, of Colombo, was saved by advertising out the London partner, Mr J. C. Fowlie. Sir Matu Comaraswanny, the Tamil representative in the Legislative Council, has returned from England with his English bride to Colombo. His countrymen are to giue him a grand reception. Sir Edward Creasy, chief justice of Ceylon, now on leave in England, is writing a new work on international law. The French barque Marie Louise has been wrecked during a gale in Colombo roadstead. The statistics of the planting enterprise in Ceylon, just summed up in Ferguson’s Ceylon Directory, show that there will be at the close of the present planting season in August 250,000 acres cultivated with coffee, about 3000 acres with cinchona plants, and about 1100 acres with tea, which promises to be quite as successfully cultivated as coffee. The editor of the Ceylon Times (Mr A. Allardyce) has had to answer for contempt of the judges of the Supreme Court, in an article reflecting on a judgment. An ample apology was made and accepted. On appeal, the libel case of Moss v Ferguson, editor of the Ceylon Observer, was more favorably dealt with for the defendant than by the district judge—a simple apology and £lO to the poor being substituted for the humiliating judgment of the lower court. Fault is found in criticising the last report of the Peninsula and Oriental Company that more Eastern coal is not used by the company. The servants of the company are generally very indignant at the reduction of salaries proclaimed by the directors, and some severe letters have appeared in the Indian press on the subject. The feeling is that the prestige for good management and safety of the Peninsula and Oriental ships is more dependent on the high character of the officers than anything else, and disaffection and changes among them will tend greatly to injure the position of the company. Much interest is felt in India about the result of Mr Macleay’s expedition to New Guinea. It is rumoured that the Duke of Buckingham comes to Madras merely to prepare to succeed Lord Northbrook as Viceroy, and that he will be succeeded as Governor of Madras by Lord George Hamilton, at present Under-Secretary of State for India. The Duke of Buckingham is likely ts appoint a Bengal civilian now on leave to be his private secretary. A gold currency for India is again urged by the press. The Sassoon Dock, Bombay, the first wet dock in India, has been successfully opened, and the s.s. Carradoe, of 900 tons, docked. Cotton-spinning mills at Bombay are proving a success. It is estimated that 85,000 looms in England are employed on account of India, and now as many as 8,000 looms run in India. The expenditure on reproductive works in India is to be reduced from four and a half to four million pounds per annum. 1865 miles of State railway are to be constructed in India during the next five years; 720 on the broad gauge, and 1145 on the narrow. Australian trees have succeeded so well in the Neilgherry hills, South India, that at Ootacamund they are deemed a nuisance. Mias Seely, M.D., of the American mission to North India, died of typhoid fever, greatly regretted for her valuable services. The Bishop of Bombay has finally retired to England. His life is despaired of. Sir Andrew Clarke, director of public works, has taken his seat as a member of the Viceroy’s Council. It is rumoured that Colonel Phayro is to succeed General Schneider as Government Resident at Aden. Dr Wright, surgeon to the Governor of Madras, died on the 24th of June. The natives of the North-west propose raising two lacs of rupees (£20,000) to get up a provincial testimonial to the Prince of Wales. Mr Finn, assistant commissioner, has killed Ruudhir Sing and the whole gang of dacoits who were responsible for the death of Colonel Hamilton in Burmah, with the loss of one constable only. Bombay, June 23. The Bombay papers state that the King of Burmah has explained his reception of the Chinese General Leesetahi, and has executed a formal agreement guaranteeing the independence of Western Karennee. Rangoon, June 24. The King has agreed to the independence of the Karennee Territory; also, in the event of a Chinese war, to aid the British troops in passing through his country. The King of Burmah has granted permission for the passage of British troops through his dominions at any time. It is not known definHely, but it is believed the mission appeared without boots on a carpet before the King at the first audience. The full result of the mission is unknown here. June 25. A telegram received by a European merchant here says that a rebellion has broken out in Mandalay, and that great anxiety prevails there. Sir Douglas Forsyth was to leave to-day. The position of the Chinese troops at Formosa is not improving. The Chinese Government has appropriated 40,000 taels for the expense of sending goods to the Philadelphia Exposition. The Hankow tea market has opened. Seven steamers left for London between the 31st May and 10th June, one for Odessa, and one for the Baltic. The pioneer steamer of the Occidental and Oriental Steam Navigation Company has arrived at Hong Kong. She is highly spoken of. She has accommodation for 150 first-class, 1300 steerage passengers, and 4000 tons cargo. The Japanese and French are likely to come to blows. The Russian annexation of Saghalien is viewed with suspicion. It is supposed to mean alliance with Japan against China. A detachment of Japanese troops has been sent to Foo-Chow. An American professor is teaching Japanese youths the principles of conference and mercantile law by order of the Government.

The Imperial corvette, with thirty-eight cadets, is circumnavigating the island on a tcur of instruction. Two Gorean officials have been beheaded for interference with the Japanese ambassador.

Race lotteries are being suppressed in Yokohama. The Challenger is navigating the inland sea of Japan for scientific purposes. A formidable attack on the Dutch positions in Acheen is threatened by the natives. Sir W. Jcrvoise is likely to follow Sir A. Clarke’s policy as Governor of the Straits. Hong Kong, June 27. A. Chinese gunboat has fired upon and seized the British steamer Garisbrooke off the coast of Jxawau, the vessel being suspected to be engaged in smuggling. June 25. It is reported that the steamer Carisbrook, seized on suspicion of smuggling, has been released, security being given for 240,000d01, the value of the cargo, pending reference to Pekin. June 21. The American Consul and his wife have been insulted by soldiers at Chinkyang. A disturbance followed, but it was subsequently quieted. Consuls Me''hurst and Seward have proceeded to Chinkyang.