English and Foreign

Lyttelton Times, Volume XIII, Issue 752, 21 January 1860, Page 3

English and Foreign

INDIA.

T>v (lie completion of our Indian files wo are now : ■^session of papers to the 18th of October, i strong opposition hns been given to the Bill 0" T icpnsin"l Trades and Professions. From the SombW Standard,' of.tho 12th of October, we 1 , fh-it meetings have been held to opposo it at fi utta, Madras, and Bombay. The latter took C|'ro on' Monday evening, presided over by YV. B. \ •■■Mm Ksq. {Remington &■ Co.) and was a great , ess ' Tlio attendance was large, about a thouS! lCVaiid tho opposition to tho bill strong and S1H< 'mous. No fewer than soven resolutions were "IUUII,i involving fourteen speeches, but the euthu- ' win did not seem to flag. Two native gentlemen, Dr. Bhan Daji, a Hindoo lioiil practitioner, and Byrahvjee Hormusjeo W^ X < Esq., a Parsee merchant, took part in this Cal"l|' r " jj' u t the movement on the part of the r-e "community* has been conducted indepenT! tlv under tho auspices of the Bombay Associa.l ' "fi\ V o large meetings have been held, one on ti 0"ofi, md a second on Sunday, the 9th. At the ? e allL the leading Hindoo, Parsee, and Maiormei, (rent j emeil ass embled, the proceedings K\»ndiicted in the Gejerati language. A comttcc was appointed to prepare a report, to be lUbmitted to a future meeting. The meeting Sunday was called by Dr. Bhan Daji, whose invitation was responded to by some 800 native gentlemen, chiefly Hindoos. A memorial to Parliament was agreed upon, and goes home we believe by this mail. A Paisee gentlemen, Mr. Eduljee Nussenvanjee, who seconded the adoption of the memorial, was very complimentary toward those members of the House of Commons who speak on Indian topics. -..,., n .i. i On the whole, the opposition to the bill has been so hearty throughout India, that it is possibleits ni«m<» may be postponed until Mr. Wilson shall have the opportunity of giving his opinion on it. The Rebels.—Rao Ram Buksh, talookdar of Doondeah Khera, has been found guilty, and sentenced to be hanged. He is one of the many who treacherously betrayed unfortunate fugitives during the rebellion. Those from Cawnpore, who sought shelter upon his estate, were barbarously murdered by this monster, whose name will not be forgotten for a^es. We have not heard of his actual execution/but think it is hardly likely that even Lord Canning will pardon him. Kajah Jyelall Singh was also found guilty of abetting the murder of Miss Jackson, Mrs. Green, and others. He was convicted on the clearest and most conclusive evidence; hosts of witnesses deposed not only to his havin°" been the primary mover in the massacre of our countrymen and countrywomen, but also to his liavm°- stood by and witnessed,, if not: actually supermtended, the brutal proceedings. It is entirely owing to the persevering exertions of Colonel Bruce "that the miscreant has not only been brought to trial, but his trial brought to so successful an issue. He initiated the proceedings, and he alone was in a position, and perhaps he alone had the sagacity, to collect witnesses from all parts of the country, as in conducting the preliminary investigations, their'names transpired, and the natui'e of the evidence they were capable of giving became ■ apparent* The execution was to take place at Lucknow on the Ist instant, at sunrise, on the spot where his victims were murdered. A small monument marks it. It will be a relief when we hear that the hangman has not been disappointed in disposing of these two fiends. The case of Jylelall has excited as much interest in. Oude as did that of the Nawab of Furruckabad.

The Nana is still, it is said, on the north bank of the Raptee, where its course from the hills flows, westward. His followers, who have no money or supplies, plunder the inhabitants of the Deoklrur valley.

A correspondent of the' Lueknow Herald' writes from the frontier, more specifically—" The Nana is now at Deoghuiy and the Begum one march beyond it. It is reported the Ranee of Lahore-is in camp. The Begum has 200 rebel sepoys, and; the."Nana 500, with one howitzer. He has also a small body of cavalry numbering 150 sabres, 40 elephants, 40 camels, and 12 palkees, in which his and Bala Rao's families are conveyed. He has just made arrangements for the issue of three quarters of a seer of coarse rice and one chittack of dbol. lam told that a brigade of Gborkas from Khatmandhoo have arrived at. Dhang, with a view to drive the insurgents from the hills: The rebels frequently cross the border and plunder the inhabitants of Inrwah Koosaha, where there is a company of sepoys belonging, to one of the talookdars." Jung Bahadoor has at'last, it is positively affirmed, ordered the Nana, Muramoo Khan, Beni Madho, and the rest of the principal rebels, to quit the Nepaul territories, under pain of being forcibly ejected by his troops. This will' be service equivalent to the value of the tract of country which it is in the contemplation of ' Government to' make over to Nepaul. ■

Mummoo Khan remains in the Dhangvalle}', and refuses to return to the Begum's camp, although his enemies have been pacified, and the sepoys have promised not to molest him. There has been a report, not yet confirmed, of his death. The principal rebels have each been reported dead, about a dozen times. The Begum's camp is said to be well supplied. The Nepalese, it is supposed under orders from Khatmandhoo, furnish everything in the greatest profusion,, and are well rewarded. Of this woman the ' Oudh Gazette,' a new journal, gives the following curious account, translated from an Oordoo volume now passing through ,a native press. It ig averted to be strictly true. " Her original name was Ameerun. Her father's name was Islam Koolee, and that of her mother Joomia. They were slaves in the House of one Tajummul, Hoossein Khan. Shehad also a brother who was blind, and who lived by begging in the Bti'eets. Her parents died when1 she was' about, fourteen years old. Her master, about the same time.was stricken with poverty; and, as it was the practice in those days for those who had pretty girls to dispose of, he resorted to one Awuz Alee, 'Burdha Perosh' (slave dealer), and offered the youthful Ameer urn for the market. Awuz Alee had heard of the beauty of the girl, so promised to do his best with her for Tajummul Hoossein.Khan. Next day, or the day after, Awuz; Alee repaired to the Palace and sought an interview with Choto Khan,' Dharee' (Fiddler) alias Atiesooddowlah Bahadoor—the title Bonferred on him by the King, Wajeed Allee Shah. The business was at once settled. -The girl was ordered to be brought immediately to the Harem. The Burdha Ferosh returned delighted to Tajiunttiul Hoossein Khan, whose joy was unbounded "when he was assured that he was to receive 500' rupees for his beautiful slave, the purchaser being no other than the highest personage in the land. The unconscious Ameerun was accordingly put through a rigid course of cleansing; clean clothes were put on her, her,hands and feet were dyed with myrtle, her hair was plaited into-a large 'Chotee,' intertwined with green and red cloth, as is the custom among the women of the higher classes in Oudh, and besprinkled with scents, she was conveyed to the Palace in a doolee. Suffice it to say, that Wajeed Alle Shah, who was never particular to a fault, approved of his bargain, allotted her apartments in the Harem, and placed-her under the tuition of Aneesoodowlah, Moosahiboodowlah, respectively music and dancing masters. She was noUong in finishing her education; in singing especially, she soon excelled; her royal master.took $, desperate liking to her, ennobled her by the title of Huzrut Mehalj-aaarri^is.her. according to::the

■ceremonial' rites"of tho'Moolah,'"fixed 'on her a mouthly allowance of n thousand rupees, enrolled her on the list of tUo Royal Household, and removed her into tho beautiful building in the Kaisur •Bhang, known as tho Isle MuuziJ, or ' House of Love." ' Sho, now-acquired the soubriquet of.the 'dark fairy,' from hor short and slender figure, dark eomploxioii, and remarkably sylph-liko habits. This was just twelve years ago. Huzrut Mchal chose her own attendants, and, amongst otliers, appointed the famous Mummoo Khan a Darogah, or Superintendent of her establishment. At that time ho ■ was only a common • Nujjob, one of tho •guard stationed at the gate of her Melial. In due course, the .Begum hud issue—the present Birjjoesh Kuddcr. After •tins very littlo was known or said about her; and evidently the king's attachment for her had died away, seeing that amongst so many other Begums whom he had taken away with him to Calcutta, and had from time to time sent for from this, he never once thought of his once favorite Huzrut Melial. Finding herself neglected by her Eoyal husband, and her son almost totally unrecognised by the British authorities, we can hardly wonder that, when an opportunity offered for manifesting her well founded discontent, she was not slow in taking advantage of it. And we all know that woman's hate is on a par with woman's love."

Sham Shah, a Rewah Sirdar who rebelled in 1857, and who wrote to Eunmust Singh requesting him to kill the railway engineers at Pindera, was killed on the 17th September by a party of the Eewah Eajah's troops.—The trial of Eaheem Ali,for the murder of Major Waterfield, is progressing.—Shahzadah Mahomed Shah, one of the sons of the ex-King of Delhi, and Yacoob Mahomed Khan, have been arrested in Central India and sent to Moulmain, where they are to live under surveillance, the Shazadah to be allowed one hundred and six rupees a month. The former tahsildar of Narip'ara has been apprehended and brought into Baraitch, where lie is kept in close confinement. It is said that he has to account for some 20 or 22,000 Es. which were in his tahsilli when the mutiny broke out. Of Feroze Shah we have no precise news. It is said that when, he joined Tantia Topee a faquir gave him a cap and staff, and told him he should be king of all India. He has'lost his insignia, but in his lonely jungle wanderings is said still to pray for the fulfilment of the prophecy. There is to be a petty campaign in Bundlecund this cold season, conducted by Brigadier Wheeler. These rebels are very paltry, but troublesome, and have now- been joined by feroze Shah, and about 400 mutineers who crossed the Dussaun after having been attacked by Colonel Mott, as narrated in our last summary. Bundlecund being almost all jungle, and the principal resorts of the rebels being hill as well as jungle, it may be a difficult matter to punish them.

The Jhansi jewels have been sold, realising nearly nineteen thousand pounds sterling—Rupees 1,870,964. Two necklaces, ornamented with emeralds, and two wristlets set with diamonds, were purchased by Lord Elphinstone as a present to her Majesty the Queen. They were by far the most valuable of all, and were rated at the sum of Es. 34,000.

Concerning the expedition sent against Beyt, the ' Bombay Standard' says:—

H. M.'s steam frigate Zenobia, J. Tronson, commander, arrived in Bombay yesterday morning, bringing news of the successful result of the operations of the force sent against the Waghurs. The fort and island of Beyt were taken on the 7th instant. Our loss was two officers killed, two officers wounded, thirteen men of the 28th regiment killed, and thirty-three wounded; nine men of the 6th N.I. killed and twelve wounded. The names of the officers killed were—Lieutenant M'Cormick, 28th foot, and Ensign 0 Willaue, 6th JNU. The force arrived off Beyt on the 3rd instant. On the morning of the 4th two boats; armed^ from:if! Mi's steamer Feroze, two from H.M.s steamer Zenobia, arid one boat from H. M.'s steamer Victoria, the whole under the command of Lieutenant Chitty, 1.N., were sent to cut off the boats belonging to the enemy. On the sth, the Feroze, Zenobia, Victoria, Clyde and Constance, opened fire on the fort, which was continued all day* On the 6th the troops landed under cover of the guns of the fleet, at 2 p.m. The enemy made a stout resistance, when sixty to eighty of our men were killed or wounded. The Zenobia has brought the following wounded officers and men: —Captain- Glasspole, Lieutenant Grant, thirty-three men of H. M.'s 28th Regiment, ten men of the 6th N. 1., and two men of the Marine Battalion. •