INDIAN NEWS.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 75, 12 August 1843, Page 300

INDIAN NEWS.

Rate ov Freight in India. — We learn that the ships taken up for the conveyance of H. M. 41st Regiment, from Kurrachee forrEng•land, are the Wild< Irish* GM, the Margaret, the Rajasthan, and the. Neptune, and the rate at which they have been engaged averages, we understand, about £18 10s. per man. Under the most favourable circumstances, this rate win oarely give these vessels a freigfit equal : to £3 per ton ; and when it is : considered that they do not come upon demurrage" until the 20th of February, before which there is, we" hear,' little or no prospect of their being despatched, it does seem wonderful, and is a melancholy proof of the depressed/ state of the shipping interests here, that vessels cquld have been obtained at anything bordering on such a rate. — Bombay Times, January 2. . ' The Australian of the 26th of May announces the receipt of intelligence from China to the 4th of. March, a few days later than any: of our contemporaries have given here, particularly a letter from the hong merchants, to whom addressed does not appear, but the object of which seems to be to ascertain from the Chinese Government the principles upon which the foreign trade is in future to be conducted. — Colonial Times. [From the .Sydney Herald.']. • :

We are indebted to Captain Petley for the following extract from an Englishman ■Extraordinary^, giving an account of the victory gained by Sir Charles Napier over the Beloochies *•—' Englishman Office, March' 1843. < We have just received the following important news from Bombay, and we lose no time in laying it before our readers. The Indus steamer, from Kurrachee, February 21, came into harbdur early this . morning, bringing with' her accounts of one of the most severe and successful actions recorded in the annals of Indian warfare. We shall not attempt at present to, .enter minutely .into details, but content' ourselves with an abstract of the leading particulars; until we shall have had more leisure to examine the letters, of our correspondents. .As matters began to assume a decidedly warlike appearance, the Ameers requested Major Outratn to quit Hydrabad; but the resident conceiving, so long as he remained, there was still a chance left for adjusting matters, and saving effusion of blood in this most iniquitous quarrel, continued at the residency, well aware that he did so at his peril. On the lsth he was attacked in the residency by a body of 8,000 men, with six guns. The residency compound was a large one, surrounded by a low mud wall ; the guard amounted to no more than 100 men of H, M. 2d. For twenty-four hours, this little handful of gallant fellows made good their post, when, no succour reaching them, and their am? munition, originally amounting to no more than forty rounds of ball cartridge per man, running short, they retired to their boats, as quietly as if on parade; iheir casualties amounting to three killed and ten wounded. Sir Charles Napier was at this time twenty miles from Hydrabad, with a force of 2,700, consisting of H. M. 22d, the Ist Grenadiers, the 24th and 25th N. 1., and a portion of the 9th Bengal Cavalry, with' twelve guns. It was siipposed the enemy would man the Shikargurs, which lay parallel with, or across our line of march, and accordingly we resolved to have these set on fire — an operation which, in consequence of the stillness of the weather, only partially succeeded. There were traitors in our camp, through whose means the Ameers became acquainted with our intentions, and accordingly retired to a strong piece of open ground, with a dry river channel in front, and the Shikargurs on either flank of them. Here we found them with 22,000 men and fifteen guns, right across our line of march, on the Wth. A battle immediately ensued, and after four hours of as hard fighting as ever army encountered, ended in the total defeat and dispersion of 'the Beloochies. Nothing could have exceeded the coolness and gallantry of our troops — but so" unequal were the' numbers, so determined the defence, and strong the position of the^enemy, sheltered as. their infantry completely were by the banks of the rivei, that victory frequently, seemed doubtful, and was ultimately insured by the personal .intrepidity of General Napieiv The gallant veteran seemed to be present everywhere, and in the' hottest of the fire appeared to bear a charmed life. Upwards of 1,000 of the enemy were left dead on the field, amongst whom, were six of the priht&jjAkcniefs, with not fewer than 4,oO(rwdunaed. whole of their gvln% 'fifteen iri/ilumher,'were captured,' and their c'aihp'burnecL ' Of, the. Ameers/all of whom had made. ;their escape, Meer Nuseeer Khan, Hassan A'li, of Hydrabad, and Meer Roostum Khan, of \K.kyrpoor, came into the, camp and surrendered themselves prisoners of 'war, and. the gates of the cijty were given up to us. Our casualties,, we regret to say, were severe* amoupting to 254 killed an# wounded, including 18 joftreere. . The following is a partial list of the casualties.: — „ . .. <.., . 9th Bengal Cavah:y,— Brevet Captain; Cookson, killed ; Captain Tucker, wounded severely. * 22d Queen's.— Captain Pew, killed; liierit;Colonel Pennefather and Lieutenant Haedyv severely wounded; Captain Con way and Ensign PennefatHer, slightly wounded. 12th N. I.— Major Jackson, Captain Meade, and lieutenant Wood, killed ; Wajbr Wyffie, staff, wounded. • ■ .-■'-■ 25th N,; I.— Major Teaadale, killed ; - Lieutenant Thayre, severely wounded ; Lieutenant '"O: Bourdillon, slightly wounded.— Bombay Times'; Extra, Feb. 27. ; . Vanity of Dispute. — Contest not a point merely because you are in the right and another in thjß.torong. '.Qtit'olf s,uch contests spring dissension's and enmity. — Bentham.