NEWS FROM INDIA. THE PUNJAUB.
[From the Eastern Star, May 27.] Tan intelligence received from beyond the Sutlej since our last iaiue is of mingled character, hut unmingled inteiest. The contemplated rising at Lahore lias been put down by an exhibition of prompt vigour and moral daringi bul the disclosures which the enquiries of the Resident elicited are very painful. It would appear to some members of the Press from the general features of the several communications published by the papers, that the whole affair has been a concocted and a premeditated one. Thus it is said'that for months before Messrs, Agnew and Anderson went to Mooltan, Dewan Moolraj bad been levying forces agiiatt a struggle and raising recruits in his Trans-Indus districts among the Belooches. It is further believed to have been plotted, that our unfortunate officers were not to have been murdered but imprisoned. This it was expected would have occasioned a British advance upon Mooltan, leaving the capital comparatively, denuded of martial protection, when the intended insurrection was to have taken effect. The truth of this hypothesii, supposing it to have been patent to Si r Fiedeiick Currie, would have some influence in sofien* ing the criticism upon hit apparent vaci.lation. But we have no demonstrative evidence as yet of that truth, though the elabora'ion of the hypothesis may tender it plausible. The object of the Lahore conspiracy appears to have been a massacre ol the force in La* hore, and was no wise dependant on the proceedings at Mooltan. It was not concocted, a* far as we can see, by those in the confidence of the Durbar Sirdais, but by Khan Singh— not he now at Mooltan, but a namesake, formerly colonel of artillery— and by Gunga Ram, once the agent of the Ranee. These parties, with others probably not known to the politicals, proceeded on the principal of corrupting our tepoys, and we regret to say, tUey have been propo'tionately more successful, while the power of the Pnnjaubis crushed, than when the battalions of the Khalsa loomed across the Sutlej at Ferczepore. Then the prospect of safety and high pay, failed except in a few instances to seduce the nitive soldier into desertion : now we have not les» than t*eniy-two identified as having received the wages of treason, and meditated fulfilment of their pact. One regiment, the 5-th N. 1., it is reported, is Bdded to tha black list of the Bengal army, and ordered, in nislioiour, lo Barrackpore. It seems the numberlesi faqueers, with whom Lahore abounds, were put into requisition by the conspirators; their seat near the gdUs and vauous guardhouses enabled them to study the character of the soldiers accuiately, and to inveigle such as wjie most liki'ly to be accessible to their influence. Sir Fredeiick Currio was accordingly de irous of bayir.g these saintly rasclei expelled the city en masse, bin allowed himself to be persuaded by Deenanath, who urged that the resu't of ho sweeping a measure would infallibly be a turn-out of the whole city in arms. The plot had b«n simmering for a comparatively long time, as we may well imagine from the amount of defection. The traitors u*ed to meet at times and seasons, and learn as much of the plan as suited their directors, to let them know ; when it was suspected by a Ressalader of Wheler's Irregulars that mischief was brrwing. lie accordingly threw himself in the way of corruption, became an apparent accomplice and then an infoimrr. On thoroughly mattering the scheme of the conspirators, though he waa unable to trace the ramification of the plot, he laid his disclosure! befoie Colonel Wilder, and that officer announced them to the Resident. Sir Fiederick it said to have poohpoohed the tale at first, but the confidence of Colonel Wheler iv his sabnltern compelled inquiry, and it wai just in tme to prevent the explosion. Lieuenont Lunsden and his compmy of guides were put upon the track of the principal men known to be concerned, and^they were seized at one ot their nocturnal meeting, flagrant e dehcto, on Sunday, the {Kb. May. The nexc day the evidence was put into order ; on Tuesday, a formal trial was entered upon by the Duibar; conviction and a capital sentence followed ; and on Thursday morning, Khan Singh and Gunga Ram swung to the breeze on a scaffold at the Delhi gate of the city. The third principal lost heart at the foot of tl c gallows, and offered to turn a;-pr jvor in return fur his life. The two others regretted only that they bad not been spared in this life for two days longer that they might have witnessed the successful fruition of their scheme. Ihe approver (Golauba) was Enbsequentiy made to march in chains along the ranks of each regiment, paraded for the purpose, and point out those whom he knew to have been accessible to his temptations. In one case, sspoyu whj telt what w,n coming, actually got out of their places and slipppd away unperceived, which was taken to imply the collusion of their neighbours. Som« men, who were pointed out, were then arrested, and the guard put over them ordered to load with ball. The fellows imagining that they were to be summarily disputed of, resolved to make a bold attempt for their lives, and accordingly, scampered off with the celerity men under the circumstance might be expected to shew. As it happened, there were only two officers mounted at the time, and these were obliged to litle the fugitives down to recapture them. Tin inquiry into these defections was going on, when the last accounts left Lahore. The scheme of the conspirators appears to hare been very complicated ; the men khansama of one regiment was b ribed to poison all the officers on the night agreed upon for the using. The sepoys on guard at two of the gates were tJ allow a large body of Sikhs to enter, makiog a semblance of resistance by firing blank cartridge at them. Tbpse then aided by th'ii c infede ates were to massacre all the Europeans. Masters of out gaiis aud ammunition, it was intended in the last place to sound the tocsin of revolt which they anticipated atter such distinguished success would have been universally responded to. W.lh this glaring instance of treason in Lahorp, which muit have been under private inquiry at the time of countermanding the advance on Mooltan, many will probably think Sir Frederick perfectly justified in that measure, but before we can rescind our fanner >e;dict, we must have evidence of the ac-
tual importance of the municipal conspiracy ond the incompatibility of crushing it with cne hand while launching the avenging bolt at Moolraj with the oth-r. The prompt example made ol Khan Sangh and Gunga Ram was excellent, and no doubt will be excellent in its cft'ece. The native offireis and men who aided in detecting the conspiracy have been publicly rewarded But while these measures weie sufficient to overawe domestic traitors we see no reason that the Ferozepore foice replacing the Lahore column at the capital, the Iftttei could not have been moved forward towards Mooltan. It appearo that there w«s no lack of material in the neighbourhood of the rebel to assist in his subjugation. Our ally the Nowab of Bahavvulpore was on one flank merely awaiting orders from Lahore; on the other Lieutenant Edwards, who bad with very praiseworthy lapdity pushed into the Scinde Sagur Doab and to the iirntier of Moollan, when the certainty of Agnew'g death made him likewse pause for lurthcr orders. The story about hit troops having abandoned him, and compelled him to " absquotilate" or Lahore turns out to be a pure fabrication ; a few men had absconded, but their places were amply supplied by Mahomedan recruits crowded to the standard of Lieutenant Edwaides, when it was known that woldiers were wtnted — On the oih^y hand, every succeeding post, as the fu;,ut attendant upon a first exp'osion wears off, diminishes the formidable character assigned to Muolrnj's army, the army of 50,000 men has dwindled down to 5000 ; the large park of artillery to-a lianted number of unservicable pieces. Against such an anay, the rapid and instant march as the Lihore flying co.umn, aided by the neighbourhood of the troop* we liuve alluded to above, must have been attended by complete success, and crushed in its cradle tlu outbreak which has now permission to swell into a respectable revolt. la place of a little vigour at thu outset, vre are to have magnificent prospects for the cold season An •' Army of Mooltan 1 ' is on paper in the bureaux ; the Coun-mander-iu-Chief is to take the field. Nina royal regiment* (tix of infantry and three of cavalry) sixteen corpi ef native infantry, nine of native cavalry, regular and irregular, two light field batteries, and six troops of horse artillery, with a large teige train, are to constitute the retributive body. As the policy of delay seems to be decided upon, we shall wait to see what another week may furnish to illustrate its wisdom. While going to Press, we received the following Mo/ussilite Extra :— May 17.— 1t has been ascertained that the Ranee was at the bot'om of all the vile plots for buying over our Sepahis— -and for murdering the FeiingbcLS bodily, it was considered a •' politic move" to take care of hur —as she was becoming dangerous and annoying. That this end might be obt»ined with secrecy, and without danger, Lunsdenand Hodgson, with the formers horsemen, started on tho night of the 14th for the Shaikapoorah, which place they reached early on the morning of the 15th ; Noor-o«dcen accompanied them. They told the Ranee that they had come t ;> escourt her away, and she fancied that her destination was Lahore. At 4 p.m. threp gentlemen escouited her away to the banks of the Rnvee, where a Ressalih of Wheler's horse was in waiting to bring her to Kunnerkutcb, which is the first march on the Ferozenpore load. At that pi cc she arrived in a dooly, on the morning of the 16th, and was then quietly informed that she was to go across the Su'ledge. She pretended to he most grateful to the Sahibs for their incessant kind less to her. On the Ifith (evening) a party of the 50th N.I, with four officeis and a Ressalah ofWbeler's hon>e started ior Kunnerkulch uniier pretence of fetching Treasure ! ! ! Thus the real object of the move was not divulged. They arrived at Kunneikutch at 10 p.m. that Bight, and on the following morning the good woman found hirself with her gallant escoit in a Biitish Camp. * * * bhe then staited at 6 p.m. on the 16th for Ferozepore m a carriage and four, accompanied by Lurudeu and iNoor-o-deen — the latter ot whom is to take her to Meerut, but does not half like being near so capricious a lady. Mr. Cox ol the 70th is to take charge of her L am told. Her final destination is the holy city ofj Cashi. So you see it was beautifully managed without noise or trouble. Scarcely a soul was aware of this save the principal agents. So Muff', look out for the royal he* rome, and pray make a pietty eaalara to her. Here is something which will interest you probably. Tho wife ot the late General Kban Singh, hanged for treachery, &c, asked the authorities for his armlet as a family relic. Tl.is wus allowed, and in front of the gallows she opened a spring in it, took out a bit of paper, tore it up, and swallowed the contents, ex,:laimin<; —'Ah you, would have given half the woi Id to have seen that' !1 ! ! ! ! Solve that, the Funjaub mysteiies ' Our Jacks, save about dozen or so, w> j re impregaable—and not to be biibed — so the plot was a farce. A vague rpportof violence having been committed on the persons of the Kote Kuhgra. Officers is in circulation here to-day, * * * * Every day somehing new turns up. How will it all end ? I fear that somebody has a good deal to answer for all this! Who— heaven knows, Te|a Singh i; repo>teil tube implicated— a* if the whole. Durbar was, not ! ! The following is an extract of a letter from Lahore : — « f \Ve were parked off 60 suddenly at 12 o'clock at night, on the 11th instant, that I had not time to write and 1 11 you of my move. We marched out with 40 rounds of ball ammunition in pouch, and the re* maining 1 6 J on camels ; it was expected we should have to fight our way to Umntsir, and thus all tho way immediately after crossing tl c River Beas at Bhyrowul; but all passed off quietly, "We have the 37th. N. 1., and 14th Irregular Cavalry, and a troop ot Horse artillery with us. The conspiratois having been discovered and hanged, is the cause, I conclude, of ibis happy change in affairs. Khan biiig, the Genpial of Aitulery, who fought against us at Subnon, Ins been tianged, with Guuga Rani, the Kanee's muonshee, who emiressed his deep regret at the gillowi that he had not been allowed to live to tee the Fetinghces massacred. The *th id who was to have been hanged at the t me, turned Qu en's cvi c me. Kuan Sing said to him, • whatever you do, don't tell where the papers and letters ai c concealed ,-' he did tell, however, and they are all in our possession now. 1 hear some of tho. Durbar have been detected to have been connected with the conspiracy, among them is Tej Singh. — Goolab Sing in Cushuieie is also concerned in the plot ; one of the bastions of the fon w.u, found to have been filled with an enormous quontilyo!" gunpowdei, I don't know how much, but sufficient to blow tli<* whole city to atoms; it vus estimated, to ue upunrds of 200,'H0 maunda ; it is this d>iy bnng det>tioycd by water ; the durb.ir is said to lu've piayed hnid to save it; from all accoun's sui h a hot-b^d ol = di>ion iu'vcr existed before. No ceilniity of our movements ; we v*e c encamped until yesterday in a vile hot place on the hanks of the Kuvec. Lahore is a dirty plap" ; 1 only hope I may escape sickntss, as ieve' and sroall-|)OX aie veiy prevalent. You have, of cuiiise, seen ail accounts in the new-p-ip rs, and Id i c •> ty j ;ii know more llun I do, though I urn on tin sp<>', for the poll \za\s are very shy ot letiim, Ui \ iq-i an* tlm <> that happens. * * * ' Tnc »uuMer o' Use Wu
offiiCK; at Mnoltnn \\,is planned here, the idea of the coivsiiiatois nan that we should immediately Rpnd off a lame p/irt of the forcv at Lahore, and ihusntVonl tho dfpiied o|>! orlnnity to thousands ol the disaffected to ruth in and put an end to tlie remaining Feringhccs. The R-inec has bren walked off towards Benares ; the country throughout >s in a very disaffected state, the men hat* us and our rule ; there i* a lai^e force here now, I believe 12 000 mm nnd very extenMve movements Roing on fiom the Piovinces. 1 ' — Englishman, June 5.
Lahore, May 13.— " Lnst night Mr. Cocks, through 111? a ; d of the reprieved men, seized nnotliT of the roimpiratois. Everything is coming out, and you will open your eye* ps I £<> nlontj. " If no one e!*e has f-ivored \ou, I wi'l first tell you liow we were to h.ivp been bu'ihered. The attack was to have been nt the Delhi Gale. On <he ni?ht of the 18th a p?rty of men weie to hove been admitted by •some of our discontented Sepoys on duty pfc that Gate ; Ihe Sepoys were to hnve fnetlblnnk cartridge, ihrowinp: away their hulled ammunition ; the party Rdrr.it'ed were to have been joined by some 20 or 30,000 mm inside— when they would hnve gommenced operations nil round down to tlie Jmmi'ep and Buttee Gates, which were not to have been opened, but bavc remained fchut, for the purpose, us they said, of prexen tin* our escape. Tim was their arrangement. Now, if you pet a plan of this city (Smith has one in the history of the Sciks) I will just show you what a foolish one it was. The Delhi gate is about half a mi'e from the Tnulsu'ee Gate, one Europenn and tiro* 'Native Regiments on one side— and two Native Regiments on the other side. Now, say they sot admitted, and the Sepojs commenced firing with blank eartiidgei as agreed upon— do they siipM>'C these Rc?iirenU would have been idle all this time. > Depend upon it at the very fiist shot every man would have been at his post, and' nil rra'ly-long befoie they could have got over 100 yards (if ihnt, for they would havo to cut up the 18th Rigiment fi st) of the halt mile, and by the nio<-ning, instead of being assailants, they would have been assailed fioni every point. I gave the fellowi more credit. Now, if they had waited till the force from Moolt.in enroe — ond nsMiilcd us nt every point, insido and out, at the siime time, we should have had haul work. Geneial Khan Sing did not show moeb judgment. Now for the discovery— which will startle you. A RusscWar of Major Wheeler's, or 7th Irregular Cavalry, bad been suspicious for some time that something wa3 brewing, and immediately mixed^vvith the town's peop'e. He got scent of the plot, and engaged himself as a conspirator- When he had fully ascertained all I heir plan?, he lost not u momentum leUUijz his own Commanding Officer, who instantly informed the Rpsidetit. But would you believe it, he spumed the ii'ea, and told Major Wheeler that this man must have been made a fool of. Fortunately, Wheeler Ucw the nat-ve character better than Sir Frederick did, and that bis man was to be trusted, and so persuaded Sir Fiederiek to institute a search, when Io anil behold every thinj> turned out as represented by ihe Pusseldur. Sir Frederick, quite oghnst, exclaimed, as most penr-le do, when outwitted, " who would have thought it ?" Now for tbc Sepoys, lam sorry to say —the report h that neatly all the Native Regiment! stationed are more or less implicated ; but a few days tvill show the extent of it. I don't place much credit in the leport given, ai it is, by a man with a halter round his neck. At all eventa it should be taken cautiously. Thrtt there ate bad characters in every regiment is certain, but that one man f.oro every regiment should attend the meeting every evening, and represent himself as the representative of his regiment, is absurd. No doubt one or two dits >late or inexperienced boyi, will be found in the force here, that have attendfd the meetings— and if it can be proved that they have showed any infidelity— hong them up at once without any Couit Maitial— as an example. The report is the 50th Regiment waa under arms lust evening when the Brigadiers, with the politicals and reprieved men, were in attendance for the purpose of pointing out the individuals said to be concerned m this conspiracy Two men were hit upon, and two others concerned made their escape. The. 18th were out this manning, but I have not heard the result. '• The Moonshee. hanged in company with General Khan Sing, was employed by the Ranee. The part she hat taken in this business is advancing the money. Some iay upwards of two lakhs of rupeei have been H\ih\med."—MoffusBulitc.
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New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 248, 14 October 1848, Page 3
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3,292NEWS FROM INDIA. THE PUNJAUB. New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 248, 14 October 1848, Page 3
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