INDIA.—TERMINATION OF THE SIKH WAR.

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 332, 24 July 1849, Page 3

INDIA.— TERMINATION OF THE SIKH WAR.

The signal success of our troops in India, which we briefly narrated in the Leading Summary in our last, is thus announced in the Official Despatches :— Foreign Department, Fort William, Mai oh 2G, IS^9. The President of the Council of In<lia in Courcil is pleased to direct the publication of the following general order of the Right Ilonoumhlo the GovernorGeneral, issued at his Lordbhip's Head-Quarters, together with the despatches reinvpd to theieni from his Excellency the Commander-in-Chief and from MajorGenet al Gilbert, announcing the surrender of the lemains of the Sikh army. A salute of twenty-one guns has been ordered to be fired fiom the rampaits of Fort "William, iv honour of the important event thus notified. By order of the Piesident of the Council of Indiu in Council, Frp.d. Jab. Halmday, Officiating Secietary to theGovt. of India.

Gkneral Order. By the Right Honourable the Governor- General of India. Foreign Depjrtment, Camp Forozepore, 17tli March, 1849. TV. Governor-Gcneml has the utmost satisfaction in directing that the Denpatrhes, which he has this day received from his IStcelleiicy the Commander inChief, and from Mij ir General Sir Walter Gilbert, X.C.8., he published toi the infoi m«uon oi the Army, and of the people of India. The Biitish subjects, who were prisoners in the hands of the enemy, have all returned in tafety. On the 14th instant, Sirdar Chuttur Singh, Rajah Sin re Singh, and the principal Sikh Sirdars and Cinels, deltvered their b words into the hands of Major-GeueiMl

Sir Wdlu r Gilbert Forty-one pieefs of artillery were at the same ti-ne <uinvndc ed ; and the remains of the Sikh arm}, to t!>c number of 1(5,000 men, laid down tlui aims iv tliu picscnce o tlie British troops. The Govei u«i-(» n<- al off rs to Ins Excellency the Com«n.inilcr-iri'Chief, to RLij >r-Geneuil Gilbert, and lo the whole ar:»y, htb heartfelt rongiMtul.itionson this gloiiom result of the hat tie of G mjerut, and the opei.itions j.u'is((|iieiU to it, mj ailmiruhly con'luctt'd by tlie Majoi-Gerurul i" fulfilment of his Excellency's luotnirtion 1 !. llvit. the war i« n r .t coaclutled mr can there be nny crs3ation of hostilities until Dost Mahomed Khun iind the AH'^ban army arc either dtiren from the province of Pt-shawur, or destroyed within jr. The British army has already resumed the march upon Attoi k, and the Governor-General confidently hopes thit the entire succeis wbic'i, with God's blessing, will attend it, may enable him soon to announce the restoratii.ii of peace. The (Jinemor-Goneial diipoti that in hoi Tour of Ihf iropoilant events, which havj now been notified, a salute of twenty-one cuns he fired from every i*riucinal statnn ol the army in India. By Older «f the Uii»ht Honourable the GovernorCenetal of India. 11. M. Elliot, Scrr°t.iry to the G •veintnent of India, with the Goveni'ir-Gsnera).

Fiom the Right Honourable t!i3 Conimnnder-J.i-Chief, to the ftiKht Honourable the Governor-General of India, &c, &.c , &c. Head Quarters, Camp Knllalla, J6ih March, 184!). My Lprrt,— l have the grea'est gratification in reporting to your Loriship the further happy results of the decisive victory obtained at Gooj^rat on the 21st ultimo. Maj ir« General Sir Walter Gilbert, with that energy and judgment which induced me to select him to conduct the ulteiior operations subsequent to that action, hab well fulfilled the t ust rqviseil in him, by rap'dly pnsiinij the touted enemy, which has led to their unqualified submission, the surrender of their rcma'ninej guns, and about 16" 000 s'.'ind of arms, all of which are now in our noGses^ion ; and I n juice to add, that this fortu-iate consummation lias been obtained without a single shot hem^ fired. The wnoleof the Sikh force with their Sirdars have. now c<>mc in, with the exception of Bhaie Mali i raj an ' Coll lltchpal Sing, who have absconded, but without followers. We have now in our possession 56 gnns, taken at Poijprat, and abandoned by the enemy in his retreat on the 21-t Febuiary • 40 surrender, d to MujorGenerat Sir Walter Gilbert s'nee that event; 12 captured at Clnllianwalla, and 50 at Mooltan— nanking a total of 158 pieces of ordnance, which have fallen into our hands during the campaign. Aicaiu heartily congratulating your Lordship at this most satisfactory lerminnti m of the Sikh war. I have, &c, Gougii, General.

Fro-n Major-General Sir W. U. Gilbert, X.C.8., Cmimaniling Field Force on Special Service, to H. M. Elliott, lwi-i Secretary t> the Government of India with the Guvernor-Gjneral. Camp Rawiil, Pindee, March 14, 1849, Sir,— Since I oddresied you on the 11th instant, from Hoo-muck, I have advanced to Ilawnl Pmclec, wliich place I re >ched to-dny. I luve now the high gratification of reporting, for the information of tho Right Hon. the Governor-General of India, that tha disarmament of the Sikh army commenced at Manikyalla, has been this <l,\v completed by the surrender of their swords by the SiUi Sirdarsj in presence of the Commandng Officer? of Divisions and Brigades and their Staff. The total number of guns surrendered is forfy-one,' of which a return shall be forwarded hereafter; ami the number; of stand of arms laid down before the forcejunder my command is about sixteen thousand. I have, &Ci, VV. K. Gilbert, Major-Gen. Com. Field Porce on Special Service. H. M. Elliot, Sect, to the Govt. of India with the Gov.-Genl.

We add a sketch of the operations here referred to, copied from " The Friend of India," of March 22 :— We are happy to announce the final termination of the war in the Punj <üb. The victory of Goojrat appears to have completely bioken the strength and destroyed the conudenre of the insurgents. It has ut once decided the campaign. Ger.ertl Gilbert, as goon na he was able to cross the Jhcluti, followed the enemy witli the utmoa' vigour. Tiicy were expected to make a stand at Rhotas, but evacuated it on his aj>« pr ni;h. It wms then announced that they wvie pre* pared to dd'end thfi formidable paa 3 of Bikcrola ; but the terror of cur piu'suil gave additional ?p*ed to their flight, and the p.tss vvass found to be unoccupied. Our troops came un with them at Rawulpindee on jthe B'h of Match, When a'l the prisoners were surrendered, nnd Mrs. Lawrence wi'h her chihlriu and their attendant, Lieutenants Bowie and Hail) rt, and Mr. and Mr?. Thompson, were sent into our camp. Soon after* the insurgent chiefs gave themselves up, together with, all (heir leinai.iini? guns, twenty-two in number, and a war which baa created such deep an\itty, both in this country and in England, was brought to a close. Of the future diopoaal of the chie'a, there are various reports, but there can of course be nodefiiiita intelligence, it is stated that their lives are to be spared, and that they are to be allowed «oi»e small pensions for their maintenance, but thnt their j ivgcers are to be confiscated. The reasonablenuss and equity of such an ur* rangement tire it every appearance of probability. General Gilhcit lias now only to deal with the infatuated Aft'ghans, and he was about lo advance with rapidity to Attock and Peshawur. After the entile discomfiture of the Sikh allies, it ia not ex pec cd that Dost Mahomed will have the courage or the temerity t '■> make any stsnd. Neither of these I'ortif.ca'ioDS will long hold out a?ain«t us; and the probability is, that we ahull find them evacuated, and thit the inarch of ouv aimy to the mouth of the Khjber Pass will be ati un'irokeu triu<nuli. Dost Molvmicd may consider himself fortunate if lie is enabled to reach his owa capital in safety, and to resume his nutl ority. It is leported that the Khyberpps have been uiged by the British authority to close the passes flgainsl him, and even Cabul is said to be in the hands ol one of bis own rebel feudatories It would not be surprising if he were a;;ain to fall ino our hands, and be constrained to lumitute on the lasliues* of bis conduct in a state of captivity. His rapid and disorderly fight will teach ths AiFghans the folly of any attempt to try conclusions with British troops, at a d.stance from their own. mountain fastnesses, and wi hout any advantage from, the elements, and this Anglian irruption thus maybe found to assist m consolidating the peace and security of our lsorth«vrcst Faultier. We will gi\e, fiom au official record published m the Mnfttssihtp, the following wbstract of the casuilticg of the war which has now clobed .