INDIA.

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 681, 23 October 1852, Page 3

INDIA.

(Fiom the Sydney Hciald, Sept. 25.) By the way of Singapore we .have received a few items of news from the seat of war at Burmah. The Straits Times, in its very meagre summary, says — " The Bassein affair has been followed up by a dash at Pegue, where the insurrectionary Peguers had been thrabhed by the Burmese. Only the Phlegethon was ordered off with a small party of the 80th Foot and the 67th 8.N.1. The affair went off smartly. The Peguers were reported to have gone heartily at the Burmese, and Peguo became ours. The fortifications were destroyed, the Peguers were left in possession of the place, and our force returned to Rangoon. The Burmese main army was no where to be heard of, but it was expected that the enemy was concentrating its forces on the banks of the Irrawaddy, not merely to resist our anticipated advance, "but to ] commence aggressive operations during the rains, j The Proserpine, steamer, had been despatched up the river to ascertain what the Burmese were doing. The Burmese were fortifying Prome. A great deal of sickness was reported to prevail amongst the English force, and some dissatisfaction too at the severity exercised by the Police Magistrate, Capt. Latter. The Burmese made an attack on Martaban on May 20, but were beaten off with great loss." The Englishman of June 17 quotes from a private letter, dated Rangoon, June 9th :—: — " The expedition to Pegue returned yesterday, after defeating the enemy — but the Burmese got into the British rear, seized and looted the boats, containing all the oflicers' traps, stores, &c. We have no news from Ava, but report says that the Burmese are fortifying Prome, which is the case no doubt. A great deal of sickness prevails, and what is Wd'se, dissatisfaction amongst the inhabitants at the severity of the Police Magistrate ; for the least offence, nay, for no offence at all, people are seized up and most shamefully flogged. Every one in camp is speaking about this, yet no one seems to dare to bring it to the General's notice. To such a pitch is the feeling growing, that if a stop is not put to the sevez'ity in question, the General will find when he wants to advance, that half his force will have to be left at Rangoon. Everything is all right at Bansien. The Proserpine is on the Irrawaddy.'' The same journal has the following semi-oflicial notice : — "Some rumours have been afloat in Calcutta, stating that certain French officers had proceeded to Rangoon for the purpose of joining the Burmese. From information that has reached us, we are disposed to believe the following account to be strictly correct. Two Frenchmen, one of them a cavalry oflicer formerly in the Spanish service, took their passage in the ship Emperor, under the disguise of Spanish Jews, and although suspicions had been excited that they were other than they represented themselves to be, the facts were not fully elicited until the ves=>el had sailed, when a report of the circumstance giving the real name (Captain Dugency) of one of them was made to the proper authorities. We know not what steps the authorities may deem fit take in the matter, but (he best plan in our opinion would be to send a despatch by the Berenice which will start immediately, and will reach Rangoon before the Emperor, desiring the Commodore to deem these French visitors contraband, and to return them by the first steamer." The Bengal J l nrJcaru, June 15, says — "The Delhi Gazette says that Sir Colin Campbell is positively to go at the Swatees again, and on their own ground. According to our contemporary, the Govcrnor-Gcuer.il has sent orders of " a very decided character" that the force shall be strengthened fo its leader's standard of sk thousand mjn, and advance into the Swat Valley

without delay. This is as it sho ilil be, for, leaving questions of policy out of view, it is clear that the retirement of n large force with its work unaccomplishcil w.is likely to detract injuriously from oiv small influence over the mountain tribes," The T. and 0. S. X Company's fine steamer Shangai has had a narrow escape from the diabolical act of some incendiaries. The Bengal llurlant of June 17th says :—: — "At half-past four o'clock this morning Jt was discovered by one of the ofliccrs on board the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company's screw steam-ship Shanghai, which was to have left Garden Reach at a quarter pa&t six, that smoke was issuing from her lazaretto, situated under the saloon in the afler-part of the ship, where about eighty chests of opium had been stowed. "The alarm was immediately given to the agents and employes of the Company, and to the ofliccrs of the steamers in harbour, who were speedily on the spot with the view of rendering every assistance in their power. " We are happy to sty that at half-pa^t six a.m. all the smouldering fire hud been extinguished, and it was then discovered that about hall of the abovementioned 80 chests had sustained some slight damage pi ineipally iiom the water thrown down into thehold after the discovery of the fire. "The Shanghai is an iion steamer, built with water-tight compartments. A rigid inquiry was being instituted at the last dates."