THE PUNJAUB. [From the Eastern Star, May 27.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 333, 7 October 1848, Page 4

THE PUNJAUB. [From the Eastern Star, May 27.]

The intelligence received from beyond the Sutlej since our last issue is of a mingled character, but of unmingted interest. The contemplated rising at Lahore has been put down by an exhibition of prompt vigour and moral daring, but 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 had been levying forces against 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 hypothesis, supposing it to have been patent to Sir Frederick Currfe, would have some influence in softening the criticism upon his apparent vacillation. But we have no demonstrative evidence as yet of that truth, though the elaboration of the hypothesis may render it plausible. The object of the Lahore conspiracy appears to have been a massacre of the force in Lahore, ami was no wise dependant on the proceedings at Moolian, It was not concocted, as far as we can see, by those in the confidence of the Durbar Sirdars, but by Khan Singh — not he now at Mooltan, but a namesake, formerly colonel of arti lery — and by Gunga Ram, once agent of the Ranee. These parties, with others probably not known to the politicals, proceeded on the principle of corrupting our Sepoys, and we regret to say, they have been proportionately more successful, while the power of the Punjab is crushed, than when the battalions of the Khalsa loomed across the Sutlej at Ferozepore. Then the prospect of safely and high jay, failed except in a few instances to seduce the native soldier into desertion ; now wehave not less than tweiity-two identified as having received the wages of treason, and meditated the" fulfilment of their pact. One regiment, the 50th, N. 1., it is reported, is added to the black list of the Bengal army, and ordered, in dishonour, to Barrackpore. It seems, the numberless faqueers, with whom Lahore abounds, were put into requsition by the conspirators ; their seat near the gates and various guardhouses enabled them to study the character of the soldiers accurately, and to inveigle such as were most likely to be accessible to their influence. Sir Frederick Currie was accordingly desirous of having these saintly rascals expelled the city en masse, bat

allowed himself to be persuaded by Deenanath, who urged that the result of so sweeping a measure would infallibly be a turn-out of the whole city in arms. The plot had been simmering for a comparatively long time, as we may well imagine from the amount of defection. The traitors used 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 Resaladar of Wheeler's Irregulars that mischief was brewing. He accordingly threw himself in the vay of corruption, became an apparent accomplice and then an informer. On thoroughly mastering the scheme of the conspirators, though he was unable to trace the ramification of the plot, he laid his disclosures before Colonel Wheeler, and that officer announced them to the Resident. Sir Frederick is said to have pooh-poohed the tale at first, but the confidence of Colonel Wheeler in his subaltern compelled inquiry, and it was just in lime to prevent the explosion. Lieut. Lumsden and his company ot guides were put upon the track of the principal men known to be concerned, and they were seized v at one of their nocturnal meetings, fiagraute delicto, on Sunday, the 9ih May. The next day the evidence was put into order ; on Tuesday a formal trial was entered upon by the Durbar ; conviction and a capital sentence followed ; and on Thnrsday 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 the gallows,,jand" offered to turn approver in return fof*his«ife. The two others regretted only that -they had' not been spared in this life for two days longer that they might have witnessed the successful fruition of their scheme. The approver (Go- 1 lauba) was consequently 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, sepoys who felt what was coming, actually got out of their places and slipped away unpefceived, which was taken to imply the collusion of their neighbours. Some men who were pointed out, were then arrested, and the guard put over them ordered to load with ball. The fellows imagining they were to be summarily disposed 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 ride the fugitives down to recapture them. The inquiry into these defections was going on when the last accounts left Lahore. The scheme of the conspirators appears to have been very complicated ; the mess khansama of one regiment was bribed to poison all the officers on the night agreed upon for tho rising. The sepoys on gua-d at two of the gates were to allow a large body of- Sikhs to enter, making a semblance of resistance by firing blank cartridge at them. These then aided by their confederates, were to massacre all the Europeans. Masters of our guns and ammunition, it was intended in tho last place to sound the tocsin of revolt which they anticipated after such distinguished success would have been universally responded to. With this glaring instance of the activity of treason in Lahore, which must 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 former verdict, we must have evidence of the actual importance of the municipal conspiracy and the incompatibility of crushing it with one hand while launching 'he avenging bolt at Moolraj with the other. The prompt example made of Khan Singh and Gunga Ram was excellent, and no doubt will be excellent in its effect. The native officers and men who aided in detecting the conspiracy have been publicly rewarded. But while these measures were sufficient to overawe domestic traitors, we see no reason that the Ferozepore force, replacing the Lahore column j at the capital, could not have been moved forwaid towards Mooltan. It appears that there was no lack of material in the neighbourhood of the rebel to assist in his subjugation. Our ally the Nowab of Bahawulpore was on the flank merely awaiting orders from Lahore ; on the other Lieutenant Edwardes, who had with very praiseworthy rapidity pushed into the Scinde Sagur Doab and to the frontier of Mooltan, when the ceifainty of Agnew's death made him likewise pause for further orders. The story about his troops having abandoned him, and compelled him to " absquotilate" for Lahore turns out to be a pure fabrication ; a few men bad absconded, but their places were amply supplied by Mahomedan recruits who crowded to the standard of Lieut. Edwardes, when it was kuown that soldiers were wanted. On the other hand, every succeeding post, as the fright attendant upon a first explosion wean off, diminishes the formidable character assigned to Moolraj's army. The army of 50,000 men has dwin-

died down to 5000 ; tbe large park of artillery to a limited number of unserviceable pieces. Against such an array, the rapid and instant march of the Lahore flying column, aided by the neighbourhood of the troops we have alluded to above, must have been attended by complete success, and crushed in its .cradle the outbreak which has now permissson to swell into a respectable revolt. In place of a little vigour at the outset, we are to have magnificent prospects tor the cold season. An "Army of Mooltan" is on paper in the bureau ; the Comm\nder in Chief is to take the field. Nine royal' regiments (six of infantry and three of cavalry), sixteen corps of native infantry, nine of native cavalry, regular and irregular, • two light field batteries, and six troops of horse artillery, with a large seige 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 Mofussilite Extra : May 17. — It having been ascertained that the Ranee was at the bottom of all the. vile plots for buying over our Sepahis — and for murdering the Feringhees bodily, it was considered a*" politic move" to take care of her — as she was becoming dangerous and annoying. • That this end might be obtainei with secrecy, and without danger, Lumsden and Hodgson, with the former's horsemen, started on the night cf the 14th for the Shaikapoorah, wbich^place they reached early on the morning of the 15th; Noor-o-deen accompanied them. They told the Ranee that they had come to escort .her away, and she fancied that her destination was Lahore. At 4 p.m. three gentlemen escorted her away to the banks of the Ravee, where a Ressalah of Wheler's horse was in waiting to bring her to Kunnerkutch, which is tbe first march on the Ferozepore road. At that place she arrived in a dooly, on the morning of the 16th, and was then quietly informed that she was to go across the Sutledge. She pretended to be most grateful to the Sahibs for their incessant kind- j ness to her. On tbe 15th (evening) a party of the 50th j N.I. with four officers and a Resselah of \ Wbeler's horse started for Kunnerkutch un- I der pretence of fetching treasure ! ! ! Thus J the real object of the move v/as not divulged. They arrived at Kunnerkutch at 10 p.m. that night, and on the following morning the good woman found herself with her gallant escort in a British Camp. She then started at 6 p.m. on the 16th for Ferozepore in a carriage and four, accompanied by Lumsden and Noor-o-deen — the latter of whom is to take her to j Meerut, but does not half like being near so capricious a lady. Mr. Cox of the 70th is to have charge of her I am told. Her final destination is the holy city of Cashi. So you 6ee 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 heroine, and pray make a pretty saalam to her. Here is something that will interest you probably. The wife of the late General Khan Singh, hanged for treachery, &c, asked the authorities for his armlet as a family relic. This was 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, exclaiming — ' Ah you would have given half the world to have seen that '!!!!! Solve that and Punjaub mysteiies. Our Jacks, save about a dozen or so, were impregnable — and not to be bribed — so the plot was a farce. A vague report of violence having been committed on the persons of the Kote Kangra Officers is in circulation here to day. Every day something new turns up. How will it all end ? I fear that somebody has a good deal to answer lor in all this ? Who — heaven knows, Teja Singh is reported j to be implicated — as if the whole Durbar was not!! . . j *