INDIA. PROGRESS OF EVENTS IN THE PUNJAUB. [From the Friend of India, March 1.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 413, 18 July 1849, Page 2

INDIA. PROGRESS OF EVENTS IN THE PUNJAUB. [From the Friend of India, March I.]

The dull monotony of our proceedings in the Punjaub has been broken by the most unexpected and staitling event. ' Shere Sing bas i again- outmanoiuvred our Geneial. The reader is of course aware tifiit after the victory of Chillianwalla, which enabled the enemy to take up s stronger position than he had previously occupied, the Commander-in-Chief entrenched his own camp, and determined to wait for the reinforcements which General Whish was bringing up. It is rather a novel sight for a British army to throw up entrenchments in the face of an enemy, who was said to be entirely overwhelmed with a sense of his " utter discomfiture ;" but such has actually been the case, and our entrenchments are pronounced impregnable. On the 11th of February, Shere Sing drew up his army as if he designed to attack us, and every preparation was made to meet him. Bui this movement bail no object but to conceal his retirement from us, in which he completely succeeded. On the morning of the 12th the enemy's tents had totally disappeared -Ifrdrn the heights on which 'they had been pfanted for a month, and General Gilbert soon after rode up to their encampment and found it vacant. The Commander-in-Chief also repaired to the spot and examined tbeir position, which appears to have been strong by nature, and rendered still stronger by that knowledge of the science of encampment , in which the Sikhs are so pre-eminent. The capture of their position, it is remarked, could not have been achieved except at' a fearful sacrifice of life. But the question immediately arose, where were the Sikhs f So admirably organized was our intelligence department, that a body of sixty thousand men with fifty guns had been able to move away=without our obtaining the slightest intimation of their depar? ture. Nor was this singular ignorance of the movements of the enemy to be ascribed to any deficiency in our establishments. Tberewere at the time two distinct quarter-masters' establishments, in our camp. There was the Quartermaster- General of the Company's troops, and the Quartermaster-General ot the Queen's troops. The latter has always been deemed a sinecure ; on the present occasion neither of them seem to ' have been of much value. But still the question, where are the enemy gone to? and the general opinion seemed to be that they had retreated across the Jhelum. Soon after, however, it was discovered that they had imperceptibly turned the flank of our army and having got in its rear, had proceeded to Goojerat, in the neighbourhood of Chenab, with the intention of marching direct on the capital, leaving our own troops behind in their own impregnable entrenchments. Meanwhile, General Whish who had been moving up by forced marches from Mooltan along the left bank of the Chenab, had reached Ramnugger, the scene of that useless conflict, in which the lives of the lamented Cureton and Havelock were sacrificed ; and well was it for us that the General haJ used such expedition in his movements. He was thus enabled to plant himself in the high road to Lahore, and prevent the rapid- march of the insurgent army~ fm the city, in which they would have found themselves joined by a disaffected population, and opposed only by a weak force. He is now enabled to hold them in check on the left bank of the Chenab, while the Commander-in-Chief, having at length discovered the line of their march, by the arrival of some of our own troops whom they bad driven in, moves down with the grand at my upon them. This movement may turn out to be the most fortunate which the enemy could have made for us. His former position could not have bfen carried without fearful slaughter in our ranks. Those who have examined his entrenchments pronounce them stronger than any we have yet been required to attack. Shere Sing has now placed himself in the centre of our forces, and it is difficult to account for this apparently false movement, unless it is to be explained by the clamour of bis troops for pay, and the necessity which was thus imposed on him of quieting their importunity, by promising to march them on the capital. This be might probably have effected, if he had not delayed the movement till the Mooltan force had come up, and was prepared to intercept them. His plans have been baffled and he will now. be obliged to fight us *nder veiy disadvantageous circumstances. The news of his having so successfully eluded Lord Gough, and his being in foil march towards towards Lahore, caused no small consternation in that town. .The ladies, women and children, were r rapidly removed i fronMlje encampment at. '.AnarkuUee to! the "cj I *^* And here we qatnol'-but 1 pauie for'r-nfoment

to reflect on the iuefftble folly of again allowing women and children to remain within the circle of hostilities. There appears to be an absolute infatuation' in our proceedings in this respect, of which not even the most fearful calamities can cure us. With the catastrophe of Cabul yet fresh in our recollection, ladies were allowed to accompany the army to Gwa!ior, and one of the first shots of the enemy is said to have touched the ear of the elephant on which a lady was seated. While daily reminded of the unfortunate position of Mrs. Lawrence, the lady of Major Lawrence, now a prisoner with her children in the hands of the enemy, the women and children have been allowed to remain at Lahore, though every lidy and every child should have been pe- . remptorily sent across the Sutledge the momertt the standard of war was raised in the Punjaub. But they were allowed to remain as though Lahore was as secure as Calcutta, and they might have been exposed to all the inconveniences of a sie^e ; but this is a digression, and unfortunately, a perfectly useless one, for it is to be feared that even experience cannot teach us wisdom. '1 he fortifications of Lahore were put in order to meet the' enemy, and there can be no doubt that if the garrison had beeu besieged they would have held out till assistance had. arrived. But we blush, as we record the fact, that in the tenth month of hostilities, with the largest army in the field which has ever been collected in India, under the orders of one commander, accompanied by more guns than " the Duke" had with him at Waterloo, we are obliged to provide for the defence of the capital of the Punjaub. There can, however, be little doubt that the army of Shere Sing, having no longer any ad vantage- from its position, will be definitely disposed of, as our troops come ap with it. But after this has been accomplished, we have still a long march before us in a difficult country, to Peshawur, and there appears at present little hope that the war will be brought to a close during the present season. The maintenance of au army of between forty and fifty thousand men in the field, thiough two campaigns, will inflict a blow on the finances of the Company, from which i' is not likely to recover for many years, and during this dreary period all internal improvements must be folded up. These improvements, as Lord Wellesley remarked, " will necessarily occasion expense, but it is an expense which the Company must incur, or forfeit every title to the character of a wise and munificent sovereign." But even the necessity of maintaining that character must bend to the financial difficulties of our present position. ' The Court of Directors were naturally anxious to meet Parliament, on the expiration of their charter, with a flattering picture of their finances ; and it is not improbable that they have indulged a hope during the past year of clearing off a of their leans, and thereby establishing a claim to public con- ! fidence. But all these bright and ' faery' visions have beeu rudely dispelled by the untoward progress of events, and there is no prospect at present but of an addition of several millions to the debt.