INDIAN NEWS. [From the Melbourne Argus, March 17.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 806, 23 April 1853, Page 4

INDIAN NEWS. [From the Melbourne Argus, March 17.]

Calcutta papers to the 18tb January bad reached Singapore. The Governor-General and Mr. Colvin were to proceed to Arracan on the 20ih. Tbe affairs of Burmah engrossed much of tbe public attention. The war will cease should tbe King of Burmah bumble himself to apologise, — a step he is not likely to tike, and therefore the army is to advance by slow steps, more for the protection of our newly acquired territory than to lay siege to Ay«. Several vessels have been taken up for the purpose of opening a direct trade between Calcutta and tbe Australian colonies. The Government of India, feeling that the production of gold in Austialia would affect the price of that article, had come to the resolution of refusing gold Mohurs in payment of duties, and in consequence the value of gold dust in India hud fallen 7 per cent, in price. The Straits Times, of January 25ih, gives tbe following outline of fresh " Cooly horrors" : — It appears the Spartan left Anaoy on the Bth instant with 300 Chinese coolies for Sydney. On Mooday, the 17tb instant, whilst the master and .second mate were down the fore batch examining the state of tbe 'tween decks, they heard a rush above, and immediately returned to the deck. The steward, it appears, was cleaning tbe table knives near the cuddy, and tbe whole of fliese weapons were seized by the coolies, who forthwith attacked the captain and second mate. The latter was killed by a stab inflicted upon him by one of tbe Chinese, armed with a carving knife. Some of tbe Chinese rushed immediately into the cuddy and removed the bayonets from the muskets, and commenced an attack on tbe chief officer, who waa on tbe poop. The officer was overpowered, ansfell appareutly dead. After much difficulty tbe captain succeeded in gaioing tbe cuddy, where he seized toe muskets, wbich were loaded ready for use, and commenced a smart fire upon tbe Chinese. Others of tbe crew behaved in a most gallant manner, and under tb* fire of tbe musketry tbe Chinese retreated below. Tbe batches were replaced and secured. The affair took place off Pulo Supatu. About 12 or 15 of the Chinese were kilied or jumped overboard, and met a watery grave. Tbe first mate tnd tbe captain were wounded, the former seriously. By the screw steam ship Ambon, arrived at Sourabaya on the 16th January, tbe most melancholy intelligence bad been received from the Moluccas. Earthquakes aud seaquakes had been extremely destructive in their effects, and productive of tbe utmost consternation. Oo tbe 31st December, a shocking instance of amok occurred at Panorogo. At about 9 o'clock to tbe morning of that day a native chief entered tbe office of the acting Resident Vincent and •tabbed bim in the heart, at also bis controller, Bate. No cause can be assigned for this outrage. Mr. Vincent was the broiher-in-law of ex-Go-vernor Genera) Rocbusse, and tbe mntder took place only .half an hour before tbe time fixed for his departure to assume tbe duties of bis new appointmeut at Menado. A letter from Batavia says that tbe month of December, 1852, will long be remembered by tbe commercial community at Batavia. Since the Ist of tbe month no less taan nine failures had taken ! place among the Chinese traders and it was expected that many others were on the point of stopping. Of the failures above noticed, two were supposed to be the wealthiest merchants in the place; their liabilities amount to upwards of three millions of guilders, say a million of dollars, whilst their assets were not ascertained. Next to the Maatschappy, tbe English and German houses are the principal creditors.; and several firms, it is said, will lose a lakh of dollars each. A (oumercial crisis has taken place. The Bank "will not discount a bill wiib a Chinese name on it, and tbe merchants refuse credit to them. Business is said to be at a Hand, and the worst it is feared is yet to come. Burmese War— Annexation of Pegu.— The following is a copy of a Proclamation issued by the Governor-General of India, annexing tbe Burmese Province of Pegu to the British dominions.:— >• " PROCLAMATION. *• The Court of Ava having refused to make amends for the injuries and insults which British subjects had suffered at the hands of its servants, the Governor-General of India in Council resolved to exact reparation by force of arms. "The forts and cities upon the coast were forthwith attacked and captured ; the Barman forces have been dispersed wherever they have been met ; and the Province of Pegu is now in tbe occupation of British troops. "The just and moderate demands of the Government of India have been rejected by tbe King; the ample opportunity that has been afforded him for repairing tbe injury that was done has been disregarded; and tbe timely submission wbich alone could have been effectual to prevent the dismemberment of the kingdom is still withheld. •• Wherefore, in compensot on for the pr.st, and for better security in the future, the GovernorGeneral in Council has resolved, and hereby pro-

claims, thit the Province of Pegu is now, and ! shall be henceforth, a portion of the British territories in the East. "Such Burraan troops os may still remain within the Province shall he driven out; Ciyil Government shall immediately he established ; anJ officers shall bo appointed to administer the affairs of the several districts. "The Gorernar-General in Council hereby calls on the inhabitants of Pegu to submit themselves to the authoiiiy, and to confide securely in the protection of the British Government ; whoso power they have seen to be irresistible, and whose rule is marked by justice and beneficence. "The Governor-General in Council having exacted the reparation he deems sufficient, desires uo further conquest in Burma!), and is willing to cousent thai hostilities should cease. " But if the King of Ava shall fail to renew bis former relations of friendship with the British Government-; and if he shall recklessly seek to dispute its quiet possession of the Provioce it has now declared to be its own ; the Governor-Ge-neral in Council will again put forth the power he holds, and will visit with fail retribution aggressions which, if they be persisted in, raus; of necessity lead to the total subversion of the Burman State and the ruin and exile of tbe King tnd bis race. "By order of the most noble the GovernorGeneral of India in Council. " 0. Allen, *' Officiating Secretary to the GoTerument of India, 20th December, 1852." It appears that tbe Burmese made a most determined attack on Pegu, hut were repulssd with i great loss, and with but few casualties on our side. Brigadier M'Neil died from coup de soleil, and has been succeeded as Brigadier by Lieui.Colonel Duke, of the Madras Army. We sub- j join some particulars from our Bengal con tern porartes : — '• Pegu had been invested by 8000 Burmese, but bad been relieved by General Godwin with a force of 1,400 men in boats ; a laud brigade under Colonel Sturt co-operated. The Burmese suffered severely, our loss trifling, particulars not received. Captain Hewetr, with tbe boats of the Masuffer and tbe Fox, surprised i party of 3,000 Burmese at Patuawoo, on the Irrawaddy, killing numbers; amongst the rest the chief *3 son, a petson of great importance. " Rangoon, 3rd December, 1852. 11 Of tbe recapture of Pegu you doubtless bave by this time beard. It fell into our bauds again 00 the 21st of November, 1852— 0n a Sunday — 1 very lucky day for us, since all the conquests of this campaign have been on Sundays. Pegu is now garrisoned by Madras troops, — i.e., 200 of the Ist Madras Fusiliers, and of the sth M. N. 1., with 600 Bengal artillerymen, two 24pounder howitzers. On the night of the 27ib, the enemy, in number supposed to bave been from 4,000 to 5,000 strong, attacked tbe garrison from all sides by nine p.m., giving considerable annoyance only, as our ladders tbe enemy had tbe audacity to bring with intent to storm tbe Pagoda. On tbe occasion, a private, Clancy, of the Ist Madras Fusiliers, with two of his comrades, who mounted guard at the beach, over stores, look most conspicuous part in dispersing a body of i Burmese who had fallen upon his stores, and set ! fire to a portion thereof. General Godwin has promoted the gallant soldier for his bravery, " Since my last, Rangoon has been perfectly quiet, as also all the suburbs, which sometime back were constantly the theatre of pillage, oppression, cruelty and not unfrequently murder, by the Dacoits on the poor villagers. Perhaps the present quietness arises from the presence of a company of our troops at Pooson down, and another at Dalla (Rangoon Houvrah.) "In a week hence, the general and personal staff proceeds to Prome, whence it is generally believed an advance will be made higher op shortly. It is also in contemplation to send a small force to Sitting and Shoay Gyne, where bodies of the enemy are said to bave stockaded themselves ; and last, though not least, it is said that tbe march oo Ava will not take place before the middle of next month (January, 1853.)"