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Southland Times, Issue 1054, 9 November 1868, Page 3

(The ' Overland Athonseum and Daily News,' September 28.) The weather is rather unsettled, and some people who are supposed to know all about these things say we shall have an early monsoon, which is not particularly wanted just yet, as the copious rainfall which we have had all the year has filled the tanks and brought forward crops of all kinds. Such a season as we are now having shows the immense value of proper places for storing up the water. Most probably next yea? the water which is now running away for want of proper places to sate 1 it in" would be of incalculable value to the, country. . .According to latest news it Seems the Duke of Edinburgh is coming to Madras before either Calcutta or Bombay. If tins be 'really the case, the "benighted presidency " will have to do her best so as to impress the Duke favorably with India at the outset of his tour. - The Commissioner of the Central Provinces ; . has reported to the Madras Government that by the completion of the short canal at Doomagudiem the navigation of the Godovery has been opened to the second barrier at Enchampilly, 232 miles from the coast. We seem in a fair way for getting a railway to the Neilgherries as Government have recommended the construction of the line and have forwarded the papers relatiag to it to the Secretary of State^br-sanction. There cannot be any doubt that the line would pay well and ihe advantages would be immense. The very idea that wo could run up to the hills by railway in a few hours would be enough to keep people in good sprits. If we do get this railway we shall certainly be better off than either Calcutta or Bombay in a 1 sanitary point of view, for although Madras is hot we shall be within a short distance of a climate as fine as any in the world. {From the • Friend of India,' September 17.) It has now been finally arranged that Sit-John^ljawrence will not leave India until the middle of January next. . Our latest intelligence from the Huzara frontier is to the effect that, as far as civil officers could judge, there is not much probability of the tribes of the Black Mountain being joined by the clans beyond the Indus. The latter have their hands full, owing to the hostilities between the Bonairwals and their proteges, the^ Hindustani fanatics on the one hand, and the Akhoond of Swat and his followers on the other.. General Wade's advance was expected to take place next week, as the enemy's crops ripen early in October it is of importance that we should enter the Hussunzye country at once. A census of the Punjab was taken at the beginning of this year. The results nave not yet appeared, but we believe that they show an increase of two millions in the population since the last census was taken, or from nearly fifteen to seventeen millions. The details, if reliable as we expect them to be, will be of unusual interest. We trust they will be compiled and generalized with a care and ability not less than were shown by Mr W. C. Plowden in his analysis of the census of the North Western Province.