THE "WAR CORRESPONDENT" OF THE TIMES IN INDIA.

Colonist, Issue 54, 27 April 1858, Page 4

THE "WAR CORRESPONDENT" OF THE TIMES IN INDIA.

The Bengal Hurharu of 4th February, sa y S: —The arrival, of Mr Russell, ; the Times Correspondent,, has made a greater impression in this country than the arrival of a newspaper correspondent anywhere ever ! made before. Enthusiastic' persons areoorfr opinion that Mr.- Russell will set everything to-rights by a series of vigorous letters, and that after a few piquant exposures of something or somebody; the country will return to a state of peace and tranquillity, never,more to be disturbed, We haye the highest, and heartiest admiration for Mr. RusselFs talents,' and. the most sincere respect for his judgment and honesty But to expect.of him so more than could be. possibly. : accomplished .by any man under similar circumstances, is: merely to disappoint his friends and damage his reputation. Mr. Rusell is now on his way up to Allahabad, whence he;'will join the Camp of the Com mander-in-Chief. His observation of scenery, manners, customs,: and character, made on the road, will be■.' vigorous and graphic. Should he be called; upon to chronicle military operations, he will bring to bear upon the task the prac- , tical experience.,which he has acquired as, well .as the vivid insight which is essen- \ tially.his own. His narrative will be always clear and comprehensive, and ra^id, rattling, brilliant, eloquent, exhilirating, and inspiring as opppr-r tunity is afforded by the occasion. He will fear neither to blame nor to praise, and will carefully and con- ' scientiously strive to write the truth, and if not always the whole truth, nothing but the truth. In doing all this Mr. Russell will be performing a work in which he can have, but few competitors, and which will sustain his reputation as one of the ablest men of the day. But beyond this it is idle to «xpect that Mr. Russell, -whin his slight acquaintance with the country, can do much. This gentleman has, we believe, been 'received with singular favor- and distinction by the highest personage in this country, who ,has placed every facility for liis progress through the province at his disposal, and even,,,we are assured, all ■ public documents .bearing ,upon the questions* which are likely to • come under; his review, the only desire of the autho- , rities being publicity. All this, must be i very flattering and agreeable to Mr. Rus- ] sell, who is thus afforded opportunities which no journalist in 'India 'has ever before enjoyed. But even-these advantages j cannot compensate for the want of practical experiencei which India above all other countries requires for the comprehension of the great questions affecting r her position and prosperity. Mr. Russell will doubtless be enabled to obtain a great deal of. information in a shorter time, and more; direct manner than most persons, and he: is just the man to make'the, most of what-; ever time or opportunity; is afforded him. j But he will find very soon that it is not sol easy to learn India as some persons suppose.; India is' a country of nations, differing in! language, creed, and;even colour, about as' much as the Eastern differs from the Western race. Without experience of these national features, and the thousand peculiarities of the country, it will be impossible to give a fair opinion upon the great questions concerning it, which the cleverest men who have ever been-among us made the .study. of ■ their'lives.. Mr. Russell will therefore have to be on his guard against a great deal of information which will be proffered to him from interested sources, against official' documents placed at his disposal in which only one side of the question is set forth, against the thousand snares in fact, 'into which a man with a powerful pen and a high reputation may fall under the circumstances in which this gentleman' is placed. ' He ,has a heav^ responsibility resting upon him. His letters will be read by millions, and thou-j----sands will perhaps be Influenced by them in their. opinions upon the questions with which he has to deal. He should not therefore be lightly led away, and should remember that by any pliancy in this respect, he not only falls into a snare himself, but takes with him a large proportion of his countrymen.

We have examined v Baxter's Process' of Oil Painting by means of photography. For an invention, yet probably in its infancy, the results are wonderful. To print coloured . pictures in oil is a maryellous attainment of chemical, or rather, mechanical, ingenuity; as , yet, however, the effects are not such as to satisfy the critical eye.1 Of the process of photographic printing in water colours, by means of chromblithography; we can; however, speak with less dubiety. • We conceive that this invention is likely very seriously to interfere with the gains,of water-colour artists. In landscape and architectural pictures, the experiments are marvellously successful. The artist has here at once to compete with nature; and it is not easy to see how this struggle can be long sustained. But we understand that he very wisely begins; to. cease all attempts at rivalrjr, and to compound with his competitor by taking him into partnership. In short, he takes his sketches by photography, and touches up the colours for himself; an admirable oombination of skill and wise division of habour.

Recent researches show" that in the year 1578 Queen Elizabeth so objected to the substitution of sea coal in London for wood, that she in disgust left the City, and betook herself to the country. The citizens declared wood had became so scarce and dear that if they gave up coal they would have no fuel at all. Two years later, " the Maids of Honour found it necessary to intimate a desire to have their chamber in^ the (Windsor) Castle cieled, and the

partition, that is of boards, there* ft* be made hyer, for that their servants look over." Nor were the gentlemen of the household in much better plight, for 'Sir Edmond Carey' ' desireth to have a part of the chamber, being appointed for the squires of the body, to be cieled overhead and boarded under foot, for that it is so ruinous and cold."

• Outrage by the JBlach.-~\Ye learn to-day that another diabolical outrage has been committed by the blacks, who have attacked an out-station belonging;to. Mr. Yaldwyn on the Dawson River, and have murdered three shepherds. Authentic particulars have not yet been received,' but we give the above statement .on good authority^— Moreton'Bay Courier. ■ :: : :; ; ;

Departureof Sir ' Henry Young for Eng-land.~-M.oxij of our readers will doubtless be taken by surprise when we announce; as we are now in a position to do; that his Excellency, havihg ; obtained from the Secretary of State twelve months leave of absence,-will proceed to England with his family ..by the 15th of April mail steamer. This intelligence; would have been communicated to.- the Parliament on the recent prorogation, but it was thought desirable >to keep the announcement in- abeyance until it could be ascertained whether MajorGeneral Macarthur would -consent to assume the reins of Government during Sir Henry Young's, absence from this colony. This step was adopted with the [concurrence of the Ministry. Intelligence was received by the City of Hobart on Friday, that General Macarthur (who was formerly Acting Governor : of Victoria) would arrive here in order to assume the same office in this colony, in time to enable his; Excellency to take his, departure' as proposed.— Hobart Towi\ Mercury, March- 6.

Sepoy Cruelty. —We regret to' state that a young lady, the daughter of a> highly respected clergyman of Bristol, who married a gentleman connected with the Indian service, about a year since,' has just returned, not only widowed, but' terribly mutilated. The Sepoys have cut her tongue out, and inflicted other, injuries. The melancholy circumstance has created much sensation, for it has brought the horrors.of war before us. in their reality, and not the least in the parish from whence the lady .went forth, so short a time since,-in the bloom of beauty, to the enjoyment, ;as it was believed, of a very happy lot in lire. ;. Curious Discovery.— A French savant has ' discovered that, immediately' after death, a murmuring sound is heard in the body, lasting five, ten, and even fifteen hours. It diminishes gradually, ' and ceases first in the parts of the' body which are farthest from the heart. In an amputated member t the same sound heard for several ; minutes. The non-existence; of their sound maybe considered; a sure sign of the total cessation of life. * : i

Strike the Iron while Hot.-— lt may be questioned whether promptitude in exe^cution is sufficiently urged '■ as to; efficiency. But when once a* design ha&; assumed a clearly defined shape in the; mind,. then, if ever, is the time; of action.; Wait awhile, and you ) will find! "that you see less plainly the. thing to be done, and that a warmed-up enthusiasm is a poor,; spiritless i performer. ■ The , same ; rule I appliesl to enforcement of newly discovered; truth. ■: The thing you discerned so clearly; a year ago that you could havetold all the world in accents which would have roused them, you scarcely perceive at all to-day, Or it has taken rank among your own mental common-places, and you cannot command worthy speech for it. * Remember then, that (the first outbursts of adolescent excitement once over with you), a .real enthusiasm, whether-for truth-speaking or fer doing, is, prima facie, a golden tunity, and if you let it slip, ,yqu are a fool for your pains. Words td fhe 'Wot Wise. —Never trust the man whom* you have seen able and willing to deceive another; he will deceive you also, should opportunity serve, or in-; i terest require it. Never mistrust without I cause'; but if you .have good reason, give up your doubt to neither argument nor appearance : it is your watchfire, and will let you see the approach of the enemy. Never take, part in a design which is not fully explained to you; the part kept bade may contain the danger, and it is unsafe to enter a patlv .which leads you know not whither. Never consent to < profit by evil or dishonest things; there was a sound moral in those 'old world tales which said that evil spirits' had power over all who accepted their gifts. Earn your own bread, and see how sweet it will be! Work, and see how well you will be! Work, and see how independent you. will be! Work, and.and see how happy your family will be ! Work, and see how religious you will be!—for, before you know where you are, instead of repining at Povidence, you will find yourself offering up thanks for all the numerous blessings you enjoy ! The- love of ornament creeps slowly, but surely into the female heart. • A girl who twines the lily in her tresses, and looks at herself in the clear stream, will soon wish that the lily were fadeless, and the stream a mirror. We say let the yourig v girl seek to adorn her beaut} 7, if she be taught also to adorn her mind and heart, that she may have wisdom to direct her love of; ornament in due moderation.

" I know a bank whereon the wild thyme grows." Mrs. Partington says that if any one knows a bank where a " Wild Time" has not been produced this season, she would just like 'em to point it out: A clergyman observing a poor man by the roadside breaking stones with a pickaxe, and kneeling to get at his work better, made the remark, " Ah, John, I wish I could break the stony hearts of my hearers as easily as you are breaking those stones." The man replied, "Perhaps, master, you do not work on your knees."

How many grog blossoms does it require to make a nose-gay.