INDIA.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 7, Issue 327, 22 January 1863, Page 3

INDIA.

There is intelligence from Calcutta to the Bth November, and Bombay to the 12th.

Disastrous accounts continue to reach the Government of the devastation caused by locusts to the vegetation in Scinde. Sickness in some parts of the Punjab is still prevalent. Among the troops at Peshawur the ravages of cholera have been severe. Smallpox is reported to be raging at Nagpore. Cholera has broken out amongst the 93rd (Sutherland) Highlanders, causing their removal into camp from Nowsliera. Lieutenant Colonel Macdonald, Major Middleton, Ensign Drysdale, and Assistant Surgeon Hope have fallen victims to the disease, and also Capt. Presgaave of the Bth N. I.

Capt. Peter Dods has been appointed by the Supreme Government Director of

Public Instruction in the Central Provin

Bheema Rhao, the man who captured Rhao Sahib, a rebel, is to receive a jagheer in lieu of the A 500 from Government. The rebel Zahoo-001-Floossein has been despatched from Bombay to Caleutoa, by sea. He will be tried, it is supposed, at Lucknow, on charges oi murder and rebellion committed during the mutiny. Prom Kurracliee we learn that the construction of the Mekran . Coast Telegram line bids fair to prove a political as well as a commercial success.

About two years ago scarcely a bale of cotton was exported from Kurracliee In 1861, the exports amounted to 12,952 hales ; in nine months and a half of 1862 there have arrived by rail 38,990 bales. Before the end of the year this number will probably have increased to 54.000 bales.

In the Punj ab the prospects of cotton cultivation are also encouraging.

A scandal in “ high life ” has been the topic of conversation. The “ victim ” is, it is stated, the wife of a high judicial functionary, and the “ betrayer-” a military officer employed in the Revenue Survey. A petty Rajah of the province ofßajpootna lias taken the field against the State, and a battery has been ordered from Poona for the fie d service.

The Boliillas, who had been shewing a rebellious front near East Behar, retreated on the approach of the 3rd Infantry Hydrabad Contingent. Sir W. Mansfield left on the Ist November, for Aden, to inspect the troops and fortifications.

The Trade Returns of the qort of Calcutta, for the year ending 30th April 1862, have been published: —Total imports, R 18,97,67,892 j total exports, R 15,90,80 985.

' CHINA AND JAPAN. We have papers to the Ist November from Bong Kong. From the Overland China Mail of that date we quote the following summary of news :

The past fortnight has been marked by two successful expeditions on the part of the allied forces against the rebels. The first of these was directed agamst the walled town of Fung-wha, about twenty-five miles from Ningpo, whither the Taepings fled on being driven from the latter city. Fung-wha had served as a stronghold from which devastating excursions were made upon the country round about Ningpo, and pursuing the policy lately approved of by the English Government, the allied forces, strengthened by a portion of “ the Ward contingent,” left Ningpo on the Bth ultimo, for the purpose of capturing Fung-wha and replacing it in Imperial hands. The force sent for this purpose consisted of iOO small-arm men from the Encounter and Sphinx, with three field pieces and two small brass howitzers ; a small party of French, and 1200 disciplined Chinese, completed the expedition, which arrived at the scene of action on the following day. A breach was first attempted to be made in the walls, but the ordnance employed was too light to do this effectively. A partial breach, however, was made, which the Chinese were ordered to storm. They met with determined opposition, and had to retire. The small allied force were next ordered to support them ; they marched to within fifty yards of the wall, exposed to a galling 'fire, which wounded twenty-four of the British and two or three French and Chinese : an officer of the Ward legion was also killed. Upon this the allies desisted in the attack, while Captain Dew sent to the ships for ammunition to blow the gates open. Before this arrival, on. the following day, a body of 6000 rebels were -discovered appr. aching the city with a view to reinforcing the besieged ; they were attacked at once by the whole force of besiegers, and driven off with some loss. Those :n the city, seeing the state of affairs, quietly withdrew during the same night, leaving Fung-wha to the attacking party. The place will be held by an Imperial force, and supported if necessary from Ningpo. The effect is to clear the country round that city from the maraudiug bands that molested it.

The other expedition referred to was made against Kahdiug, which fell on the 24th ultimo.

The following account of its capture is from our Shanghae contemporary : —- “ Without being particular in the details, the following is' about the strength of the combined army who have taken the field :—lioyal Artillery, 100 ; British infantry of the line, c 00 ; ditto, Indian tioops, 400 ; Chinese artillerymen, 200 ; Chinese in fan try (Kingsley’s), 6:.0 ; marines and blue-jackets, 550 j French ot all arms, 400 ; and the Imperial disciplined Chinese, 1500 ; making a total of 4550 combatants, with 20 guns of various calibre and 10 mortars, two throwing eight-inch shells. Of non-combatants—-comprising scaling ladder parties, bridge parties, commissariat coolies, and camp followers in general —there could not have been less than 1500. It is probable that the army may be reinforced from the French troops at Sikaway, and the Ward legion at Soonkeong. Altogether, this is the strongest force, the best equipped, with the heaviest ordnance, which has yet proceeded from Shanghae against the Taeping rebels. After a bombardment of two hours and a quarter, from an overwhelming fire from thirty-eight pieces of -ordnance—including some large mortars throwing 8-inch shell —the city was taken by storm. In reply to the bombardment the Taeping rebels returned the fire with energy from guns and small- arms of all kinds.. They showed considerable resolution, and remained on the wq.ll until the storming party commenced to escalade, when they rushed to the opposite side of the city, all who could escaping

through, Urn gate. r !he storming party was commanded by Captain Christian, ot the 31st regt., and consisted of a portion of the 31st and 76th. From the account:: received, the recapture of Kahdiug has been one of the severest encounters the allied forces have had with the Taeping rebels near Ahanghae,; aud we regret to say that the loss amongst our troops has been heavier than usual. Captain Mitchell of the 31st has been slightly wounded ; also a private of the same regiment. The Royal Artillery loss is, one man killed and three wounded ; the Naval Brigade, including the Marines, have had one mortally, and ten severely or slightly wounded ; French, three wounded ; and the disciplined Chinese of -Kingsley’s and Burgoyne’s forces, about twelve killed and wounded altogether. By the latest accounts the allied army was still at Kahding, and a large Imperial Chinese force tion. On and outer defences of the city, they were found to be greatly strengthened since the former capture by the allies, and the enemy had shown much skill in the execution of the works. We have not received any authentic aecouut of the loss sustained by the Taepings, but there is no doubt that it is heavy. Whether the success will be followed up by the army pushing on to another fortified city occupied by the enemy, as previously intended, has not transpired.

" From Japan there is no further intelligence. A rumour to the effect that the Tycoon suggested the assistance of British arms in controlling his unruly nobles, is not at all improbable; it would form a most ingenious and unanswerable ■reply to the remonstrances addressed to him on the subject of Mr. ! ichardson’s murder. In the meantime, precautions are being taken against the recurrence of such accidental meetings as that of the foreign mounted pai'ty and the precession of retainers. The end aimed at is, not that foreigners’ lives may be safe when such meetings happen, but that such rencountres may be altogether avoided. At Yedo, during the six weeks of cholera and measles which prevailed, the number of burials was 224,808. The Mikado is said to expect a visit from the Tycoon in the course of the winter. This is pursuant to an old suspended form of fealty that has been ordered to be resumed.