We have intelligence from India to the 12th of April,
and are happy to record a general fake rain in the North-West Provinces. The famine, however, had not diminished, and the local means of relief were nearly exhausted. The Government were about to pass a contract law, the principle of which is most objectionable. It makes breach of contract to deliver agricultural produce a criminal offence, thus introducing the principle that a money debt must be discharged by personal labour, which is the very principle of serfage. A despatch has gone out from Sir Charles Wood disallowing the law, which is a clumsy and dangerous expedient to avoid setting up sound County Courts.
• A grandson of Tippoo, living in Calcutta, has been murdered by his moonshee from motives of plunder. At least, so it is reported, but the murder of a native by his own attendants from any motive except jealousy is an unprecedented event. Anglo-Indians are watching with interest a plan for a Trench line of steamers, which will relieve them from the monopoly of the Peninsula and Oriental Company. This plan has just been laid before the French Senate, and is really extensive:
" The company engsP,es to serve for twenty-four years the line from Suez to China, with a branch to Reunion, and the French, Dutch, and Spanish East Indies. This service comprises a principal line and five branches. The principal one will start once a month from Suez by Aden, Point de Guile, Penang, Singapore, and Segon, making an -annual distance run over of 45,400 marine leagues. The following is the itinerary of the five branches : 1. From Aden to Reunion and the Mauritius, 12 voyages a year, 19,800 marine leagues. 2. Point de Galle to Calcutta and Chandernagore, 12 voyages a year, 19,800 marine leagues. 3. Singapore to Batavia, 12 voyages a year, 4400 marine leagues. 4. Seisms to Manilla, 12 voyages a year, 7264 marine leagues. 5. 'S'eg,on to Shanghai, 12 voyages a year, 13,720 marine leagues. 'The contract comes into operation ift three years from the date of the concession, at which, time the company must have 12 steamers afloat-4 of from 400 to 500 horse-power, and' 8 of 228 horse-power. The average rate of speed per hour must be 9 5-10 knots on the principal line, and 9 knots on the branches. An average subvention of six millions is granted to the company, and there is, moreover, secured to the company, to indemnify it for the expense or sending out its vessels to the Indo-China seas, a sum of 1,875,000 francs once paid. This sum will be paid to the company within six months from the opening of the line from Suez to Segon. The Government will ad- vance to the company a sum of twelve millions, payable by thirds at the end of each of the years preceding the date fixed for the opening of the complete services. This advance, with the addition of 5 per cent. interest, will form the debt of the company to the State, and is to be repaid by the company in twelve yearly instalments of 1,050,833 francs 33 cents."
The notice of Chandernagore is amusing, Chandernagore being- about as accessible to sea-going steamers as. lbIenley-on-Thames.
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