_Miscellaneous.

A Royal proclamation has been issued, ordering that gold sovereigns of less than 5 pennyweights 2} grains, and half-sovereigns of less than 2 pennyweights 13k grains, shall not be allowed to pass current. It is stated that about one-third of the gold in circulation is under weight ; and some of the sovereigns are intrinsically worth no more than 18s. 6d. or 19s. ; the half-sovereigns, not more than 9s. or 9s. 6d. It is supposed that a new gold coinage is about to issue, fortified by some new means against the fraudulent practices of " sweating " and " plugging."

The Queen Dowager has sent 3001. to the Committee for administer- ing the fund collected under the Queen's letter ; Prince Albert, 2001,; the Bank of England, 500/. ; the Mercers' Company, 2001. The total amount collected exceeds 15,000/.

The office of Registrar-General of Births, Marriages, and Deaths, is vacant, by the death of Mr. Lister. His successor has not yet been named.

Mr. Elliot Macnaghten was elected a Director of the East India Company on Wednesday, in the room of Lieutenant-Colonel Patrick Vans Agnew, recently deceased. The other candidates were Major James Oliphant and Mr. J. Clarmout Wrightman.

The Observer of Sunday last makes the important announcements, that the Lords-Lieutenant of counties, a vast proportion of whom have "a very unsoldierlike gait," are no longer to wear military uniform, but a blue coat, without epaulettes, and with collar and cuffs braided with silver lace ; that the Horse Guards are about to substitute the Astracan cap for that now worn by the Rifles; and that the white horse-hair on the new helmets of the Life Guards is to be died black

Queen Christina of Spain has, it is said, become the purchaser of Itialmaison, the favourite residence of the Empress Josephine.

Humboldt and Cornelius have been declared the first Knights of an Order of Civil Merit just instituted by the King of Prussia. We understand that Sir Colin Mackenzie, of Kilcoy, Bait, is imme- diately to place on the table of the House of Lords his case to establish his claim to the tide and dignity of the Earl of Buchan and Lord Auchterhouse. By the pedigree, he traces his regular descent from Sir James Stewart, maternal uncle of James the Third, King of Scots,. created Earl of Buchan and Lord Auchterhouse 1466. The Committee for Privileges are immediately to proceed with the examination of the evidence.—Ross-shire Advertiser.

The Marquis of Waterford has entered the bonds of matrimony. On Wednesday, he was married to Miss Stuart, the daughter of Lord Stuart. de Rotbesay, at the Chapel Royal. Lord Stuart de Rothesay had come over from St. Petersburg, on purpose to be present at the ceremony ; at which a numerous circle of friends attended. The Marquis and his bride departed for the seat of Earl Somers, near Reigate.

Mr. Charles Mathews, the late lessee of Covent Garden Theatre,. obtained his discharge in the Insolvent Debtor's Court, on Thursday. Out of 225 creditors, only a Mr. Logie, a maker of theatrical orna- ments, opposed the discharge ; which he did in person, with equal emphasis of manner and nullity of reason. The insolvency was attri- buted to heavy losses sustained by the theatre during Mr. Mathews's absence in America.

Grisi, in her capacity of Madame de Melcy, has obtained a judgment of separation de corps, in the Paris Tribunal of First Instance, on the ground of ill-treatment. The judgment of the Court declares M. de Melcy separated from his wife, and interdicts him from henceforth haunting or frequenting the complainant, but allows her to receive him in her own habitation.

Madame Leplus, (Jenny Colon,) the pretty and celebrated actress, died on Sunday morning, after a tedious illness, at her residence, Rue Neuve des Mathurins.

The question of repealing the Oxford statute of 1836, expressing want of confidence in Dr. Hampden, the Regius Professor of Divinity,, was brought forward in Convocation of the University on Tuesday. Mr. Sewell led the way against Dr. Hampden, and was followed up by Mr. Vaughan Thomas. To the latter replied Mr. Phillimore, of the com- mon-law bar ; who dwelt on the inconsistency of compelling students to attend Dr. Hampden's lectures, while he is refused a vote in concert with four others for the choice of a select body of University preachers. On a division, the numbers were—Planets, 219; Non-placets, 334; majority against Dr. Hampden and the repeal of the statute, 115.

The accounts of the growing crops from all parts of the country are for the most part highly favourable ; though towards the South-there is some complaint of deficient rain.

A meeting of the unemployed, on Glasgow Green, last week, ad- journed en masse to the Royal Exchange, to beg assistance. A bene- volent gentleman, moved to pity, and desirous probably of making a diversion in favour of the sanctity of the Exchange, drew off the people to a baker's shop in an adjoining street, and began to distribute thirty shillings-worth of loaves. He had thrown ten shillings-worth among them, when the police found it necessary to put a stop to the scene, to prevent the alarming pressure of the crowd. The Relief Committee distribute daily 4,000 rations of bread and soup, and have provided work for 600 men.

The overland Indian mail brings intelligence from Bombay to the 4th May. There is little news from China, and the chief interest stilt attaches to the military movements in the North-west provinces of India; where the English troops had sustained considerable losses, com- pensated, however, by greater successes.

Ghuznee had been evacuated by Lieutenant-Colonel Palmer and the battalion of Sepoys who occupied it. The fact is authentically stated in a despatch by Colonel Palmer, dated 1st March 1842 ; but the cir- cumstances are more completely described in the summary of the Bombay Times- " The insurrection which broke out at Cabal on the 2d November appears almost simultaneously to have manifested itself at Ghuznee, ninety miles to the South, and this much further from the Peshawar frontier. On that day,. Captain Woodburn and 150 men were cut to pieces forty miles to the North. A few days after this, Lieutenant Crawford, in charge of about one hundred prisoners, narrowly escaped ; his baggage fell into the enemy's hands, and the greater portion of his men were killed. From the 7th November to the 1st March, nothing definite or intelligible was heard from Ghuznee. By the be- ginning of December the country around was completely snowed up ; and though we from time to time heard of the town being filled with insurgents, and Colonel Palmer sorely pressed by the enemy, as his commissariat was be- lieved to be well supplied, a hope was entertained that he might hold out till relieved by General Nott from Candahar ; or that he might, so soon as the country was open, be able to retreat without assistance. About the end of February, water began to fail him. The enemy appear to have increased in audacity; and on one occasion they were driven back by a gallant charge made on them by the Sepoys, who bayoneted them in great numbers. A-despatch from him, of the 1st March, dispelled the illusion as to his safety. His original force, which consisted of the Twenty-seventh Bengal Native Infantry, with some artillery, was considerably under 1,000 strong—latterly probably not more than 700: of these 137 had fallen in the course of the siege, and about 100 were sick or wounded ; 200 men were detached holding an outpost, where water bad become so scarce, that within forty-eight hours of the date of the despatch it must have been abandoned. The enemy were under cover in overpowering force within fifty yards of the garrison. The thermometer had for some time been forty-six degrees below freezing. The garrison were exhausted by the fatigue of incessant duty, and disheartened by their total isolation ; and under these circumstances there appeared to be no choice but capitulation left to the commander. He states, that in consequence of this deplorable pass, and of having received orders from Sir William Macnaghten [and subsequently by General Elpbinstone and Major Pottinger] to retire, he had agreed to evacuate about the 6th March. The city was at this time filled with Ghazees, the religious Mussulman fanatics who had worked us such wo at Cabal ; and these were here, as they arc everywhere and at all, times, wholly beyond the control of the chiefs. The ground was thickly-co- vered with snow ; and Colonel Palmer, t the conclusion of his despatch, ex- pressed his fears for the safety of the force. They were to have proceeded im- mediately in the direction of Cabal, on their way to Jellalabad, under a safe conduct from the chiefs. Nothing whatever having since this period been heard of them, there remains scarcely any reason to hope but that they have all likewise perished. According to a rumour lately prevalent at Scinde, three or four of the officers were in the hands of the enemy as prisoners. On the- 21st July 1839, it was captured by us with a sacrifice of 500 of the enemy : it was surrendered by us &boat the 6th March 1842, with a loss, it is to be feared, of the whole garrison and camp-followers—amounting to upwards of 1,000 men."

General Nott . remained at Candabar. Towards the middle of January he became straitened for want of money and ammunition ; and a reinforcement of 2,500 men, with a convoy of 6,000 camels, 100,0001. in money, and 600,000 ball-cartridges, were in orders to proceed under General England to his assistance. He did not, however, remain alto- gether inactive-

" On the 6th March, General Nott moved out against the insurgents, with a force composed of her Majesty's Fortieth, with the Tenth, Thirty-eighth, Forty-second, and Forty-third Regiments Bengal Native Infantry ; a wing of Macan's Horse, and Anderson's guns, consisting of four nine-pounders. Considerable skirmishing ensued, and several villages were destroyed by our men, and given up to plunder. When the Afghans had got our troops decoyed a sufficient way out, following at last a detachment of only about 2,000 strong, the principal body, consisting of about 5,000 foot and 1,000 horse, doubled upon us, and returned to Candahar ; where they arrived, and immediately took possession of the old town, on the evening of the 9th. Next morning, they attacked and nearly got possession of a portion of the city, having effected a lodgment at the Herat Gate, and commenced setting fire to the houses. Had they been successful, the position of General Nott would have been perilous indeed. They were repulsed, with the loss of between 600 and 1,000 killed or severely wounded. General Nott returned in safety into Candahar on the 13th, after a seven days' absence. This defeat for a time appeared to have produced a strong impression throughout the country. The aggressions of the enemy were for a period interrupted ; and supplies of provisions, previously withheld from us, began once more to be brought into qur camp by the natives. On the 1st March, Colonel Wymer, with a couple of Bengal regiments of irregular cavalry and guns, about 1,500 in all, marched out from Candahar to meet General England ; and when three marches on his way westward on the Quettah road, was attacked by a body of the enemy three thousand strong. They burst on us with fury, charging up to the bayonet-point. A few well- directed vollies, however, soon thinned their ranks; when our cavalry dashing in among them, put them to the route in every quarter. Three hundred of them are said to have been left dead on the field of battle, including five of their bravest Chiefs. Our loss amounted to five killed and twenty-five wounded. If money and ammunition could not be pushed forward in time, it was believed that General Nutt would call in the force of 1,100 men at Khelat-i-Gbilzie, eighty miles off, and both fall back on Quettah; where our people have been busily engaged since England's retreat in constructing fresh defences for the force.'

General England and his force, in three detachments, to the number of 4,000, quitted Dadur on the 9th, and reached Quettah on the 16th of March ; having lost 300 camels in the snow while ascending the Bolan Pass ; some fifteen of the men were frozen to death, and considerable apprehensions were entertained for the safety of the brigade. On the 26th, he pushed forwards to Pisheen to protect some friendly natives, and to procure forage for his camels. He encountered several hostile parties, and learned that Mahomed Sedeze was awaiting his arrival with a strong force in the hills-

" On the morning of the 28th, considerable numbers of men were seen on the hills on either side of us. These were at first supposed to be scouts or marauders_ Further on, a group of low hills skirted the road, betwixt two of which lay our line of march. That on the right was strongly barricaded; that on the left covered with irregulars. The light companies of her Majesty's Forty-first, and the Twenty-first and Twenty-fifth Native Infantry, amount- ing in all to 1.80 men, were ordered to charge up the hill in line ; as it was imagined the enemy would decamp on their approach. Instead of this, they kept themselves concealed within the works ; and the moment that the Forty- first crossed the crest of the barricade, a rush so desperate and irresistible was made against them, that they were compelled instantly to retire; leaving Cap- tain May, two sergeants, one corporal, and fourteen privates dead upon the geld. On descending the hill, hotly pressed by the enemy, a body of cavalry which had the day before arrived from Candahar, wheeled round the flank of the hill, and fell upon their rear. Here Major Apthorp, of the Twentieth Native Infantry, fell covered with wounds. Ile survived two days, and ex- pired on his return to Quettah. A reserve of the remainder of the Forty- first covered the retreat of the storming-party, which formed itself into square to receive the enemy near the bottom of the hill. The Afghan horsemen, finding these impenetrable, retired in good order, leaving many of their dead under our bayonets. Of 470 men who bad been engaged, including the re- serve, 27 were killed and 71 wounded. The enemy appear to have suffered severely. Mahomed Sedeze, the insurgent leader, appears to have headed the charge in person : he received a bayonet-wound in the shoulder. Six chiefs with about thirty others, were killed; and fifty were severely wounded in this affair. They fought with the bravery and enthusiasm of religious zealots ; and it is confessed by all our officers that a finer body of irregular horse than that which charged upon our squares was never seen in Afghanistan. The utmost gallantry was displayed by our men. The Sepoys entreated permission to charge up the hill again, but were refused. The Forty-first were also most anxious to renew the contest. More than half the brigade had been employed in protecting the baggage. It was resolved to retire on Quettah. Our troops having moved off the field, spent the night of the 28th in a ruined fort three miles to the left. They reached Quettah with but little molestation, on the 30th. In the course of these proceedings, it had been discovered that the Kujjuck Pass-63 miles from Quettah and consequently 84 from Candabar, the total distance between the two being 147 miles—was blocked up ; the enemy having for months been engaged in constructing field-works for Its de- fence. It had now become apparent, that so close was the compact and so uni- versal the feeling against us throughout the country, that of all that was pass- ing beyond the line of our pickets we were in total ignorance. On the 1st of April, General England wrote to Candahar, informing General Nott of his retreat ; stating to him also, that supplies would only be pushed forward in case of extreme emergency ; that the passes must first be opened by a com- bined movement from the East and West. This movement could scarcely have commenced from either point earlier than the 15th of April."

General Sale had withstood every attempt to dislodge him from Jella- labad. The Indian papers contain a despatch by himself of the 7th April, and private letters had been received of the 9th. The history of the interval is better related, however, in the journal already quoted-

" Throughout the earlier portion of March, the enemy had insulted and annoyed the garrison by throwing swarms of skirmishers into the ravines and hollows round the walls, and behind the numerous mud-forts in the vicinage, which it had been found impossible entirely to destroy ; and from the cover thus afforded them they maintained an incessant fire of musketry on the parapets. On the 10th, the Afghans showed themselves more than usually audacious and persevering. Ou the same evening, information was received that a mine was being driven at the northern face of the fort ; and though General Sale considered that there was much reason to doubt the accuracy of this, he resolved on making a sortie to ascertain the fact and check the bold- ness of the enemy. On the morning of the 11th, 300 of her Majesty's Thir- teenth, under orders of Colonel Dennie, with 300 of the Thirty-fifth Native Infantry, and 200 Sappers and Miners, at daybreak moved out from the Pesh-

awar gate, and swept steadily round the low ground• to the spot where the enemy were said to have broken ground. The cavalry, under Captain Old- field, at the same time appeared upon the plain towards the South, to distract

the attention of the Afghans. The post where the enemy were expected to have been met unexpectedly proved to have just before been abandoned : a strong picket in the neighbourhood was gallantly driven in and pursued to a ,

considerable distance, by Captain Broadfoot, at the head of the Sappers and Miners. An attempt on the last-named body by a heavy force of the enemy's cavalry was repelled. The troops having accomplished the objects of the sortie in examining the ground around the wall, where neither mine nor gallery could be found, retired in perfect order into the fort without serious casualty of any sort. For the next twelve days, constant skirmishes appear to have occurred betwixt our foraging-parties and the Afghan horsemen. Provisions once more began to run short; and on the 24th, a strong foraging-party having

been sent out in quest of supplies, they were attacked by a large body of the enemy. These were readily beaten off : not, however, before Captain Broad- foot of the Sappers and Miners had been severely wounded; he is now re- covering. It was said that by the end of the first week of April their supplies would be entirely exhausted. A few days afterwards, however, a very success- ful sortie was made ; 500 sheep having been seized and brought into the

fortress. On the 5th April, the rumour ran that General Pollock had been repulsed ; and the following morning a salute was fired from the Afghan camp, in honour, as it was understood, of the defeat. As it was reported, in addition to this, that troops were being despatched to meet the advance from Peshawar, as also that Ukhbar Khan was about to withdraw his force, Sir Robert Sale resolved to attack him with all his force before his departure, with a view of driving the enemy off from General Pollock, of relieving the blockade, or of chastising them so long as within reach, according to whichsoever of the re- ports might chance to turn out well-founded. The force marched out accord- ingly, at daybreak on the 7th ; and, after a brilliant action, defeated the enemy

on every point. Our total strength scarcely exceeded 1,400 men ; yet with this 6,000 of the enemy were put to route—their guns, four in number, taken

from the Cabool force, captured—and a heavy loss (it is said 500) in killed

and wounded inflicted on them. The gallant Colonel Dennie, of her Majesty's Thirteenth, was killed when in the act of leading his column to the attack of a fort which the enemy very obstinately defended. The defence of Jellalabad, maintained for a period of nearly six months of severe fatigue, suffering, and privation of every sort, has thus terminated with one of the most brilliant victories which has since 1815 crowned the British arms."

Before the departure of the mail, General Sale had been relieved ; for General Pollock had forced the terrible Khyber Pass.

" This defile," says the Bombay Times, " one of the most formidable and impenetrable in Asia as a line of military defence, extends from Jumrood up-

wards in the direction of Jellalabad without interval for the apace of twenty- eight miles ; throughout twenty-two of which it has hitherto been reckoned impassable for an army when the inhabitants had determined to oppose them. From Jumrood, where the pass opens on the Peshawar side, to All Musjid, the dell is deep and uninterrupted; and the celebrated fort just named, which stands on an isolated bill in the narrow near the middle of the defile, com- pletely commands it. Here it is so sickly, that the troops we have endea- voured to keep in the fort have from time to time been nearly all swept away. For about seven miles beyond Ali Musjid the ascent is somewhat uniform till it

arrives near Lundee Khans; where for a couple of miles it stretches out to the face of a frightful precipice like the galleries by which the Simplon is tra- versed.

" A pecuniary arrangement had been made, by which the Khybarrees agreed to secure a quiet passage for us on payment of 5,000/.-2,0001. beforehand, and the balance after we had reached Ali Musjid. The lesser of the two sums was actually paid to them; but they either broke faith or found themselves unable to control the other tribes; and are said to have returned it. Nadir Shah, a century before, had paid them 100,000/. for the use of the Pass; and the Kings of Cabul had allowed them 8,0004 a year for safe passage through their country : the continuance of this latter payment we had sanctioned two years since.'

General Pollock had desired to await the junction of two brigades, under Colonel White and Colonel Bolton, comprising about 5,000 men : but it was thought necessary to relieve Jellalabad without further delay ; and the advance, with a force of 10,000 men, is narrated in a despatch by General Pollock, dated Camp Sulfa Chunee, near Ali Musjid, 6th April 1842— "Yesterday morning, at half-past three, the troops were under arms ; the camp struck ; and, according to arrangements previously made, the treasure,

ammunition, and baggage placed on the road leading from Jumrood towards the entrance of the Khyber Pass. The enemy had for some days appeared in great numbers at the mouth of the pass, which they bad fortified with a strong breastwork of stone and bushes. The hills on the right and left were rocky and precipitous, presenting great natural obstacles to the ascent of the troops. To gain the summit of these heights, defended as they were by a numerous body of the enemy, was an undertaking of considerable difficulty. " The columns destined to accomplish this most important object moved off simultaneously with the main column, intended to assault the entrance ; but were compelled to make a considerable detour to the right and left, to enable them to commence the ascent. The right column, (her Majesty's Ninth Foot, Fourth Foot, Twenty-sixth Native Infantry, and Sixty-fourth Native infantry,) under Lieutenant-Colonel Taylor—the left, under Lieutenant-Colonel Mosely

and Major Heidi—commenced the ascent, led by Captain Jervis's regiment of Jezailchees. Both columns, after considerable opposition, which they over-

came in the most gallant style, succeeded in routing the enemy and gaining possession of the crest of the hills on either side. Whilst the flanking-columns were in progress on the heights, I ordered Captain Alexander, in command of the Artillery, to place the guns in position and to throw ahrapnell among the enemy when opportunity offered; which assisted much in their discomfiture. As Lieutenant-Colonel Taylor, from the opposition he had met with and the extremely difficult nature of the ground, was some time in reaching the summit

of the hill on the right, 1 detached a party under Brigadier Wild to assault it in front. It was, however, so extremely steep near the top, that, notwithstand- ing the undaunted gallantry of officers and men, they were unable to gain a

footing on the summit ; and I regret to say, the enemy were enabled to throw stones with fatal effect upon some of the leading grenadiers of the Ninth Foot. Finding the heights in our possession, I now advanced the main column to the mouth of the pass, and commenced destroying the barrier, which the enemy had evacuated on perceiving their position was turned ; a portion of the right and left column being left to keep the heights, under the command of Lieutenant- Colonel Mosel, and Major Anderson respectively. Major Huish and Lieute- nant-Colonel Taylor continued their advance to crown the hills in front and

on each side, which were covered with the enemy ; who appeared determined to contest every inch of ground : but nothing could resist the gallantry of our troops, who carried every thing before them. A position of considerable strength before the bridge now remained to be carried ; and again the Jezailchees were conspicuous in forcing the enemy to relinquish their strong holds. Crowning- parties having taken possession of their heights, all opposition on the part of the enemy may be said to have ceased, as no large body of them bas since come in sight. The nature of the arrangements made for the protection of the baggage will be best understood when I state that not a single baggage-animal has fallen into the hands of the enemy."

In the advance, Lieutenant earning, of the Queen's Ninth Foot, was killed, with 13 men ; Brigadier Wild, Captain Ogle, and Lieutenant Mulcaster, with 161 men were wounded ; 17 men were missing. On the 10th, the rear-guard bad reached Dekko. In an extra sheet, dated May 4th, the Bombay Gazette quotes the Delhi Gazette of April 23d, to the effect that General Pollock had actually arrived at Jellalabad ; but thedate Is not stated.

Another revolution was reported in Cabal. The British hostages were well both at Cabul and Futteeabad ; though some of them had been less kindly treated than formerly. It was said that the chiefs were anxious to negotiate for their release. This first report was con- armed by subsequent advices ; and there is not the least doubt, says the Delhi Gazette, of the murder of Shah Soojah by the Ghazees, as he was returning from a mosque where he had been praying. After this, the Bala Hisser was attacked, ransacked, and plundered, and the Zenana became the scene of every atrocity these savages could commit. It is now supposed that there will be no delay in pushing on at once to Cabal ; the Queen's Thirty-first and the Sixth Native Infantry, and the whole of that brigade, had arrived at Peshawar, and marched for Jellalabad ; and Colonel Bolton having received orders to push on, will lose no time in reducing that place." The Bombay Times publishes the following narrative, transmitted by a correspondent, of the death of Sir Alexander Burnes. It is the only distinct and apparently authentic account that has yet been, or that perhaps ever will be, obtained.

As you must be deeply concerned to learn any details of the events which led to the death of the late lamented Sir Alexander Burnes and his brother at Cabul, I do myself the honour to forward you the deposition of Bowh Singh, lately a Chuprassee in Sir Alexander's service, who was an eye-witness of the events which terminated so fatally : he was a faithful servant, and his state- ment may, I conceive, be fully relied on.

" DEPOSITION OF DOWN SINGH.

" Sir Alexander Burnes was duly informed by his Afghan servants the day previous to his murder, that there was a stir in the city, and that if he re- mained in it his life would be in danger: they told him he bad better go to the cantonments. This he declined doing ; giving as his reason, that the Afghans never received any injury from him, but, un the contrary, he had done much for them, and that he was quite sure they would never injure him. " ' On the day of the murder, as early as three o'clock in the morning, a cossid (Wullee Mahomed) came to me; 1 was on duty outside. He said, go and inform your master immediately that there is a tumult in the city, and that the merchants are removing their goods and valuables from the shops. I knew what my master had said on this subject the day before, so did not like awakening him, but put on my chupras and went into the char chouk : here I met the Wuzeer Nuzamut Dowlah going towards my master's house : I im- mediately returned with him, and on our arrival awoke him ; when my master dressed quickly, and went to the Wuzeer and talked with him some time. The Wuzeer endeavoured to induce him to go immediately into cantonments; assuring him it am not safe to remain in the city. He, however, persisted in remaining; saying, if I go, the Afghans will say I was afraid, and ran away. He, however, sent a note to Sir W. M•Naghten by Wullee Mahomed. A Chobdar came from the King to call the Wuzeer, who asked and obtained permission to go: at the door the Wuzeer said to Sir Alexander Burnes," Why, you see already that some of Ameer Oolali Khan's people have collected to attack you ; if you will allow me, I shall disperse them." He (Sir A. Burnes) said, "No, the King has sent for you ; go to Lim without delay." The Wuzeer accordingly mounted his horse, and went away. The house-gates were then closed, and were in a little while surrounded by Ameer Oolah Khan and his people. Hydur Khan, the late Kotwal of the city, whom Sir Alexander Burnes had turned out of office, brought fuel from the humam on the opposite side of the street, and set fire to the gates. The Wnzeer shortly returned from the Bala Hisser with one of the King's pultuns; on seeing the gates on tire, and the immense crowd about, be took it apparently for granted that Sir A. Burnes had either escaped or been destroyed, and withdrew the regiment. At this time the whole mob of the city was collected, and the house in flames. The Jemidar of Chupras- sees told Sir A. Burnes that there was a report of a regiment having come to assist him : be was going up to the top of the house to look, and had got half- way when be met an Afghan, who said he had been looking about, and that there was not the least sign of a regiment : my master then turned back, and remarked there was no chance of assistance coming either from cantonments or the King. A Mussulnian, a Ca-hmeeree, came forward and said, " If your brother and Chuprassees cease firing on the mob, I swear by the Koran that I will take you safe through the kirkee of the garden to the chandoul, the fort of the Kuzzilbashes ": the firing ceased, and Sir A. Burnes agreed to accompany him, and for sake of disguise put on a chogha and loongee. The moment he came out of the door a few ppaces with the Cashmeeree, this wretch called out, this is Sikundur Burnes. He was rushed on by hundreds, and cut to pieces with their knives. His brother, Captain Burnes, went out with him, and was killed before Sir Alexander. Captain Broadfoot was shot some time before in the house, and expired in half an hour. There was a guard of one Havildar, one Naik, and twelve Sepahts ; they were all killed early in the affair: all the Lim- dostanees except myself were killed. His Sirdar-bearer, who is now with me, escaped, as he was at home. I got away by having an Afghan dress. All the Afghan servants deserted. I got into cantonments after being hid two days in a shop. Sir Alexander forbid the Sepoys and others firing on the people until they set fire to the gates."

In the Punjab, Shere Singh, the Sikh ruler, was still in cordial alliance with the British : he is said to have remarked to a British officer, that "the Afghan bad castes had sown guns in the garden of their destinies, and would have to reap bullets!" The Hyderabad correspondent of the London Times says that there is disaffection in Bundelkhund. " I am wrong, perhaps, in saying Bundelkund, siuce the information relates to Jubbulpoor ; where the English residents were in much alarm of being attacked and burnt out of their houses. The whole of the Nerbudda valley was said to be disaffected, and those wild districts in the direction of Nemawur pecu- liarly so. The urgent requisitions for troops from Saugor, Nagpoor, and such a distant point as Benares, prove the urgency of the case." It was stated in Orders in Council issued by the General Govern- ment, that, at the earliest possible period, Colonel Palmer would be tried by Court-martial for the surrender of Ghuznee ; that a military inquiry would be had into the direction and conduct of the troops at Cabal ; that the conduct of Major-General Elphinstone would be sub- mitted to a Court-martial ; and that a full inquiry would be made into the conduct of all the political functionaries employed at Cabul. In the mean time, Lord Ellenborough, accompanied by two or three secretaries, had set out from Calcutta to the upper provinces of Bengal. His object in that journey is stated to be twofold,—first, to be enabled to communicate more readily with the Generals of the army West of the Indus and the officers commissioned with the management of those provinces ; and next, to introduce some reforms there.

The news from China, as we have said, is meagre. Trade continued free train interruption at Hong tong, except from the Chinese holy- days, which had been effectual in putting a stop to business. The ex- , port of tea from November 1st to February 28th amounted to 20,568,153 pounds.

The forts along the Canton river were nearly finished, and part of them had been unmasked. The Plenipotentiary had issued a procla- mation, which, while it declared that Hong Kong, Amoy, and Chosen would remain in the possession of England till all demands were com- plied with by the Emperor, and that they would be considered free ports, invited the Chinese to return and reside under British protec- tion. Sufficient warning is to be given to permit all property to be removed should it afterwards be resolved to restore these possessions to China ; and perfect immunity from punishment for the natives is to be stipulated at the restoration.

A letter, dated Macao, March 14th, says—" We learn that the four senior Hong merchants are coming down here to seek an interview with Sir Henry Pottinger. It seems the Mandarins here are anxious for the interference of a neutral power, and have got an absurd notion into their heads that they may obtain a suspension of arms pending a reference to France. The real state of matters we believe to be, that as the North-east monsoon. has nearly expired, the Mandarins would fain start some sort of negotiation, which might serve to delay the re- commencement of hostilities in the North."

The French Vice-Consul, M. Challaye and some Frenchmen, having ventured too far, were seized and insulted by the Chinese, but released after some parley. It was said that there were Russian officers at Pekin giving instructions in military matters to the Chinese. The coast is now infested with pirates.

The forces with the expedition were in excellent health. The head- quarters of the General Staff was at Ningpo. It was understood that the naval and military commanders to the Northward were authorized by the Plenipotentiary to act, in case of emergency, according to the best of their discretion.

A letter dated Ningpo, February 6th, states that the Jupiter trans- port had just arrived with a reinforcement of 560 men. Large bodies of Chinese troops were concentrating on Ningpo and Chinhae. Ge- neral Gough was about to take measures to disperse a body of Chinese actually assembled at Yuyao.

A war about to break out between Cochin China and Siam is inte- resting solely as likely to have some influence in the settlement of the British demands upon China. The Siamese Mona; eh threatened to invade Cochin, which is tributary to China; and that may tend to em- barrass the councils of the Court of Pekin. The King of Siam had been induced, through the influence of the neighbouring British, to grant a portion of his ancient territory to the son of the old Rajah of Quedda.

The Governor of Prince of Wales's Island had published a procla- mation announcing the final cessation of slavery within that district.

The Spanish Ministry, long known to have a precarious tenure of office, has at length quite broken up. General Rodil had been sent for from Tolosa, and he is expected to be charged with the formation of a new Administration. The members of the Cortes held back from en- tering the Cabinet, and on the 1st instant S. Seoane was the only per- son of influence who was taking active steps to reorganize a Govern- ment.

Espartero bad sent the severe Zurbano to Barcelona to tranquillise the still riotous Catalonia.

The Times publishes the following letter, purporting to be written by the Queen Dowager yhristina, to Don Carlos, now a state-prisoner in Bourges- " TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS D. C. INFANT OF SPAIN, &c.

" In consequence of the answer you have given, through General N—, to my first verbal message, I think I should not hesitate any longer in testifying to you all that confidence with which your personal character inspires me. Fate has persecuted me as well as your Royal Highness; and, what is more, I am for the moment separated from my august children. In the name of the holy religion which inspires us, as well as for the welfare of the Spaniards who, misled by a man whom I have loaded with benefits, may for a moment have forgotten their sacred duty, we will combine in au enterprise which, although it did not succeed as I would have wished last September, will not fail in its salutary effect from the moment when we act in concert. I would willingly subscribe to such reasonable conditions as you may deem it expedient for me to submit to.

" Your affectionate M. C. " March 14th."

Advices from Lisbon of the 30th May announce that the Government had finally agreed to the commercial and slave-trade treaties with this country ; and Baron Tojal had made satisfactory arrangements for the settlement of British claims on Portugal.