To silence these,

the clamours of tumultuous troops long in arrears. when money was not immediately to be procured, he was sometimes obliged to send out his troops to subsist themselves the best way they could in the surrounding country.

Armies that in extensive regions had been accustomed to license and plunder were, as matters might happen, or the exigency dictate,' confined to tracks comparatively small; consequently the sphere of their violence being diminished, the burden of their exactions in many places became intolerable, and districts before cultivated and populous, were sometimes rendered waste and wretched.

Even for the supply of personal demands, Sindiah was often obliged to have recourse to bankers, who, at large rates of interest, furnished them with such occasional advances as he stood in need of. Concerning a Mahratta potentate, it is some praise, it may be claimed, to say, that he was content to borrow, when he might have pillaged.

For many years he was too much swayed by the counsels of Shirzee Rao Ghatgay, his connection with whom rendered him unpopular. This man's cruelties and enormities rendered him generally detested, and his name is yet remembered with horror in the districts where he perpetrated his atrocities, which were instigated by avarice, and a natural love of violence and rapine. Sindiah, though not cruel himself, yet shared at times the obloquy of the crimes of Ghatgay and men of that stamp.

Not only was this Ghatgay a constant instigator of outrages, but he cherished the most virulent hostility against the British; from which sentiment, events have shown that Sindiah himself was not wholly free.

Impelled by evil counsellors, no less than by the confidence of ignorance, and the hopes of delusive advantages, he was occasionally driven into measures which often terminated in disaster, and at one time almost in total ruin.

The death of his evil genius Ghatgay was important, both in tranquillizing the domestic feuds and public dissentions, which it seems that turbulent agitator was perpetually exciting in Sindiah's dominions.

At one time his insolence had so far overcome the patience of Sindiah, that he had him seized. This adventure, which was by no means an easy one, or free from danger, was very successfully and happily executed by the late Colonel Hessing, then in Sindiah's service, and another person. Ghatgay was again restored to confidence and power; but at length fell a victim to his own contumacy, and died a violent death, being speared by a person who had orders to arrest him. Dowlut Rao, if he did not exactly order, seemed to approve of the deed, and it is said that he has all his life been a prey to remorse for the atrocious actions to which he was induced to lend his sanction, when under the influence of the monster Ghatgay.'

Sindiah's name in the late times frequently occupied a conspicuous place in the stirring topics of the day, on account of the important events in which he was engaged, and his collusion with the Pindharee system, which, at one time, it was supposed he encouraged, if not fostered, in the hopes of making it a powerful instrument of his own purposes.

By having lands in Sindiah's territories, the Pindarees had a' place of refuge where they might concentrate their strength; and opportunities were not wanting whereby they might extend their dominions by conquest and hereditary encroachments.

The growth of this body (which was somewhat similar to that of the first Mahrattas) was rapid to an extraordinary degree. When the Mahrattas, having, as it were, obtained a sufficiency of territory, ceased to spread themselves, the Pindharees, who had attended their armies, were obliged to plunder the districts of their former protectors for subsistence. To the unemployed military adventurers of. India, particularly to Mohammedans, the life of a Pindharce, we are told, had many allurements; but the Mahratta horsemen, who possessed hereditary rights, or had pretensions to respectability, did not readily join them.

The predatory visits of these robbers were like a whirlwind or a pestilence, sudden, unforeseen, devastating. Whilst they continued their excesses, marauders of all descriptions sallied out to join them, or to profit by their presence, and whole districts became a scene of rapine, conflagration, and dismay. The ordinary modes of torture inflicted by these miscreants, were heavy stones placed on the head or chest; red-hot irons applied to the soles of the feet; tying the head of a person into a tobra or bag for feeding horses, filled with hot ashes; throwing oil on the clothes and setting fire to them, besides many others equally horrible. The awful consequences of a visitation from the Pindharees, can scarcely be imagined by those who have not witnessed them. For some time, until the districts in Malwa, Marwar, Mewar, and the whole of Rajpootana were exhausted, and the Pindharees were encouraged and excited to venture on more fertile fields, their ravages were chiefly confined to those countries and Berar. A few of them, however, ventured almost every year into the dominions of the Nizam and the Peishwa, though little notice was taken of them by the British Government, whilst they refrained from molesting its own subjects and territories.

At length matters took such a turn, that the British Government could no longer forbear interfering. The collision of conflicting interests and fierce chieftains, including Ameer Khan, Sindiah, Holkar, the Pindharees and the Rajpoota States, rendered the people on the British frontier miserable; all the elements of predatory power being stirred up in an unhappy range of country, till Ameer Khan and Sindiah began to found higher hopes, foreseeing a prospect of sup port from the Peishwa and other allies,

A plan of an extensive confederacy was formed to thwart, if not to overthrow, British supremacy, at the head of which was Bajee Row. This, however, with a genius, energy, and wisdom, upon which it is unnecessary to dilate here, the Marquis of Hastings signally overturned. He, by a grand stroke, succeeded in the complete suppression of the predatory system in Central India; gave peace, to those desolated provinces, and security to the rest of the country.

Sindiah's intentions, at the juncture alluded to, were well known to be any thing but friendly; however, before irretrievably placing himself in a false position, a judicious manoeuvre was executed, which disarmed one important member of the confederacy, and Sindiah signed a treaty, which really ensured his own safety; and he remained, we believe, from that time until his death, a faithful ally of the British Government, which, but for an obvious sinister influence, he was, perhaps, always disposed to be.-Bengal Hurkaru.

MAHARAJAH RUNJEET SING.

་་

It appears by the Ukhbars, (Native India Papers,) that up to the 2d March, the Maharah was at Lahore. A petition from the coin- ^. mandant at Attock was received, stating that in consequence of his having received intelligence of parties of Yvsefzeys, Noorzeys, and Milkies, to the amount of 30,000 men having taken up arms, an army was dispatched against them; but they met near the fortress. of Hakoot: 2000 men were killed and wounded on both sides, and the enemy was dispersed. Monlovee Sadoolah and others, four sirdars, with many other persons, were prisoners; 700 of their horses វ and a large quantity of ammunition came to hand. Salutes were ordered to be fired on this occasion, and Koor Khug Sing received › orders to proceed towards Attock. After perusing a letter from Yar Mahomed Khan, the Maharajah expressed his dissatisfaction of the conduct of that chief, and said to his vakeel that the grand army will turn him out of the country; the vakeel urged his master's innocence, and in verification thereof, stated that he had sent an army against the rebels; but Runjeet considered it as mere mockery. Orders were dispatched to Mons. Lord, to direct the movement of the army marching from Bhoolpore, towards Attock.

INDIAN TRAVELLERS.

We have been favoured with the perusal of some letters written by Mr. Guthrie, one of the companions of the late Mr. Moorcroft, who unfortunately shared the fate of that lamented traveller. We intend to publish extracts from these letters, as soon as we can find room for them. One is written on the bark of the birch tree, which was so much employed by our northern ancestors as a substitute for paper, that the word book is said by etymologists to be derived from the same word. It is singular that we should find this substance put to a use in the heart of Asia, which was generally believed to be confined to the extreme north of Europe.Bengal Hurkaru, April 7.

DEBATE AT THE EAST INDIA HOUSE.

Wednesday September 26, 1827.

THE minutes of last Court having been read,

The CHAIRMAN (the Hon. Hugh Lindsay,) laid before the Proprietors the list of the superannuations made since July last, according to the 19th section of the 6th chapter of the By-laws.

The CLERK then read, at the request of Mr. Hume, the names of the persons who were upon the list. The first was Mr. Henry Matthews, aged fifty-one years.

Mr. HUME wished to know, whether Mr. Matthews had resigned from ill health.

The CHAIRMAN answered in the affirmative.

Mr. DIXON stated, that if such was the case a certificate of the cause ought to be produced, and he trusted that such certificates would in future appear on the list of superannuations.

Mr. WIGRAM said, that by Act of Parliament, a person if sixty-five years old, or about that age, might resign without producing any certificate at all, but if he were under sixty-five, he must produce a certificate of ill-health.

The CHAIRMAN then laid before the Court certain papers relative to the College at Haileybury, and the seminary at St. Addiscombe.

The Hon. DOUGLAS KINNAIRD wished to know, whether any gentlemen were sent to India without having gone through an examination at the College.

The CHAIRMAN stated, that eight gentlemen had been sent out, according to an act of Parliament lately passed, and that a day of examination was now approaching, when a certain number more would be sent out under that Act, who had never passed through the College.

Mr. HUME wished to know how many cadets had been sent out to India during last year, and how many had received their education at Addiscombe.

The account was read by the Clerk, and laid on the table. It appeared that the total number of cadets educated at the college during the last year, was 399, of whom 307 had been appointed to commissions in the cavalry and infantry in India, and ninety-two had been sent to the Military Seminary at Addiscombe.

Mr. HUME asked what was the gross expence, after deducting the receipts, which the Company had been put to.

The CLERK stated, that the total expence was 80477. 9s. 9d. for 145 pupils, making an expence of about 577. for each pupil.

Mr. HUME thought some arrangement should be adopted with respect to the education of officers, by which every individual sent out to India might be fitted to discharge the duties of his situation.

The CHAIRMAN said, that the Hon. Proprietor seemed not to be aware of the number of pupils which Addiscombe contained. That College did not, and could not keep up the annual supply of cadets for India. The Hon. DOUGLAS KINNAIRD said, that an examination of the officers

before they went out to India, was only so far just and reasonable; and no man ought to complain of that examination being required before he went out to India, where he went to exercise certain functions of much greater importance to any of those which an European officer was required to discharge.

The CHAIRMAN then stated, that the General Quarterly Court was further made special for the purpose of submitting to the Proprietors for their confirmation, the Resolution of the Court of Proprietors of the 20th of June, approving of the unanimous resolution of the Court of Directors of the 23d of May last, granting to Major-General Sir A. Campbell, G. C. B., a pension of 10007. on the grounds therein stated.'

Mr. HUME did not rise to oppose the present motion, having on a former occasion stated his approbation of the grant. He had, on that occasion, asked the Court of Directors, whether they had taken into their consideration the services of the army who had served under that gallant General, and he now wished to know whether any decisive resolution had been come to with respect to offering a grant to that army.

The CHAIRMAN stated, that the Bengal Government had decreed that a reward of three months batta to that part of the army, which had been employed in Ava under twelve months, and that six months batta should be given to those who had served upwards of a year. The Court of Directors came to the resolution of doubling that amount, and he begged leave to say, that then the amount considerably exceeded the sum paid by the Burmese to the Indian Government-he meant the fifty lacs of rupees. (Hear.)

Mr. HUME asked whether the relatives of those who fell during that struggle, would derive the same advantages as those who survived. In cases of prize-money, a share of the money was allowed to the relatives - of those who died, but he did not know whether this custom was attended to in cases of a grant.

The CHAIRMAN begged leave to state, that the relatives of those who fell during the Burmese war, will participate in the grant, in the same manner as those who survived.

Captain MAXFIELD desired to know whether that grant applied to the marines as well as to the army.

The CHAIRMAN stated, that the marines and the navy had had batta allowed them from the first, which the army had not; and that, therefore, neither of those establishments would participate in the grant.

Captain MAXFIELD said, that he had been misinformed, if any grant had been made to the marines on this occasion.

The CHAIRMAN stated, that batta had been specially made to them for their services in the war.

Mr. HUME stated, that he had reason to believe that batta had not been allowed to the Bombay marines. He knew that the Bengal marines received not only batta, but treble the pay of the officers of the legitimate service of the Company.

The CHAIRMAN stated, that the officers of the legitimate service had received as much as the officers of the Bengal establishment. The same batta had been allowed to both from the beginning of the war. The motion was then put and carried unanimously.