1843.] 
THE GARDENERS 
CHRONICLE. 
235 
the 17th February, General Sir C. Napier obtained a bril- 
liant victory in Scinde, near Hyderabad, after three hours 
of a desperate struggle ; 22,000 Beloochees were entirely 
defeated by 2,700 English, who had 250 killed or wounded, 
including 18 officers. It appears that the British Govern- 
Ment, having introduced civilisation into a portion of 
Scinde, and taken possession of the Indus, the navigation 
of which became a matter of general benefit, a demand 
was made on the Ameers to give up, for the use of that 
navigation, certain strips of land lying along the river. 
hey, feeling that they could not immediately refuse, 
temporized, until at length their troops were collected, 
when, on the 14th February, they sent word to Major 
Outram to retire from their city. Major Outram, who 
did not suppose that they would proceed to extremities, 
delayed. On the 15th, the residency of the British Po- 
litical Agent was attacked : it was gallantly defended by 
100 men for several hours ; but at length, their ammuni- 
tion having been expended, the British soldiers retired, 
with a small loss, to the steamers, and proceeded to join 
Sir Charles Napier, then at the head of about 2,700 men, at 
a distance of 20 miles from Hyderabad. The Ameers, in 
the meantime, hastened to attack the British force. On 
the following day, Gen. Napier marched to Mutharee, 
and, on his arrival there, ascertained that the Ameers 
Were in position at Meeanee, distant about ten miles, 
to the number of twenty-two thousand men. Being 
Aware that any delay for reinforcements would both 
Strengthen the confidence of the enemy, and add to 
their numbers, although his own force was not one- 
Seventh part of the enemy’s, Sir C. Napier resolved 
Upon making an immediate attack, and, accordingly, 
™marched towards Meeonee at four o’clock in the morning 
(the 17th). At eight, a.m., the advanced guard of Gen. 
Napier’s force discovered the enemy’s camp, and at nine 
0’clock the British troops formed in order of battle, being 
Composed of about 2,800 men, of all arms, and 12 pieces 
of artillery. The enemy opened a most determined and 
destructive fire upon the British troops, and, during the 
action which ensued, with the most undaunted bravery 
Yepeatedly rushed upon them sword in hand. After a 
Most resolute and desperate contest, which lasted for up- 
Wards of three hours, the enemy was completely defeated 
and put to flight, with the estimated loss of about 5,000 
men, 1,000 of whom were left dead on the field ; together 
With the whole of their artillery, ammunition, and stand- 
ards, a considerable quantity of stores, and some treasure. 
The following day, Meer Roostum Khan, Meer Nusseer 
Khan, and Meer Wullee Mahomed of Kyrpore; Meer 
Nusseer Khan, Meer Shadad Khan, and Meer Hoossein 
han of Hyderabad, came into the camp of Gen. Napier, 
and unconditionally gave themselves up as. prisoners 
of war; and the British colours were hoisted over the 
city of Hyderabad on the 20th February. The Governor- 
General, in his official report, states, with regret, that 
Considerable loss has attended this brilliant victory, In 
Particular, he mentions the following officers, who, after 
aving conspicuously distinguished themselves, died on 
the field of battle :—Major Teasdale, commanding 25th 
Reg., B.N.I.; Captain Tew, her Majesty’s 22d Reg. ; 
Adjutant Cookson, 9th Reg., B.L.C. ; Brevet-Major 
Jackson, 12th Reg., B.N.I.; Brevet-Captain Meade, 
12th Reg., B.N.I.; and Lieut. Wood, 12th Reg., B.N. 
—The intelligence from Affghanistan is, that anarchy con- 
tinues to prevail there. Akhbar Khan is said to be 
Master of Cubul, and his father Dost Mahomed is pro- 
Ceeding from Lahore towards Peshawur, as if to join him. 
Akhbar Khan has threatened to invade the province of 
Peshawur, and to take it from the Sikhs, but the good 
treatment of Dost Mahomed by the latter may prevent 
that invasion. From Candahar, news has been received 
that Sutter Jung had been compelled to quit that city, 
and to seek safety in flight. Lord Ellenborough, who had 
arrived at Delhi on the 5th February, was preparing to go 
v gra, where his presence was considered necessary— 
Not only on account of the death of Scindia, the powerful 
Chief of Gwalior, at the age of 27 years, to whom an adopted 
lr has been named—but also in order to contribute, by 
Various arrangements, to put an end to the disturbances 
10 the Buldelkund districts. Col. Malcolm left Bombay 
°n the 18th February, on board a steamer, in order to 
deliver the ratified treaty to the Plenipotentiary. The 
ti Ourt-Martial on Gen. Shelton and Major Pottinger has 
‘Mminated in their acquittal. 
I HINA.—We have advices from China to the 20th 
we but the news is unimportant. ‘Tranquillity conti- 
ae to be preserved in Canton, and the discontented 
dee which led ‘to the riot of the 7th December, and 
i Still in some degree prevails amongst the populace, 
anthers likely to be entirely subdued by the prudent mea- 
. ie of the municjpal authorities. An attempt had been 
ae © to blow up one of the public gates of the city, but 
a Prompt issuing by the government of proclamations, 
meet im a decided tone, and which had the effect of 
Gi ting any serious disturbances, proved at the same 
good the anxiety of the Chinese officers to confirm the 
A feeling now subsisting between the two governments. 
that. further proof of their sincerity it may be mentioned 
doy, In a recent number of the Pekin Gazette, an an- 
mangement is made that the “strongest imperial com- 
he Ke have been given to the governors, &c., of the 
Utm, fang, Fukeen, and Keangnan provinces, to use their 
Hoke €ndeavours for the maintenance of friendly rela- 
by wn, Elepoo, the high imperial commissioner, deputed 
hegoti, Chinese Government to conduct the commercial 
the nee with Sir H. Pottinger, arrived at Canton on 
a th January, and took up his residence in the city. 
val, tamediately apprised the plenipotentiary of his arri- 
he Rene it was arranged that the first conferences should 
eld at Whampoa, about the 21st January. When 
Elepoo reached Canton, the Hong merchants expressed 
their desire to have an interview with him, which he de- 
clined; and it is now said that he has demanded from 
them, by next June, the whole amount of their debts, 
which is to the extent of three millions of dollars. 
Unirep Srarns.—The packet-ship Philadelphia ar- 
rived off Dover on Friday, with American papers to the 
4th March; and on Saturday the Great Western steam- 
ship arrived at Liverpool from New York, which place she 
left on the 17th ult., having experienced very rough 
weather in the Atlantic, The Oxford and the Patrick 
Henry packet-ships also arrived at Liverpool on the same 
day with the Great Western, but the news by the steamer 
being several days later, embraces all that was conveyed 
by the other vessels. On the 27th February a message 
from the President was read in the House of Representa- 
tives, in reply to a request from the latter body for a copy 
of any communication received from the British Govern- 
ment as to the construction put by the President on those 
portions of Lord Ashburton’s treaty which relate to the 
right of search question. Mr. Tyler, in his message, 
strongly declares against any pretension, on the part of 
foreign Powers, to visit vessels sailing under the American 
flag. Mr. Webster, the Secretary of State, supplied the 
substance of a communication from Lord Aberdeen to 
Mr. Fox, the British Minister in Washington, wherein his 
Lordship protests against the supposition that any one of 
the principles, in respect to this question, heretofore con- 
tended for by Great Britain, was in the slightest degree 
compromised by the late treaty. The President says, ‘I 
regarded the eighth article as removing a possible pretext 
—on the ground of mere necessity—to visit and detain 
our ships upon the African coast, because of an alleged 
abuse of our flag by slave traders of other nations. We 
had taken u ourselves the burden of preventing any 
such abuse by stipulating to furnish an armed force—re- 
garded by both the high contracting parties as sufficient 
to accomplish that object. Denying as we did and do, a 
colour of right to exercise any such general police over 
the flags of independent nations, we did not demand of 
Great Britain any formal renunciation of her pretension. 
Still less had we the least idea of yielding anything our- 
selves in that respect. We chose to make a practical set- 
tlement of the question. This we owed to what we had 
already done upon this subject. The honour of the coun- 
try called for it, the honour of its flag demanded that it 
should not be used by others to cover an iniquitous traffic. 
This Government, I am very sure, has both the inclination 
and the ability to do this; and, if need be, it will not 
content itself with a fleet of 80 guns—but sooner than any 
foreign Governments shall exercise the province of exe~ 
cuting its laws, and fulfilling its obligations, the highest 
of which is to protect its flag alike from abuse and insult 
—it would, I doubt not, put in requisition for that 
purpose its whole naval power. The purpose of this 
Government is faithfully to fulfil the treaty on its part; 
and it will not permit itself to doubt that Great Bri- 
tain will comply with it on hers. In this way peace will 
be best preserved and the most amicable relation 
maintained between the two countries.’? The Presi- 
dential campaign is fairly opened. The following are 
named as candidates for the office: —Mr. Tyler, Mr. Van 
Buren, Mr. Calhoun, Mr. Cass, Judge M‘Lean, Mr. John- 
son of Kentucky, and Mr. Buchannan, The great contest 
will be between Mr. Van Buren and Mr. Calhoun. It is 
thought, however, by the friends of Mr. Tyler that the 
struggle will end in his nomination. Mr. Webster, it is 
understood, is on the point of retiring from the Cabinet, 
and Mr. Cushing, it is said, will succeed him as Secretary 
of State. A rumour prevailed that Mr. Webster will be 
appointed Minister at London, in the place of Mr. Everett, 
who is going to China.—The comet, the sudden appear- 
ance of which in our hemisphere has excited so much in- 
terest, had as suddenly appeared in the western hemi- 
sphere. Its tail was first observed on the 5th ult., and 
excited as much interest in America as in Europe. On 
the llth, the head was observed considerably elevated 
above the horizon, and close to the well-known star Beta 
of the Whale. At 7 o'clock, its right ascension was 1 
hour 43 minutes, and its declination 113 degrees. ‘‘ The 
nucleus presented the appearance of a bright central spot, 
enveloped in a misty haze, elongated in the direction of 
the train, the whole somewhat resembling a lamp seen 
through a shade of ground glass.”- 
Wear Inpvies.—The royal mail steamer Teviot arrived 
on Sunday with mails from Mexico and some of the West 
India Islands, but none from Jamaica. She brought 
about 700,000 dollars and 105 serons of cochineal on 
freight. ‘The Avon was thirty days on her outward pas- 
sage, having expended all her coals in fifteen days after 
leaving Falmouth. The Trent had not arrived. Another 
expedition, consisting of 600 to 700 men, had sailed in 
the steamer Montezuma, from Vera Cruz, for Campeachy, 
private reports from which place were unfavourable, 
but nothing official had been reported by the Mexican 
Government. From St. Thomas’s we learn that several 
slight shocks of earthquake have been experienced there 
since the departure of the last mail boat, but causing no 
injury of any kind. A letter from St. Domingo says that 
ali the southern part of that fine island is in a state of 
St. Jeremie is the head-quarters of the Revo- 
ivil war. 2 ¢ of | 
eer where there are 5,000 insurrectionists under 
arms, their object being the establishment of a govern- 
y 
s jmilar to that of the United States. 
ee aeewe have accounts from Rio to the 8th Feb. 
They nate that Mr. Ellis’s mission has entirely failed, 
and that he is making preparations to return to this coun- 
try immediately, in the Malabar. His proposal for a fresh 
treaty has been rejected by the Brazilian Ministers, the 
terms not being such as they are willing to accept; but 
they have offered to treat if the English Government will 
reduce the duties on Brazilian sugar and coffee to the 
same rates as those on sugar and coffee the produce of 
the British colonies. Mr. Ellis had no power to nego- 
tiate on any such terms, and it was understood that he 
would remain only until the Malabar was ready to sail, 
unless this display of decision should shake the determi- 
nation of the Brazilian Government. 
HOUSE OF LORDS. 
Monday.—A conversation occurred respecting the last message 
of President Tyler, on the subject of the right of visitation as 
affected by the treaty of Washington. The Marquess of Lans- 
followed, which ended in the postponement of Lord Brougham’s 
motion until Friday next. Lord AperpEEN then expressed his 
conviction that, although the difference of construction to which 
the President’s message referred, related to a very important 
part of the treaty, it was more apparent than real, that it could 
no serious inconvenience, or duce any unpleasant 
consequences. Lord Brovenam pledged himself to demonstrate 
the truth of this opinion, and in its correctness Lord ASHBURTON 
concurred. e had inquired into this, among other matters 
which were subjects of complaint, during his visit to the United 
States, and had heard nothing but expressions of satisfaction at 
the explanation given by this country. 
ported the Bill, but on a division the numbers appeared equal, 
and the Lord Chancellor declared in favour of the ‘* Non-Con- 
tents.’ The bill was accordingly lost. 
Tuesday.—The business this evening consisted in the presenta- 
tion of petitions, and the forwarding of some routine business, 
of no general interest. 
Thursday,—Lord MontTeacLE moved for returns relating to 
the import and export of woollens and cottons, his object being 
to show the alarming decrease which had taken place, and from 
which he inferred that nothing could be more injurious in a 
country like this than taxes on raw materials.—The Duke o} 
the country. He recommended th: 
period of ten years, instead of seven, as moved for, and he pro- 
posed an amendment to that effect.—Lord MonrrAe ie agreed 
to the amendment, and after some remarks from Lord AsapurR- 
Ton, the returns were ordered. 
considered as a fair criterion of its produce for the year. He al- 
ways thought that the tax would produce six millions; but from 
the present quarter’s returns, it might be taken as over seven mil- 
lions.—Lord WHaARNCLIFFE Said it was no criterion one way or 
another, as it included a portion of the previous quarter, while 
a considerable proportion of the last quarter remained unpaid. 
|, however, endeavour to ascertain the state of the in- 
formation.—The Duke of Wet.ineron sai understood the 
produce of the tax would be about four millions and a half; but 
Lord Brovenam considered that it would be more. 
Friday.—Lord BrovcHam brought forward his motion for a 
vote of thanks to Lord Ashburton, for having successfully nego- 
tiated the recent treaty with America.—The Duke of CAMBRIDGE 
cordially supported the motion.—The Marquess of LANSDOWNE 
opposed it as unprecedented; and since he could not view 
the treaty with satisfaction, he moved, as an amendment, the 
adjournment of the House.—Lord ABERDEEN, Lord CoLCHESTER, 
Lord Denman, and the Earl of Carnarvon, spoke in fayour of. 
the vote, and Lord CAMPBELL against it; when the question of 
adjournment was put and negatived, and the motion was carried 
without a division. 
HOUSE OF COMMONS. 
Monday.—Lord Joun Russet, with reference to Mr. Hume’s 
approaching motion upon the Washington treaty, desired to 
notice the great difference between the British and American 
Governments respecting the construction of the 8th article (that 
which regards the Right of Visit), and to ask for the production of 
some of the papers relating to that adjustment ; observing that 
the House could not very conveniently discuss the merits of the 
negotiator, unless the real effect of his negotiation were made 
clearly apparent.—Sir R. 
several papers respecting this matte: 
burton had not been authorized to negotiate at all upon the right 
of visit, the British Government having in no degree departed 
from the principle affirmed in Lord Aberdeen’s communication 
its re-commitment p70 forma. e ‘ ~ 
House of its final control, been contained in the bill as originally 
drawn, he was not sure that he could have consented to the 
second reading.—Sir J. Grawam said that this alteration had 
been regularly introduced, while the bill was under consideration 
in committee; as it was now to be reconsidered, any objec. 
tions might be made to this appellate jurisdiction, the object of 
which was to refer to the decision of a court of law, not a ques- 
tion of fact or of evidence, but one strictly of a legal nature.— 
After a few observations from Sir Gores Grey and Mr. Hume, 
narrowest possible spirit, especially in matters connected with 
the liberty of the subject.—Sir J. Granam contended that in 
ancient as well as in modern times, the courts of law had 
a prominent part in protecting the rights and liberties of the 
eople. The noble Lord t i ‘i 
ft i agreater extent, for the 
evidence.—After some observations by Mr. Darsy and Mrz 
UTHERFORD, Mr. Roesuex said that they were about to thrust 
on the judges a mass of business which, overwhelmed as they 
