On this page
-
Text (3)
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Untitled Article
without any considerationfor the increase of passengers and freight . The Bombay Government will now run niail steamers , and there will , consequently , be a competition on the route . We are sorry to see that the Bombay Government propose to put a tax on the importation of ice , which has hitherto been free . Ice is a necessary of life in hot climates ,, and is in most such countries untaxed . Among the remarkable features of the present advancement of India is the condition of the press . Not only are the old papers doing well and being greatly improved , tut publications are springing Up all over India .
A publication called the Engineer ' s Journal ) which ha ; s now been issued at Calcutta for about a year , not only contains valuable professional matter , but has now succeeded in obtaining 600 subscribers , —a number not only large in itself , but showing how great is the demand for such class information , arising . from the great increase of railway and other establishments , and the zeal 'which influences the military and other government engineers . These facts afford good augury for the material progress of India ; for among the first requisites of civilisation are the application of those mechanical expedients by which , time is economised and labour abridged ; .
At Allahabad a new paper has been started , called the New Times . As Allahabad is a growing place , through the increase of steam navigation and the provision of railway transit , good encouragement for the adventure is expected . The Delhi Gazette has been fully re-established , the establishment rebuilt , and . a circulation has "been obtained greater than ever . The Punjabee has , however , ceased to exist , but that arises from the editor having obtained newemployment on another paper . In Calcutta itself a new daily paper is to be started , called the Indian Herald . The price is to be cheaper than the existing papers , for . it will be published at 6 s . a month , or about 2 £ d . a number . There are already three daily papers .
Another new paper about to be started in Calcutta is the Anglo-Indian , for Eurasians . It is strange there is hot one . newspaper yet published in the Hill towns , though these will become the seats of the independent [ English press , which will do so much for the regeneration of India . It is gratifying to see that the growth of vernacular literature is proceeding . This is another step to that great measure of the adoption of the English language for India , which has already been advocated by some natives . The more useful information can be extended , the greater will be the demand for access to a printed literature , which can alone supply , the requirements of the -reader . Thus as
Welsh schooling and Welsh books create a demand for English , so will Bengalee or Tamul . la Bengalee tliere have lately been published a short " History of India , " by KedarnathBunerjea ; an "Introduction to Natural Philosophy , " and a u Manual of Ancient History , " by Bhuden Mukerjee , of the Hooghly Normal Schools ; "Lessons on Objects , " by Rarngali Nyagaratna , of the same schools ; a " History of India , " by NUmani Boysak , all being based on English works . " Sushil Upakhycan , " is a work of fiction , to bring the subject of female education and social improvement before the natives , many of whom , who cannot read , like to be read to . The Vernmjuiai ? literary Society last year sold 25 , 000 copies of its publications .
The Chief' Justice of Bengal complains very strongly of the state of administration of the law -without his jurisdiction . The Chief Justice at Madras considers that much of the greater prosperity and greater safety to life and property ,, which in his opinion ^ exists in the Presidency towns , is to bo attributed to the existence . and constitution of the Supreme Courts . The Friendof'India observes that notwithstanding these facts , the Government will
not extend the jurisdiction of the Supreme Courts , as if unwilling to extend " greater safety to life and property" beyond the Presidency towns . One great value of the Supreme Courts is , that they train natives as grnnd jurors , jurors and witnesses . , There is no reason why the towns on the East Indian Railway , the Great Indian Peninsula ftail-• way , nnd the Madras Railway should not have the benefit of Assizes of the Supreme Court . Such a measure would get over most of the difficulties oi the Sudder Court ,
Thoro 1 b Poonnli , for instanco , whore there isa large English population , and which can now be reached by train in six hours from Bombay . Why cannot 1 % have a Recorder and three Assizes ? The Indigo Planters' Association have strongly remonstrated against the present administration of what niay bo called injustice in Bengal , and have memorialised , the Legislative Council to take effective xaenpuxQB for a reform of the existing courts , arid for
the establishment of hew courts , with properly qualified judges , on a different mode , and so as to supersede the necessity of such an . appellate system as now exists . This is the time the Government chooses for abolishing that great improvement-r-the honorary magistracies . There were no less than seven hundred candidates for Moorisiffships at Calcutta at the last period fixed for examination . As . however , has happened before now , the examination papers had been stolen by some of the clever candidates * so that they were able to prepare the answers . The examiner this time adjourned the examination . We believe there is little doubt remaining among those who have attended to the subject , that most of the paper examinations of natives are delusions .
Some discussion has taken place on a remark of Mr . Augustus St . John , that Hindoos display remarkable aptitude for the acquisition of English , and when they have been carefully taught , speak it without . the slightest Asiatic accent . The Hurkaru ridicules this assertion , but the Friend of India confirms it . Great complaints are being made of the rise of local taxes in the Indian cities ; but these are required for improvements , and with the progress now being made , and . the increased wealth of the country , the taxation can , in most eases , be well afforded .
Captain Baillie , the executive engineer at Jhansee , is greatly improving that town . He is employing a large number of women ,, widows of men killed during the siege . He is removing all unsightly buildings . :
Untitled Article
LATEST INDIAN INTELLIGENCE . Calcutta neAvs to the 22 nd February , and Madras journals of the 1 st ult ., have come to hand . The chief ' point of interest in the Calcutta news is the state of the money market . It is rumoured that the banks are not only declining to make advances on Government paper , but that they are , in some instances , calling upon parties to redeem the paper which they hold . A meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was numerously attended . A letter to the financial secretary was adopted , in which several suggestions are made as to the best mode of raising money in India . In reply a Gazette Extraordinary was published , notifying " for . general information , the financial measures which have been resolved upon , in order to provide means for carrying on the publip service for the coming year 1859-60 , " After giving a detailed account of the loans of the last few years , the Governor-General in Council aiiounces that five crores of rupees are required for the coming year , and to raise this sum a loan at . 54 per cent , interest is to be opened on the 1 st of May next . A new issue of Treasury bills will ¦ commence from the same date , " bearing . interest at the rate of 2 i per centum per diem , " ' As Government assures the public that " no further loan wiil be opened during the year "—provided the amount be raised- ^ -it may restore confidence , and produce the required amount . The Governor-Genera ^ however , does not feel very sanguine on this point , as he hints that if the amount be not forthcoming , recourse will be had to England ; and . then , if instructions to that effect be issued by the Upme Government , another loan carrying a higher rate of interest will be opened in India . Colonel Horsford has entered N " qpaul T and on the 10 th February encountered tlio Nana and the Begum , took all their guns , and drove them further into the interior , and according to one ( unconfirmed ) account , captured the Begum . Tantia Topee , when last heard of , was still in Bikaneer , but moving southward . Ho was travelling at his usual tremendous pace . Colonel Showers , the most active of the four active Brigadiers in pursuit , rocentfy reported officially that , whatever his own pace , Tantia could always outsfc « , p him by thirty miles a day . Mr . Montgomery has left Oude for Lahore , and has been succeeded by Mr . Wingfleld . Sir John Lawrence has been allowed fifteen months' sick leave , a notice which seems to imply that ho will return , to his appointment . The military movements reported in the Calcutta papers were made known to us by the last Bombay advices ., TJio trial of the Nawab of Furruckabad was to commence on the 14 th ult . Tho commissioners appointed to try him are—Mr . Batten , judge of Cawnpore $ Mr . Hose , judge of Futteyghur j and Mr . Wynward , judge of Bhahjehanpore . yANTIA . TQJ'EH , Mr . W . H . Russell says ; -- " As to Tantia Topee , he lins rendered himself invisible . Our Generals are all waiting anxiously for his roappoaranco , as each is surb of him this time . ' Even these gallant officers' forms are becoming indistinct to the gaze of
dierBonrier 'is supposed to be near Nagpore ¦ witL his column ; Brigadier Showers was' probably near or at Koochan , ' in Joudpore , to-day ; Colonel the outer world . Thus , by latest accounts , Briga-Holmes has vanished in the direction of Soojainghur ; ' but it is hoped that some of the many columns nxay precipitate Tantia , now held in solution , somewhere or other to the east of the Bikaneer district and jungles , and kill him- As to' dispersing his followers' the most venturesome brigadier now seems to think he ' . will . not be Credited if lie says the deed is done have b utterl
. They een y dispersed so often—they have so frequently thrown away then ? arms and hid in the jungles—nay , they have been so often reduced to starvation , which has not affected their next appearance or much diminished their numbers , that till I see a telegram which contains the news ' Tantia Topee and his chiefs are killed or taken , ' I shall not be satisfied that we have put an end to his extraordinary career . As to despatches , 'hoping to intercept him , ' or to overtake him , or announcing that he and his are in hopeless pli ghtincredulity adi . "
TnE KING OP OUDE . An Indian letter says : ¦ — " The king remains in a dubious condition , scarcely a prisoner , and yet not free , at Calcutta . There is not , I understand , the shadow of a shade of evidence to connect him with the rebellion . It is universally admitted that it was owing to his influence no outbreak took place at the time of tlie annexation ; agaiiist which he never ceased , indeed , to protest , but which he sought to overthrow- by peaceful means—by petition , embassy , and the mission of members of his family to England , of whom two met with an untimely death . The king has firmly refused up to this time to
accept any allowance from our Government , as by so doing he would admit that he was our pensioner , and would acquiesce in the act of annexation . He is living on his capital , and on jewels and treasure brought away from Eucknow , and he is in the habit , from time to time , of sending precious stones and money to the female members of his family at Lucknow . AH these , as well as his letters , pass through tlie hands of the Chief Commissioner , but I do not helieve that the letters which are sent unsealed are exposed to very close scrutiny . It istime that England should adopt some decided step as to the status and fortunes of the King of Oudc , oa whom this mutiny has fallen most heavily . "
Untitled Article
PRODUCTION OP SCGAK IN AUSTRALIA . —Ill Southt Australia bneof the species of sugar-producing plants has been cultivated with considerable success . The agriculturist who has turned his attention to tins plant may hereafter be regarded as one of the bqsfc friends of the cojxmy . The introduction of wheat into Spanish America was not more beneficial to that continent than the sugar plant may prove to be in Australia . We do riot expect that in its present state , or for some years to come , Australia will ever be regarded as on extensive sugar-producing colony , able-to compete with the West India islands , or a America he
part of the southern States of . 'I ^ scarcity and high price of labour constitute a difficulty which will not be readily overcome ; but the wet having been clearly demonstrated of the suitableness , of the soil , and climate of the country for tho growtli of sugar is , nevertheless , one of considerable import ;? anoo to the future of these colonies . Wo-learn from one of our contemporaries at Adelaide that Mr . Duncan , who has had the advantage of a West India experience as a sugar-planter , is of opinion that tne plant will not at present pay for the purposo ot sugar manufacturing , in consequence of the high pnee o * labour . Tho "holcus" is not , however , merely useful as a nlant from which to extract sugar , but ix > catuo
is of great value as food for cattle and horses , are extremely fond of it ; and they will eat plan MtaUc , leaves , and flower without any preparation , J" £ plant is exceedingly nutritivo and fattening to stocK of all kinds . Tho result ' of the experiments vrluoli have been made show that the plant is about twice as productive as a haycrop , that it grows withouc much trouble on a soil of moderately good quanta and vory little seed is required 5 the grain firom ww heads is said to be sufficient to sow an aero ot lanu . The climate of Australia , which is at cortam seasons of the year hot and dry , is not woll suited to Uo production , of lioavy grass crops , or oi tlioso rich . jm ~ turagos Vhiol > are to bo mot with 111 many par ot this country . This peculiarity of tho vlhmio Jpw not , howovor , appear to exerciso any W ™ ""* ? ™} ., ««» fi . n l . oimta m . sutrar nlant .--Australian ana
Naio Zealand Gazette , Tun Snnz CANAr-.-Advices h » v ° ' Jw n "coWod from Alexandria , which announce fJt ° Jzf 0 ° Z has rejected tho written application of M . do kossops for permission to commence the work oi I ho fcuo * Canal , and that Mr . Llcantbog , tho englnoor-lnehief , lias tendered his resignation .
Untitled Article
1 440 THE LEAPE R . [ No . 471 , April 2 , 1859 ,
-
-
Citation
-
Leader (1850-1860), April 2, 1859, page 440, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2288/page/24/
-