such articles as the country produces, and evincing the utmost satisfaction at the change in their fate. Some private communications (which have appeared in the London papers), on the other hand, assert that the troops were so sickly that nearly one-third were in the hospitals; that nearly the whole country between Rangoon and Prome was deserted by the inhabitants, and that the provisions were obliged to be conveyed from the former to the latter place by a flotilla of gun-boats.

Of the real intentions of the Burmese Court nothing is known with certainty. It is again rumoured that the king has abdicated in favour of his son, a minor, whose fortunes are supposed to be of a prosperous character; but it is believed at Prome that the king is kept in total ignorance of the events of the war. It is also reported that, in the event of the British reaching Amerapoora, the Court will retire to a succession of strong positions in the interior. A chief, named Mung-cra-ro, is appointed generalissimo in lieu of Bundoola; he is at about ten days' journey from Prome. The force opposed to Gen. Campbell's advance was not estimated at more than 10,000 men: the Government find it almost impossible to collect more troops, the men who are caught one day, desert the next. "The great moral lessons which have been read to them," says a letter from Prome, "have had due effect upon their minds. The spirit and pride of the nation have been broken, and the Government is already, comparatively speaking, void of authority, and disorganized." The depositions of two persons at Prome (one a native of the city, the other a British sepoy, who had been taken prisoner by the Burmese, and made his escape), recently from the capital, concur in describing the consternation and anarchy which reigned there; the Government could not control the people, parties of banditti were forming, the troops were daily diminishing by extensive desertions, and such of the chiefs as presumed to advise pacific measures were put in irons. The sepoy left the capital about the beginning of May, following the course of the river to Prome: he describes the country as presenting few difficulties to travellers. The English prisoners at the capital are treated with great rigour; they are in irons, kept apart from each other, their subsistence only a little rice, besides what the charity of the people bestows.

It has excited surprize that, under existing circumstances, the Burmese Court should be averse to making overtures for peace a letter from Rangoon solves the difficulty by stating that his majesty had intimated his willingness to treat with the King of England, but not with the EastIndia Company.

This is extremely probable: it is, perhaps, not generally known that the chief obstacles encountered by Mr. Crawfurd, in his mission to Siam and Cochin China in 1822, arose from the repugnance of those Courts to treat upon political subjects with an ambassador from the Governor-General of India. Mr. Crawfurd was repeatedly told that if he had been deputed by the King of England he would have been received without difficulty.

The statements respecting the confederacy of the Siamese with the Burmese, which has been so confidently asserted, prove to have originated from misapprehension of a report by a native of Arracan, who stated that a small body of Shaumese (certain tributaries of Ava, in the north) had joined the enemy's troops; these contemptible auxiliaries had been mistaken for Siamese. Our notions of the true policy of the latter are entirely repugnant to the supposition that they could be induced to assist their dangerous neighbour.

Early in May, Sir A. Campbell sent a detachment of his army to explore the interior. This part of the country was found to be less cultivated than the banks of the Irrawuddy; the villages scanty, and of the most wretched appearance; and agriculture evidently in a very degraded state. The metallic productions, according to appearance, were rich and numerous; but the people were forbidden to dig for metals without express permission from the Court. Wherever the British column advanced (except where a Burmese force had preceded it) the natives were found quietly and contentedly engaged in their occupations, either in the field or at the loom, weaving coarse striped stuffs, worn about the loins. In the route by which Prince Surrawuddy retired, language, it is observed, could not describe the effects of his desolating system. Neither man nor beast had escaped; and heaps of ashes alone indicated where villages had once stood. The miserable remnant of the people had sought refuge in the deepest forests.

Since the advance to Prome, our people have seen more of the Burmese character, and better acquaintance displays it in a more favourable light. Their vices,

idleness, dissimulation, and cruelty,→ which are most conspicuous in persons in authority, are the natural effects of the despotism they are subjected to; but the inferior men are described as open-hearted, cheerful, and good-tempered to a surprising degree: quarrels and abuse are unknown amongst them. The women are unrestrained; they rove about, paying and receiving visits; enter freely into conversation with strangers; but an inmodest gait, gesture, or look, is never observed on their part.

Some

Some very important discoveries seem to have been made, or appear likely to be made, in respect to the water communication with the interior Commodore Hayes, having reason to 'suspect that branches of the Irrawuddy fall into the Bay of Bengal a good deal to the northward of Cape Negrais, despatched some boats to ascertain the fact; and, by the latest reports of their progress, the result was likely to realize his conjecture. If so, vessels, it is said, need only to run sixty miles to the southward of Cheduba to reach Prome in less time than is now required to get to Rangoon. This part of the country, it appears, is a Sunderbund, far more generally intersected by streams than has been hitherto imagined. A statement is given in one of the Calcutta papers of a flotilla of gun-boats having actually reached Prome, which entered the Irrawuddy by the Bassein branch.

deficiency of population in this part of the empire.

Sickness, to a considerable extent, has prevailed amongst our troops in this quarter, owing, it is stated, to the unusual heat of the weather, and the irregularity of the season. Three of the medical staff, besides several military officers, had already fallen victims to the fever. A reconnoitering party, under Major Bucke, who had proceeded beyond Talek towards Ava, had returned to Arracan greatly thinned by sickness and fatigue.

ASSAM. By letters from Ramroorpara, dated June 22, it appears that a detachment of 200 men of the 57th regt., under Lieut. Kerr, had defeated about 300 Burmese, under the raja of Mogaon, by which the valley of Assam was entirely cleared of the enemy, and some thousands of Assamese were released, who had been carried into slavery by the Singphos.

A trifling but brilliant affair has also taken place between a detachment under Lieut. Neufville and a party of the enemy, near Nowa Deng Mook, in which the Burmese were defeated.

Money continues so scarce at Calcutta, that the subscriptions to the new five per cent. loan were extremely slow. Treasury notes have been issued, bearing an interest of six and a half per cent.

London Gazette, Dec. 13.

Admiralty-Office, Dec. 13.

A letter has been received at this office from Capt. Coe, of H. M.'s ship Liffey, lately senior officer of his Majesty's ships in the East-Indies, addressed to J. W. Croker, Esq., and dated at sea, the 17th June 1825, of which the following is an extract:

"I have the honour of enclosing, for the information of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, various despatches from Capt. Alexander, of H. M.'s ship Alligator, in command of the naval forces co-operating with the army under Brig. Gen. Sir A. Campbell, in their advance against Ava, the capital of the Burmese dominions; to whom I am particularly indebted for the very able and gallant manner in which he has conducted, and is still conducting, this difficult and extremely harassing service; this officer is too well known to their Lordships to need any comment of mine on his worth and ability; he speaks in the highest terms of Capt. Chads, of H. M.'s sloop Arachne, and particularly of Mr.W. Smith, his own first lieutenant; they are officers who have distinguished themselves on all occasions; and the highest encomiums are passed by Capt. Alexander on the conduct of the officers of the squadron named in the margin ;* as well as of the seamen and marines.

Light Division:-Men-of-War's Boats. *Alligator.-Pinnace Lieut. Smith; CutterActing Lieut. Hall; First ditto-Lieut. Thornton; Second ditto Mr. Duthy; Gig-Mr. Hand.

Arachne.-Pinnace-Lieut. Keele, Mr. Pickey; First Cutter-Lieut. Kellet, Mr. Reed, master's mate; Second Cutter-Mr. Lett; Gig-Mr. Coyde. Sophie.-Pinnace-Lieut. Bazely, Mr. Murray; thirty row gun-boats; four gun-vessels; two mor tar vessels; steam-vessel and Satellite; about fifty

"Mr. James Wilkinson, senior Lieutenant of H. M.'s ship under my command, latterly in command of the light division of boats, has been spoken of in the highest terms by Capt. Alexander, as well as those serving under him. I have known this officer since 1821; and while serving with me in H. M.'s ship Tees, and since in the Liffey, I have had frequent opportunities of observing his zeal and abilities; he was severely wounded last year, at the first attack of the stockades. Mr. George Winsor, late Admiralty Midshipman of H. M.'s sloop Sophie, now of H. M.'s ship Alligator, has been again spoken of in a handsome way by Capt. Alexander, for the very judicious manner in which he has conducted the steam-boat under his charge.

"I have also the honour to enclose despatches from Capt. Chads, and one through Capt. Alexander, detailing various operations against the enemy, which reflect the greatest credit upon that officer, and all employed under him. He speaks in the strongest terms of Lieut. Keele, and also of Acting Lieuts. Hall and Goldfinch, Mr. W. Watt, surgeon, and Mr. Robert Atherton, acting purser, with the assistance he received from Lieut. Dobson and Mr. George Winsor, Admiralty Midshipman, as well as of the persons named in the margint.

" I

flats, launches, canoes, &c. for troops, provisions, and stores.

+ Arachne.-First Pinnace-Lieut. Keele, Mr. Pickey, Admiralty_midshipman; Second dittoLieut. Kellet, Mr. Reed, Admiralty midshipman ; Cutter Mr. Lett, master's mate; Gig- Mr. Coyde.

Larne.-Pinnace-Lieut. Fraser.

Sophic.-Pinnace-Acting Lieut. Goldfinch, Mr. Scott, midshipman; Seamen in gun-boats-Mr. Tomlinson, midshipman of Arachne; Transport Satellite

"I likewise transmit despatches from Capt. Marryat, of H. M.'s sloop Larne, detailing various successful operations against the enemy at Negrais and at Bassein; and speaking in the highest praise of Lieut. Fraser, Mr. Hodder, the master, Mr. Robert Atherton, acting purser, and Messrs. Downes and Norcock, midshipmen.

"The various successes that have attended the exertions of every officer, seaman, and marine that have been employed on this service, merit the highest encomiums, and must be attributed to the discipline and well-laid plans of the officers con

Satellite-Lieut. Dobson, Mr. Norcock, midshipman, and twenty-eight seamen of H. M.'s ship Larne; Steam-vessel Mr. Winsor, Admiralty midshipman of Sophie.

Alligator-Pinnace-Acting Lieut. Hall, Mr. Wyk, midshipman; Cutter-Mr. Biffen, Admiralty midshipman.

ducting them, and the zeal, promptitude, and perseverance with which they were carried into, effect; and where so many have rendered themselves conspicuous, I feel it difficult to do justice to their individual merit."

N.B. The affairs in which his Majesty's vessels and their boats were engaged in co-operation with the land forces, as mentioned in the despatches transmitted with the preceding letter from Captain Coe, took place between the 11th January and 29th April, 1825; and the total loss sustained by his Majesty's vessels on those occasions amounted to five killed and fifteen wounded.

The following return is the only one in which the names of the parties are given, viz.,

At Syriam, the 11th and 12th January, 1825.
Wounded.

Larne.-Mr. Robert Atherton, purser, slightly; John Grant, severely; John Giles, slightly. Arachne.-George Webster, severely.

LAW.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH.

Nov. 25. Mellish v. Richardson. This was a writ of error from the court of Common Pleas. The defendant had resigned the command of an East-Indiaman under a contract with the plantiff, to have the command of another vessel, in the event of certain contingencies, which happened; but the plaintiff refused to appoint him. Mr. Richardson obtained a verdict with £7500 damages for the breach of contract. Mr. Mellish brought the case by writ of error before this court, (having failed to procure a rule for a new trial) alleging that no consideration had been given; and if there had, the contract was void by the statute against the sale of public offices.

The court reversed the judgment of the court below, and ordered a new venire to issue.

Dec. 16. Buckingham v. Bankes. Upon this case being called, the Attorney-General rose, and said that his client would not occupy much of the time of the court. He, the defendant, originally put a justification on the record, which he had now withdrawn, and was willing to submit to a verdict for the plaintiff with nominal, damages, which he understood the other side would accede to.

Mr. Brougham, for the plaintiff, replied, that as his client's only object was the vindication of his character, and that having already been fully effected by the former trial, he had no objection to the proposal of the defendant, he having undertaken to pay all the costs as between attorney and client.

The Lord Chief Justice expressed his satisfaction that this matter had so terminated.

MISCELLANEOUS.

THE DECCAN PRIZE-MONEY. On the 6th December the Lords of the Treasury received the counsel for the par

ner,

ties interested in the booty, namely, Mr. Adam, Drs. Lushington and Dodson, for the Marquess of Hastings, and Dr. JenMr. Harrison and Mr. Talfourd for the army of the Deccan, to hear arguments respecting the report made to their Lordships by the trustees, the Duke of Wellington and Mr. Arbuthnot.

Lord Liverpool stated to the counsel for the army that appeared that the object. of the hearing had been mistaken. It had been supposed that it was intended to. open the whole question already discussed and settled by the minute of the Treasury, confirmed by his Majesty. This was a mistake; their Lordships considered their minute as valid and binding. But a question had arisen as to the booty distributable under the minute and warrant, on which they wished to receive information from the parties interested in the result. The minute assumed that booty was captured at three places, "Poonah, Mahidpoor, and Nagpore;" the trustees reported that this assumption was not correct; that no booty had been captured at Nagpore; that none had been realized at Mahidpoor; and that certain portions claimed as booty fell into the hands of the servants of the East India Company after the army of the Deccan was broken up. Now, the Lords of the Treasury wished, on this view of the case, to hear the parties interested; and as the Marquess of Hastings and the army under his command might be affected, they had given to him notice of the inquiry.

Mr. Harrison said it was very satisfactory to know that their Lordships entirely recognized the principle of the minute and warrant. With respect to the booty at Nagpore, he felt confident that he should be able to show that it had been rightly considered as prize; and as to the booty of which possession was taken after the army of the Deccan was broken up, he considered that as actually captured by:

the

the previous operations in which complete dominion was obtained over it.

Lord Liverpool thought Mr. Harrison had formerly confined himself to the booty actually taken by the army.

Mr. Harrison assured the noble Lord that, on reference to the short-hand writer's notes, the contrary would appear.

Lord Bexley referred to the printed papers, from which it appeared that Mr. Harrison, when asked whether his separate claim was confined to the masses of booty taken at Mahidpoor, Poonah, and Nagpore, replied, Certainly, with this qualification, when I say what was taken at Mahidpoor, Poonah, and Nagpore, that would include, of course, all that arose out of those captures; for part was taken in forts afterwards."

Lord Liverpool then asked the counsel for the Marquess of Hastings, if they had any observations to make?

Mr. Adam replied, that, if he understood distinctly that their Lordships proposed to adhere to their former minute, he did not think he could fairly add any thing to the observations he had previously made. But if the facts now disclosed tended at all to alter the opinion formed on that principle, then he should wish to be heard.

Lord Liverpool said they certainly adhered to the minute, but still the state of facts might alter the situation of the Marquess of Hastings.

Mr. Adam. The principle of the minute is that of actual capture; and if I am required to show that Lord Hastings is an actual captor, as distinguished from a constructive captor, I am unable to do so.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer. "No; it is not exactly so. The warrant determines that the principle of actual capture shall be adhered to as far as possible; that is decided; but then a question arises, what booty was actually captured? Now, it seems that part of the booty claimed was never seized, that is, reduced into possession, until after the army of the Deccan was broken up and it may be made a question whether this was actually captured by the army of the Deccan? If it was so captured, then it belongs to them; if not, it will come within the other part of the minute, "that if the principle of actual capture be not adopted in this case as the rule of distribution, no other correct or equitable rule could have been adopted than that of a general distribution among all the forces of the Presidencies engaged in the combined operations of the campaign." In that case the Marquess of Hastings might

be entitled to share."

After some further conversation it was distinctly understood, that the main question to be discussed was, whether the booty

arising out of the operations of the Deccan, though not manually seized till after that army was broken up, was probably considered as actually captured by that army? As to the booty claimed at Nagpore, their Lordships seemed to think it could not be the subject of discussion.

Mr. Harrison expressed an earnest hope that, as he firmly believed it to be booty, according to all the laws of prize, either their Lordships would hear it discussed, or would send it to some proper tribunal, and would not preclude the army without hearing them.

It was then arranged that Monday the 9th January should be, fixed for the discussion of the question then raised, and that the argument should proceed until it was closed. This arrangement being made, the meeting broke up.

DEATH OF THE EMPEROR OF RUSSIA.

His imperial Majesty the Emperor Alexander died on the 1st of December, at Taganrog, in Crimean Tartary, after a short illness. The fatal disorder is said to be a species of inflammation, but of what nature it cannot yet be stated with certainty, owing to the contradictory statements.* Although the Archduke Nicholas, his Majesty's youngest brother, had recently been declared heir to the throne, to the exclusion of the Archduke Constantine, who, it was considered, was disqualified from succession by an unequal marriage, the latter has nevertheless been proclaimed Emperor of all the Russias.

The late Emperor was born December 24, 1777, and he married in 1793 a daughter of the hereditary Prince of

Baden.

East-India House, Dec. 21,

A quarterly General Court of Proprietors of East-India Stock was this day held at the Company's House in Leadenhall

street.

The usual routine business having been gone through

The Chairman (C. Marjoribanks, Esq.) acquainted the court, that, in conformity with the fifth section of the first chapter of the By-Laws, a general statement, per computation, of the Company's affairs-for India, to the 1st May 1824, and for Eng

land, to the 1st of May 1825—was laid before the proprietors. There was also submitted to the court a statement of the expenses incurred for the support of the Royal East-India Corps of Volunteers, for the year ending the 1st of August 1825, together with an estimate of the probable expense for the ensuing year.

The clerk then read the statement and estimate, from which it appeared that the Royal East-India Corps of Volunteers had, during the last year, occasioned a charge of £3,602. 19s. 8d., and that the estimate of the expense for the year ending the 1st of August 1826, was £3,741.

Mr. Hume wished to know what was the number of men of which the corps was composed, and whether they were or were not regularly disciplined?

The Chairman answered, that the corps consisted of seven hundred men, and there were plenty of recruits to keep up the corps.

Mr. Hume.-"I have no doubt that there are recruits enough; but I wish to know whether the men are so disciplined as to warrant such an expense ?"

The Chairman.-" Certainly; I have no hesitation in saying, that they are properly disciplined: such is my belief.”

Mr. Hume."I wish to know how many days in the year they are called out to exercise? Other corps are exercised during a certain number of days in each year.

The Chairman said, if the hon proprietor was anxious for information on this point off-hand, he could not exactly state it; he could not, without reference, give that detailed information which the hon. proprietor demanded. He understood, however, that there were thirteen drills of the whole regiment and five fielddays in the year.

Mr. Hume observed, that there were several officers within the bar who were no doubt competent to state the fact.

The Chairman said, if it were the wish of the court, Colonel Astell, who was not Asiatic Journ. VOL. XXI. No. 121.

HALF-YEAR'S DIVIDEND.

The Chairman." It is appointed at this court to consider of a dividend on the capital stock of the Company, for the half year commencing on the 5th July last, and ending on the 5th of January next. On this subject the Court of Directors have come to a resolution, which shall now be read.

The clerk then read the resolution of the Court of Directors of the 20th inst., recommending the declaration of a dividend of 5 per cent. on the Company's capital stock, for the half year commencing on the 5th of July last, and ending on the 5th of January next.

Mr. Hume inquired, whether this dividend was derived from the commercial profits of the Company? and whether the Company had any account of the financial situation of India? In the present enslaved state of the press in that country, which continued to maintain a sullen silence, they were left in total ignorance of what was going forward. He thought, and he should ever think, that those who had placed such fetters over the press deserved the greatest blame and censure. From what he could hear, he was led to believe that the present expenses of India absorbed every shilling which the revenue produced; and he wished to have some certain account of the state of their finan cial affairs in that country. It was evident that he must be an improvident man who would propose, or accede to, a dividend for which there was no just foundation. Now he should like to know what was the amount of the gross revenue last year, or whether there was any; and also, what was the amount of the unfunded debt, and whether any thing would remain in the Company's treasury after it was paid off. To these questions he expected a plain answer and he should also be glad to know, whether, in a financial point of view, the affairs of India were in as prosP perous