The Calcutta Englishman of 6th December, says there has been an improvement in both import and export business, though not in prices in the former. Freights are unchanged, though the market closed weak owing to a large number of arrivals. There were 47 ships, carrying 63,954 tons, in port disengaged.
The correspondent of the Delhi Gazette, who was present at the capture of Ah Musjid, in his account of the affair mentions one or two facts that we have not seen noticed elsewhere. He states that the enemy had ten guns in Ah Musjid, seven in an adjoining entrenchment, and eight more distributed about, altogether twenty-five, of which we captured twenty. four, though official report says only twenty-two. The 51st Foot was the first regiment to occupy the fort, and in it were "found large quantities of ammunition of all sorts, for both guns ard rifles. Bundles of Enfield cartridges were picked up, Government pattern, maked 1871, the year after our gift in 1870! Twenty-four guns were taken, all made in the Ameer's arsenal in Cabul. "The enemy left his camps in the Pass standing. Tents, posthins, chogas, atta, rifles, swords, crockery and all kinds of things were lying about. The Afghans had evidently abandoned their position in a desperate hurry." Further, he adds that the commissariat arrangements were wonderfully good, considering the short time given in which to make them. Colonel Huni deserves credit for the way he has got over difficulties. There was of course a little confusion at first, but by this tine all is working smoothly and regularly. A month's supplies have been collected. Three survey officers are employed with the army, and are making an admirable map of the country."—It was decided by high authority that the employment of the Tholam and Réwalpindt railway would be riseners taken at Ah Musjid on the
derogatory to the honor of a martial race, though the men themselves were delighted at the idea. The order sent to Peshawar was, according to a contemporary, to "treat them with respect," which the Comunissioner considered incompatible with work as a navvy.
The Bombay Gazette writes that the activity of English diplomacy since Lord Beaconsfield's Ministry came into office seems to have been quite unprecedented. From the revelations now poured forth it appears that, while the Turkish war was going on, the Foreign Secretary of England, inspired by Lord Lytton, kept his eye on Central Asia, and obtained from the Russian Government a formal disavowal of any claim to interfere in Afghanistan, which Buts the subsequent despatch ofthe Russian Mission to Cabul in a very bad light. The marked significance of the speech made at Hongkong by the Chinese Envoy who has lately been on a mission to the English and French Courts, and the emphasis with which at the present critical time he declares that the friends and the enemies of England are also there of China, give point tothe in-rimations frequently published of late that England has sought and obtained the alliance of China in the expected conflict with Russia in the East. In this connection the announced visit of Sir Thomas Wade to the Indian Viceroy is not without a special interest. Mr. Gladstone can see in this vigorous and comprehensive foreign policy nothing but omens'of downfall of the British Empire; but, if such a catastrophe be imminent, he more than any other Englishman of mark has helped to bring it about, by the unceasing and unpatriotic inalevdence of his attempts to. discredit Lord Beaconsfield. In view of the dangers that beset the Empire, honourable statesmen should see that the time has come for all Englishmen to close their ranks and present a firm and united front to the enemy; but the demoralized politicians of Westminster seem to have no thought or care except for saying the most spiteful things they can imagine about one another.
The same paper says the remarkable interest the Governor of Bombay has taken during his recent stay here in the condition of the Bombay cotton mills,—he having personally inspected half.'a dozen of them,—must not set down solely to Sir Richard Temple's never-failing desire to see some new th We are informed that the Government of India has decided that factory legislation is necessary for the protection of young children employed in Indian cotton mills, and that the Government is further of opinion that any Act which may be passed on the subject should be applicable to the whole country. Accordinyly, a draft Bill has been prepared, and a copy of it was received last week by tie Government of Bombay for any suggestions Sir Richard Temple and his colleagues may have to make thereon. Hence the Governor's anxiety to make himself personally acquainted with the working of the principal mills here, There can be no doubt that employers of child Inbour in these factories should be put under some restraint. Their rules seem generally to be fair enough to the workpeople; but we have no security that. these rules are ever carried out, and an interesting letter from Dr. Blimey, a witness whose evidence is free from any taint of bias, shows clearly enough that it is the interest of millowners to overwork their hands, The millowners are so strong in Bombay that a Bill introduced into our local Legislative Council would have no chance of being fairly discussed, and we are, therefore, glad the Government of India' has taken the matter The Friend of Indic states that Mr. James Gordon Bennett is reported to have left Paris for Cabul, travelling overland by way of Russia and' Central and ae-companied by M. Ivan de Woestyn, who acted as correspondent for the Figaro on the Russian side during part of the late war, and who is to represent the New Yur Herald in Afghanistan, A. "special correspondent" among the Atighans will eer-tainly be a novelty.
he Ludian Daily News and other Indian papers complain loudly of the difficulties thrown in the way of their correspondents at the seat of war obtaining or transmitting information, The News says, ' Very little news leaks down from the front, although it is now loudly proclaimed at Lahore that no restrictions or hindrances are put upon yer currespondents—n ere put, it is more or less inferred. News people think differently, We do certain Special correspondents of the Archibi Forbes type are not born in India; the war correspondents of Indian newspapers are for the most part officers in the army, gentlemen that is to say, and therefore me capable of anything mean or pettifogging, and moreover professional men, the best fitted to judge as to what news may safely be given to the public, what news it behoves them to withhold, one would think. Ifthe Commander-in-Chief, or the Government of India, or whatever the restricting power could only understand its own interests, i would encourage such men to write or the papers instead of repressing them. But they won't do that, and it is idle—n good many people think' it is dishonest—to declare that army men are not repressed, when they cannot send off telegrams unless those telegrams are countersigned, and the correspondent's name, by virtue of the red tape, betrayed. In the present temper of the powers that be towards the Press, very few officers would dare to make' such confession of connection with the Press it is not to be expected that they should. And for the same reason it is almost as difficult for men in the army to send a letter even to a paper. They are almost sure to be found out, or at any rate they are so afraid of being found out, that such an enterprise is seldom risked. A man's prospects in his profession naturally enough weigh down any desire for connec tion with the Press, for the abatement of mudiles and abuses, or consideration for the public's desire to get trustworthy news, The Indian Daily News is by no means isolated in unorthodox notions as to the muzzling of war correspondents, as may be seen from the complaints of other Indian journals. OF course we mean war corre-Spondents not accredited by the home papers. Those lucky men seem able to get
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.