medical corps those of the corresponding rank fall short of one to twenty; in the military these are permanent, in the medical not so, but merely official. The latter body also possesses nothing corresponding in any way to the Off-reckoning Fund of the army, the effect of which on the operation of a retiring fund must be most material. Finally, your medical servant is, from a variety of causes, more desirous, as he is in some respect more able, than his military brother to contribute from his present means towards such ulterior objects as are promised by a retiring fund.

"The Military Fund, moreover, so far from being yet established, as your Hon. Court no doubt anticipated in proposing our incorporation with it, has hitherto made so little progress, from various causes, but chiefly from the difficulty of adjusting the conflicting claims of the cavalry, engineers, and artillery with the infantry, as to be either despaired of, or looked on as very distant and doubtful; and so greatly would those difficulties be increased and complicated by the introduction of the claims of the medical body also, that in the opinion of all parties the scheme must inevitably fail should this be insisted on.

"Under these circumstances, we entreat your Hon. Court to consider the length of time† that the Medical Fund has now been fully organized, and the great hardship of making our provision for retirement still contingent on the establishment of a general fund, which, as has been shewn, could not soon and would probably never take place, from which we are assured it is the wish, as the interest, of the army to exclude us, and which, if included, our interests could not be duly provided for.

"We, therefore, pray that your Hon. Court, sanctioning the continuance of the Medical Fund as a separate institution, will be pleased to permit us to avail ourselves therein of the advantages offered in the above despatch, if the arrangement it proposes could be accomplished. You will not object, you are pleased to declare, to a proportionate increase, in this event,

* A member of the Medical Board, or superintending surgeon, who proceeds to Europe on furlough, returns to duty here in the rank of surgeon, i. e. captain.

↑ Four years; in which we have collected, under the sanction of Government, funds to the amount of one lakh and a-half of rupees, a sacrifice which, so far from benefiting the contributors hitherto, has been turned into a source of injury by this long suspense preventing retirements.

We know not in what sense the term propoxtionate is here used. If in relation to the Madras medical service, the amount available for us would be £612 annually for as the number (232) of their body is to ours, so is £1,000) their allowance to £612. If, on the contrary, it is to be understood as relative to the army, and in the most unfavourable sense for us, riz. with reference to numbers merely, and without any attention to our peculiar claims herein set forth, our proportion would be but £233 1-3d, or 7-9ths of an annuity yearly; the Court's letter giving about one annui

to the number of annuities remittable through your treasury. This proportion, we are persuaded, your Hon. Court, in consideration of the small number of the rank of field officers and captains in our list, of the advanced age at which most of us enter on our duties, and above all of the want of any provision for us like the Offreckoning Fund of the army, will not think overrated at one and a-half per annum, or three annuities of £300 each in every two years. The extent to which we here pray the benefit of the terms of interest and remittance offered to the Military Fund, is, in itself, and in proportion to the annuities of the Madras Fund, so small that, in thus restricting our petition, we trust to ensure at once your gracious assent to it.

"Your Hon. Court will, we further trust, in granting this boon to your medical servants, be pleased to make it, as in other funds, imperative on all who shall hereafter enter the service to join § the institution; and, in consideration of the evils we have already suffered from the delay of four years in this important matter, with the farther time that must yet elapse before we can be relieved from those evils, permit the Medical Retiring Fund to take retrospective effect, in granting annuities, from the date of your Hon. Court's despatch above referred to, in which the principle and objects of the institution are graciously recognized and sanctioned." "Bombay, 28th March 1833.”

CHOLERA AND SMALL POX.

The cholera has within the last few days been committing alarming ravages amongst the natives, particularly the Cammatees; the deaths have been upon an average a hundred daily. The small-pox is also prenot in such a degree as it is said at present valent in some quarters of the island, but to exist in Bengal, where the effects of the disease are said to be beyond all description: numbers being carried off who have been inoculated.—Bom. Gaz., May

15.

Penang.

The Bengal government has passed a Regulation (III. 1833), for establishing ty of £300 for nino regiments, and our corps being numerically equal to seven. It cannot fail to

strike the Hon. Court that while the mean of these two results nearly coincides with the amount we ask for, no smaller number than one and a-half annuities granted annually, could in fact have any sensible effect in accelerating retirement and promotion in a service constituted as ours is; and that for the attainment of objects of so great moment the extra cost, under any view of the case, can be but trifling beyond was contemplated in the passage referred to.

§ The Medical Fund already numbers among its members 110 out of the 143 of whom our medical list consists; the increase of members has from the first being steadily progressive, and we have every reason to believe that all would join on receipt of your Hon. Court's sanction.

an office for the registry of imports and exports at Penang, Singapore, and Malacca, in the preamble to which it is declared that the import and export of goods to and from Singapore and Malacca, having been declared by the Hon. Court of Directors to be free of all duties, and the collection of those hitherto levied at Prince of Wales' Island having been superseded by the same authority; the rules now promulgated have been established for the purpose of ensuring the correct registry and account of all goods imported and exported at the three settlements, the due observance of the laws and statutes provided for the general trade of the British settlements, within the limits of the Company's charter, and the prevention of loss and inconvenience in respect to the excise revenue of the three settlements."

Heavy complaints are made against this regulation in the Calcutta papers, as entailing a heavy charge upon the government, and imposing most harassing restrictions upon trade, by the entire exemption from which alone Singapore was at the first established, and has hitherto been supported." It has evidently been framed by persons wholly ignorant of the commerce of the Straits, and of the peculiar position of the ports for which they were legislating."

Singapore.

LAW.

Court of Judicature. The Criminal Sessions commenced on the 6th May, before Sir Benj. H. Malkin, the new Recorder, the Governor (Mr. Ibbetson), and the Resident Councillor (Mr. Bonham). The Recorder, in his address to the grand jury, said there were several matters which he was desirous of submitting to them, but as he was yet new to the office, he would defer them till another occasion,

The grand jury, in their presentment, which embraces nearly all the topics complained of in the presentment of the last grand jury (just twelve months before), notice the very great increase of piracy in the Straits and the neighbourhood, "which, if some effectual measures be not speedily adopted to put a stop to it, will without doubt prove seriously detrimental to the trade of the settlement." They also express their opinion that much danger is to be apprehended from the custom of the convicts and other natives carrying about lighted flambeaux in the processions at night.

The Recorder remarked upon the several topics in the presentment. Relative to the great increase of piracy, he regretted that, through an unfortunate oversight in framing the charter of the Straits Court, it had not the power even to try offences

PIRACY.

Information has reached this settlement within a few days from Pahang, that several sampan-pucats, having property on board to the amount of upwards of Sp. Drs. 200,000, are blockaded in that port by a swarm of pirate-boats stationed at the mouth of the river, which prevent these valuable trading vessels from returning to this settlement. A deputation of Chinese merchants waited on the governor yesterday to represent this sad state of affairs, and to require the assistance of government in delivering the above property, in which they are principally concerned, from the imminent danger and loss which threaten it. The native merchants are, however, anxious to forward matters, and are about chartering the brig Heaplee, for 300 dollars, and having put her in a proper condition for attack or defence, they purpose sending her, in company with the government armed boat (which is allowed them for the occasion), and two other boats fitted out by private individuals, to Pahang, to convoy the sampan-pucats to this port. This spirited conduct is worthy of much commendation and of imitation. Sing. Chron. April 25.

We find that three of the boats have returned, having contrived to leave Pahang river under the darkness of night, and by keeping out to sea, to elude the pirates along the coast. The brig, partly in consequence of this, and partly because her owners would not agree as to terms, was

not chartered; but the Chinese adopted a wiser, and we hope a more effectual plan of obtaining assistance and protection against pirates for the future-by petitioning the governor on the subject. To this they were the more urged, as the pucats which arrived, brought accounts that another of their number had not been so fortunate as to elude the pirates, having encountered a number of them off Tringanu, and after a severe conflict, during which her commander and nine of the crew were killed, and five others severely wounded, had fortunately effected her escape by entering Tringanu river. The pirates were so bold, that the Rajah of Tringanu was obliged to fire guns from the shore, in or der to disperse and drive them off. This boat has property on board to the amount of about Drs. 14,000, belonging to Chinese merchants residing here; and being unable to leave Tringanu, the Chinese are extremely anxious for assistance from government.-Ibid. May 9.

The governor assured the Chinese merchants, that he would submit their petition to the consideration of the supreme go

the brig Catharine to Lingie, to have the tin conveyed to Malacca. The vessel was well armed, and had on board a mock commissioner (a discharged Dutch soldier, "dressed up as a civilian,") with a fictitious interpreter, and one or two other "fighting characters." Seyd Saban, seeing a square-rigged vessel coming up the river, so equipped, quitted his stockade, and fled inland; but after ninety bahars of the tin had been shipped, he returned and demanded the tax from the supercargo (a Chinaman, we believe), who refused paying it, and referred him to the owner of the tin, Hootkee. Seyd Saban then mildly requested the supercargo to pay him as much of the tax as he pleased ! — which was likewise refused by the latter, who required Seyd Saban to exhibit his right to levy such an unusual impost. The latter produced a document, written in Malayan characters, and having two seals attached to it, which paper, he said, had been given to him by the English authorities as a reward or compensation for his valuable interference in the Nanning war. The Catharine shortly after returned to Malacca with her cargo, followed by Seyd Saban, who immediately complained to the Government against the supercargo. The resident sent for the latter, and required him to give two securities for 500 dollars each, to appear at the next criminal session, along with one or two principals concerned in the above transaction, to stand their trial, before a jury,-on what indictments charged, we have not heard.

It appears, however, that on the arrival of the governor at Malacca, a few days after, the security-bond was ordered to be destroyed, as the transaction had occurred beyond the jurisdiction of the court of judicature. Thus the affair rests at present. Sing. Chron. May 16.

SLAVE TRADING.

A Malay prow came into the river, a few days ago, from Batu Barrah (in Sumatra), bringing six slaves,-three women and three children-also some paddy and rice. The naquodah met with the constable, and not knowing him, offered for sale a woman and her child for fifty dollars; the constable struck a bargain in presence of a witness, and having reported the affair to a magistrate, the naquodah was committed to prison. We have reason to fear a practice still prevails, both at this settlement and at Malacca, among natives, of purchasing slaves from native vessels: an example is therefore much required to put a stop to this most nefarious traffic.-Ibid.

Mauritius.

The following horrible act of frenzy is related in the Černéen, which connects it

judge, yet "he thought the defendant borne out in urging his possible interest, however remote, as an objection, as the water might or might not run into the river which bounded his (the judge's) place of residence."

The plaintiff, in consequence of a sug. gestion from the court, moved that a rule might be granted to him for an order to remove the records of the cause to the circuit court. Defendant objected to this, as the removal of the trial would subject him to additional expense to take up his witnesses, which he did not conceive he was liable to, except upon the merits of the case itself.

The court held that the rules of the court only warranted a removal of trial to one of the circuit judges when a case might be better tried there than before the full court; that this case did not come under this head, and that plaintiff must be contented to await the removal of the impediment which prevented the court from taking the case. The plaintiff was, therefore, left without legal redress, so long as the present charter is in force, and part of the bench remains in local possession.

Cape papers have been received to the 10th of August. A statement of the revenue and expenditure of the colony, from the 1st of January to the 31st of Dec. 1832, had been published by the treasurer-general, by which it appears that the gross revenue for that year was £130,808, and the total expenditure £126,889, leaving a balance of £3,919, in favour of the

revenue.

Twenty-five additional juvenile emigrants had arrived by the Vine, all of whom were disposed of to different masters the same day they landed, and numerous applications for such apprentices were still before the committee. The ages of these youths were about fourteen, their term of apprenticeship seven, and the sum advanced by the masters was £15 for each.

Addresses had been presented to the governor, Sir Lowry Cole, who was on the eve of departure, expressive of the approbation of the colonists of his impartial administration of justice, and for the manner in which he had, at all times, upheld the interests of the colony. His Excellency and family were to embark in a few days for England.

Netherlands India.

The Singapore Chronicle of April 4 contains some particulars, connected with the massacre of the Dutch troops at Padang, not found in the Batavian account given in p. 108. The number killed are stated to be from ten to fifteen officers, and 200 to 300 soldiers, all Europeans. The prospects of the Dutch in Sumatra, it is

added, were very deplorable, and Padang itself was not considered secure.

66

Pangerang Alli Bassa Pranredo Dudjo (the late famed Lintot) and his brother, are suspected of being concerned in this massacre, and have been sent from Padang to Batavia, as state-prisoners. Alli Bassa formerly had the chief command of the insurgents in Java, under Diepo Nagoro, and on going over to the Dutch became the means of bringing the late Javanese war to a favourable conclusion. Since then, he has held the rank of colonel in the Dutch service, with the command of 800 native troops, and was sent on the expedition to Padang.

"The stratagem used to make Alli Bassa a prisoner deserves notice. It appears he was stationed at some distance from Padang, with about 800 Javanese troops, and as the natives did not attack him at the time of the massacre, the Dutch at Padang suspected he must have had some knowledge of the preconcerted plan to destroy the European force. The resident, afraid to make any open charge against him, requested he would proceed to Java, at the urgent solicitations of the Governorgeneral, to collect a larger force, and return to conquer Sumatra. Having scarcely any European troops in the latter country, the Padang authorities likewise entertained considerable fears of Alli Bassa's joining the Padries against them. He embarked on board the government cruiser Circe, and arrived at Batavia on the 7th ult. On his landing, he was received by the resident and a general officer, with a guard of hussars and the Governor-general's state carriage in waiting. But, in place of being conveyed to his residence, Alli Bassa was hurried to jail, and confined in one of the most dismal dungeons there, without having been told even the nature of the charge brought against him! Governor Bosch must certainly be ashamed to enter that carriage again, having allowed it to be used as a common prison van. This disgraceful proceeding requires no comment. If the Dutch are incompetent to rule excepting by stratagem and deceit, they had better evacuate Java at once, for certainly the spirited natives of that fine country will not submit much longer to be governed by pusillanimous men, whose fears for the consequences of their despotic acts oblige them to rule with a rod of iron.

"We learn also that a commissioner is to be despatched forthwith to Medano for the purpose of removing Diepo Nagoro, (who is confined in a fortress there) to some place of greater security, as it is thought by the Dutch authorities that the British, in case of war, would release him for the purpose of exciting internal commotions in Java! It is generally thought that Alli Bassa will lose his life."