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tails which you wish to have on this important subject.

I have nothing, or very little, to add to what I said in my former letter to a friend, concerning the few congregations of the Native Christians of the Lutheran persuasion. The management of these congregations was always entrusted to the care of independent Lutheran missionaries, sent from Denmark and Germany, chiefly the latter country; whose chief establishment has been to this day at Tranquebar, from which place missionaries are sent to attend the four principal congregations of this sect, settled at Madras, Trichinopoly, Tanjore, and Orissa.

The management of the by far more numerous congregations of the Christians of the Catholic persuasion, dispersed over several parts of the country, from the banks of the Krishna to Cape Comorin, is entrusted fo the care of two titular archbishops, two titular bishops, and three bishops, in partibus, with the title of Vicars Apostolic.

The two archbishops are that of Goa, the metropolitan of all India, taking also the title of Primate of the East, and that of Cranganore, on the Malabar coast. This last has been vacant these twenty years; and the archbishopric has been, during this period, administered by a General Vicar appointed by the Metropolitan, Archbishop of Goa.

The two bishoprics are, that of St. Thomé near Madras, and that of Cochin, both vacant also for a period of fifteen or sixteen years; the distracted state of Europe not having yet allowed the court of Portugal to fill these three vacant sees. During the interval, the two latter are administered, as well as the former, by general vicars appointed by the Metropolitan of Goa, who is now the alone surviving among the four titular bishops in India.

These four titular bishops were at all times appointed by the court of Portugal; which always claimed the right of exclusive patronage on the religious affairs in India, and, at all times, endeavoured to prevent the Catholic princes of other nations from sending missionaries to this country. However, these pretended rights were overlooked by the holy see, which, from the beginning, used its paramount authority in spiritual affairs, and appointed bishops, in partibus, with the title of Vicars Apostolic, under the immediate authority of the congregation De Propaganda Fide, and quite independent of the titular bishops appointed in India by the court of Portugal.

These Vicars Apostolic holding their spiritual authority immediately from the congregation De Propagandâ Fide, are three in number in the Peninsula. One lives at Bombay; another at Virapoly, Asiatic Journ. No. 13.

near Cochin; and the last at Pondicherry. Every one among them has a small body of missionaries, both Europeans and natives, to visit and attend the congregations under his charge. The number of European missionaries is, at present, very much reduced. The distracted state of Europe having prevented a new supply of persons of this description, during these past twenty-five years, all those surviving are old or infirm; and the Catholic missions in this country are threatened with a total extinction, by the want of European missionaries; the black clergy now extant, being by all means unqualified to have the management of them, if left to their own resources.

You see, therefore, that there are, in all, seven Catholic bishops in the Peninsula, to manage the business of the Catholic religion.

To commence with the Metropolitan Archbishop of Goa. He has under his immediate jurisdiction the largest number of Christians of every description. I was credibly informed that they amounted to about 500,000 souls: and, when it is considered that four-fifths, at least, of the whole population in the Portuguese establishments are Christians, and that out of about 200,000 native Christians to be found in the island of Ceylon (which country is under his spiritual jurisdiction), 140,000 are of the Catholic persuasion),* I am led to believe that this num her is not exaggerated. This archbishop has a numerous black clergy, educated in the seminaries at Goa, and composed of between two and three thousand Indian priests, monks, or friars.

Next to the Archbishop of Goa, comes the Archbishop of Cranganore (vacant). His mission was also flourishing seventy years back. He then reckoned under his jurisdiction, which extended to Madura, and other countries to the banks of the Krishna, about 200,000 Neophites. At the present time, by the reasons stated in my former letter to a friend, this number is reduced to 35 or 40,000.

The Bishopric of Cochin (now vacant) contains, as I understood, about 30,000 Christian Natives.

The Bishopric of St. Thomé, near Madras, has under its jurisdiction about 60,000 Christians, natives, half-castes, &c.

Among the three Vicars Apostolic, who are independent of the titular bishops, and hold immediately their religious powers from the congregation De Propaganda Fide at Rome, that living at Bombay has the most scanty mission; the number of Christians of every description, under his jurisdiction, not exceeding 10,000. This

The remaining 60,000 are of the Calvinist persuasion, under the direction of the Dutch Calvinist Missionaries. VOL. III.

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The Vicar Apostolic at Pondicherry, from whom I derive my spiritual powers, exercises his religious jurisdiction over the Carnatic, Mysore, and Northern Circars; and we reckon between 34 and 36,000 native Christians under our control.

The mission under the control of he Vicar Apostolic of Virapoly, near Cochin, is also managed by Italian Carmelite Friars. It is the most flou rishing of the three, and extends chiefly to the Travancore country. This mission reckons 80,000 native Christians, attended by about 100 native priests, educated by the Italian Carmelites, at present three or four in number, in their seminary at Virapoly. This mission has under its jurisdiction both Syriac and Latin priests, to officiate with the congregations of both rites settled in the Travancore country. This is the only

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mission in India in which converts are still made among the heathen inhabitants. I have it from good authority, that between four and five hundred adult heathens are yearly christened in this mission and that this number could be considerably increased, should the missionaries possess adequate means for the purpose. The cause of such extraordinary successes, which are, at the present time, to be met with no where else in India, is the following:

The Travancore country is chiefly inhabited by the tribe of Nairs, which is, of all the castes of Indians, the most nice and severe about the observation of its usages and regulations; and which, for the most trifling transgressions of the same, drives out of the caste the transgressors, without any hope of reconciliation. These outcasts being, therefore, left without help or connexions in society, after their expulsion, and shunned by all, have no other resource left than to become converts, either to Christianity or Mahomedanism, and they ordinarily embrace this course: yet the greater number of these outcasts prefer Mahomedanism to Christianity; Mahomedanism holding out to them greater temporal advantages, and not imposing upon them so many restraints as Christianity.

Since I am speaking about the Christians living in Travancore, this will be the place to give you such information in my power, as you wish to have, on the Nestorian Congregations settled in that country, in addition to what I related on the subject in my former letter to a friend.

This sect, which has congregations of its own persuasion, to the number of about 15,000 souls, in the Travancore country, still obstinately adheres to the religious tenets held by the heresiarch

Nestorius; whose errors, condemned, at first, in the General Council of Ephesus, and, afterwards, in that of Calcedony, when renewed by Eutychés and Dioscorus, were the occasion of so many religious controversies and animosities, and excited so many troubles in the church, ftom the fifth to the eighth century.

Their leading error is, as you know, about the mystery of the Incarnation. They reject the authority of the first four General Councils, which are, as you know, the first of Nice, the first of Constantinople, that of Ephesus, and that of Calcedony, in which councils the Christian faith upon the Incarnation was clearly defined, and vindicated against the new-fangled doctrines of Arius, Nestorius, Eutychés, and other sectaries. They, of course, reject the three Creeds; viz. that of Nice, the Apostles' Creed, and the Athanasian Creed; all admitted by both Catholics and Protestants.

Their chief error, which tends to no less than to destroy all the economy of the mystery of the Incarnation, is to acknowledge two distinct and separate persons in Christ. Both the Catholic and Protestant faith, on this subject, is to admit, in Christ, two distinct natures, inseparably united in a single person.

The same errors are, to this day, obstinately upheld by the native Nestorians living in Travancore.

This sect has preserved the ecclesiastical hierarchy, consisting of a patriarch, bishops, priests, and an inferior clergy. The patriarch, to whom they own obedience in spiritual concerns, styles himself Patriarch of Babylon, and lives in Persia, in a place the name of which I have forgotten. Their bishops are delegated by him; and have a paramount authority over the inferior clergy ordained by them, by the imposition of hands, &c.

I cannot say how many sacraments they admit. Some of my informers said five; some four; and some only three; but they all agreed that holy orders were considered by them as a true sacrament.

Both the Catholic and Nestorian clergy use the ancient Syriac language (now a dead tongue), in their liturgy and religious ceremonies.

The Nestorians had a native bishop of their own tribe, who, labouring under a mental infirmity, could not, on that account, consecrate his successor before his death, which happened about five years ago; so that, to the past year, they were yet without a bishop; as it was necessary for the person designated to fill this dignity, to perform a journey to Persia, in order to receive the episcopal consecration from their patriarch.

(To be concluded in our next.)

• Mousul.

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE, CIVIL AND

MILITARY.

EMBASSY TO CHINA. Extract of a Letter from St. Helena, dated on board the Grenville, 23d Oct. 1816. "I have just time to say we arrived here this morning, after a very good passage, considering the eastern route we came, having sailed from Macao the 16th July, and were detained a few days for Lord Amherst's dispatches, who then proceeded on towards Tu-chu-lee where he was to be met by some mandarins of high rank to conduct him to Pekin; the Emperor had written a very favourable letter, which was received by his Lordship while I was with him. The captain of the ship Birma is waiting for this." Extract of a Letter from Macao, dated 15th July, 1816.

"You may be anxious to hear something about the embassy. The Emperor has given it a favourable reception; but people's expectations are raised too high in England not to be disappointed. If it accomplish no more than Lord Macartney's we shall be quite satisfied. Lord Amherst did not come into Macao roads, but joined Sir George Staunton off the Lema, where he had been for some days waiting his Lordship's arrival. They proceeded to Tien Sing in the province of Pe-chy-ly about two days since. The detachment from the factory consists of Sir George Staunton, Mr. Toone, and Mr. Davis, supracargoes; Mr. Pearson, surgeon, Mr. Morrison, interpreter, and a Mr. Manning."

FORT WILLIAM PRESIDENCY. Insurrection at Bareilly.-We have extracted from the Calcutta Gazette an account of a serious disturbance at Bareilly; it is contained in a letter from an officer on the spot.

"Bareilly, 22d April. "You will no doubt be astonished to hear that a most sanguinary conflict took place here yesterday. The inhabitants of the city had for some time refused to pay the contributions for defraying the expense of the Chokidhari establishment; and made the introduction of the arrangement a pretext for a general rising against the established authorities. On the 16th, as Mr. Dumbleton was riding in the city, the mob attacked and killed two of his horsemen ; when he sent for a small party of the Provincial Battalion, who killed and wounded ten or twelve of the assailants. Some of the Moosulman Nuwabs, and all the idle vagabonds in the place, immediately quitted their houses, and assembled at the Musjid in the old town. Two companies, with two six-pounders, under Captain Boscawen, were order

ed down to disperse them, but had instructions not to fire unless the insurgents did so first. Captain Boscawen moved late in the night, and took his station close to the mob. In the morning the rioters had become so very numerous, that Captain B. although he found his position disadvantageous in several respects, did not venture to change it least the movement might bring on a general attack. During the 17th, the rebel party increased hourly, and became very insolent to our officers and men. Several messages passed from them to the civil power, in which they held out such threats, that it was deemed necessary to send an express for the part of Captain Cunningham's horse stationed at Mooradabad.

On the 18th, the insurgents were joined by several thousands of matchlock and swordsmen from Rampoor, Pillibeet, and the Nuwab's provinces. Captain Boscawen's party consisted only of two hundred and seventy men of his own battalion, and about one hundred and twenty of the provincial battalion. An express was therefore sent for the 1st battalion 13th; and another for more troops from Futtighur. On the 20th the rebels were joined by about fifteen hundred Puthans armed with swords, from Pillibeet. They talked of attacking our detachment; made the dispute appear a religious one; planted four green standards, and posted strong picquets within ten yards of our men; and told them that it was ridicuculous to attempt to make any resistance. It was true, they said, we had two guns; but these they would take with the loss of fifty or sixty men. Captain Cunningham had arrived here, with about four hundred and fifty men of his corps, on the morning of the 19th, after marching sixty-four miles in fifteen hours; and had been obliged to take up a position about half a mile in front of Captain Boscawen's right flank.-Between them lay a wide plaiu interspersed with tombs; the whole of which was occupied by the rebels. It seems that they intended to attack our troops on the night of the 20th; but found them too much on the alert. Early on the morning of the 21st, they got intelligence of the approach of Major Richards' battalion, and knowing that it would be up by mid-day, they at six o'clock commenced the business by killing young Mr. Leycester, who was walking unarmed between one of their outposts and Captain Cunningham's station. Previously to this, they had never objected to our officers passing from one detachment to the other. They now began the general attack, and soon surrounded Captain Bos

The Commander in Chief has at length been put in possession of the several particulars relative to the conduct of the different detachments of troops engaged with the insurgents at Bareilly, on the 21st of April, and his Lordship has peculiar satisfaction in pronouncing, that the intrepidity and discipline shewn on the occasion reflect the highest honour on both officers and men.

Captain Boscawen, commanding the field on the day, displayed eminent judgement, as well as exemplary valour. The zealous courage manifested by Lieutenants Vetch, Hayes, and Hogan, worthily emulated by the native officers, non-commissioned officers, and sepoys of the detachment of the 2d battalion, 27th Native Infantry, has added fresh laurels to the trophies which before distinguished that respectable corps. Major Hearsay and Lieut. Smith, formerly of Skinner's Cavalry, who volunteered their services with this detachment, have, by their exertions, entitled themselves to participate in his triumph.

cawen's small party, which consisted only of two hundred and seventy regulars, sixty províncials, and two guns. The attacking force amounted at least to five thousand matchlocks, seven thousand swordsmen, and a large body armed with spears and clubs. The detachment had scarcely been formed into a square, when the Puthans made a desperate charge, sword in hand, and had nearly succeeded in taking one of the guns, having actually cut into the square, when Captain Boscawen cheered our brave fellows, who soon drove them out with immense loss. Captain Cunningham, who had with him four hundred and fifty of his own corps, and sixty of the provincial battalion under its adjutant Licutenant Lucas, at the same time made a charge at a large body opposed to him; but at first without success, the enemy being posted in a garden with a deep ditch around it. Lieutenant Lucas at length succeeded with the Provincials, who behaved in the most gallant style. Indeed it was remarked by every officer, that no troops were seen to surpass them in the use of the bayonet. Captain Boscayen now ordered a company of the 27th to storm a grove surrounded by a brick wall, in which the insurgents were in great force. Our noble lads succeeded, and kept possession of it in spite of three desperate attempts of the enemy to retake it. Here sad havoc was made amongst them. After an hour and a quarter's hard work, our fellows set fire to the huts of the old town, on which the rebels gave ground in every direction, and at length retreated to the new city. Our loss of course has been very severe : but I am happy to say, we have not an officer killed or wounded. The enemy must have had at least five hundred and fifty killed, and eight or nine hundred wounded. Had the rascals succeeded, every European in the city would have "been murdered. The arrival of Major Richards' battalion, which marched sixtyfour miles with its guns in thirty-seven hours, prevented them from rallying— and quiet, if not peace, was restored to the city."

Letters from Bareilly of the 14th May, intimate that the tranquillity of the city remained undisturbed, and that a commission had been appointed to try the prisoners secured during the insurrection of the 21st April. The gentlemen of the civil service resident at that station have, with a most becoming feeling of liberality, raised a subscription to provide for the families of all who fell in the action, and have resolved on presenting a sabre to each of the officers engaged, as a faint mark of their gratitude for their distinguished services on that trying occasion. The following are the general orders of the Commander in Chief, dated Fort William, 27th May, 1816.

Though the animation and the firmness of attachment with which Captain Cunningham inspired the portion of Rohilla cavalry under his command, is the best panegyric of his own behaviour, the Commander in Chief cannot forbear indulging himself in applauding the vigour and decision exhibited by Captain Cunningham. Lieutenant Turner of the 28th Native Infantry, and Lieutenant E. C. Sneyd of the 3d Native Infantry, who had offered their voluntary assistance, rendered it ina manner which meets with due estimation from the Commander in Chief. The native commissioned and non-commisioned offcers and men, in addition to the boast of brilliant spirit shewn by them on this occasion, have to pride themselves on the generous disdain with which they spurned all the artful but impudent seductions employed to debaach them from their duty.

This honourable devotion was equally shewn by part of the Bareilly Provincial Battalion, which, notwithstanding its habitual ties with those who were arrayed in opposition to the British colours, loyally discharged its engagements to the state.

Lieutenant Lucas, whose ability conducted them, and whose bravery was their example, must have been doubly gratified by seeing that it was as impracticable to shake their fidelity as their courage. Conduct as truly noble, as this inflexible adherence of the two last-mentioned corps to their standards, will not fail to meet a flattering reward. The unconquerable steadiness with which the Golundauze stood to the cannon, gave them their full share in the honour of the day.

Jayapur Raja.-Akhbars from Holkar's camp relate a number of trifling skirmishes of the outposts of the contending parties, at Jypoor Maharaja, Juget Singh,

and Amir Khan; but from other sources we are favoured with important intelligence from that quarter.

During the early part of that month, Meer Khan put his threat of beleaguering the city of Jypoor into execution; and on the morning of the 12th, the day in which our private advices commence, we find him pushing the siege with as much activity as the unwieldiness of his means, and the unskilfulness of his engineers, would admit. He was, in co-operation with Raja Bahadoor and Colonel Muhabut Khan, engaged during uearly the whole of this day in superiutending the construction of his batteries. In the evening these chiefs advanced close to the walls of the city, and much firing from the artillery on both sides took place. A second battery was opened near a place named Deenali Ram's Garden. The troops of Jypoor, being much in arrears, were clamorous for pay, and obstinately refused to go to battle without a previous compliance with their demands. Manjee Dass assured them that measures would be immediately taken to satisfy them. Information was this day received that Jysing Raogghurwalu, had captured the city of Sheopoor, and placed John Baptiste, its late possessor, in close confinement. Sheopoor was formerly occupied by Jysing Raogo. On the 14th, Raja Buhadoor and Jumshed Khan advanced to attack Rao Chand Singh, the Jypoor commander in chief; while Muhabut Khan engaged Manjee Dass, the Buhkshee. Umer Khan remained at Dougree observing the action. A heavy fire of artillery was maintained some time. The position of Rao Chand Singh was three times furiously assaulted by the united divisions of Raja Buhadoor, Jumshed Khan, and Mahubut Khan, who were successively repulsed with great loss. Mahubut Khan's horse suffered very severely. Meanwhile Jumshed Khan's cavalry gained possession of Manjee Dass' garden, from which they were shortly driven with great slaughter by the Naguhs

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naked fakeers, in the service of Singh. Jumshed Khan having however come up with a reinforcement of 3000 men and three pieces of cannon, succeeded in retaking and keeping this long-disputed post. The engagement lasted six hours, and the firing from the batteries was kept up during the night. Next morning Umeer Khan renewed the attack in two divisions. One of these composed of Jumshed Khan and Raja Buhadoor's forces, he headed in person, and assaulted the post of Rao Chand Singh with great impetuosity. There was much close fighting with swords, muskets, and daggers; but owing to the great bravery of the Rao of the Naguhs, the Meer's troops could make no impression, and after four times repeating the attack, were forced to with

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draw to their own encampment, leaving four hundred men on the field. The other division was led by Mahabut Khan, and was beaten with equal gallantry by Manjee Dass. The loss on the side of Jypoor amounted only to two hundred men. is said, that the Muharaja having ascended the Rung Muhul, viewed the battle from afar.-Our accounts close in the following manner, and we cannot help regretting that they should abruptly break off at a moment of such critical importance : "Umeer Khan has encamped in the garden of Barejee Sahib, and intends to storm. Rao Chand Singh having reported to Manjee Dass, that he required a reinforcement, the latter went to his battery and sent him two guns and some Naguhs. Munth Khan, a companion of Rao Chund Singh, is killed in action."

Akhbars subsequently leave the Raja's tent, surrounded by groups of disaffected officers, who have again had recourse to the process of setting Dhurna to extort a scanty supply of money from their impoverished master. Accustomed to observe the extreme irregularity of the na→ tive courts, in paying the salaries of their retainers, we had no idea that this system could have been carried to suer an extent, as in the case before us. The Rani confesses that the whole of the army, offcers, and soldiers, are creditors for thirtyseven months' pay, during which period they have only received a few casual sums, unwillingly doled out for the purpose of quelling seditious movements. The Mahratta horse, indeed, having grants of land, may not be in so great want; but the Hindoostani troopers and Pindaree hordes, being soldiers of fortune, mainly depend upon their daily gains. Starvation is found a most effectual disperser of such ill organized forces. Umeer Khan is in the mean time endeavouring to subsist his followers by a precarious subsistence ravaged from the wasted province of Jypoor. The district of Ujurdul was plundered by his personal troops, whilst he was negociating a treaty of offence and defence with Lukmun Singh of Leekar.

Another division of the Afghan forces, commanded by Mahtab Khan, was stationed more to the southward in the vicinity of Hindoun; and had defeated the troops of the Raja of Kuroutee, and ob tained a ransom of seven thousand rupees from that chief. Jumsher Khan again, after plundering Dhubra, part of the Jypoor Ranee's patrimony, had established his head quarters at Sambhur, to the east of the capital. The Raja remains cooped up in his palace, wasting his time in useless exclamations against the unmerited cruelty of his fortune, and in devising vain expedients for the expulsion of his numerous enemies. The few troops which he has left are in a starving condition, and

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