The despatches of the overland mail from India, China, and
Australia arrived this morning. The latest dates are Calcutta, 16th May ; Hong- kong, 6th May ; Melbourne, 6th April. The news from•Burmah is of the slightest ; but some interest attaches to the following extract of a letter to a private friend, from Sir John Cheape, the Commander of the Bengal division of the army, dated " Prome, 19th April."
"The Commissioners have been at work about the terms of peace, and though the envoy from Umerapoora has not signed the treaty, which is rather a stringent one in regard to the boundary of the territory we propose to take, there is little doubt that the war is at an end, and that whatever terms we may be on for the future with the Barbarians, hostilities will not be renewed. References were made to Irmempoora, and to Calcutta, on the 9th instant (April), and the negotiation is to be resumed in a month from that date; so it was agreed, and no doubt some definitive instructions will come from our Government in the mean time. After this is settled, it will remain to be arranged as to what troops are to stay here (Prome). I do not think it likely, though, that any of us will get away for some months to come."
At Calcutta the treaty was expected by the next mail. We have no definite news from the seat of war in China, as letters had not arrived at Hongkong from Shanghai for some time; but it was stated that the insurgents had defeated the Imperial troops, and had made further advances towards Pekin. Two Englishmen had been arrested at Canton by French marines ; no reason assigned. The French officer in command had to make a proper apology.
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