has agreed to receive 18,000 rupees as the tribute from Kurnal. He had also demanded from Bhunga Singh tribute for Thanesur, who declined complying on pretence, that the muhal in question has always been exempted, as being set apart for the support of the poor and religious. He is preparing to resist the demand by force. June 8th. Papers from colonel Bourquin's camp state, that Bhunga Singh and Muhtah Singh, the sikh chiefs of Thanesur, are prepared to oppose him. Dispatches were received from the westward, which say, that Muhmood Shah has marched towards Peshawur. Mohun Lal related, on the authority of the Wukeel from Umrutsir, that Salib Singh and Gooroondut Singh, having united their forces, have engaged the Ufghans of Rohtas Gurh. About five hundred men were slain and wounded, when the Ufghans fled, and the Sikhs took possession of Wuzeerabad. GHUNEE BUHADOOR. Camp at Kalinjur, June 6th. A body of four or five thousand men in the Nuwab's service, commanded by Raja Ram Dhun, having threateded to withdraw for want of pay, the Nuwab directed that chief to give in an exact return of his people, and assured him, that a jaenad should be set apart for their subsistence. It does not yet appear whether or not they are satisfied with this promise, for they still threaten to go over to the service of the raja of Nagpoor. 7th. Letters from the rajas of Jhansee and Kalpee state, that they are employed in raising troops. Himmut Buhadoor observed, that, he could raise two lakhs of horse in fifteen days, provided he were supplied with money, without which nothing could be done. Accounts were received of an action between the garrison, which still holds out in Kalinjur, and the Qiludar of Ajeegurh. Many people were killed and wounded, and raja Ram Pindaru plundered a village dependent on Ajeegurh. June 8th. Raja Ram Dhun having reported his troops ready for muster, the Nuwab put it off to another day, but in the mean time directed his deewan, Bulwunt Rao, to assign a jaedad for their support. 10th. Accounts being received that the garrison of Kalingjur have destroyed a certain village, and killed several people, the Nuwab directed Kowur Ootumgir to take charge of the trenches before the fort, and keep a strict guard over them. The prophet Moobummud having laboured under a dangerous distemper in the month of Sufur, performed the usual ablutions after recovery, on the last Wed siver, for his excellency the Govermor-general, for colonel Collins, Muharaja Duolut Rao Scindeah, Mirza Ukbur Shah, general Perron, Mr. Drudgen, and the Begums. Mohun Lal related, that the raja Sahib Singh, of Puteeala, having left his own wukeel and the wukeel of general Perron, with Runjeet Singh, the chief of Lahuor, has returned to Puteeala. GHUNEE BUHADOOR. June 15th and 18th. The Nuwab sent for raja Ram Dhan, and gave him the command of the trenches against Kalinjur. Accounts were received of a skirmish with the besieged, who were driven back into the fort, with the loss of seven men on their side, and twelve on that of the Nuwab. June 25.-Shah Nuwaz Khan reported, that Muhmood Shah is in Kahool; but the disturbances, which had taken place to the westward, are not yet appeased. The raja of Putecalu, is at present at Umrut Sur on some business. GHUNEE BUHADOOR. June 25. Accounts were received that raja Soonee Sahee having plundered some villages belonging to the raja of Churkuharee, the latter has marched in order to chastise him. The Nuwab sent Hajee Sahib and Nujm ood deen to meet the Nuwab Shumsher Bahadoor. The garrison of Kalinjur made a sally, but were repulsed. DIHLEE. June 26. General Perron has directed colonel Bourquin to canton at Paneeput. 28. Mohun Lal related, that the chiefs of the Sikhs have joined colonel Bourquin. July 1. Shah Nuwaz Khan related, that Runjeet Singh, the chief of Lahuor, has been imprisoned by Ruttun Singh, who has rebelled against his relation and sovereign, Goolah Singh, of Umrut Sur. Muhmood Shah is in Kabool, and the prince Kamrant is in Qundhar. Quesur and Shoojaookmoolk are as usual encamped in the vicinity of Qundhar, and excite much commotion. GHUNEE BUAHADOOR. June 24. The garrison made a sally from Kalinjur, but were repulsed by the Nuwab's cavalry. JYPOOR. June 25. The raja directed Rae Chund to march to the Purgunnus of Tonk and Rampoora, and garrison those places; to take with him the detachment of Jeewun Chelu, and to repel Zalim Singh Kota, should he presume to invade the territories of the Surkar. 27. Rae Chund, with his infantry, cavalry, and guns, marched towards Tonk. 28. The raja observed, that this this year the rains to all appearance will be scanty; and the dealers have raised the price of grain. He therefore ordered a proclamation to be made in the Bazar, that whoever shall raise the price of grain shall have his nose and ears cut off. BENGAL. nesday of that month. On this account, that day is celebrated as a festival among the Moosulmans They write on two pieces of plantain leaf, sentences containing the praises of God, of the saints, and prophet. Each of these inscriptions is immediately washed off in a separate portion of water. One portion they use to bathe with, and they drink the other. They also distribute, among their friends, rings which have been previously washed in this consecrated water. BENGAL Occurrences for JULY, 1803. Royal Military College, July 25,1803. On Tuesday the 29th of March, being the day appointed by his excellency the visitor for the public disputation in the oriental languages, the governors, officers, professors, and students of the college assembled at nine o'clock at the new government-house. At a little before ten his excellency the visitor, accompanied by the honorable the chief justice, the members of the supreme council of the college, and the officers of his excellency's suite, entered the southern room on the marble floor, and took his seat at the west end of the room. In front of his excellency, seats were placed for the professors, and for such students as were to maintain the disputations, or to receive prizes and honorary rewards. As soon as his excellency had taken his seat, the disputations commenced in the following order. DISPUTATION. In the Bengalee language. Chief opponent, W. B. Martin. In the Arabic language, were pro- Mr. R. Jenkins, and Mr. Wood. At the conclusion of the disputations in the Persian, Hindustanee, and Bengalee languages, an appropriate speech, in the language of the disputation was made by the respective moderators. At the conclusion of the declamations in the Arabic language, Lieutenant Baillie, the professor of Arabic, delivered a speech in that language. When the disputations and the Arabic declamations and speeches were concluded, his excellency signified to the officers of the col'lege, his directions that the prizes and honorary rewards should be distributed in his presence, on the ensuing day. His excellency also notified his intention to confer the degree of honor established by the statutes, on several students, whom he had directed the council of the college to present to him, for that purpose. On Wednesday, the 30th March, his excellency the visitor entered the room about half past eleven o'clock, accompanied by the homembers of the supreme council, nourable the chief justice, the the members of the council of the college, and the officers of his excellency's suite. As As soon as the visitor had taken his seat, the vice provost proceeded to present to his excellency, those students who were entitled under statue viii, to receive degrees of honor, and whose presentation had been previously directed by his excellency. The vice provost publicly read the certificate granted by the council of the college to each student respectively, specifying the high proficiency which he had made in the Oriental languages, and also the regularity of his conduct during his residence at college. When the certificate had been, read, his excellency the visitor presented to each student the honorary diploma inscribed on vellum, in the oriental character; purporting that the committee of public examination having declared that the student had made such proficiency in certain of the Oriental languages as entitled him to a degree of honor in the same, his excellency was pleased to confer the said degree, in conformity to the statute. The students now leaving college, on whom his excellency was pleased to confer a degree of honor on this occasion, were, Mr. William Butterworth Bayley, of Mr. William Byam Martin, of the esta Mr. Terrick Hamilton, of the establish ment of Fort St. George. Mr. Edward Wood, of the establishment of Fort St. George; and, Mr. Richard Thomas Goodwin, of the establishment of Bombay. After the degrees of honor had been conferred, the prizes, medals, and honorary rewards adjudged at the late public examination were distributed by the provost, in presence of the visitor, to the followstudents: Messrs. Jenkins, Martin, Chaplin, Hamilton, Wood, Goodwin, Hunter, Wauchope, Ross, Morton, Romer, Gowan, Newnham, Sprott, Bourchier, Sparrow, Elliott, Cole, Puller, Walker, Plowden, and Turnbull. The particular prizes adjudged to each will be found in the annexed reports. After the prizes and honorary rewards had been distributed, his excellency the visitor was pleased to deliver the following speech: Gentlemen of the College of Fort From the foundation of this college to the present time, the state of political affairs has not permitted me to discharge the grateful duty of presiding at your public exercises; my attention, however, has not been withdrawn from the progress, interests, and conduct of this institution. The principles on which this institution is founded, the spirit which it is designed to diffuse, and the purposes which it is calculated to accomplish, must enhance the importance of its success, in proportion to the exigence of every public crisis, and to the progressive magnitude, power and glory of this empire. In the difficulties and dangers of successive wars, in the most critical juncture of arduous negotiations, in the settlement of con At the same time, a degree of quered and ceded provinces, in the honor was conferred on the follow- time of returning peace, attended by the extension of our trade, by the augmentation of our revenue, and by the restoration of public credit, I have contemplated this institution institution with conscious satisfaction and with confident hope. Observing your auspicious progress under the salutary operation of the statutes and rules of the college, I have anticipated the stability of all our acquisitions, and the security and improvement of every advantage which we possess. From this source, the service may now derive an abundant regular supply of public officers, duly qualified to become the successful instruments of administering this government in all its extensive and complicated branches; of promoting its energy in war; of cultivating and enlarging its resources in peace; of maintaining, in honor and respect, its external relations with the native powers; and of establishing (under a just and benignant system of internal administration) the prosperity of our finances and commerce, on the solid foundations of the affluence, happiness, and confidence of a contented and grateful people. These were the original purposes of this foundation, which was destined to aid and animate the efforts of diligence and natural genius, contending with the defects of existing establishments; to remove every obstacle to the progress of the public servants in attaining the qualifications requisite for their respective stations; to enlarge and to facilitate the means of acquiring useful knowledge; and to secure by systematic education, fixed regulation, and efficient discipline, that attention to a due course of study, which had hitherto depended on individual disposition, or accidental advantage. The necessity of providing such a system of education was not diminished by the numerous instances existing in the Company's service, of eminent Oriental learning, and of high qualification for public duty. A wise and provident government will not rest the public security for the due administration of affairs, on the merits of any number or description of its public officers at any period of time. It is the duty of government to endeavour to perpetuate the prosperity of the state by an uniform system of public institution; and by permanent and established law, to transmit, to future times, whatever benefits can be derived from present examples of wisdom, virtue, and learning. The supposition of an universal deficiency in that knowledge, which this college is calculated to extend, has never constituted a fundamental principle of the institution. Far from resting on such foundations, this institution could not have endured for an hour, it could not have commenced, without the active aid of learning, talents, and virtues furnished from the bosom of this service. The origin of this college, its present prosperity, and its beneficial effects, are to be ascribed, in a great degree, to the assistance which I have derived from those respectable characters in the higher branches, and in various departments of the service, who by contributing their zealous exertions to promote the success of the institution, have endeavoured to extend the benefit of their useful acquisitions and of their salutary example, and to continue in the public service a succession of merit similar to that, which has distinguished their conduct in their respective stations. B With these sentiments, during my absence from the presidency, it was highly satifactory to me, that |