s over the Rebels, he can confidently assure
your Majesty that a change in the aspect of affairs is gradually
taking place, which gives hope that the contest is drawing to a close,
and the day of punishment at hand....

Another ground for good hopes is the appearance of things at Lucknow.
News just received from Sir James Outram announces that he has joined
General Havelock's force at Cawnpore, and that the Troops crossed the
Ganges into Oudh on the 19th, with hardly any opposition. The European
force now advancing on Lucknow is about [....][42] strong, well
provided with Artillery. The beleaguered Garrison was in good spirits
on the 16th of September, and had provisions enough to last to the
end of the month. They had lately inflicted severe losses on their
assailants, and some of the latter had dispersed. The influential
proprietors and chiefs of the country had begun to show symptoms of
siding with us.

This is a very different state of things from that which existed when
General Havelock's force retired across the Ganges in July; and Lord
Canning prays and believes that your Majesty will be spared the
pain and horror of hearing that the atrocities of Cawnpore have been
re-enacted upon the brave and enduring garrison of Lucknow. Every
English soldier who could be made to reach Cawnpore has been pushed
on to General Outram, even to the denuding of some points of danger
in the intervening country, and General Outram's instructions are to
consider the rescue of the garrison as the one paramount object to
which everything else is to give way. The garrison (which, after all,
is nothing more than the House of the Resident, with defences hastily
thrown up) contains about three hundred and fifty European men, four
hundred and fifty women and children, and one hundred and twenty sick,
besides three hundred natives, hitherto faithful. The city, and even
the province, may be abandoned and recovered again, but these lives
must be saved now or never; and to escape the sorrow and humiliation
of such barbarities as have already been endured elsewhere is worth
any sacrifice. It is in consideration of the state of things at
these two most critical points, Delhi and Lucknow, that Lord Canning
ventures to ask your Majesty to look hopefully to the events of the
next few weeks; notwithstanding that he is unable to announce any
signal success....

Sir Colin Campbell has been in a state of delight ever since his
favourite 93rd landed f