persons and property, and those of their families and clients.

_January_ 10, 1850.--At Nawabgunge, detained by rain, which fell
heavily yesterday, with much thunder and lightning, and has continued
to fall all night. It is painful and humiliating to pass through this
part of Oude, where the families of so many thousands of our sipahees
reside, particularly at this time when so large a portion of them are
at their homes on furlough. The Punjab war having closed, all the
corps engaged in it have this year been sent off to quiet stations in
our old provinces, and their places supplied by others which have
taken no share in that or any other war of late. As a measure of
economy, and with a view to indulge the native officers and sipahees
of the corps engaged in that war, Government has this season given a
long furlough to all the native army of Bengal. Some three hundred
and fifty native officers and sipahees from each regiment are, or are
to be, absent on leave this season. This saves to Government a very
large sum in the extra allowance which is granted to native officers
and sipahees, during their march from one station to another, and in
the deductions which are made from the pay and allowances of those
who go on furlough. During furlough, subadars receive 52 rupees a-
month instead of 67; jemadars 17, instead of 24; havildars 9, instead
of 14; naicks 7, instead of 12; and sipahees 5-8, instead of 7.

These native officers and sipahees, with all their gallantry on
service and fidelity to their salt, are the most importunate of
suitors, and certainly among the most untruthful and unscrupulous in
stating the circumstances of their claims, or the grounds of their
complaints. They crowd around me morning and evening when I venture
outside my tent, and keep me employed all day in reading their
petitions. They cannot or will not understand that the Resident is,
or ought to be, only the channel through which their claims are sent
for adjustment through the Court to the Oude tribunals and local
authorities; and that the investigation and decision must, or ought
to, rest with them. They expect that he will at once himself
investigate and decide their claims, or have them investigated and
decided forthwith by the local authorities of the district through
which he is passing; and it is in vain to tell them that the "_law's
delay_" is as often and as justly complained of in our own territory
as in Oude, whatever may be the state