From the Bihar districts north of the Ganges, the rebels, not meeting with the sympathy they expected, seem completely to have retired.
In Shahabad alone do they now maintain any footing, but here they are still strong, and more particularly in the neighbourhood of Arrah and the country south of it. Lately they for a short time occupied, and cut off the communication in, the Grand Trunk road between Benares and Sasseram ; but they were speedily dislodged from the position they had taken up here. They have carried their marauding expeditions to within 5 or 6 miles of the station of Arrah, and on one occasion had the hardi- hood to .enter that station and burn down a bungalow. They were pursued by a small party of Cavalry under Lieutenant Beadon, and eventually .by a body of upwards of 200 men consisting of detachments of H. M.'s loth and 35th regiments, the Bengal Police Battalion and 3rd Sikh Cavalry under the personal command of Lieutenant Colonel Walter, commanding at Arrah. They came up with the enemy, estimated at about 500, in the village of Sarthua, from which they were dislodged with some loss, the only casualties in our side being two privates of H. M.'s loth Foot, slightly wounded, and two deaths from sun-stroke. The village, which belonged to the rebel chief Ummer Singh, was destroyed. This occurred on the 7th of July.
I ought before this to have mentioned that General Lugard, having been obliged to leave on sick certificate, the whole of the military arrangements for the expulsion of the rebels has been placed in the hands of Brigadier Douglas, and special measures have been taken for the protection of the Grand Trunk road.
Mr. Samuells has issued highly judicious orders for the reorganisation of the police, and, as far as possible, for co-operation with the military, and I trust the time is not far distant when the whole province of Bihar will be restored to its ordinary tranquillity, though it will probably be some time before we can expect a return of that confidence in our prestige which has been thus rudely shaken.
I shall no longer delay the conclusion of this paper, which has been held back in the hope that circumstances would enable me to report the final withdrawal of the rebels and the return of peace to the province ; but I must not omit to record the names of those under my jurisdiction who have been prominently brought forward in the course of the later events.
Of the ability, zeal and judgment of Mr. Samuells it is not easy to say too much. Accepting the appointment of Commissianer at a most critical time, and under circumstances which increased the difficulties of that arduous position, he has throughout conducted matters with a tact and discretion, and at the same time an untiring activity and energy
