Sir J. Keane is very likely
to have the command of the whole force, both Bombay and Bengal, as they
say Sir H. Fane is gone back to Bengal with half the Bengal force, in
consequence of the Burmese declaring war; which, as might have been
expected, they did directly when so many regiments were marched from
their neighbourhood. This report is, however, contradicted, and they
say now that Sir H. Fane is going home, and will meet us at Shikarpoor
or Hydrabad, give up the command to Sir J. Keane, and go down the Indus,
and thence to England overland. Which is the true version I know not;
but I am afraid that I have little chance of meeting Colonel Fane, and
giving him Arthur's letter, which I expected to do when I wrote last. I
am delighted at the prospect of our going to Cabool: there we may have
some fighting, and have a chance of being permanently quartered till we
return to Europe, whenever that may be.
What the original cause of all this was, as I told you before, I hardly
know; and you are more likely to get at the true version from some of
the Indian newspapers, or from any friends you may have connected with
this part of the world, than from me.
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