“_The Return of the_ THIRTY-FIRST _Regiment from India_.--On the 4th instant the head-quarters of this distinguished regiment arrived by the ship Madagascar from Calcutta, from which place they embarked on the 3rd of August last: they lost by deaths on the voyage five men and one officer, Lieut. Richard Sparrow. They brought home with them four captured colours, which they took in the short but brilliant campaign against the Sikhs. * * * On the evening of the 6th the head-quarters marched into Chatham garrison from Gravesend, by the Rochester and Gravesend Railway, where they were met by the very superior band of the royal marines. On the arrival at the Rochester terminus, the band struck up, ‘God save the Queen,’ and these heroes of the Sutlej were greeted by hundreds of people with loud and repeated huzzas. The soldiers, in return for this spirited welcome, waved the four colours captured from the enemy, one at Ferozeshah, one at Aliwal, and two taken at Sobraon. These banners bear testimony of the severe engagements. The Queen’s colour, and the regimental colour, are complete fragments. The head-quarters were also accompanied by the depôt band, which played at intervals in passing with the regiment through the streets of Rochester and Chatham, and were greeted along the whole line by thousands of people who assembled to witness their return. “Out of the 215 men landed from the Madagascar there are but 80 unwounded. Lieut.-Colonel Spence, and Quarter-master Benison, are the only officers, now with the regiment, who went out with it in the ‘Kent’ East Indiaman, which took fire and sank in the Bay of Biscay. “The following officers have come home with the head-quarters:--Major George Staunton, Brevet Major D. F. G. Longworth, Lieut. G. Elmslie, Lieut. T. Scarman, Lieut. R. Mackenzie, Lieut. and Adjutant A. S. Bolton, Lieut. H. P. Hutton, Quarter-master S. Benison, and Assistant-Surgeon H. C. Foss. Total nine officers and 215 serjeants, drummers, and rank and file. “Lieut.-Colonel Spence headed the troops. The officers of this regiment, having been on the most friendly terms with the royal marine corps, and being members of the mess of the royal marines, they dined at the royal marines’ mess-room with the officers, who invited them on their arrival at the garrison to a superb repast. “The officers of the regiment were invited to dinner by Colonel Sir Frederick Smith and the officers of the royal engineers in garrison at Chatham. They also received invitations to dinner from the officers of the 2nd battalion of the 60th rifles, and also from the officers of the provisional battalion quartered in this garrison.”