The Express.
London, England, 1855-06-25 00:00:00

BRIOANDAOE AT SMYRNA.

-"? OP THIr DAILY ways.)
SMYRNA, Jrlea 16.
The abduction of Dr. M'Craith, ao English phy-
sician resident here, by a band of brigands on Sunday
lest, is now the engrossiog topic of conversation.
Before narrating the particulars, I must give you some
amount of the system pursued by the brigands for
years past, and the shameful manner in which the
system has been encouraged by the cowardice and
apathy of the inhabitants.
The Turkish police was never a good one,
and Asia Minor has never been a spot remarkable,
for security to person or property, but until the last
few years the brigands were satiefied with highway
robbery, varied occasionally by murder. Then a new !
light dawned upon them. A band, under a certain
Yanni Batergi, hit upon the plan long since practised
in Sicily of kidnapping some of the richer inhabi-
tants, carrying them off to the mountains, and either
obtaining a heavy ransom. or sending in the head of
the captive to his relations. They managed to prac-
tise so ingeniously upon the fears of the people, that
the practice of abduction and ransom was established
upon a well-defined code of regulations. The ma-
jority of wealthy people paid a tax or black mail
to Yanoi Batergi to escape molestation. Many of
those residing in the villages around Smyrna—even
English, to their shame be it confessed—not only paid
this black mail, but harboured members of this band
of robbers for weeks and month* when in danger of
capture, fearing the vengeance of the remainder if
one were given up. At last matters came to such a
pitch, that no one could venture a mile outside the
town, and a place of 120,000 inhabitants was kept in
a state of siege by some 30 robbers. This was too
much even for a Turkish Pacha or a Levant
Consul, so that at last the late Governor
of Smyrna, Ismail Pasha, excited by the remon-
strances of the French consul on the occasion se
the abduction of a French subject, sent a body at
troops after the robbers, and at length, after many
months, the baud was dispersed, and Yenta Keine
himself sent to Constantinople, where he now remains
in the bagnio. During the last year, accordingly, the
Smyrna merchants have been able to visit their
country houses at Bendier and Bournabat, villages
he one four. the other seven miles trom the tnwa,
without fear of molestation. Such a state of things
was too bright to last. The dream of securizb:::
rudely broken on Sunday. A band of was 30 l
armed to the teeth, established themselves shoat
bait a mile from Bournabat, on the road-aide,
and waylaid a number of persons, whom they robbed
of money, jewellery, &c. They also detained °Harrel
for the purpose of obtaining ransom ; but let them all I
escape with the exception of Dr. M'Cnit t b, a M. Manse,
end M. Maroopoly, a son of a Greek merchant in Stoma.
It appears that two brothers Marcopoly, with repel
friends named Devris and Castor, were returning ssl
horseback into Bournabat, about 7 o'clock on Sunday
evening, when they were stopped at the roadside eine '
to a cemetery by ten or twelve Greek robbers, amid
with double barrelled guns, pistols, and yatagbaas.
While they were detained in the cemetery, they saw
Dr. M'Craith brought in by other robbers. He
bad also been stopped on the road while on his
way to attend a Mrs. Fisher, an English lady
residing at the neighbouring village of Hadjilar,
in her approaching confinement. AU the party
were threatened with immediate death if they
did not keep quiet, and when, on an omnibua pats-
ing which plies to and from Bournabat, Dr. M'Craith
attempted to call for assistance, he was stunned by
the blow of the stock of a pistol. Atter some time the
robbers appeared to think it toeless to detain Messrs.
Devris, Castor, and G. Marcopoly, but carried off Dr.
M'Craith aodld. Maroopoly. After traversing two fields
they tell in with four oth:r robbers.who had under their
care M.
we
and three other persons. The latter
were allowed to depart, Dr. M'Craith M. Mans, and
M. H. Marcopoly being carried off across a plain
Issise eight miles in width to the mountains, where
tbay arrived at midnight, and tent M. H. Maroopoly
back with letters from Dr. M'Craith and M. Manus,
saying that the robbers demanded 1,0001. each for
ransom. He fell in at daylight with Colonel Storks,
Humid Bey, and a large body of armed police, in
pursuit of the robbers, and delivered his letters, but
absolutely refused to act asa guide, oe
give information as to the whereabouts of the band,
under fear probably of their menaces and ven-
geance, and when forced to proceed, it is now be a
-
lieved that he led the pursuers intentionally on

(111011 TYE

wrong track.
Here then bad been a band of some twenty or
thirty robbers lying perdu close to the principal
place of resort of the Smyrna merchants —the
Richmond of Smyrna, in fact--oesupyin them-
Richmond
selves for some hours in plundering wayfarer;
at last proceeding with their ea
a broad plain, unpursued. Such=ouful
fact makes one blush to think that s
tainted English ishabitaats on Sunday heti end leadel
to the belief that by living in the Levent at MOW
hymen degenerate Into a state not very kr sommend
kola that of the hybrid Levantine. It appears that
Dr. Ooolden, one of the medical officers of the Civil
Hospital, was passing the spot of Dr. )I'f:faith's cap-
ture a very few minutes afterwards, and was told of
kkg some peasants. He instantly gallopped into
Imoesbat, and endeavoured to excite the people to
',gaged in a permit, bet all in vain. No one would
Oa him, so he returned to Smyrna as fast is poi'
kis and gave the alarm. Colonel Storks at me
waited nee the Paths, and succeeded in rousing bib
So action. Themewd in command, Blond Bey, was
seat ogf with so 80 men in the direction taken by
tie tebbers, and orders were sent to the Path& of
filsessta to send others to take them in the ram
Donely all the numbers of the medical staff armed
ad started at 'midnight also in pursuit. A
great part of Monday was spent by detachtd
parties scouring the mountains in various directions,
and one party cams up with the robbers, but after
receiving a volley which wounded one man, they
threw down their arms and lied. So much for the
Turkish police. It now became a question whether a
party of English sot iers, convale
Storscenks ts,
wits qu should bo
engaged in the service. Colonel ite
ready to lead them, bat the English and French
consuls and the family They MCraith were opposed
to any such measures. argued that the first
object was to save the doctor's life, afterwards to
rums the robbers. It was accordingly
searrangedn
that the Turkish troop' should beithd
on Tuesday, and the 1111311102 ant to the
robbers by a shepherd. By that time, however they
bad shifted their quarter', and it is supposed that the
ransom has not yet reached thoutem seven . Yesterday tlssy
are said to have beets seen ab
from hence, with Dr. M'Craith on a donkey, :Till
friends confidently anticipate that he will Thutaffa!
ored i
to them as soon as the ransom is received.
The
hate led to a great deal of angry discussion.
English urge that an immediate and energetic per.
suit should have been carried on, and the robbers
overpowered by superior numbers. The family et
Dr. M'Craith, and most of the resideata, on the
other hand argue that pursuit in the monstsims
was hopeless, and wee if successful Dr. 11Krailies
life would certainly have been sacrificed before the
robbers would have been overcome. They collected,
the money for ransom, and insisted that he should b
secured before further steps were taken. Of course
Colonel Storks and the Paths were obliged to yield
to these remonstrances. I hope to send you farther
'tars next week:

Europe.
It pressed% then, in the Asst place, to Wag with eon-
' gleeemg Isle high relief the advantages which the Weida-
Wellsehbas have owed, it would seem, to Russian later-
eludes. We shall not coutreet the picture ot the Danubian
Principalities under the protectorate el this power, with
that whisk the Anneal de St. Petorsborrg truss of their ,
'sedition seder the old Turkish adaisistratien. We shall
fastest meshes with suing, how it is, if Russia has really
conferred on the Principalities all the services. sad the
Porte hoe indicted out them all thus calamities whisk thm
journal easserates, that the Principalities thserislose
this time me in the Ottoman matelot, a support and war
guard, and applaud mesawhile everything that tub to
withdraw them from the Ruda& peeteuseste ?
Is what sesserss the navigatios of the Danube it gives
us pleasure to say that the cabinet of St. Petersburg rues
sins the Uvula:dos of the swans hitherto taken by it
for keeping is a proper state the mouths of the river, sad
the inedequey of the mesas employed by the local &Übe&
Ass for melodist' the silt that has slaty see often rendered
Ohms impagsable. It emigratslates itself upon tie grist
Out of a communise, os which will devolve the duty of
hispestion, and the prineiple of which it admits. The
ifeleviel de St. Pststsbosay amuse se that it will be sum►
may se shed the blood of Frames and Ragland in orate to
eiVOtOP them results ; but that blood has nevertheless been
etilipd to Sow is order to obtala them.
The fourth point, we of cosies remember relates to
the %sessions itself that pee rise to OW war ; we see
Ada that is this betimes the Remiss pule.
sent will persist in its old errors. If, in fest,'
the JOWIIIII de St. Potsrslsourg speaks to us of
forms asossatry for attributingto the Satan the
merit of having takes spostaseossly his sovereigs me-
sons in favour of his Christian subjects, it espressos at O.
ease time, by a isaniftst sostredietios, its oplaies, that NEGOTIATION.
they °sib° be on the Put of the Porte the object of • Tho following is the last of several paragraphs of
Baer" enegege•stLhavisl •••I•ll,°_°l7 for its sheet that similar purport published by the German papers ; it
of asfetti°B °° Europall e the privilege arrogated by is from the Post &motto of Frankfort:
Prises Mentatikolf for the court of Russia. k A resumption ot the conferences is no longer oat I
We do notenter into any farther Iffe°•°1•11 of opinions of the bounds of possibility, and such an event isnot
sad theories .° categorically refuted in the eiroalar of May even very distant. Austria said at the lest conference
23; we cussed at onus to snare the re roach that the that she would receive say propositions made to her
Reedits government has levelled Mean the Planirote•• by either side, and that she coos- (d examine them, and.
toll" of FE"" and Zealand far having related the rap- io use of need, transmit them to the other party. A
tore of the cosferesem. proposition of this kind on the part of Russia has
We sdailt without difficulty, that as one of the two ints arrived at Vienna and has been handed to Count
of which the third guarantee alai" the "Mast of tat' Boo'. This proposition is, it is said, very oonciliatoey
Petersatre ices made torattems atteeele• to Itt° allied and of a nature to under a satisfactory arrangement
powers ; it has menaced its old preteseicts of keeping the possible, Russia being disposed to renounce her most
Oulu& empire out of the pas of European public right. inadmissible pretensions, and to iend herself to the
It is ready salsserlao to en enteleaent Itatta• waist ell means of putting an end to the present calamitous
difforesses between the Porte and 'MU are UP be to differences. It in not heeww whether Awn& will
referred to the othithstka Unite hate nails re- support this proposition or confine herself to n.erely
v 4818114 the must of this asesesies, gad while transmitting it. but it is certain that the cabinet of
istairsteletthe the teasel of to. Petersburg en its Vienna will not assent io make itself the mediator
&ghillie a lest to • Patel* that repeat essed so except for proposition based on the whole of the
baldly before the war, we are obliged to that the tour points."
Umiak* at the Porte within the pals of Estop's* right The following is from a Vienna letter of the lath
dem cots
gadgety the ohjest of the third gumbo in Voss's Gazette :—" Within the hat few days a'
it does set put as end to Reeds& propeaderesse in the number of conftrescse have taken place between the
Bleep Sea. amb,ssadors of the Wearers Powers and Count Bud.
The allied ablest' insisted, as& were bound to bidet se A gust importance is attached to gum meetings,
much the sore firmly I
on
this geareatee, slue without it since it is poettively stated that the Western Powers
all the reel are illseery, due, without the tidied= Of the have made at them n formal ihit the.
agetessimi forces el Reeds is the Issiall,the stspoulas not any Jooger confine themselves to the four punts
Tag WAn.oryinr.—Lard nanny. neat aft al.' Ow erfreearallgieejuresezesteasripusaefoithisthepeDireraasbeis, of gehrantee, but intend establishing bases of pease
more in harmony with the efforts which they have
Clasee's messesiss on Friday eight, for CossustinerifiLad Turkey,
lthd the °OI been obliged to make to carry on the was
lialahleve, with ilsmatehas for rield-Manhal Laud would be shonly suds&