The Press.
London, England, 1857-09-26 00:00:00

THE PRESS, SEPTEMBER 26, 1857.

rather St. Cloud. It is not her intention to visit the
camp.

At the present momentous crisis in the East, it
cannot fail to be interesting to you to be made
acquainted with the state of the French possessions
in India. France possesses five commercial stations,
and every effort, it is probable, will be made to
increase their capabilities of defence in case of
attack by the rebels. I will enumerate them,
although they are generally known, with the in-
tention that they should not be lost sight of during
the actual disorganised state of the British
dominions in India. As yet, I have not beard of
the sending out of any troops, but thus much I can
state, the French Government attaches great im-
portance to its Indian colonies.
Pondichery has from 50,000 to 00,000 inhabitants.
The city is well built and very healthy. Chanderna.
gore lies beautifully situated on an arm of the Hoogly,
called Ongly. This place had formerly a flourishing
commerce, but now few vessels are to be seen in its
dilapidated port. This port will be repaired, fortifica-
tions thrown up, and every effort made to restore its
commercial prosperity. The Hoogly here is
navigable for ships of the line. The population
consists of upwards of 30,000 native and European
inhabitants. This town is only seventeen miles
above Calcutta. Carrical, on the Coromandel coast,
within 130 miles of Madras, still carries on a
good business, principally in the manufacture of cloth.
From reports recently received, it is the opinion of
practical men that these three places could be well
defended ; their fortifications were in good order.
The defences will be increased. The city of
Yanan is most advantageously situated on the
Godavery ; its chief commerce is in cloth ; the
situation is most healthy. France has besides a
small port called Mahe, in the province of Carnatic,
but it is not of much importance. Independent of
these places, France possesses by trea,ies certain
rights to which she attaches great interest. She
had the right to establish comptoirs and military
posts at Masulipatam, Calicut, and Surate.
The whole of the French garrisons are composed
of only two companies of sepoys of 600 men each,
and commanded by European officers.

The tribunals of Algeria are frequently occupied
in trying sanguinary conflicts arising from the great
abuse made by the natives in drinking spirituous
liquors, and the smoking of kill. The French
Government, anxious to prevent the smoking of kiff,
has desired several eminent chemists to analyse it.
The following is a short extract from the report of
these gentlemen
The inhabitants of Algeria make a deplorable
abuse of a certain mixture, composed principally
of hemp. The active part of the hemp, and which
causes such a portubation on the mind, is a species of
resin to be found principally in the leaves. The Arabs
and Moors, not being able to extract the resin, boil the
leaves and mix it with grease, butter, and honey. This
mixture is sometimes called haschich. Jt is well known
that it was with the haschich that Sheekked-Djebel, the old
man of the mountain, produced those extraordinary haliu•
cinations, and which had such effects on his subjects, that
he became absolute master, not only of their persons,
but of their minds.

The Moors of Algiers, not satisfied with smoking the
kiff or haschich, as prepared in the way above stated, mix
it with tobacco and sometimes opium.
Mount I'elate, in Switzerland, has been ascended
for the first time on hortaeback by three English
ladies. The ascent was made from the Hengeswyl
side.