The Express.
London, England, 1860-09-08 00:00:00

LETTER FROM ABD-EL-KADER.

The following letter (literally translated from the
Arabic), so highly characteristic of the illustrious tulle, tee
been written by Abd-el-Hader to Colonel Churchill, at
Beyrout :
After the usual complimento—

"Begging you to accept the expressions of my groat re.
grad and perfect consideration, as well es of my longing
and affection, I acknowledge your dear and welcome
letter, which I, your friend, have perused, offering thanks
to the Almighty for the news of your desired preservation.
I have, indeed, been Mattered by what you have allniltd
to, and upon it depends no doubt the well being of all. I
hope that tranquillity will soon be restored. I must never.
theless confess that all I have done must be considered sa
falling short of what 1 could have wished. My
only object was the preservation of life and property,
but the raging flames consumed all that the hands of my
men could not reach, which is a source of the deepest re-
gret to me. At present things are quiet here. People are
waiting an opportunity to emigrate, for want of lodging.
In the meantime a sufficient security is being afforded. Be.
tribution cannot surely be far off, for the Imperial justice
on every account calls for it, as by it alone can the empire
be maintained and consolidated. Procrastination, how.
ever, should not be allowed to delude the masses. I hope
you will favour me always with your new.. I beg you will
accept my heartfelt thanks, favouring me with whatever I
can do for you. I pray the Almighty to preserve and
guard you. " Your sincere and devoted friend,

_
" ABD-EL-KADER, moo of Yehi•Eddeen (L. H.)
" Damascus, 28 llohurram, 1277 (August 16, 1860)."

GREAT CONFLAGRATION AT SMYRNA.

A supplement to the impart/a', of Smyrna, of
the 29th of August, gives the following account of a terriblo
ccepagration which has taken place at that city :
' A terrible disaster has befallen the city of Smyrna : a
conflagration has destroyed that part which had remained
intact after the catastrophes c.f the years 1841 and 1845.
According to the estimation made 700 houses have fallen a
prey to the flames.
" For mere than a month the beat here has been suffoca.
ting, varying from 90 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. This
Senegalian atmosphere has dried the wood beyond measure,
and rendered it more easily inflammable. At the same timo
a north wiodof extraordinary violence never ceased to blow
exZept
rb:ut trareareet 7 IC'clock on the morning of the 27th
pistol shots announced that a fire had broken out somewhere.
It was at St. Dimitri. People rushed to the spot, but before
the first assistance could be given the conflagration had made
raed progress..'St. Dimitr is limit of fatibonrg of the town, commenc-
ing at the extremity of the Rue des Roses, bordered on the
right by the Armenian quarter, on the left by that of St.
Catherine, and extends eastward to the new hospital of St.
Roch, where the gardens commence. All this space is
filled with very old houses, built exclusively of wood. Bost
of the streets are exceedingly narrow ; some of the project-
ing roofs almost touch across. The inhchitants are nearly
all Greeks, and are chiefly day workmen at various trade,.
"Owing to the strength of the wind the greatest anxiety
was felt. Strong gusts sent the flames in every direction,
and the conflagration assumed terrible proportions. All
hopes of stopping the flames had to be abandoned, and for
seven hours they did their work of destruction. At 2 p.m.
it reached the extreme arid of the Rue des Roses. In this
street the fifth house on each side is of done ; on the right
aide the great establishment of the Deaconnesses, recently
increased by the adjunction of the ancient Papaeian
home ;on the left the house of Roboly. Every effort was
made here to arrest the progress of the flames. The house
of Papasian, nevertheless, caught fire, and had it not been
through the mercy of Providence that the wind lulled, the
destruction of the whole of this quarter of the town would
have been inevitable. The flames were got under on this
aide. In the street to the left, leading to St. Catherine,
one single building was left standing, that of Dr. J. Edwarda.
"All the public establishments have been thrown open to
receive the sufferers from this disaster, and a committee woe
at once formed to collect subscriptions to provide for their
immediate wants. To-clay, at noon, 130,000 piastres bad
already been subscribed.
"The cause of the disaster was purely accidental. It is
said that a woman bad lit a candle in honour of the Virgin,
and having left it burning it caused the fire.
" His Excellency Osman Padua Governor of Smyrna,
was absent from the town when the fire broke out. He
hastened back to the scene of conflagration. Named Bey,
Chief of the Police, worked with his men. The moldier', of
the garrison, the artillerymen, and the crew of the Gisy-
Ferah worked with red.
"An English detachment, under the personal command of
the captain of the Terrible, worked willingly and zealously.
"M. liequier, sou-in-law of the French Consul, showed
great devotion at the head of a body of men.
' The crews of all the other steamer. and ships rendered
all the assistance in their power ; the Idumulman popu.
Wien also behaved well, helping to carry buckets of water,
kc.

Putting aside the natural anxiety caused by the Ca-
lamity, order and tranquillity were not for one moment
disturbed.
. .

7HeOfficial report gives the nuntl,er of houses burnt at
700 ; at first it waa supposed that 2,000 had been de-
stroyed."

The following incident is related in the Courrier
des Alpe* as having occurred while the Emperor and Em-
press of the French were at Macon :—"Among the numer-
ous persoca who had assembled to see the imperial party
was a venerable priest, whore threadbare soutane showed
that his pecuniary situation was not very flourishing. The
Emperor remarked the white hair of the old man, and asked
the prefectwho be was, to which the functionary replied that
be was the curs of Saint Pierre. 'He appears very poor.'
said the Emperor. ' Yes, sire,' replied the prefect, ' hie
psrishionen could best tell you of his poverty, for he de•
prives himself both of food and clothing to assist the poor.'
The Emperor appeared moved by the recital, and calling
the cure, after • few gracious remarks, took a cross in
diamonds from the hands of one of his aides-de-camp and
gave it to the Empress, who herself attached it to the
breast of the worthy cure, accompanying the act with same
touching words. The old man was quite overcome with
emotion."

The French are (remark► the A thelvertm)" step-
ping out" in many musical paths formerly uotroadsa by
them. The Orphiuniates showed us only a few weeks aloes
how remarkable has been the advance male by them itt
part singing. The other day a traveller loitering on the way
betwixt Strasbourg and Paris ought have fallen in with
choral meetings of men, accompanied by wind instruments,
200, ZO, and 500 ezecutants strong—singing and playing
their best in aid of the persecuted Syrian Christians—at
Metz, Luneville, and Nancy.

On Thursday evening Miss Amy Sedgwick wet
with an accident at Cambridge which prevented her
from appearing as Pauline, in the Lady of Lyons, in the
theatre of that town. On her arrival at the theatre
for that purpose she was proceeding from the lobby to the
stage through what is described as an " ill•eootrivoil, dark,
and narrow descent," when her foot slimed upon one of
the steps and she fell with some violence to the pounds
She was taken up insensible, and it was ascertained that her
and,: was seriously sprained and that she was unable to
set her foot on the ground. Yesterday evening, not
having sufficiently reoovered to perform, she read, it
appears, with admirable effect, Tennyson's "Lady Clara
Veer de Vete ;" "The Volunteer Address," written by
Toni Taylor ; the scene from The School for &ands!,
between Sir Peter and Lady Teazle ; and Tennyson's
spirited lines on "The Charge of the Light Cavalry
Brigade at Balaklava."
This evening Mr. Phelps commences his season
as sole manager of Sadler's Wells. The theatre has been
entirely redecorated, and exhibits, indeed, within its
limited arena, a brilliant appearance. The play of As I%nt
Like It is chosen for the occasion. The company presents
many new features.

We ((aryieruin' Chronicle) have to record with
regret the death, after a lingering illness, of Mr. Robert
Errington, which took place on the 27th ult., at Oultoo
Park, near Tarporley, the seat of Sir Philip de Matra!
Grey Egerton, Bart.., M.P., whom he faithfully served for
32 years. To other good qualities Mr. Errington added
that of a sensilde and clever writer on most subject.' con•
fleeted with practical gardening ; horticultur.il literature,
therefore, not leas than a wide circle of private friends, has
untamed a severe lona by his death. _ - .

In an article on the subject of General Eyre's
late order to the regulars about saluting volunteers, and
the relative rank of °Moors of the two forces, the United
Serrire Gazette says :—" The order of General Lyre was
doubtlessly sanctioned by high authority. Its carrying
out will involve much confusion and annoyance. In the
first place one would ask, are all volunteers to he saluted by
sentinels, or merely volunteer officers? If the latter only,
how are they to be distinguished? This may seem a strange
question, but to those who daily see the volunteers it
is a very natural one. Again, lot us ask, not on our own
account, but on that of many of our correspondents,
whether there is to be fair recipiocity in the case ; that is,
if our men of the hue salute officers of the volunteers,
will the men of the volunteers salute the line officers in
return? If not, we shall regret that a •luestion has ever
been raiawl which may lead to unpleasant discussions be-
tween two fur ,vs linked together it IL 011114100 cruse, and
proudly emulating each other in their display of loyalty
and pati lotion."

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