The Sun.
London, England, 1852-10-01 00:00:00

CIRCASSIA.

The St. Peters;surgh Journal of the 18th contains
the following :
" The last accounts received from the Caucasus in-
form us that the sv inter campaign of the Russians con-
siderably diminished the influence of Shamyl in the
Great Tachetschn ~ and forced him to place his par-
tisans in the village of Gurdali, at the foot of the
Katschkalikowski, and among the Argounaki, who
are the most bitto r enemies of Russia, and constantly
make incursions o:a its territory. Lieutenant-General
Prince Boriatinaki in consequence undertook an ex-
pedition against 6ifferent points of the Tschetschna.
For this purpose Colonel Prince Woronzow, on the
23d, occupied, with three battalions, four detach-
ments of Cossacks, and six pieces of artillery, the defiles
of M isianski. six o'clock in the morning Prince
Boriatinaki arrived with a strong body of Cossacks; he
marched with all his columns as far as the defiles of
Schalinski, where he established a camp near Schawdon.
General Molden joined the principal column with five bat-
talions and six pieces of artillery. On the same day Gens.
Molder], Bartzgowert, and Schandon took the direction of
Basso, and Grementschouk ; and Colonel Baklanski with
four battalions, a body of Cossacks, and seven pieces of
artillery occupied the mountain of Kat9chkalikowski, in
order to destroy the village of Gurdali. The Cossacks,
under Colonel Saehodolski, surrounded the place, while
Baron Nickolay attacked and eventually entered it. After
a sanguinary combat the Circassians were all put to the
sword, with the exception of 52, who gave up their arms.
The cattle were all removed and the village set fire
to. On the 24th Prince Boriatinaki advanced along the
Black Mountains, but returned to Frosnau on the fol-
lowing day. The Circassians have lost a great quan-
tity of hay and corn, and have had a number of men
killed and 195 taken prisoners. The Russians have had
2 officers and 45 soldiers killed, and 10 officers and 254
soldiers wounded. Prince Woronzaw advanced towards
the defiles of A rgousk with a strong force of infantry
and cavalry, and four pieces of artillery. In the night
of the 26th he surprised and burnt three villages. Tho
Circassians had 32 men killed and several wounded; the
Russians 1 cfficts-,r and 9 soldiers killed, and 6 officers and
51 soldiers wounded.

THE IV EATHEE,.--SHIELDS, TIIESDAY.—During
the last forty-eight hours a violent gale from the north-east,
with a very heavy and continuous fall of rain, has pre-
vailed on the coast, and impeded navigation considerably,
as a strong sea rolls at the bar. The weather seems broken
up, as last week we had heavy gales blowing from the same
direction, which drove a number of vessels ashore along
the coast. Some oats are still out, and this weather is
fatal to the potato; but, generally speaking, the corn crops
in Northumberland are well housed, and the samples that
have been shown iLI the local markets have been exceed- i
ingly sound.

SOMERSETSIBRE ARCILEOLOGICAL
AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
On Wednesday we gave a notice of the opening of
the faurth session of the above society at Bath, and of
the proceedings up to the close of the afternoon
meeting.
I❑ the evening an ordinary was held at the York
House Hotel, when about seventy ladies and gentle-
men sat down to a profuse repast, under the presidency
of W. H. G. Langton, Esq., M.P., of Newton Park.
Amongst the gentlemen present were W. Miles, Esq.,
M.P.; W. Pinney, Esq., M.P.; W. H. Langton,
Esq., M.P.; Hon. P. P. Bouverie; T. T. Knyfton,
Esq.; W. Long, Esq., Mayor of Bath ; F. H. Dick-
enson, Esq.; J. H. Markland, Esq., D.C.L.,
J. H. Smith Pigott, Esq.; J. Britton, Esq., F.S.A.;
W. R. Sheppard, Esq., of Frome; Dr. Falconer;
Revs. F. Warre, C. Paul, H. M. Scartb, W. R.
Crotch, &c. &c.
Upon the removal of the cloth, the usual loyal
toasts were drank, followed by the " Health of the
Bishop and Clergy of the diocese."
The Rev. F. WARES, in responding, referred to
the opportunities the clergy have for investigating
archaeological subjects, and said that he hoped by
their aid such materials would ere long be collected
and arranged as would enable the society to bring out
a cOmplate county history,
The Rev. H. M. SCARTH also suggested that
clergymen should keep private notes of all archaeo-
logical matters coming under their attention—that
each clergyman should collect all the historical docu-
ments of his parish, and the traditions in the pos-
session of the oldest inhabitants. It was a holy rule
in the early Church to preserve the ancient customs,
and it was with grief he saw many interesting relics
passing away from them. He said not only preserve
your ancient customs, but the ancient historical do-
cuments, and the relics of former times, He rejoiced
to see in France a spirit reviving, which regarded ar-
chmological matters in a proper light, and from a
similar spirit in Normandy many precious monuments
had been preserved. In France, during the last 40
or 50 years, nearly all the early church edifices had
been destroyed, and therefore the spirit now mani-
fested was the more encouraging as promising the
preservation of the few arcient htlildingc that romain.
No country in the world, however, could produce
such parish churches as Great Britain, and therefore
all, bat especially the clergy, would do well to pre
serve them, and let not a stone or a brick be injured.
The health of the county Members was responded
to by Mr. W. MILES.
After which the " Health of the Mayor and Ma-
gistrates of Bath," the " Health of the Chairman,"
the " Mayor and Magistrates of Bristol," and several
other toasts were drank and responded to, and
the company then proceeded to the Assembly
Rooms to the evening meeting for the reception of
papers.
Mr. W. BAKER read a paper on the Williams Mu-
seum, recently purchased by the society. The paper
gave a resume of the valuable contents of this exten-
sive and interesting collection, and stated that since
it came into the possessio❑ of the society many va-
luable collections of arcbasological and natural his-
tory specimens have been deposited with the society.
Amongst the collection comprising the Williams
Museum are thousands of bones of animals from the
caverns on the Mendip Hills. One of the bones ex-
hibited was larger than that of any mammoth bone
in either of the London museums. As showing, also,
the valuable character of the museum which has
come into the possession of the society, it was stated
that the authorities of the British Museum, the So-
ciety of Practical Geology, the Cambridge Society,
and several private gentlemen, have applied to pur-
chase, and are most anxious to obtain, the duplicate
specimens in the hands of this society.
An interesting paper on the geology of the neigh-
bourhood of Ilcainster was read by Mr. Moore, whose
researches have been most successful in this branch of
science, as he has discovered a large number of new
species of animals, fish, vegetables, &c., amongst his
antediluvian remains.
A paper on the fungi of Somersetsbire by C. E.
Broome, EN., was also read by the Rev. W. R.
Crotch, who addressed the meeting in addition upon
British fungi in general. Many persons were poi-
soned, he said, from mistaking some species of mush-
rooms, whilst many of the best, most nutritious, and
desirable species of fungi were passed by as noxious,
because people were ignorant of their qualities. He
urged, therefore, more general study of this subject,
but advised his auditors not to eat fungi un'.ess they
were acquainted with the species ; reminding them
also that some sorts which are safe in France and
Italy are destructive to life here.
Yesterday (Wednesday) a meeting was again held
for the reception of papers, at ten o'clock in the morn-
ing, when, in the absence of the President, the chair
was taken by J. H. Markland, Esq., D.C.L.,
Mr. E. A. FREEMAN read a paper " Oa the perpen-
dicular style as exhibited in the churches of Somer-
set," which was illustrated by drawings of the whole
of the sacred edifices treated of. A paper was also
read by Mr. H. G. To➢IKIN3, being his " Remarks on
some Cornish Hill Castles, as compared with the an-
cient fortress on Westorn Hill."
Votes of thanks were then given to the authors of
each paper, after which the meeting was adjourned.
A party was then formed for an excursion to Hinton
Abbey, Farleigh Chapel (where the Rev. Mr. JACK-
SON read a paper), and the church and the George Inn
at Norton St. Philips. At Farleigh, an excellent
collation was kindly provided for the visitors by the
Rev. Mr. Clark ; and the excursion altogether was a
very interesting one, and the weather favourable.

RASCALITY OF THE RUSSIAN POLICE.
A silver tablespoon was stolen out of my kitchen.
I had my suspicions, stated the case to the police, and
on the very same day the thief was discovered. It
was a journeyman baker, who brought us bread, who
had taken the spoon and sold it to a stall-keeper on
the Schukingdwor. The thief was duly punished,
the receiver's shop was closed, and my spoon was
taken to the police-station. It was worth a ducat at
most ; but it was a christening gift to my child, and
on that account I valued it, and spared no pains to
recover it. Pains it certainly cost me. I was
referred from one person to another, and at last the
commissary, in whose custody the spoon was, asked
me frankly why I was so persevering about such a
trifle. I had spent more money in coaches, he said, than
the thing was worth, and I was likely to spend twice
as much more before recovering it, for there were
still many obstacles to its being given up. " To-day,"
replied I, "all those obstacles will be surmounted,
and, to-morrow, I shall have the spoon." " The
devil you will," quoth the guardian of public order
and security. " May I beg to know how you propose
to manage that ?" " Very easily," I replied ; and
to show you how certain I am of what I advance, I
now make you a present of the spoon, and am
nevertheless persuaded that to-morrow you your-
self will call and return it to me." The
schasneprice laughed till be was fain to hold his sides.
" Capital !" he cried ; " before your complaint comes
round to me, a fortnight or more will elapse."
" Yes," I replied, also laughing, " were I such a
fool as to make a complaint, which, moreover,
I have now no right to do, having made you a
present of the spoon. But it so happens that I dine
to-day with Perowsky ; and over the dessert I will
propose to the Minister this curious riddle, How, in
St. Petersburgh, can one dispose of one's property,
when it lies in the hands of the police ?' The solution
of the riddle, that one must make a present of the
property, will, perhaps, astonish him. What is pretty
certain, however, is, that, if you will breakfast with
me to-morrow, you shall eat your soup with the
spoon in question. Whether you breakfast with me
in uniform or out of uniform depends upon the im-
pression which the solution of my riddle may make
upon Perowsky." Again the man in office laughed ;
but this time the laughter was somewhat forced ; and
his arms, which he had akimbo, fell by his sides.
" Well, well!" he said, with constrained joviality,
" the joke has lasted long enough. Here is your
spoon. When shall I breakfast with you ?" " When
you bring me back my silver spoon. Until then,
your most obedient servant." And I left him. I did
not dine with Perowsky. I never saw that Minister
in my life; but his name is a talisman of might
against faithless officials, as it also is the terror of
thieves and sharpers. By adapting it to a harmless
stratagem, I recovered my property. Such is the
Russian police.—Jerrmann's Pictures from Si
Petersburgh.