The Sun.
London, England, 1839-11-04 00:00:00

THE FRENCH ARMY IN AFRICA

The following is an extract from a letter from Store,
in the Courrier Francais, dated the 19th of October :
" The year 1839 will have been fatal to our African
troops. The mortality is so terrible, and the number of
sick so great, that it is almost impossible to continue the
service. At Constantine the Duke of Orleans found
lying under tents, in the middle of the public place, and
for the most part without mattresses, a great number of
sick troops, in a country in which wool for bedding costs
but seven sous per pound. He ordered the unfortunate
soldiers to be brought into the palace, where they were
placed even in the drawing-rooms. The Prince ordered
at the same time that mattresses should be bought at his
own expense for their use. This order honours him ; but
is it not a deplorable thing, that a Prince should have
to come from Paris to discover such miseries, and that
a nation like ours should leave to languish, without
beds or shelter, thousands of soldiers oppressed by pri-
vations, the most moderate picture of which would
create horror ? It cannot be repeated too often that
the African army is now at the height of its sufferings.
The state of the hospitals—the appearance of the
camps—the sight of the soldiers, pale and lank—show,
on the part of those who have to provide for them,
such an indifference for the life of men, that we would
willingly call it criminal, if we were not afraid of excit-
ing anger. But it is to be hoped that the truth will
come forth, and that an end will be put to abuses of
every kind in Africa."
The Journal des Debate terminates a long article on
the military operations in Algeria in the following
words :

" The passage of the French army and the presence
of a French Prince will bt a memorable epoch in the
history of these tribes. They will have seen, that if
the right of conquest exercised by civilized nations be
the most strong, it is also the most just. Habituated,
as they have been for thousands of years, to defend
their persons, families, and property against every de-
scription of invaders, they will now learn that French
domination respects persons and property--that the
French bring with them order, peace, industry, and
law. It is not war that we are seeking in the west of
the province of Constantine—it is peace which we are
desirous of establishing ; it is the French name for
which we wish to command respect ; it is a march of
Roman legions through Africa ; it is civilization march-
ing in behalf of barbarians. Is not this a grand and
noble task for the army and the heir of the monarchy
of July ?"

EXECUTION OF PEYTEL FOR

MURDERING HIS WIFE.

The execution of this murderer, whose case has ex-
cited the deepest interest in France, took place on Mon-
day last at Bourg. It will be remembered that Peytel
was a notary of that town, who had formerly been a dis
tinguished member of the Parisian press, enjoying the
friendship and acquaintance of Lamartine, M. de Bal-
zac, Jules Janin, and the leading literary men. Peytel
contracted a marriage with a young lady of property,
and, as there is too much reason to suspect, with the
intention of murdering her as soon as possible to acquire
her fortune. At his pressing intercession she made a will
hia favour, and was five months enciente when she was
found astassinated, as also Peytel's domestic, near the
Bridge of.t.ndefl. Peytel was not suspected for some time,
his story was plausible. He said that his servant shot
his wife in the travelling carriage and essayed to kill
him, but pursued by Peytel, the master dashed out his
domestic's brains with a hammer. A long train of cir-
cua”tamial evidence proved that this story was made
up. The excellent character of the unfortunate ser-
vant--the irreconcilcable statement of Peytel, with the
testimony of !.he medical witnesses as to the nature of
his wilds wioun4 aug subsequent death, formed a chain
of circumstances which *light the mime home to
Peytel. The verdict of the Jury was confirmed by the
Court of Cassation, end on Alanday he was brought
to the scaffold.

After having twice received thi3 kiss of peace from
the Priest, he rapidly ascended the steps of the scaffold,
and on seeing the fatal plank he looked at the execu-
tioner, as if asking what remained for him to do. After
a significant gesture from this worthy functionary, he
stooped, and his head rolled upon the scaffold.
During the whole time of his imprisonment Peytel
wrote incessantly, but although he made no protesta-
tions of innocence, he made no avowal of his crime.
He has left an immense mass of manuscripts, which
probably contain minute details of this mytAeriuus and
dreadful deed. .

In reply to the numerous loroirics concerning tho
last moments of the prisoner, his confegsfir has given
out that 1;0 died as became a Christian.

HONOUR AND HONESTY IN HUMBLE LIFE.
—At the great fair of Ballinasloe, October, 1839, an
Austrian officer (Count Weiper) who attended to pur-
chase horses, set up at " Craig's Hotel," and upon the
moruing of the day that be intended to make? those
purchases, hs breakfasted in biaswhFrc
several tables w•e'e Lid, and many persons ',A
took their hurried weal; a;l4 started of to the 44.;
Count Weiper in the throng, A-fter he had left the
room, a young man who superintended a.od received the
money from the numerous waiters in that ropm, per?
ceived a pocket-book on the floor, took it up, and found
therein several hank notes. Immediately ho informed
hi', employer, and they (together) counted forty notes
of the Bank of England, 1001. each ; then closed and
laid by the pocket-book. Shortly afterwards Count
Weiper rushed in, almost distracted. The young
man, ;liter a few questions, to the Count's inexpressible
joy, restored ,to him his lost treasure, and in presence
of the " maitre ofhael" (Mr. Craig), requested the
Count to examine the conUas, Tle did so, and found
all right." With gratitude, the Count offered him
*Ol, which the honest and honourable young fellow
declined to aexept—" Excuse me, Sir, I do not feel en
titled to a reward for doing my duty," was the reply,
The grateful Count earnestly requested the young man
to accompany him, and he would get him a commission
in the Austrian service ; but the young fellow remem-
bered his widowed mother, who, since his father's death,
he.4l by honest industry, and great prudence, supported
and edazatea him and her other children—he would
not desert bed gveu that promotion so flattering to
the son of a soldier could not Setups him to swerve
from the path of duty. This high:minele,d aPcl 04
honourable youth is the son of George ki.Oonald, of
,• Caithness,' formerly colour-sergeant in the gallapt 42i,
whose wanly form and soldier-like bearing, induced ti'e
lao wiabja
.gerphermere to have his likeness
taken at fug length :Ls 4 pz,-,-Pet model of " a brave
' Wier, ,—Dublin Pilot.
•.
A. of ing 'Silurian Advertiser
corresponds,. . • •
,• Advertiser
states that the presence of altn:`" 4 !0 be f9PPCI iP t),•e
iron ores of Radnorshire, and that it is 'l'6ll *(ifth
consideration of those iron masters who are at a grea.;
expense in importing the red ore of Lancashire.