The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-16 00:00:00

a- --
formly arranae eitainired arcades; ~liPerio.llo. PE,II
Grande Rue did not, I believe, exhibi '-iiiig.:4-1, 7\
which remained unadorned. In som Orhiiii-Aq!,P.--,Y
was truly magnificent. Nor was the paciiiiti94-nr itur:\fal
fa
houses limited to ordinary illumin ;Ali: j'ittitTesif7k4?_,
costly tapestries, rich Cashmere sha :6", and Offei4,r,S4.l
scarfs were hung from the windowsla:.asteftil t_/
rangement. The Roman Catholic, Greek, and Arke- S
nian Churches in this suburb disticguished them-
selves by their display of loyal demonstration. Two
days before the British Ambassador gave notice to
his colleagues that it was his intention to illuminate

the Embassy. They all accordingly followed his
lead, and every Legation in Pera showed en
illuminated front. The contagion was caught
even by small unfrequented streets, many of which
made desperate (fforts to attract the sightseers from
the principal thoroughfares. The concourse of peo-
ple in the streets was not inferior, in point of num-
bers, to what is sr( n in Regent street on the occa-
rno
sion of the Queen's birthday; but here the calm :le.
manour of Orientals, which isc,aputigiahtti,mmo,
deoe ors lessnot
by the Frank portion of the p
11-41 vent in the rowdiness which characterises a
British mob. The canine race alone d.d not par-
take in the general rejoicing. These night scaven-
gers of Pera and rophane were driven from their
accustomed haunts, and had to prowl in remote
quarters in search of the freedom and repose which
was denied them in their own.
On the third night of the illuminations the Sultan
expressed his intention of riding through the streets
of Pera among his Christian subjects. No sooner
was this known than the decorations of the two
previous nights were restored, and considerable ad-
ditions were introduced to make them worthy of
the occasion. At 6 o'clock the Sultan arrived in
Pere, and was received by Fuad Pasha and Omar
Pasha at the barracks in the Grande Champs des
Torts, where he dined in company with them and
the senior officers in command. Between 8 and 9
o'clock he made his appearance, preceded by a troJp
of Zcutves of the Guard, and followed by a detach-
ment of the Cent Gardes. Ho rode his favourite
white Arab. The expression of his countenance
denoted considerable emotion at the reception which
he met. Every window was crowded with persons
eager to see him, the greater proportion of whom
consisted of the fair sex, waving handkerchiefs and
spreading showers of flowers and bouquets. He ex-
pressed his acknowledgment of these manifestations
by bowing repeatedly right and left—a proceeding
quite unprecedented on the part of a Sultan, and
which, until now, was looked upon as an infringe-
ment of etiquette; and so pleased was he, evidently,
at this reception that he actually rode a second time
through the Grande Rue. At the door of Misseri's
Hotel be was met by a body of English travellers,
and greeted with a hearty British cheer, in return
for which he smiled and bowed in the most gracious
manner.

I have endeavoured to give you a description of
these beautiful fetes, but that which it ie impossible
properly to describe—inasmuch as it surpassed any-
thing that I have previously witnessed—is the ex-
traordinary enthusiasm which attended them, and
which was shared by all classes of the Sultan's sub-
jects. If he is wise in taking advantage of this feel-
ing he may achieve great things. On his accession
to the throne the same manifestations but not nearly
to the same extent occurred. His subsequent acts
destroyed in a great measure the prestige which he
then possessed. He ha; now another and a greater
opportunity, but a renewal of disappointment in
the public mind would irretrievably ruin his popu-
larity. It is said he has returned to his capital
deeply impressed with what he has seen, and with
a determination to inaugurate a new state of things.
Over eagerness and haste in reform are sometimes
as dangerous as inaction. It is to be hoped, there-
fore, that he will not press too rapidly the execution
of ill digested measures, and try to bring about in •
stantaneously what must be the work of time. He
is assisted by taro advisers whose value he is now it
seems disposed to recognise. Statesmen like Fuad
and Alli would not discredit a European country.
His opposition to their wise counsels created diffi-
culties and embarrassments dangerous to the
stability of the empire. This opposition has
given way, it is rffirmed, to a feeling of confi-
dence and favour. The finances bid fair to improve.
The army and the navy, for purposes of defence,
are in a better coudition than for a long time past.
An inflexible exposure of the corrupt practices
which prevail, wholesome reforms in the administra-
tion of the provinces, retrenchment in expenditure,
_ _

the adoption of means for the development of the vast
resources of the empire, a reformed Judicial system,
and the extension of equal privileges to all subjects,
whether Christians or Turks,—these measures, if
properly taken in hand, at a moment of extraordi-
❑ary popularity, may, if persevered in, render this
occasion a memorable one in the history of this
country, and once more raise the hopes of its well-
wishers.