The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-19 00:00:00

THE RN, LONDON, lIIITIZSDAY EVENING, MARCH 19, 1863.

The Turkish Bombardment of Belgrade.

A correspondent in a contemporary says :—Will
you allow me to lay before the public a short state-
ment of the bombardment of Belgrade by the Turks,
which was spoken of and misrepresented in your
House of Commons last night,
I announce myself a Servian, and therefore labour
under the disadvantage of being considered a partial
witness. I can but assert facts, however, which are
notorious, and which I defy any one to call in
question.
On Sunday, the 15th of June, two Servian lade
going to draw water were assaulted by two Turkish
soldiers, who killed one on the spot. Several Ser-
vian gendarmes at once arrested the murderers, and
led them off to the Turkish police-office to give them
over to the Turkish military authorities. A dis-
charge of musketry, fired from the Turkish police-
office, killed the two Servian officers of gendarmes,
and this at once was the signal for a fight between
the Turks and Servians in that part of the town,
and the latter soon carried by a rush the two gates
leading to the Turkish quarter—Varoshkapi and
Savekapi. The Turks guarding these gates
were allowed to retire into the fortress with-
out further molestation. Meantime, the Tur-
kish police-station, into which the murderers of
the Servian boy had retreated, was found to
be occupied by 300 regular soldiers, and a num-
ber of irregulars and militia, and these were at-
tacked by the people. During this scene of confu-
sion some Turkish shops and houses were pillaged
by the dregs of the population. During this terrible
scene the British Consul-General Longworth pre-
vailed ou the Pasha to put an end to the battle, on
condition that the blockaded Turks of the pllice-
office should be allowed to retire into the fortress.
Through the exertions of the Servian authorities
and the Consuls these Turks were marched through
an exasperated population and the fortress, and we
congratulated ourselves that the worst was over.
An armistice was signed by the Servian Govern-
ment, the Pasha, and the Consuls. This was on
Monday. At 830 on Tuesday morning two Turks
came from the fortress with a white flag, requesting
M. Garashanin to assemble the Consuls in the fort-
ress. This was agreed to, but while these gentlemen
were on their way more than 100 cannon of the
fortress showered upon a defenceless European city
a storm of shot and shell. I will not attempt to
describe the horrible scene of dismay that followed,
but while I reflect with anguish on the destruction
of once happy homes, my hearth throbs with pride
when I recollect that every man in the city thought
but of resistance. Barricades were extemporised,
and a galling fire of native rifles killed several
Turkish gunners. On such occasions it is well known
that the strongly built churches are the first places
of refuge for the women and children. The Cathedral
of Belgrade was an especial object of the Turkish
gunners. After some hours of bombardment, the
French and English Consuls, by the force of indig-
nant remonstrances, caused a cessation of the fire,
and then gave themselves up as hostages to the op-
posing parties to ensure a continuance of the truce.
All honour to these devoted and courageous men,
who nearly lost their lives from an attempt of the
Pasha to renew the bombardment !

Such, sir, is, as I call God to witness, a true and
unexaggerated account of the bombardment of Bel-
grade last June. On July 9 the Prince of Servia
wrote to Lord Russell to help to save the country
from a recurrence of such horrors. He received a
cool reply, in-which his lordship says, "It appears
that an attack was made by the Servians on the
gates of the town occupied by the Turks in virtue
of ancient usage and recent treaties, especially the
Treaty of Paris in 1856 ;" thus unfairly and un-
generously ignoring the previous assassinations and
the attack of the Turks, and making it appear that
we were the aggressors.
Now, Sir, I do not call on you to believe me
merely on my own word, since I may be considered
a not impartial witness, but, in the name of com-
mon sense, I would ask are the Servians such idiots
as to attack the garrison of a fortress which com-
mands their whole city with more than 100 guns
of heavy calibre, and that without even removing
their women and children ? The Princess, too, was
residing under these guns and narrowly escaped.
We are not among the foremost of cities in arts and
sciences, but we have at least the instinct of ani-
mals, who keep out of shot when in danger of the
hunter. Mr. Layard says we "are worked upon by
intriguers." Yes, and these intriguers are the shot
and shell which have worked us up to the point_ of
despair. Are any other intriguers required to make
us anxious to remove from our centres of population
fortresses full of Asiatic barbarians? It is not many
months since the officers and soldiers of the Sultan
massacreq, without the pretence of provocation, at
1ea5t.6,0013 CliriMia.ns in Damascus. These men

died amid horrors per?etrated on their children
without striking a blow, and they are despised in
consequence. If it be cur lot to die by the hand of
Turkish hordes, as thousands of our forefathers have
done, it will not be as sheep but as wolves, dying
hard.

It is not for me to ccmplain that the British Go-
vernment supports by arms, by diplomacy, and by
loans the authority of the Sultan. It would be un-
becoming in me to criticise the policy which en-
courages the aspirations of Italy and discourages
the efforts of Eastern Christians; but, as one of
these, I may naturally feel discontented under the
inexplicable frowns of Great Britain, and, as a Ser-
vian, I may dread the fate of the people of Damas-
cus, of Jeddo, of Aleppo, of the Lebanon, of Marash,
and of other places which have experienced the pro-
tection of Turkish garrisons.
I was told before I arrived in England that Great
Britain was a strong Mussulman Power, that your
Queen governed millions of Muss.ulmans ; I suppose
that it was on this account that you so energetic-
ally supported Islam, and I expected to see a ma-
jority of turbans in your House of Commons, depu-
ties from India. I saw nothing but hats, and I
meet in society accomplished and modest women
with uncovered faces. Whence, then, this Maho-
medan policy.