The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-20 00:00:00

The Great Fire in Constantinople.

(From the Levant Herald of September 8.)
No further details of the origin or results of
this great disaster have yet transpired. To-
morrow a special council of Ministers is to be
held to receive a statistical report on the loss of
property incurred, and to devise means for the re-
lief of the poorer victims of the calamity, thousands
of whom are actually dependent on passing charity
for bread. Shelter has been improvised by the Go-
vernment for a majority of the very poorest, who
have, for the greater part, till yesterday evening
been bivouacking amid the wreck of their few
rescued moveables at the At-Meidan and the vari-
ous mosque-yards.
In the meantime, we have sincere satisfaction in
publishing the following note, the prompt and
generous charity of which sets an example that will,
we doubt not, be liberally followed by many of our
local countrymen. The occasion is one which ap-
peals to the humanity of all who know the extent
of the suffering entailed by the disaster, and, for
the honour of foreigners of every nationality in the
capital, we trust an effort of charity adequate to the
extent and urgency of the relief needed will be
made by the whole. Contributions from members
of our community may be paid in at Messrs. Han-
son's, Galata, or at the office of this paper, in which
the amounts received will be daily acknowledged.
The mode of applying the money thus raised may be
safely left to a small committee of the donors—the
thing is to raise it with the least possible delay.
" Dear Sir,—Asnbscription for the thousand of sufferers
by the late terrible confla ration is about to be opened
under the presidency of Aali Pasha. We had better, per-
haps, collect among our own countrymen; and what
should bo done should be done quickly, as the want of tho
poorer sufferers are urgent. Pray consult, therefore, with
Messrs. Hanson, Gilbertson, and others of our community,
and open a list with this view, putting my name down for
50 guineas.—Yours faithfully, " IL L. BULWER.

"Scutari, Thursday."
Official return of the deaths from cholera, from
noon of the sth September to noon of the 6th, 17 ;
and from noon of the 6th to noon of the 7th, 9,

A CASE OF ASIATIC CIIOLERA.—A case of Asiatic
cholera occurred at Chatteris on Sunday evening,
and ended fatally yesterday morning, at about 8 o'clock.
The sufferer was Mr. Billett, of the. King William Tavern.
Mr. Billett was quite well during the and attended
church.in the evening. On lats return home, about eight
"o'clock, he was taken suddenly ill, and was conveyed to
bed. Dr. *Wright attended immediately, but in spite of all
remedies applied, Mr. Billett died yesterday morning be-
-tween.hail-pal seven and eight oVock. This is the first
casa of 9SiatlG laga §Ocii iii tlig—daiatAlgO'yeaa.—

(nit Ne‘ go _
;mr's Chilli t
.4"

HER MAJESTY-

BALMORAL, Sept. 17.

The Prince and Princess of Wales and Princess
Hilda of Anhalt had luncheon with her Majesty and
the royal family.
The Queen, with Princess Helena and Princess
Louise, attended Divine service in the parish church
of Crathie in the afternoon. Lady Churchill was
in attendance.
The Rev. A. Anderson officiated.

Earl Russell bad the honour of dining with her
Majesty and the royal family.

The Prince and Princess de Joinville arrived in
England on Monday. Their Royal Highnesses
crossed the Channel from Ostend in the Belgian Govern-
ment mail packet Diamond, which reached Dover about
one o'clock in the morning. The prince and princess, on
landing at the Admiralty Pier, proceeded to the Lord
Warden Hotel, and afterwards left Dover by the 7.8.
a.m. express train of the South-Eastern Railway for
Charing-cross.

The Marquis and Marchioness of Hastings, who
arrived in town on Friday, have since left for their seat,
Donington Park, where they will remain a few days, and
then proceed to Margate for a few weeks.
The Earl and Countess Craven and family have
arrived at Ashdowne Park, Burks, where they intend
to pass the autumn. Viscount Uffington has joined the
family circle.

The Earl and Countess of Stradbroke are expected
in Belgrave-square early next month from Henham Hall,
Norfolk.

The Earl of Rosslyn has so far recovered as to be
considered almost out of danger. He has been several
times during the past week in the garden and grounds ad-
joining Dysart House, and the friends of the noble earl
have now good hopes of his ultimate recovery.
_

Viscount Canterbury has left town to join the
company assembled at Euston Hall, Norfolk, on a visit to
the Duke and Duchess of Grafton.

THE QUEE* AND THE SURREY COUNTY HOSPITAL.
—Her Majesty has most graciously issued her com-

wand for a bust of his Royal Highness the late Prince
Consort, to be executed by Mr. Theed, and to be presented

by her Majesty to the above institution. This most grati-
fying and encouraging intention has been announced by
by Sir Charles Phipps to tho Rev. G. ilatchard, M.A., in
whose parish the hospital is erected. The 60 beds will
soon be required, and the needful annual subscriptions for
their maintenance speedily forthcoming. A royal presi-
dent at the opening day would tem' greatly to give this
much-needed institution a successful launch.

THE " ROYAL BERKSHIRE " LIFE BOAT.—The
people of Berkshire, emulating those of Wiltshire,
_ _

tho next county, have liberally contributed the cost of a
life boat. It is to be exhibited to-day at the Industrial
Exhibition at Reading, and will there be formally presented

by the Mayor to the National Life Boat Institution. The
boat will in a few days proceed by railway to its destina-
tion at Aberdovey, North Wales. It is a fine boat, 32ft.

long, pulling 10 oars, double banked, and is built of Hon-
duras mahogany by the Messrs. Forrestt, of Limehouse.
The Royal Berkshire life boat is mounted on its transport-
ing carriage. The people of Berkshire, although residing
far inland, will by means of their life boat be aiding directly
in carrying on the great work of saving life from ship-

wreck. C. J. Butler, Esq. (the mayor), Capt. Stephens,

the Rev. A. P. Cust, Capt. Birch, R.N., J. H. Wilson, Esq.,

and other friends in the county, have been indefatigable in
their benevolent exertions in collecting the money to pay
for the Royal Berkshire life boat. Amongst the coutri-

butors we observe the High Sheriff of the county ; John
Walter, Esq., Sir P. Hunter, Col. Lloyd Lindsay, M.P., It.

Benyon, Esq., Miss Dorset (£5O), Admiral Layton, and

many others.

SINGULAR APPLICATION AGAINST A NEWSPAPER
PROPRIETOR.—At the Southwark Police-court yes-
terday Mr. Ditton, of the firm of Chipperfield and Ditton,
solicitors, entered the court with one of the directors of
the National Horse Insurance Company, established at
231, High-street, Borough, to ask the magistrate for a
summons against the proprietor of the Joint-Stock Reporter
and Insurance Review, published at 147, Fleet-street, for
endeavouring to obtain money for advertisements to bo in-
serted in that paper by threats, &c. Mr. Ditton informed
his worship that the National Horse Insurance Company
was formed some time ago by a number of gentlemen of

high standing in the commercial world, at a time when
such an institution was much required. A few days
since a person called at the office of the company. re-
presenting himself as the propiietor of the Joint-Stock
Reporter and Insurance Review, and asked for the com-
pany's advertisement, showing a proof of a very fa-
vourable article to be inserted, provided tho advertise-
ments were given. The secretary declined to have any-
thing to do with the publication, as the advertisements
appeared regularly in the Daily Telegraph, the Times, and
other daily papers. A day or two afterwards the same
person called on the secretary again, and showing a very
scurrilous proof of an article, told him that that was the
sort of thing he should insert unless he had the advertise-
ments. The secretary, not being able to get possession of
that proof at the time, made overtures to have the adver-
tisements inserted, and told the person to call again. Ho
did so on Monday, when the secretary got it into his pos-
session, and then told the person that he should not only
decline advertising in his paper, but he should proceed
against him for attempting to extort money by threats.
Mr. George Tucker said he was Secretary of the National
Horse Insurance Company, 231, High-street, South-
wark. Last week among other persons connected with
the publications soliciting advertisements was a person
from the Joint-stock Reporter and Insurance Review.
He bought a copy of the paper, and an article printed
in proof highly commending the company, saying that
,vas the sort of article they should insert if witness
gave them their advertisements. Witness deelined his in-
vitation, and he went away. He returned a day or two
afterwards and exhibited the proof of another article, of a
very different nature, threatening to insert that if the ad-
vertisements were not given. Witness told him to call
again, as he must consult the directors. On Saturday the
person called again, and produced another article of a much
more favourable nature than the first, but witness wanted
to get possession of the second. He consequently pre-
tended to agree to pay £l5 15s. for the advertisements, re-
questing the person to call_again with the second article
for his perusal. On Monday he brought it, and so soon as
witness got possession of it he ordered him out of the
office, and threatened to take proceedings against him for
attempting to extort money.--In answer to Mr. Burcham,
witness said that advertisements of their company in the
publication mentioned would be useless. When he agreed
to give £15155. he never intended to carry out that, but to
get possession of the scurrilous and libellous articles.—Mr.
Burcham told him that he might have the summons.
BENEFITS OF TILE FRENCH COMM ERCIAL.TREATT.
—Posterity, rather than ourselves, will be able to
estimate the full amount of the benefit to England and
humanity constituted by and contained in the French
Treaty. Only when a century shall have passed
without any war between England and France, shall the
livers in that blessed epoch be able sufficiently to contrast
with sufficient emphasis the peaceful era inaugurated by-
Cobden's far-seeing scheme for withdrawing the risks of
war and multiplying the bonds of peace, with the five pre-
vious centuries of English history. Fort from the time of
the earliest Plantagenets up to the days of our own imme-
diate fathers, it seemed all through to be almost an axiom
of English policy and feeling that we should be always
picking quarrels with, or accepting challenges from, the
sons of Gaul, and dealing upon them our doughtiest blows.
Every ship we launched, every gun we cast, every regiment
we embodied, were launched, cast, and embodied, that they
might be used against France. In more olden times our
youth were trained in the use of cross and long bows, all
with a view to the fights at Cressy, Agincourt, Orleans, and
Calais. On France all our bellicose energies were concen-
trated. Literally, up till Tudor times, she was the only con,
tinental power we ever fought with ; and since the days
of the Armada, even, we fought with her more frequently,
and at far greater costs, than with all other powers com-
bined. Kings like James, and Ministers like Walpole, were
unpopular because they would not war with France ; and
at the end of his unloved reign, the Second George gained,
to his own surprise, great popularity, and Chatham's popu-
larity became more excessive than ever Minister's had been
before, or has been since, when they committed the nation
to war with France. Maria Theresa was the darling of
our nation ; and even the rough and unloveable Frederick
the Great became the same, when they entered into
ance with us—or, rather, we with them, for the quarrels
were theirs—against France. All this is altered now ; and
we trust in Heaven! shall ever so remain. To Cobtlevi
more than any other man, will posterity admit that it je
indebted for the holy and propitious change.—MeGi/cltrids
Life of Cobden.
NEWS FOR NATURALlSTS.—considerable fuss 1133
lately been made respecting the danger arising from the
volunteer rifle shooting at the Milbrook butts ; and in cell:
uection with this Liatter is a fact worthy of note that a'
the end of the 500 yards' range a skylark recently ma d°
her nest and reared a brood of four young ones in perfec"
safety, until with strong wing and warbling melody tbei
could soar away to join the feathered chorus of the 511Y'
The most remarkable part of this little incident is, that the
birds were located in a spot where spent bullets and stray
shots have fallen in thick profusion, but notwithstanding.
their proximity to danger neither the mother or her brood
sustained sustained the slightest injury from the fugitive taisshall
of whose possible destructiveness certain
'parties 7
lately been so c4oossiVely apprelojaziv.o.-45gutigarter7