The Sun.
London, England, 1862-03-07 00:00:00

T URKEY.

Constantinople letters and journals to the 26th
February have reached us. Some private letters
speak of a loan of 200 millions of piastres being
probable at 65, from some English houses, on the
guarantee of new taxes, but the Levant Herald
seems to doubt that matters are by any means so
far advanced. The staff of the army has been re-
duced. The Treaty of Commerce with the United
States, for some time in course of negotiation, has
been signed ; one is also to be agreed to with Hol-
land. The following are some items of general in-
telligence :--

" Yesterday the Sultan went out duck shooting
to his usual favourite ground at the farm of the
Capitan Pasha, near Kutchuk-Chekmedje. The
Capitan Pasha has erected a handsome kiosk at the
spot for his Majesty, on the border of the lake, and
thence he fires away at leisure at the abundant game
within reach. The Sultan, it is said, proposes to
send an equal sum of money to that recently for-
warded from the Palace for payment of arrears to
funetionariesandothers in the capital-20,000,000p.
—to the troopsin the provinces for a similar purpose.
In the latter, many of the men and officers are from
ten to thirty months behind. His Majesty is realis-
ing the sum required from the dismounting and sale
of superfluous jewellery and plate. The Sultan
has, it is said, decided on completing the building
begun some years ago for Rechid Pasha's new uni-
versity, in the neighbourhood of St. Sophia. Dur-
ing the late war, this structure, it will be remem-
bered, was used as an hospital by the French, and
since then it has sheltered successive hundreds of
Nogai and other Tartar immigrants. Achmet
Veffik Effendi, Minister of the Fvcaf, has put up
for sale 2,734 kintals of oil found in the mosques
and minarets of the capital in excess of their proper
respective allowances for lighting and other pur-
poses. The long-established practice appears to
have been for the imaums to send in requisitions
for double the quantity actually required—appro-
priating the surplus half to themselves. For the
future, under the present Minister's administration
at least, this fraud will be impossible. For the oil
discovered and offered for sale only lop, an oke
have as yet been bid; this being considered below
the market rate, the sale has been adjourned for
15 days to allow of higher offers. At the end of
that interval the whole will be knocked down
without reserve. Abdul-kerim Pasha, the Minis-
ter of Police, has decided on for the future applying
all the funds derivable from fines to the support of
the police hospital and the improvement of the
female penitentiary, attached to the Zaptieh.
The Turkish Government announces the forth-
coming sale of the lands along the line of the
Kustendjie Railway. As the sales will com-
mence early in spring, and take place on
the spot, intending purchasers should pro.
teed in time to the ground and mark out their lots.
We recently mentioned that a new system of or-
ganisation was being devised for the firemen of the
capital. This has now been completed, and will
shortly be put in force. According to it the whole
body of toloumbajees on both sides of the Golden
Horn will be placed on a military footing, and be
subjected to a discipline which will, it is hoped,
greatly increase their efficiency. A fire company
will also be formed out of each regiment of the gar-
rison of the capital, for auxiliary service with the
regular toloumbajees. Cabouli Effendi, the new
Imperial Commissioner to Syria, who was an-
nounced to leave for for Beyrout on liVednes'lay last,
will I'7; d W
emceed on Wednesday next to b;:s
post. Nazim
Bey, son of the Grand Vizier, Ins been named Otto-
man commissioner to the London Exhibition. Efforts
are being made by Government to stock the space
allotted to Turkey with the best possible specimens
lof the country's industry and raw produce. With

this view, numerous samples of both have been
brought up, and will figure as contributions to the
great show. The provinces, at the same time, are
sending in their samples fast to the central commis-
sion; Adrianople, Sofia, Salonica, and Smyrna hav-
ing thus forwarded their respective quotas, and
other parcels are announced as on the way for the
same destination.—An interesting passage of words
took place yesterday afternoon between the Pera
Telegraph-office and the Central-office, Lothbury•
The whole line through between the two capitals
being open, Mr. O'Connor, the director of our local
office, flashed his salutations through to his com-
peer at the other end, and received back acknow-
ledgement in one minute. The following conversa-
tion then ensued What sort of weather have
you on the Bosphorus ?" Fine, with thermo-
meter marking 7 deg.' Is Odessa still closed with
ice ? " Yes, two days ago navigation was sgain
interrupted. What kind of weather have you in
London ?' ' Magnificent." What o'clock is it with
you in Constantinople ?"Four o'clock.' What with
you in London ?" Ten minutes past two.' ;Pray;
what is your name."Carron ; yours ? "O'Connor.
'Are you an Englishman ?' Yes." A warm shake
of the hand to you. Thanks, the same to you'
Have you any messages for London ?" Yes, a
few ?" Pray send them on.'

A letter from Cairo states that the Viceroy. 'who
stopped running his steamers of the Merejidieh
Company on the Red Sea last year, has, in conee'
quence of the hardships and delays this occasioned
pilgrims to Mecca, announced his intention to place
two vessels on the line between Suez and Dieadall
during the present season. After the return of the
caravan, both ships will be again laid up."