The Sun.
London, England, 1853-12-12 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 12, 1853.

and with a semblance at least of indignation.
Yet even believing in this air-blown bubble of a
Russian victory in the Euxine, even supposing
this exceedingly questionable narrative of the de-
feat of the Turkish squadron on the 30th ult.
to be authentic in all its particulars—can we
count, even then, upon the probability of the
AUTOCRAT bending his proud will before that of
the SULTAN, at the behest of the anything but
prompt and: energetic allies of the Ottoman Go-
vernment Y Turkey, flushed with her recent vic
tories over the Muscovites, both on the Asiatic
and on the European Continent, Turkey,
conscious of her right, and animated by an enthu-
siasm scarcely before paralleled, and incited to
persevere by the encouraging assurances of sup-
port given to the SULTAN CALIPH successively by
the French and English Ambassadors—Turkey
under these circumstances can scarcely be expected
by any sane man to flinch by one hair's breadth
from the maintenance of that line of policy upon
which she adventuredfrom the first instant of Prince
MENSCHIKOFF'S mission to Constantinople. Russia
—whether inflamed with new hope by victory, or
infuriated by repeated discorafitures—can hardly be
expected to deliver up her sword at discretion to the
re-echoed whisper of the feeble demands of a blun-
dering and already more than once repulsed guar-
tetteof plenipotentiaries. Yet confident in its own
senile and notorious fatuity, Aberdeenism is still
complacently looking forward to some miraculous
settlement of the Russo-Turkish difficulty as the
consequence of its last, desperate, spasmodic, hys-
terical effort at negotiation. It appears to be
forgotten that England despises ministerial hesita-
tion, and that Russia does not comprehend the
meaning of magnanimity.

" Shall we take them in 9" "No ! let him go
and work for them ?" Such was the interroga-
tory addressed by Mr. KIRBY, one of the inspec-
tors of the parish of Marylebone, to Mr. MESSER,
the assistant overseer, in reference to a distressed
family named WALsH, who had applied for admis-
sion to the workhouse, and such was the reply of
the tender-hearted official addressed—a reply
which very probably occasioned the death of an
unfortunate infant, which perished in its mother's
arms while she was wandering without food or
shelter on the night of the 22d November, in
company with her equally unfortunate and equally
destitute husband.

Poor WALsit and his distressed wife might have
attracted the sympathy of even " parochar' autho-
rities, to say nothing of the additional claims of
the wretched child, barely eight weeks old at the
time it met its melancholy fate. The head of the
family had been a marble polisher, but was par-
tially paralysed, having lost the use of his right
arm fourteen years ago. The mother, we are told,
when giving her evidence on the inquest, "seemed
in a state approaching to imbecility !" The un-
fortunate object of the inquiry, the offending
babe whose claims were so sternly disregarded,
had on it " an old cotton bedgown," which would
have been its sole covering at that inclement sea-
son, but with a mother's instinct, and a mo-
ther's love, poor Mary WALSH had denuded
herself of her shawl, in order to give, as far as
practicable, the much-required warmth to the con-
vulsed and shivering infant. Such was the state of
the applicants whose claims were so summarily
disposed of by the humane Mr. MESSER, and their
appearance and aspect by no means belied their
condition.

Their statement was plain and simple. There
was nothing to attract extraordinary attention,
for we fear that their " o'er true tale" was but a
single instance of many similar cases. They had
apparently been tolerably constant applicants at
the workhouse-gate, for the husband in his evi-
dence stated that he " had received relief at va-
rious times from the parish since he was disabled
fourteen years before." We willingly give the
authorities the benefit of the fact, that the appli-
cants were " old hands," well known to the autho-
rities, and whose previous applications might have
been very urgent and continuous. But this also
shows that, if really destitute, they had a right to
the assistance they demanded, and that the party
on whom the duty was imposed of supplying their
wants would incur a serious amount of responsi-
bility if death resulted from a refusal to dis-
charge that legal obligation. The wife had,
it appears, been confined on the 26th Sep-
tember, and was attended by the parish midwife,
and had received some strengthening medicine
from the parish doctor. She had also received
some tea, sugar, and bread from the workhouse
for a fortnight after her confinement. The paro-
chial authorities had therefore the means of testin g
theaccuracyofthe statements made, and of knowing
the full extent of the exigency. The husband, in
consequence of his right arm being disabled, was
debarred from obtaining regular einployment, but
lie occasionally " did a little whitewashing when
he could get it," and the wife "sold fruit in the
streets, but since the birth of the child had no
money to go to market." Under such circum-
stances, that they should be in great distress,
sometimes being "two or three days without
food," was by no means surprising. On the 21st
October the father applied for admission into the
house, a 3 he had no home or money. The request
was rejected, but he was ordered to receive is. 6d.,
two quarteru loaves, and two pounds of mutton
per week, for a month. On the 18th November
he again applied for admission, stating " he had
no place to go to ;" that he had been turned out
of his lodgings. He got no answer on that point,
but obtained a renewal of the previous order for
another month. After that he declares that—
a." On
.the following evening (Saturday) he saw Mr.
Northumberland-street, along with Mr.
Kirb37,. one of the inspectors, and his wife applied to be
taken n. Heard Mr. Kirby say to Mr. Messer. " Shall
we take then, in ? " to which Mr. Messer replied, " No !
let him go and work for them."- *
After that he walked
about for half an hour, to see Mr. Messer, who at
last came out. Witness was smoking a: bit of
tobacco which he had picked up in the street. Told
Mr. Messer that his wife and child were waiting, that
they were very cold, and that they had nothing
to eat. Mr. Messer said, "Hut you can afford to
smoke ;" and went again into his office. Witness at that
time had not a halfpenny in the world,*
and had no pro-
spect of getting work. His wife and he went down to
the Marylebone Police-court, where they again saw Mr.
Messer, who again refused to take them in. The .
magis-
trate
sent a policeman with them to the workhouse,in
order to get something done for them.! At the wrk-
house they saw Mr. Tice, Mr. Messer 's clerk, who said
be could not help them he had no power. Witness
said it was a very cold night, and asked, were they to
be in the street. They got nothing. His wife was car.
rying the child. This was after 5 o'clock in the evening,
and he stopped at the workhouse gate until 10 o'clock,
in hope that a loaf would be sent out to them, as Green,
the porter, knew they were there. They got nothing at
all, and went towards Oxford-street, where they walked
until nearly 3 o'clock in the morning without any
They then met a gentleman, who gave them sixpence in
charity, with which, at 6 o'clock, they got a pennyworth
of bread and two half-pints of coffee. At 8 o'clock on
the Sunday morning they went again to the workhouse,
but only saw Green, the porter, from' whom they got
nothing. Then they went to their landlady's, in Gee's-
court, where they got credit for a lodging until they re-
ceived the is. 6d. allowance on Monday. The child was
very cold and very much convulsed. On Monday they
got their allowance of ls. 6d., the quartern loaves, and
the mutton. They paid three nights' lodging, at 6d. a
night, which took all their money, and on the Tuesday
evening they had not a bit of bread left. The child was
then very much convulsed, and it died between 4 and 5
o'clock."

This is a painful, a heart-rending narrative of
fearful destitution on the one side, and want of
the ordinary feelings of compassion on the other.
Mr. MESSER, had certainly seen the man smoking,
and it might have created an impression that he
Was better off than he pretended. But that no-
tion did not warrant an absolute refusal. A
more stringent inquiry might have been required ;
but
were entitled to reliaf. Had they ever been un-
duly improvident? Had they expended recklessly
the supplies granted on the preceding Monday,
they could not be suffered to perish in consequence
of their recklessness. " Death" would be too heavy
a punishment for such a crime. But at all events,
the child
eight weeks old was not guilty of any
ofrelleo, and its deplorable condition should have
been taken into consideration, by mEsszn.
The Stereotyped answq , Go work for thorn,"

a cruel mockery to a starving man, who could get
no employment of any kind, was returned. The
wretched man did not yield without a struggle for
existence. He went before the sitting magistrate
at the police court. A sure proof that he was
willing to submit to investigation into his charac-
ter, conduct, and circumstances. The magistrate
sent a policeman to enforce attention to the claim.
But in vain. It was again rejected. Mr.
NIESSER'S clerk had no power even to attend to
the magisterial recommendation. The distracted
applicant alluded to the coldness of the night, and
asked, were they to be in the street ; but with no
result. For five tedious hours he lingered at the
workhouse gate, hoping to obtain even a bit of
bread, but in vain, Nothing came, and at ten
o'clock at night, wearied, hungry, and disheart-
ened, he wandered forth with his miserable
wife and wretched infant to spend the morning of
the blessed Sabbath, which was, however, no day
of rest to him. The catastrophe might have hap-
pened sooner, but that at three o'clock in the
morning a humane gentleman gave them sixpence
for charity, with which, three hours subsequently,
when the shops opened, they obtained Id. worth
of bread and two half-pints of coffee. At eight
o'clock they went again to the workhouse, where
they " saw GREEN, the porter, but got nothing."

Is this state of affairs to be tolerated in a
Christian country ? When we deny relief to the
whining mendicant on the street, we do so with-
out compunction, inasmuch as the workhouse is
open to receive him. How can we do so with a
safe conscience, if the above case is to be received
as a sample of workhouse humanity and the atten-
tion accorded to the exigencies of the claimants
for relief. We are fully alive to the evils of in-
discriminate alms-giving. We axe aware of the
deceptions and impositions thereby occasioned ;
but it is men like Mr. MESSER who encourage and
sustain the practice, by refusing assistance when
it is imperatively required. The jury found that
great culpability attached to Mr. MESSER and two
of the directors of the poor. We shall not at
present inquire too curiously into the legal effect
of that verdict. But we say that means must be
adopted to prevent the repetition of conduct re-
flecting so much discredit on the authorities of
one of the leading unions in the British Metro-
polis.

THE OVERLAND MAIL.

TRIESTE, SATITRDAY.

The steamer Calcutta has arrived at 7 45 a.m.,
in 114 hours from Alexandria. She left Alex-
andria on the sth of December. The India Mail
arrived at Alexandria on the 2d of December, and
has brought dates from Calcutta, Nov. 6 ; Madras,
Nov. 10 ; Shanghai, Oct. 5 ; Amoy, Oct. 12 ;
Hong Kong, Oct. 27 ; Singapore, Nov. 4 ; Penang,
Nov. 6 ; Galle and Bombay, Nov. 14 ; Burmah,
Oct. 23 ; Sydney, Sept. 20 ; Melbourne, Sept. 26 ;
Adelaide, Oct. 1.
Pegu is still in an unsettled condition, and many
attacks from the Dacoits had occurred.
General Godwin died at Simla on the 26th Oct.
Major Edwardes is appointed Commissioner for
Peshawur.

•
Trade has improved.
Exchange at Calcutta, 2s. Id.

Cholera has appeared at Bombay.

At Shanghai and Amoy they are still fighting.
At Whampoa there is great disaffection.

Canton is quiet, but great anxiety prevails.
Trade in China is good. Exchange on London,
5 toyl.

VIENNA, SATURDAY.
Advices from India and China have been received
via Trieste.

BOMBAY, Nov. 14.

General Godwin died at Simla. At Rangoon
100 convicts mutinied. Most of them were cut
down.

Great excitement prevailed at Whampoa, in con-
sequence of the death of a Chinese female in prison.
The Americans protected the English Consul.*
The Peninsular and Oriental Steamer Bengal
arrived at Ceylon on the Ist .N ovember.
* With respect to the excitement at Whampoa, the
following appeared in our impression of the 29th Novem-
ber by the last Overland Mail :
"At Whampoa the British Vice-Consul Bird is in
some trouble. A Chinese female whom he had in con,
finement jumped over board in the night, and was found
in the morning hanging or; to a rope alongside, dead.
The friends of the deceased having sent threats to Mr.
Bird that his life should pay the forfeit, he has been con-
strained in consequence, it is reported, to apply for re-
moval to some other post in her Majesty's service."

LATEST FOREIGN NEWS.

RUSSIA AND TURKEY.

GREAT NAVAL BATTLE IN THE BLACK
SEA.-DEFEAT OF THE TURKS.

Official advices received at Vienna on Saturday
from Odessa of the sth instant state that on the
30th November the Russian Admiral Nachimow
(Vice-Admiral of the sth division in tile Black Sea,
with six ships-of-the-line) attacked a Turkish
squadron near Sinope, and, despite the land bat-
teries, completely destroyed seven Turkish frigates,
two corvettes, one steamer, and three transports,
in one hour.

Osman Pasha (Vice-Admiral Patrona) and staff
were carried off as prisoners of war.
The Russian flag-ship returned to Sebastopol
considerably damaged.
Prince Menschikoff immediately left Odessa for
St. Petersburg, to communicate the news of the
victory to the Emperor.

This Osman Pacha must not be confounded with
Mushaver Patna, or Captain Slade, who also holds
an admiral's command in the Turkish navy.
Mushaver Pacha had returned to the Bosphorus
with the squadron under his command, on the
26th of November.

The port of Sinope is on the north coast of Asia
Minor, about 300 miles to the east of Constanti-
nople, and about 200 miles south and by east of
Sebastopol. There is an arsenal of some magnitude
at Sinope.
A Russian despatch received at Vienna, on Sun-
day at noon, states that Admiral Nachimow en-
countered the Turkish fleet near Soukon-Kale.

Admiral Osman Pacha intended landing troops
there.

The Russians gave chase, and pursued the Turks
into the roadstead of Sinopoli, where they annihi-
lated thirteen Turkish vessels.

One steamer escaped.

There was an immense loss of lives.
It is said in Paris that the Turkish vessels which
have been captured had been sent from Constanti-
nople to Batoum with provisions and ammunition
for the troops. They had proceeded a considerable
distance on their way, when they fell in with the
Russian squadron, consisting of six ships of the
line and several smaller vessels. Resistance was
impossible, and there was a general sauve qui pent,
when several of the Turkish ships were captured.
From -Vienna, Dec. 7, we learn that all the news-
paper reports of an alliance having been formed
between the four great Powers are totally incorrect.
Their representatives have united in drawing up a
note, and nothing more. No mutual pledge has
been entered into to enforce the acceptance of the
note either on Russia or the Porte.

The Nouvelliste of Hamburg says, that the Rus-
sian Cabinet rejects every attempt to obtain con-
cessions from it. It will accept nothing but the
first Vienna note.
Advices from Bucharest of the sth instant an-
nounce the arrival of Lloyd's steamer, the Ferdi-
nand, at Galatz from Constantinople, after a stormy
passage of three weeks.
The probability of an armistice was confirmed by
the departure of several staff officers from the
Turkish quarters for Constantinople. Instructions
are also said to have reached Omer Pacha to pro-
vide winter-quarters for the different divisions of
the army.

General Budberg, the Russian commissioner ex-
traordinary, arrived at Jassy on the 30th Novem-
ber, and was received with great pomp.
Letters from Jassy, the capital of Moldavia, of
the 3d instant, state that General Osten-Sacken
was daily expected there ; he will proceed at once
to Wallachia, where he is expected to arrive be-
tween the 17th and 20th.

The Prince of Servia has left Belgrade for Kra-
jugewatz, as a precautionary measure.

A deputation of Mussulman tribes- from Mingre-
ha, who have declared in Asia against the Russians,
had arrived at Constantinople on the 25th of Nov.
and been received by Reschid Pacha. The deputa-
tion is to be presented to the Sultan.
Letters from the banks of the Danube announce
that two companies of the Wallachian militia had
succeeded in crossing the Danube by night, and in
joining the troops of Omer Pacha. They have
given the Turks exceedingly precise information
respecting the Russian troops, which proves that
the latter are far from being in a flourishing state.
A letter from Constantinople, speaking of the
banquet offered to the French and English Ad-
mirals, relates that Admiral Dundas occupied the
right of the Captain Pacha, notwithstanding his
resistance and his polite efforts to leave that place
to the FrenCh Admiral. The Captain Pacha, first
of a'l, delivered an address in Turkish to Riza-
Bey, formerly First Secretary of the Ottoman
Embassy in France, and the only civil functionary
present at this purely military and naval fete, who
afterwards rose and gave a translation in French
of the Captain-Pacha's address. It runs thus :
" Gentlemen,—l ask permission to propose the health
of the Queen of Great Britain and of the Emperor of the
French, on this solemn occasion, where I have been able
as,enible on board the Ottoman Admiral's flag ship
the chief officers of the English and French squadrons.
I acknowledge myself to be totally unable to, express to
you the sentiments ofjoy and kind feeling which I myself
feel at this moment, and I shall only assure you of the
deep gratitude with which the counsellors of the Sultan
:ire penetrated for the numerous marks of friendship and
assistance lavished on him by the two.great powers of
the West. The independence and integrity of the Ot-
toman Empire are the bases on which repose the equi-
librium of Europe and the peace of the world. That
peace, so precious in itself, which all the States were
hound to believe durable, has been, in spite of all the
efforts of the Ottoman Government, violently troubled.
Turkey, strong in her right, repels the unjust aggression
directed against her. Your presence at Constantinople,
gentlemen, is for us an example and a support, and if
fate decides that we are to march to war side by side,
all our efforts shall tend to merit your esteem and 'ap-
probation. The sentiments which I express are shared
by all the subjects of the Sultan, and I am happy to be
able to express to you at present the wishes formed
throughout the whole empire for the august allies of the
Sultan, the Emperor of the French and the Queen of
Great Britain."•

Admiral Hamelin afterwards proposed the health
of the Sultan, and Admiral Dundas that of the
Captain-Pacha.

A letter from Constantinople of the 25th Nov.,
says that the news from the seat of war is to the
effect that the inundations of the Danube having
compelled Omer Pacha to withdraw his troops from
the island opposite Turtukai, and which acted so
nobly in the affair of Olteuitza, he at the same time
ordered the troops in the quarantine building to
withdraw also to the right bank of the river, after
blowing up the building. Giafer Bey, who com-
manded the Bashibouzouk Arnouts, who drove the
Russians from the island of Mokan-Oglou, between
Rutschuk and Silistria, has so well fortified it that
all communication of the Russians, by moans of
their gun-boats, between Giurgevo and Ibraila
(Brailow) has become impossible. The corps
d'annee of Ismail Pacha at Kalafat,being reinforced
by Ali met Pacha's division and by troops from Sofia,
had taken the offensive. The cavalry commanded
by Mashar Pacha (son of the Minister of Foreign Af-
fairs) had advanced to the banks of the Dgi, towards
Krajova, driving out the Russians from the Wal-
lachian villages, which they had recently pillaged
and burnt. Prince Gortschakoff had appointed
General Budberg Governor-General of Wallachia,
and a manifesto is shortly expected from the Em-
peror Nicholas to inform the Moldavians and Wal-
lachians of their future position. The 3d corps
d'arm6e had not arrived on the Pruth, and the sth
division had been compelled_ to send a brigade into
the Caucasus, to reinforce the troops there,
menaced by the Circassians. There was a report
that Field-Marshal Paskiewitch was in disgrace,
not because he had refused to take the command
of the army on the Danube, but because he had
declared that the troops could not be withdrawn
from Poland until replaced by the grenadiers of the
guard, as otherwise the Poles would rise. The
Emperor is said to have declared that if, during an
administration of so many years, he had not been
able to extirpate the revolutionary spirit in Poland,
he was not a fit man to govern it.
The accounts from Asia state that after the affairs
at Bagazid and Tschildir the Ottoman troops ad-
vanced on Akhista. With the exception of the
notable people of the country in the employ of
Russia, the inhabitants and the people hailed the
arrival of the Turkish troops with joy.
The celebrated Sefer Bey, ruler of Northern Cir-
cassia, and for many years detained in Turkey at
the demand of Russia, has been made a Pacha, as
also Bedchet Effendi, a Circassian of the tribe of
Beslene, some time since subjugated by Russia.
These two new Paellas join immediately the army 1
of Selim Pacha, where they will receive special ap-
pointment s.

- The Oest. Deutsche Post, of Vienna, says that
England has proposed to the Porte an amnesty of
three months in favour of Russia. Lord Stratford
de Redcliffe had an audience of five hours with the
Sultan on the subject. M. de Bruck, on the 22d,
presented a note in which he endeavours to prove

that peace is absolutely neces,al7. The Ministers
of the Porte at once held an extraordinary sitting
to consider the contents of the note.

Private letters from Constantinople of the 28th
state that, notwithstanding the state of the negoti-
tions in Europe, the Turks continued their opera-
tions in Asia. All the batteries on the coast of the
Black Sea had been fully armed and placed in a
state of complete defence. They hal mounted 250
cannon of large calibre, which were place I in ex-
cellent positions where they completely commanded
the entrance from the sea, and prevented the ap-
proach of all ships.
A private letter from Constantinople, of the 30th,
mentions that the Queen and the London had joined
the English squadron, and anchored in the Bos-
phorus. The same letter adds that the Spanish
Ambassador, recently arrived, had a long confer-
ence with Redschid Pasha, and that on the follow-
ing day he was to be received by the Sultan. His
presence had produced a certain effect on the pub-
lic, as it coincided with the news of the approach-
ing arrival of a Spanish squadron, composed of six
ships of war.
A letter from Vienna, in the Post Ampt Gazette,
says :—" Omer Pacha was on the 24th ult., at
Kalafat, where he inspected the entrenchments,
and passed the troops in review. The Turks still
occupy the island of Mokan. It is thought that
Fuad-Effendi and M. de Kotzebue will enter into
negotiations. It is even said that they have already
had an interview."

The Lloyd of Vienna contains a letter from
Kalisch of the 3d, which says :—" The news given
by several journals that the troops in Poland had
set out for the South are devoid of foundation, as
no change has taken place in their position, Gene-
ral Pauiutins is still in Poland with the 2d corps
of infantry."
In the treaty of Ackermann, concluded in 1826,
there is a separate article relative to the Princi-
palities of Moldavia and Wallachia which contains
the following passage :—" If it happen that on
account of age, illness, or for any other reason,
one of the Hospodars should desire to abdicate
before the term of seven years is completed,
the Sublime Porte shall communicate the
same to Russia, and the abdication shall take
place after a previous understanding between
the two Courts." As this has not been re-
pealed by any subsequent convention, the follow-
ing official documents appear to afford irrefragible
evidence that the Emperor Nicholas has been guilty
of another gross violation of treaty, by arrogating
to himself the sovereign rights of the Porte.