The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-24 00:00:00

LLOYD'S SHIPPING-(THIS DI Y. )

LONDON, Oct. 24.—Wind We day at Noon, S.W. ;
moderate breeze, and fine, clear weather.
PORTSMOUTH, Oct. 23.—Wind, N.W. Arrived—Pion,
from Quebec ; William, do. ; Maize, do. ; Martha, Con-
stantinople; Biroline, Yenglaal ; Actress, de. Sailed—
Morayshire, for the Black Sea; N.M.S. Swallow, do.
PLTMOUTH, Oct. 23.—Wind, W.N.W Arrived—Cas-
telian Maid, from Labrador ; Adolph, Buenos Ayres ;
Persian, Belize.
FALMOUTH, Oct. 23.—Wind, fresh. Arrived—Juliana,
front Rio Janeiro ; Adriatic, London, for Cardiff and New
Orleans ; Duke of Cornwall (s), from. Dublin, and left for
London ; Manathan, Bristol, for Philadelphia, master and
one man washed overboard, with loss of jibboem, &o. ;
Ids, Mauritius. Sailed—Queen of the Chase, for Terceira.;
Amphitrite, Ostend.
COWES, Oct. 23.—Wind, W. Arrived Margaret,
from Callao.
BRISTOL, Oct. 23.—Wind, W. Arrived—Majestic,
from Tobago ; Lone Star, New Orleans ; British America,
Qtebec ; Swan, do. ; Lady Seymour, do. ; Jenny Lind,
Newfoundland.
SHEERNESS, Oct. 23.—Wind, Arrived—Ho
velius, from Dantzio.
DOVER, Oct. 23.—Wind, W. Arrired—HYgoa, from
Krageroe, for St: Valery.
Arrived—Tagus
SOUTHAMPTON, Out. 23.—Wind,
(8), from Gibraltar, &c.

(PER ELECTEIO TELEGRAPH.)
LIVERPOOL, Tuesday, 10.15 a.m

Wind W. moderate, and frosty.
Arrived—Star of the East, from Honduras • Helios,
Now Orleans; Susan, Singapore; William Patten, Rich-
mond ; Jonge Lueus, Beyrout.
Off the port—Arabian (s), from Alexandria ; Sea Gull,
and Propoutis.
Sailed—Admiral (s), for Havre ; Ranger (a), Rotterdam;
Culloden, Bombay.

(EY RUBHARINE AND EIROPEAN TELEGRAPH.)
GRAVESEND, Tuesday, 9.52 a.m.
; tide last hour's ebb ; fine.
Arrived, Oct. 23.—Levant, from Hamburg ; Rover,
Guornsey,
Arrived, Oct. 24.—Fyneoord, from *Rotterdam • Light-
ning, Guernsey ; Lady Blaney, Callao ; Helena, 'Konigs-
berg ; Medora, Memel.

DBAL, Tuesday, 9.40 a.m,

Wind—W.N.W., fine.
Passed off Dungeness.—Eva, from Sydney ; William
Grewett, St. Lawrence ; Prince Arthur, Hudson Bay ;
Lavinia, Moulmein ; Queen, Calcutta; Angie, Buenos
Ayres; William Forthinghato, Calcutta—all for London.
Anchored.—Corcielia, for Cardiff; Vulcan, St. Domingo;
Spirit, St. Michael's ; True Briton, No. 114 transport,
Plymouth---all from London.

--~;

Turkey ; its history and Progress. From the
Journals and Correspondence 'of Sir. James Por-
ter. Continued to the present time by his
grandson, Sir George Larpent. 2 vols. Hurst
and Blackett.
This work commences with a memoir of Sir James
Porter, who was British Ambassador at the Porte
from 1747 to 1762, where he made himself
thoroughly acquainted with the national character,
customs, and prejudices. He was subsequently
appointed Minister at Brussels. The papers which
he left, containing his observations on Turkey as it
was a century ago, have been incorporated in the
first volume of this work ; and though some por-
tions are manifestly inappropriate to the present
condition of Turkish affairs, it has been justly
thought best to present them entire, that the reader
might be able to form a comparison with the exist-
ing state of Turkey as described in the second vo-
lume. The remarkable changes which have re-
cently taken place are thus clearly shown, and the
enlightenment of the people and the gradual pro-
gress of reform made evident. A brief account of
Turkish history is given, sufficient to acquaint the
reader with the main facts ; but the principal por-
tion of the work is cccupied in endeavouring- to
give a just idea of the country itself, and the pecu-
liarities and characteristics of its inhabitants. Of
the first volume it is sufficient to say that it serves
chiefly as a landmark to show how far the nation
has advanced from that time, though the descrip-
tions it gives of the natural features of the country
are of course equally applicable to the present day.
It is the second volume that contains the inform*.
tion now most eagerly sought for, namely, a full
account of the legislature, the progress of educa-
tion, the financial system, the military and naval
establishments, and the social condition of the
Turks. It also presents us with a sketch of the
career of the most eminent men of the present day.
The account of Reschid. Pasha is very interesting.
Amidst the general disorder on the death of Sultan
Mahmud, when the empire was left with " the
Sultan dead, the army annihilated in the course of
a few hours at Nisib, and the fleet carried into
a hostile port by their own Capudan Pacha,"
Reschid Pacha, who had been absent on a diplo-
matic visit to Paris, returned to Constantinople :
" As a thorough statesman, he clearly perceived that
the first condition for the future existence of Turkey
was the restoration of that unity which had rendered
the empire so strong during the earlier period of its
career. In his opinion the only possibility of regenera.
tion lay iu the amelioration of the principles of Go-
vernment, and their assimilation to an European and
constitutional model. To carry this into effect, the first
step was to reconcile the Christian subjects of the Porte,
by making such concessions as would insure them
against the arbitrary proceedings of the Osmanli, and
by giving them a guarantee that these concessions would
be maintained.
" To Reschid Pacha the Ottoman empire is indebted
for the organic law of equality, tolerance, and personal
freedom aid security, for the abolition of mercantile
monopolies, for the establishment of sanitary regulations,
for the tuemission of the provinces, for the concentration
of political power, for the advantageous stipulations of
1840 with the great Cabinets of Europe, and for the com-
mercial treaties which have bees concluded with most
of the foreign States."
In his political career he has met with many
vicissitudes ; but since 1847 he has been continually
in office, first as Grand Vizir, and subsequently as
Minister of Foreign Affairs. The former office,
however, does not appear to be a very enviable
dignity, for though his power is very great, so also
is his responsibility. He is the supreme chief of the
administration ; nothing is presented for the sanc-
tion of the Sultan except through him ; he presides
over the Privy Council ; appoints to a majority of
the offices, and commands the army ; but his posi-
tion is full of danger. "He is accountable both to
the Sovereign and the people for the acts of injustice
which lie commits, for the unfortunate result of his
administration, for the extortions which he does set
repress ; he is accountable, above all, for the unex-
pected dearness of provisions, for too frequent fires,
and for the defeats of the armies. All the snider-

ZIT

88.

77%1

tunes of the Sultan are attributed to him. The
sword continually suspended over his head strikes
him whether lie displease the people or disoblige
the Sultan." A full account is given of the Turkish
army and navy, the military administration and
establishments. The natural resourcea of the coun-

try are described as offering the greatest advantages
to the enterprising capitalist. The mining ad-
vantages appear to be great, though the natives
want energy or capital to avail themselves of
them. The favourable contrast afforded by
the present state of the empire to the descrip-
tion given of it by Sir James Porter cannot
fail to strike the least observing. The apathy, self-
conceit, and prejudice then general appear most
discouraging ; but if we turn to the narrative of
the present time, we find a wonderful enlighten-
ment and awakening. The author of the second
volume, Sir George Larpent, is hopeful as to the
future of the Turks. He says :
" A. snare comparison of the condition of Turkey in
1839 and in 1554, will show how much has been already
done. We do not pretend to deny that much is still left
for quieter times ; but we may accept the present ame-
lioration as a very valuable instalment of the great work.
If the Allied Powers only recognise the duties which
have devolved upon them through their interference in
the present war, we may fully anticipate that Turkey
will eventually become a great and prosperous country.
The raw material is ready to hand, and by skilful
manipulation can be rendered most valuable ; but it will
be a work of time. Many will turn back with disgust
from the task : but whenever our Government once per-
ceives the importance of Turkey—not merely as a Euro-
pean necessity, for the purpose of maintaining the
balance of power—but as a country, which presents the
finest field for religious and commercial enterprise, we
feel assured that the labour bestowed will be abundantly
repaid.
"Those writers who have represented the Turks as
utterly effete, and as only encamped in Europe, natur-
ally ignore any hope of regeneration ; but such is not
the case.

" Turkey was not a corpse, but a body paralysed : it
revived as soon as the enlightenment of the present gene-
ration recalled it to life, and the rare aed interesting
spectacle is presented of a country having totally altered
its political condition in the short space of sixteen years,
through the spirited and patriotic exertions of a few in-
divieuals, while that salutary change promises to be per-
manent, because the system will be continued by the
pupils and imitators of those few eminent Statesmen,
each of whom is surrounded by a chosen baud of disci-
ples brought up in their principles."
And, again, after giving an account of the pub.
lie schools, he observes :
Stateet i a
ins‘t‘ißtuytiorna 'is•ing by z education
iwhetroethiet riasnknootf ay
existence ;by correcting all it possesses that-is of a
pcurebalitcin
dangerous and exclusive character, and, more than all,
by summoning females to participate is the benefits of
an intellectual life, Turkey would be drawn from the
isolation and individualism by which her strength is
exhausted, and the way would be paved for her social
regeneration, which is the erowning work of her
political transformation. Education would effect the
ruin of the old Mussulman fanaticism, which has lost
its strength, but •by substituting for it patriotism,
hitherto unknown to the Mussulman peoples, accus-
tomed as they are to form a collection of individuals
rather than a people, a sect rather than a nation. In
exchange for the faith which it destroys, it would give
them a country. It would do more : by the establish-
ment of universities, where students of different faith
and creed, collected from the most distant points of the
empire, would live in the unity of discipline and instruc-
tion, it would eause a hearty amity between generations
till new isolated by their enmity or their pride, and
would thus prepare the reign of that great national unity,
for which the Turkish administration, policy, and
Legislature are striving."
appended to the first
volume, It consists of a journal, kept
Sir James
by
We must not omit to mention a curious and.
valuable paper which is
Porter, of the negotiations between Austria and
Prussia in the time of Frederick the Great and
Maria Theresa. It is in no way connected with
the rest of the work, but as Sir James Porter
was persoAally employed in these diplomatic
great
transactions, and as his narrative, which has
the record eco nt docu-
sid not
nd considervoluan importaie relates
been hitherto unpublished, is possessetiof
assistantm him-
selfe in-
terestnt . justified dti
to the
vat appendix
epe ,e 0 hildsieittxtoeirndti
toocig editor
student—a comparative
such
ot
of
ff
thethe war,and contains a very useful.
Turkish Empire. Among all
the numerous works which have appeared onTur-
key, its history, its inhabitant
chronologyte progress
s, its environs, its
past and its future, since the discussion of " The
Turkish Question," few possess the value of the
present volumes. Most of those storks have been
superficial in their character, seeking rather to
entertain than to instruct. The volumes before us
are not of this description. To those who desire
au amusing book of travels they offer no attrac-
tions. It is to those who desire to analyse the
constitution of the empire, to read the history o f
the future in the annals of the past, to gain a tho-
rough acquaintance with all the peculiarities of the
social system, both as they were and as they are,
that it is calculated to afford every assistance
in acquiring a -complete and authentic knowledge
of Turkish history and progress.

THE LATE LIEUT. SINGER—This artillery °dicer, wiio
lost his lite in collision between a French and an English
steamer in the Sea of MarLnora, was a son of the Bishop
of Meath. This young officer bad highly dist.inguisbed
himself in the Kaffir war, and had served in several
actions. He returned to Ireland at the beginning of the
present year, and was immediately offered by Sir H.
the
. D.
Rose, as a mark of approbation,an appoinment in
k
' Horse Artillery. On th• declaration of war he volun-
teered fur service in the East, and in consequence of hie
previous high character his application was granted, and
, a preference given him above his seniors in years and
I standing. Lieut. Singer was but 26 years of age.