The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-02 00:00:00

MALTA.

says :
" You are aware that the Turks, in their gross blind-
ness, have excited the just indignation of our great and
most gracious Sovereign by the oppression of the Chris-
tians, his fellow-religionits, in Turkey, whose defence
has at all times been embraced and supported by
the monarchs of Russia. Our Emperor, in his pa-
ternal solicitude, in order to spare the blood of his
subjects, has made all the efforts in his power to set
aside the hostile intentions of Turkey, but this desire
has not been crowned with success, and the Turks,
stimulated by dangerous insinuations, and the
of the foreign powers of the west, have rejected all our
just demands, which were for nothing more than the
execution of treaties. Although after the rupture of
peace by the Turks themselves, the Almighty God, de-
fender of equity, has blessed the Russian arms by caus-
ing her to triumph in Aiia and on the Black Sea, where
the Ottoman fleet was destroyed at Sinope, our enemies
are not yet undeceived, and the Governments of Eng-
land and France, placing themselves on their side, have
caused, without previous declaration of war, their united
fleets to enter the Euxine, under pretext of defending
them, and in order to embarrass the free navigation of
our vessels of war for the protection of our coasts. His
Majesty, with a firm hope in God, whilst combating for
our oppressed brethren, relies with confidence on the
zeal and firm fidelity of all his devoted subjects, not one
of whom will hesitate to take arms against the enemy,
should circumstances require it."
The proclamation then goes on to exhort the
" brave Georgians, Armenians, Mussulmans, and
other faithful subjects of the Emperor" to be ready
at the first signal " to defeul their country aud
repulse the aggressor." It next reminds them
that, iu former days, they, even without the aid
of the " glorious Russian troops," gained signal
victories over the Turks, with much inferior num-
bers ; and it asks if they can feel fear whatever
may be the odds against them, when they are sup-
ported by the numerous battalions of Russia. The
proclamation concludes by announcing that the
Prince, in consequence of the weakness caused by
a grave malady and excessive labour, has been
obliged to obtain leave of absence for six months,
but that he calculates on being with them in the
autumn to take part in their exploits.
Accounts from Asia state that the snow is still
very deep on the hills, and that, though in th mid-
dle of April, the weather is still very severe. This,
coupled with the fearful scarcity of food, which
has risen to five times its ordinary price, is causing
great suffering. Of money, however, a supply had
been received, 3,000,000 piastres having arrived
by steamer for the use of the Pasha of Trebizond.
A circular had been addressed to all the Consuls at
Trebizond by the Turkish Government, in which it
is stated that, in the case of the poorer Greeks being
unable to procure the means of travelling, this Porte
will convey them to the Pineus free of expense.
The Hellenes have nearly all left the capital, but a
further delay of 15 (lays has been granted to mer
chants, and domestic servants are altogether ex-
cused from the necessity of leaving. Great loss
will be experienced by English firms, especially
the Manchester manufacturers, as the Greek
firms are their chief customers in the East, and
many of them must be prevented from fulfilling
engagements already contracted. Achmet Pasha,
who lost the battle of Soubatan in December
last, had arrived at Trebizond, on his way to
Constantinople. It is said that he is to be tried
by a court-martial. He is quite sanguine as to
the result, and boasts that in a few weeks he will
be back in Asia as Commander-in Chief. Ferik
Ali Pasha is also to be subjected to a similar in-
quiry, and is equally hopeful, relying either on the
justice of his cause or the length of his purse.
Forty pieces of artillery, with tumbrils and ammu-
nition, were at Trebizond, waiting for the roads to
become passable, before going up to replace those
lost at Bayazid and Soubatan, where 27 were need-
lessly abandoned on the field and left for the
Russians to carry off at their leisure some days
afterwards. Only two mountain train guns were
to be seen ; which does not look as if offensive
operations were seriously intended. Most of
the pieces were much too heavy for such a
country. Typhus fever was making great ravages
at Erzeroum, and great want of medical aid,
hospital stores, &c., was felt. The pressure of the
war on the agricultural population was evident
from the fact that not less than 9,000 loads of
goods for Persia, chiefly cotton manufactures from
Manchester, were lying about from the impossi-
bility of obtaining either men or horses. The Per-
sian trade along the great road is almost extinct.
Money to the amount of 14,000,000 piastres is re-
quired for the payment of the troops at Erzeroum
and Kars.
ERZEROUM, April 3.—The little there is to re-
port is anything but cheering. Sickness, by the
last account from Kars, has returned with in-
creased fatality, notwithstanding the pains taken
to lessen it by removing a portion of the men to
the neighbouring villages, and by supplying them
with warmer clothing and better provisions. Here,
also, in Erzeroum, 15 or 16 are daily carried to
their long home. A large body of the troops has
refused to march hence to Kars, in consequence of
the arrears of pay due to the men and the bad
quality of the miserable shoes lately issued, being
of such frail materials as to admit the water from
the melting snow. These men have been for some
days shut up in their barracks, or khans ; it is said
they they amount to 4,000, but it is difficult to as-
certain the exact truth, as every means is taken to
conceal and hush the affair up. 600 men deserted
some time since from the same cause, on their
route from Kars to Ardahan. The time is past
for striving to hide 'the real state of the Asiatic
Turkish army from the fear of exposing its weak-
ness, as has hitherto been done. It is the impera-
tive duty of every British and French subject,
official or otherwise, when the allied Powers are
assisting Turkey in men and materials at so great
an expense, to lay open the scandalous and infa-
mous proceedings of the Pashas, Beys' and other
high
fattening ies' who are themselves hourly and
daily on the resources of the State, while
everything, as a consequence, is at a stand-still,
or going to ruin. The weather continues as bad
as ever—hard frost by night, and a great deal of
snow.

MONTENEGRO.
The Presse of Vienna gives the following_as the
toot of the molam,tia, Which l'ria9e le halt

MALTA, April 26.—The Spiridion, a Greek ship
laden with gunpowder, had been seized at Malta.
550 Artillerymen, 19 officers, and 537 horses
reached Malta from England on the 26th. 20
horses had died on the passage.
Lieutenant King had left for Tunis with orders
to buy 1,000 horses.
Lodgings for 5,000 French troops were being
prepared at Malta.