The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-15 00:00:00

THE BLACK SEA.

An officer on board one of her Majesty's ships
in the Black Sea writes ou the 28th ult. :—" We
are now at Kavarna, a large bay, about 120 miles
from the Bosphorus and above Varna. The Rus-
sians, 50,000 we are told, have crossed the Danube
at Galatz, and they are going to cross at Rassova
with 25,000 men, by which movement they hope
to cut off the 25,000 Turks in the Dobrudscha. We
expect a steamer to-night from near the Turkish
position, which will tell us if they are in danger.
If so, we shall probably go short to the nearest
point, and embark the troops and bring them to
Varna. This is most probably the latest news you
can have."

Two hundred and sixty-seven vessels have
arrived at Constantinople from the Black Sea, only
four of which were in ballast.

Grand total
If travellers are to be credited, Erzeroum, in
the time when the Genoese held possession of? it,
numbered 100,000 souls, and at the period of the
Russian invasion' in 1828-9 about 80,000. Pesti-
lence and emigration are the principal causes of
this striking diminution. The town contains 28
khans, 13 public baths, 70 mosques and mesjids
(small mosques or chapels), besides a Roman
Catholic, a Greek, and a large and handsome
Armenian church. The khans are at present oc-
cupied by troops (to the great discomfort of
travellers), as the barracks only suffice for one
regiment of four battalions, or 3,856 men. The
houses are mostly built of a dark grey volcanic
stone, cemented with mud, and strengthened
with timbers inserted horizontally at cer-
tain distances in the walls, which, being rarely
plastered, gives the town a dull appearance. Some
of the apartments in the larger houses are hand-
some, and the ceilings, of carved wood, are gilt
and painted. The rough external appearance of
the houses is studied, as are the low and dirty
entrances to them; lest they should be fixed upon
by the authorities as lodgings for strangers, or be
seized for military or civil purposes. The roofs
are flat and covered with several feet of earth,
which renders them warm in winter and cool in
summer, but not impervious to rain and melting
snow in the spring. The streets of Erzeroum are
irregularly built, and, like all Turkish towns,
---- .
CONDUCT OF PRUSSIA. unpaved and filthy. The scavenger dogs are
The conduct of Prussia occasions, says a Paris as numerous as at Constantinople, are of the
ketter of Thursday, much anxiety and discontent same breed, and appear to be as fully deter-
to the French Government, and many who were mined to keep possession of their own districts,
hitherto the last to despair of her rallying to the from which an intruder is quickly driven
good cause begin to fear that her hesitation is but back to his own quarter. The town is well
the prelude to her final abandonment of the allied supplied with excellent water, conducted through
Powers, and that she will act frankly only when wooden pipes from springs issuing from
the moment comes for her to declare that she acts the Palan Dukeu Mountain to the nume-
with Russia. It is impossible not to see that, rous fountains, which are to be found in every
whatever be the desire to tranquillise the public part of the town. The city is 6,200 feet above the
mind, at bottom there is suspicion and mistrust- level of the sea, and 200 above the surrounding
The Independence of Brussels states that the plain, which, like that of Baibout, possesses all the
precise point on which differences have arisen be- characteristic features of the upper steppes of Ar-
tween Austria and Prussia, on the subject of the menia, in the almost total absence of trees and in
offensive and defensive treaty, is whether one of the sterility of the mountains which border it. Pire
the two Powers can engage in war without having timber is used in the construction of houses, or for
previously consulted the other. fuel, and is a heavy item of expense in this part of
BERLIN, April 11.—Colonel Ruff has returned the country. The poorer classes burn dried cow-
from Vienna, bringing a refusal to accept the clause dung, compressed into cakes. It consumes slowly,
which Prussia proposes to insert in the Convention gives out a fair heat, and is of course much cheaper.
recently agreed to. This is formally rejected by For further economy and warmth the villagers pass
the Austrian Government. It is understood that, the winter in stables where their cattle are kept, one
whereas an important article of the Convention corner of which is divided off by a low partition, and
stipulates that in the event of one of the contract-. raised above the stable floor. The principal imports
iug parties finding itself at war the other shall come I here are British and Swiss manufactures, colonial
to its succour, Prussia wishes to add a special clause I produce, iron, tin, madder root, indigo, and galls.
more or less secret, to the effect that war must 1 The exports from the Pashalic consist of furs, skins
always be concerted between the two parties. The of goats and sheep, buffalo hides, goat and sheep
action of the one would thus depend on the consent wool, wax and tallow, pipesticks, copper, and, lead,

Fifteen thousand men were expected from Egypt,
who will immediately on arrival be forwarded to
Batoum under the escort of English and French
steamers.

50,000

VARNA, April I.—The fleets have left in the
direction of Sebastopol.

CIRCASSIA.

In a Constantinople letter of the 25th, published
at Malta, we read :—" The English steamer Samp-
son, which had been sounding on the coast of Cir-
cassia returned on the 21st, bringing tidings of a
complete victory gained by the Circassians over
the Russians. Early in March the Circassians,
provided with arms and ammunition, attacked the
Russians, and, a severely contested battle, drove
them into their castles on the coast. These castles
were surrounded and repeatedly attacked during
four continous days. Finally, the Russians, fear-
ing to be cut to pieces, blew up their powder
magazines, and sought shelter in ships.
" The captain of the Sampson reports that when
some Russians had abandoned two block-houses
situated on a hill, the Circassians threw themselves
on them and cut the whole to pieces. The same
steamer had spoken with a Russian vessel pro-
ceeding to Sebastopol, laden with fugitive soldiers.
The loss of the Russians had been considerable.
The coast of Circassia is at present free from the
enemy.

The principal trades carried on are tanning, dyeing
morocco (red and yellow), preparing sheepskins f°.
pelisses, horseshoes and nails, and blacksmiths' and
s
coppersmiths' work. The greatest security PrevaLld
in transporting goods from and to Trebizond, an
the usual means is on mule or horse back. Asses
are solely employed for the transport of bar iron
and charcoal. Camels are rarely used ofbecause
the hard and stoney nature of the ground. 0
usual burden, of a camel is about 240 okes, or
6801 b. (an oke is 211 b. English), that of a horse of
mule 3401 b., and of an ass 1701 b. The roads, t
rather tracks, are wretched. Some efforts 1v17.,
made to construct a road commencing from
4.0
bizond, but the war with Russia has caused
be abandoned for the present. British inann!„o
tures (principally cottons) to the amount oft,,
millions sterling annually pass from Trebizyo
all
through Erzeroum into Persia. Provisions ei
kinds are cheap!; the following are the present whirr
whole'
prices, in summer fully one-third less :—Good
some brown bread (no white to be had), 2d. tin! e:.`f,
(241 b.) • mutton, very good, sd. the oke ; ,
very inferior, 3d. the oke ; eggs, 3d. the domeil
fowls, 6d. each ; pigeons, Bd. a couple ; Ps'i;
ridges, 9d. a brace ; best butter, 7d. a P"'24,0
milk, 14d. a quart. Vegetables are three-four;
of - the year very cheap, but at present scares'
and rather dear. Wood and charcoal is also nod
dear. The country also produces rock salt and Ti'
tive soda. As to liquors, the principal sort used
an imported spirit called " rakee," made from
stems of the grape bunch, and flavoured with anP!
of which the Christian population drink great (pity/
tities, and the Mussulmans are beginning to fanuto
their example. The race of horses is small/ b.O
they are hardy and sure-footed, and vary in Pr',
from 5/. to 10/. ; oxen fox labour, 5/. ; milch
it. to li. 10s. ; sheep, 9s. to 10s. ; goats, 6s. tO,ll
Very little fruit is grown here, the market be-""
supplied from Tortoon. There is a weekly_ra
established not. long ago, for the conveyance
letters and specie between Erzeroum, Trebizet;
and Constantinople. The presence
of Europe:,
consuls at Erzeroum has done much towards civi;
ing the country and 'bettering the condition of l_P:e
A
rayahs (Christian population), by keeping a 0131;
on the conduct of the Pashas or governors. Tvrevt;',
years ago a Frank was rarely seen here, and was sub
ject to insult and vexation. Now the inhabitants
have have become completely accustomed to the sight ,
Europeans, and every day European innovation
make their appearance among the better classes'
and, although some of these changes may aPPee:,
trifling, still they show how prejudice is disapPer4
ing before civilisation. A striking instance of UP;
is seen in the modern-erected palace or buill
(which also contains the police-office, Cuat.4.4l
house, &c.), on which a slanting tiled roof has been
placed, the only one in the town, every (It'd
house having a flat cumbrous one. The state
education in this country, and I believe throught'd
Asia Minor, is at a very low ebb. The learning a
the best-instructed Mahomedan does not eaten,
beyond a knowledge of the Koran and some o°,
mentaries on it. Many among the upper clams'
cannot write, and when anything is required to,
committed to paper they apply to public scrluie
Everything at school is learnt by rote, and-
reasoning faculties of the scholars are not geOf
cised and developed. When once they It.n°
how to read and write, their education is 81
posed to .be completed. In fact, it is only
among those who have been educated at Cl/
stantinople that one meets with any degree •i 0
literary knowledge. Their ignorance of aritting'',
is. surprising. Even among the State financiel;
none know more than addition and subtractO„'
and, to perform simple operations in multiplication;
they have recourse to long addition. Verytifee
know what a million is ; indeed, there is not
word in Turkish to express the sum, and the Etl::ig
pean word has been adopted. Ignorance on
point may be thus explained :—Large sums, in 3....-70
of being counted by piastres, are reckoned by p
(kesseh), by loads (yuk), and by treasures (haz,ol:o
the kesseh being equal to 500 piastres, the Wi.,.1;
200 purses, or 10,000 piastres, and the haz nel*
36,000 purses, or 18,000,000 piastres. The ChPiA
tians of Erzeroum are perhaps, comparatively,. li„,o
so ignorant as the Turks, but there are aizatg
them also many striking examples of ignorallui,
Some of the Armenian clergy, actually cannot red
ci
nor indeed understand their religious books, Trßif
are written in ancient Armenian, though they dp4'
repeat their contents by rote.
Erzeroum is altogether unfortified, noth•lng re;
maining to mark the possession of it by the enter,
prising Genoese but the shattered and decaying 1';
mains of an extensive inner and outer wall, Oa
rounded by a deep ditch and a few round a'ir
square towers. It is commanded by a high hi
mountain called Palan Duken, so that in the Pre"
sent day it never could serve as a check to air' ir
vading force. advancing either from Georgia
Persia. Most of the old fortified places whi
ah
have seen bear the same character of and, Dfeatlf
sibility, on account of their vicinity to comm
ing heights. The great elevation of Erze•con°
above the sea, and its position as to lat;ital
account for its extreme coldness and the deP.O
of snow in -winter and its oppressive heat i°
summer. The western branch of the Eriphrao;
takes its rise at a short distance off, and parg3of
within a mile of the town, under the local nalne,,,.
Karasoo. There are few diseases that can be at;
buted to the climate; on the whole, it is a heal'
spot, but the plague occasionally visits this cowl
and is supposed to appear every 12 or 14 years:
raged here in 1829, and again in 1842, and on
last appearance carried off nearly 8,000 persons. he
the calculation of its usual return be corrftxt,Ltds
period cannot be far off when this terrible sonnlit
will again spread desolation and sorrow in the WO
of the unfortunate inhabitants.
Erzeroum is distant from Trebizond ab0ut,,,,4
hours, or nearly 180 miles, calculating three ml7O
and a quarter to the hour; from Kars, 36 hours'
about 120 miles; from Tabriz, in Persia, 110 hots'
or 350 miles; and from Teflis, in Georgia, 76 hem"
or 250 miles.

THE COMBINED EXPEDITIONARY FOJAC
o TE EAST.
9
The following T
is froHm the Morning Chroni4
correspondent
MALTA,. April now again write to ref/
further arrivals and departures of English
French troops to the seat of war. The Caol„ge-.
steamer, from Kingstown, arrived yesterday, bli;
ino• Major Johnston, Captain Quayle, Wallis, and Ensign Marsh, 115 non-commissionl;
officers and privates, and three women, of the 33'4
Major Darlton, Captain King, Lieutenants It° 'no
and Astley, Ensign Hopkins, and Assistant-Surge
1 Beckwith, 215 non-commissioned officers and Pi,- •
vates, two women and one child, of the 49tultis;
Lie utena
Captains Purcel and Gray, Lieutenants Fawee'd,
and Nowlan, Ensions Leeds, Tyler, and Diainoti, Paymaster Roberts and Assistant-Surgeon Mares'' 232 non-commissioned officers and privates, ont.
eight women, of the 50th - Capt. Kennedy, Lieu.,
Chawner, and Ensign Butts, Assistant-Surge°'
Burton, 99 non-commissioned officers and privates"
and one woman of the 77th Regiment ; and tiie,
Niagara and Teneriffe are hourly looked for. I Ilavo
already advised the French arrivals and departure'
en masse, having had no time to give the details,'
but which I now supply. The Panama steamer,'
with 35 officers and 788 soldiers, arrived from
Al
Biers on the 3d, and left for Gallipoli on the Stu'.
having in tow the Austrian transport brig
with stores. The Caffarelli steamer, from Ste",;,
with 16 officers and 596 soldiers, arrived on t"-6,,,
4th, and left for the East on the sth. The LaPlitcA.
steamer, with 12 officers and 382 soldiers, arrivhee
from Bugia on the sth, and at the same time the
Eclaireur, with four officers and 200 soldiers, 11-5.
Bugia ; the Monett° steamer, from Bugia, wir
eight officers and 253 soldiers ; the Veloce steal:l_4j
from Stora, with 11 military and 11 naval me", 41,0,
officers and 339 soldiers ; and the Brandon"
steamer, with 10 officers and 230 soldiers,
wise from Stora. This latter and the Eclair left for the East on the 6th ; the
Laplace'hn,
Veloce, and Mouette followed on the 7th. The
Egyptian steamer, having on board Ge0e...„1
,`"--
Bonat, 22 other officers, and 170 artillerymen) ‘1:
rived from Marseilles on the sth, and left 000.,
14
on the 6th. The Gorgone and Coligny steameer
arrived from Algiers on the 6th, the fart`
er
bringing one officer and 312 soldiers, the latter
one officer and 352 soldiers ; and on the 7th
Ors
Meteore steamer, also from Algiers, with 10 offietle
414 soldiers. All three proceeded onwards to
the
East on the Bth, on the afternoon of which dal .a
large steam-frigate Astnodee, with 1,000 rank an in
file from Algiers, passed Malta, without looking or
for fuel or water, having in tow a French schooner
with horses and fodder. It will be seen from ,1180
details that the French have carried and are eeliir;
in„ out the transport of their contingent to war
seat of war, chiefly by means of French ra, steamers, with remarkable diligence and comb
tive coadort, for, whilst coaling and waterinf, to,
Malta harbour which usually occupies from watering
12 hours, the officers and many of the men ge •
to tilehler
run on shore ; and, I should remark, much
credit, not one has been left behind, although the
departures have sometimes taken place during
night.

1' I regret I cannot 'advise any such satisfactl
progress onwards of the British troops/ most a
suredly without any blame attaching to the I°°:
authorities—civil, naval, or military—wh° ,
worked well together, and received very valua
aid and assistance from the agents and other em'
ployes of merchant steam companies. The deft
tive arrangements no doubt are a matter for will°
the home authorities are blameable.
" The Golden Fleece, which left on the 31st of
March, with :Brigadier-General Sir George Bolo'

lout 54
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toursy_,"
D how
5 boiO

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