The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-22 00:00:00

REPORTED LOSS OF THE TIGER.

The second edition of the Patrie, published at
seven o'clock on Saturday evening, and conse-
quently after the receipt of all the despatches
known in London on the subject of the alleged
capture of the Tiger frigate by the Russians, per-
sists in its assertion that the whole story is a fable.
It says an English commercial brig was taken, and
afterwards delivered by the combined fleets, and
suggests that this circumstance gave rise to the
report.

APPREHENSIONS OF INVASION AT ST.

PETERSBURG.

Mr. Frederick Bucknall, a son of Mr. W. Buck-
nall, of the late eminent Bristol firm of Bucknall
and Spark, has just returned from St. Petersburg,
where he had been for five years occupying a
responsible position in connexion with one of
the largest mercantile firms there, and from the
accounts which Mr. Bucknall brings with him
it is evident that, in high circles, the possibility
of an attack by the combined forces on the capital
of Russia itself is seriously entertained. Amongst
the masses of the city a superstitious confi-
dence in the successful issue of the war generally
prevails. This is founded on the widely-spread
belief that the war is a religious one, undertaken
for religious objects ; and it leads to a confidence
that God being with the Emperor he must prevail.
The Imperial Muscovite himself does not appear to
be so well at ease. It is understood that the
commandant of the important fortress of Cron-
stadt has informed him that, although of
great strength, it is not impregnable. The Em-
peror is obviously very anxious on the matter,
for he goes himself to Cronstadt twice or thrice a
week, and all conceivable efforts are being em-
ployed to strengthen it as far as possible. Mean-
while the imperial city is being crowded by troops,
which are continually pouring in in large masses.
The barracks being all crowded these are quartered
on the inhabitants, to their very evident and great
annoyance. Mr. Bucknall saw a body of 1,500
Cossacks marching towards the capital, which is
of itself a significant mark of the feeling of the
Government, for troops of that class are rarely
if ever employed in the city. Many of the no-
bility and leading families are quitting their town
residences and retiring into the interior, carrying
with them their plate, jewels, and portable pro-
perty of value, and the English, French, and other
foreign residents were quitting in such numbers
that Mr. Bucknall had to wait for six weeks before
he could get a place by the conveyance, which runs
twice a week from St. Petersburg to Tukun. As a
further evidence of the apprehension felt touching
an invasion of the capital, Mr. Bucknall noticed
that some houses on the side of the Neva were
being pulled down and defences erected opposite
the main part of St. Petersburg.

THE BLACK SEA.
The Moniteur states that the French have just
received two despatches from Vice-Admiral Hame-
lin, respecting the movements of the combined
squadrons in the Black Sea, since the bombard-
ment of Odessa. The following are the principal
passages :
" Ville de Paris, off Sebastopol, May 1, 1854.—Mon-
sieur le Ministre,—On the fourth day after the bombard-
ment of the imperial city of Odessa, the winds having
veered to the north, the two squadrons set sail on the
morning of the 26th of April, and steered for the coast
west of the Crimea, as I had agreed upon with Admiral

Dundas. On the 28th, finding ourselves in sight of the
lands bordering Eupatoria, I detached the steam-cor-
vette the Caton, accompanied by the Furious, to ex-
plore the bay on the south of that city. The Caton,
while accomplishing its mission, captured three Russian
vessels, two of which were coasters ; thci Furious took a
fourth. Already, in the morning, the Descartes, givii.g
chase ahead of the squadrons, had fallen in with an
English brig, which, captured the day before by a Res•
man frigate, had been hastily abandoned by it, when, on
seeing the squadrons, it had made all sail to gain the
port of Sebastopol. Of these four prizes, two have been
sent to the Bosphorus ; as for the two coasters, we sank
them. •

" On the 29th, the wind permitting us to make for
Sebastopol, the combined squadrons steered for the en-
trance of this port. They there lay to in order to see if
the Russian squadron really was decided on meeting us,
as the Russian authorities gave out in the Black Sea,
according to the statement of the prisoners when ques-
tioned the day before. If such, in fact, had been the
intention of the Russian fleet, never did a better oppor-
tunity present itself for proving to the natives of the
Crimea that it wished to avenge the humiliation of the
check given at Odessa, and felt in its neighbourhood.
The weather was fine, a southerly breeze and quite fair,
that is to say, favourable for leaving Sebastopol as well
as returning to it. 1 shall add, lastly, that in order to
induce the Russian admirals to come out to us, Admiral
Dundas and myself had ordered two of our ships to keep
out of sight of the Crimean shore -but in vain ; the
Russian ships did not stir from their anchors all the
time we were thus waiting for them.

" We took advantage of the time we were lying to off
Sebastopol, to have the neighbouring bays again ex-
plored by the Caton and the Furious. Other steam-
frigates presented themselves at the mouth of the port,
and examined with the greatest attention the composi-
tion of the Russian fleet : it appeared to us to consist of
12 vessels, 3 sailing frigates, and rather a large number
of steamers, most of which were of small dimensions.
The Russian prisoners, being asked, pretend that the
vessels are 14 in number, 2 of which they admit are not
in the very best condition ; and that the steamers are
26 in number, 3 of them being large ones.
" What would seem to confirm the account of the Rus-
sian prisoners is the circumstance that two large vessels
appeared from the mast-head to be repairing in the
Sebastopol docks, and they might therefore well be the
two vessels in question out of repair.
" Ville de Paris, off Sebastopol, May s.—Monsieur
le Ministre,—Since my last letter, which I had the
honour to send to your Excellency, dated May 1, the
French and English squadrons have not ceased cruising
a short way off Sebastopol, and in sight of it, where the
Russian vessels obstinately remain motionless at anchor.
This want of movement not availing to diminish in any
way the operations of war which Admiral Dundas and
myself have planned against the Russian coasts, an Anglo-
French division will depart this evening, under the com-
mand of Rear-Admiral Lyons, to attack and destroy, on
the shores of the Crimea and Circassia. the Russian
establishments a^d vessels, and to open ways of com-
munication with the Circassians, especially with their
chief Schamyl. This naval division is composed of the
English steamer Agamemnon, bearing the flag of Rear-
Admiral Lyons ; of the French steamer the Charlemagne;
of five English steamers, and two French—namely, the
Mogador and the Vauban.
" This last frigate and three of the English vessels
will rejoin the squadron, when this naval division, hav-
ing executed wh ttever can be done about the bay of
Theodosia, shall sail along the Circassian coast, for
which two vessels and three steam frigates will set sail.
" During the execution of these operations, the 17
vessels remaining of the two combined squadrons will
cruise off Sebastopol to keep the Russian squadron there
in awe.

" About the 15th of May I have reason to think that
we shall join our naval division, thus detached, at the
anchorage of Baltshick, whence I intend sending a
steamer to Constantinople, for the purpose of forward-
ing to you an account of the operations it will have un-
dertaken or executed."

CONSTANTINOPLE.
CONSTANTINOPLE, May 10.
The camp and barracks at Scutari are objects of
an interest which must increase with the number
of troops posted on this convenient and picturesque
site. At first the inhabitants were in much fear of
acts of indecorum on the part of their newly-
arrived allies. The women were withdrawn from
the part near the barracks, and their lords looked
suspiciously at the redcoats as they passed. But
now that fear is allayed, and a friendly intercourse
has sprung up, carried on by signs, in which the
numerals are represented by the number of fingers
held up, and liquids, the chief article of commerce,
are expressed by placing the closed hand to the
mouth and tilting back the head, to represent the
act of swallowing. Our men seemed well and
cheerful, but rather too full-blooded for service in
such a climate. The Guards are, many of them,
of the colour of a peony from good feeding and sun-
burn ; they look heavy and plethoric, and contrast
strongly with the alert aspect of the Oriental races.
The appearance of an encampment is familiar to
English sightseers from the event of last year. The
camp of Scutari is not visited by such a charming
array as that of Chobham, but it is not without its
attractions. Nature has given it the advantages of
magnificent scenery and a cloudless sky. The pano-
rama of Olympus and Elken-dagh, the clustering
and sunlit islands of the Sea of Marmora, the deep
blue Bosphorus, rippled only by the strong and
never-ceasing current which rushes down its centre,
the old Seraglio with its cypresses and plane trees,
the great city stretching far away, with the Seven
Towers just, visible in the distance through the
bright haze, St. Sophia, the Suleimanni, and many
another mosque, with the vultures flying to and
fro between their minarets, form a landscape
rather different from the desolate heath which was
the scene of last year's evolutions. Some of the
largest steamers in the world have been lately
drawn close under the tent-crowned heights ; and
it gives some idea of this magnificent harbour to
find that from the. European side these look like
smacks which have taken shelter under the cliffs
from the blasts of the Euxine.

To visit the camp is the daily amusement or busi-
ness of the tourists now here. By the help of a
few scraps of Turkish, and especially by the use of
one or two strong expressions, a bargain is made
with the caiqji, or boatman. At the landing place
there is the confusion of Babel. Parcels and pro-
visions are being handed on shore, a process which
the visitor's caiqji interrupts by vigorously thrust-
ing his boat within those of his neighbour's, so that
his fare may disembark. At the encampment
prevails a kind of jovial activity. Luncheons are
preparing for the officers on every side, and sa-
voury smells announce that the men are at their
early dinner. Acquaintances appear at tent doors
with bottles, and shout out an invitation, which
is seldom declined. As afternoon comes on, a kind
of dreaminess steals over the place. The men are
asleep under their tents, or in the sun ; the horses
are grazing in a little valley near the sea ; a speck
with a line of smoke in the distance announces that
another steamer is at hand with troops, and the
encampment is hushed until the close of evening.
The quiet routine of daily life is almost more plea-
sant than the pipe-clayed pageantry of a review.
Visits to the Sweet Waters of Europe are now
at an end, and the fashionables of the Turkish
world will soon resort to the Sweet Waters of Asia,
at some distance up the Bosphorus, nearly opposite
Bebek. An amusing scene took place on Friday
at the former spot. A gallant English gentleman
was determined to address a few words to some
fair inmate of the harem. He asked a friend to
write down for him some complimentary phrases in
the Turkish tongue, such as " You are very
pretty," " I love you," and so on. Armed with
this document, he visited the Sweet Waters, and,
selecting the prettiest face he could find, he leaned
in at the carriage window, and proceeded to favour
the lady with the contents of the paper, which he
drew from his waistcoat pocket. A shrill shriek
from the eunuchs betrayed their horror at this
audacity. They rushed up and attempted to drag
him away. He resisted, sad one of the guardians
drew his sabre. Our countryman did the same,
and the eunuchs fled in dismay. The lady within
highly enjoyed the scene, and seemed much pleased
at the discomfiture of her tyrants. In fact, the
fair creatures are much more independent than of
yore ; the summary proceedings of former hus-
bands are now impossible, and the ladies have no
longer before their eyes the traditional terrors of
the sack and the Bosphorus.
. .

The merchants of the bazaars are gleaning a plen-
tiful harvest from the superfluity of English wealth.
Every one who arrives thinks it necessary to pur-
chase amber mouthpieces, tablecloths, silks, and
slippers. Every day articles are displayed pur-
chased as a great bargain at about twice what a native
would give for them. The inexperienced stranger
is generally beset on crossing the bridge which leads
to Stamboul by a number of Jews, eager to show
him the way and help him in his bargains. The
character of the race is, in the main, everywhere
the same, but in each country there is a different
variety, and the Jews of Turkey are not the least
interesting. The Jew of Eastern Europe is physi-
cally the finest of his race. The bearded old
Hebrew who comes from Poland with a wallet at
his back is often caught by admiring artists, and
made to sit for portraits of Abraham or Eli. These
Constantinople Jews are mostly relics of the tribe
who fled from the fires of the Inquisition in Western
Europe, and their thick Senritic Spanish is still
heard in the close alleys where they congregate,
outcasts lower than the lowest, and beings on whom
insults
which meanest Rayah may inflict in turn the ,
which lie receives from his Turkish master. They'
are a quiet race, slender and stooping, with. some-
thing weak and idiotic in their features,
.which are
far more delicate than those of their English coun-
trymen. Occasionally there is
one whose coun-
tenance might have been intelligent if a better for-
tune had ever allowed any noble or elevating
thoughts to be presented to the dormant mind,
or the sun of hope had ever broken through
the chill mist of contempt and poverty which must
encircle the journey of his life. Though. they are what
they are, one can §till imagine that in the 40110914

of Cordova and Toledo their forefathers were great
in philosophy and medicine • that they were the
physicians of emperors and kings, and even gave
many a bishop to the church which persecuted
them. However, the descendants aro poor and
miserable, earning a scanty meal by the sale of
stationery and petty wares ; and there they stand
at the entrance of the bazaar, whispering confiden-
tially to each Englishman that passes, and offering'
their services with that mysterious, air of secrecy
which characterises their race.

The Turks are much pleased with political caries -
tures, and a number of Punch affords them infinite
i
delight. Lately a representation of the Sultan n
a bottomless sedan-chair, seemingly supported but
really hampered by the allegorical representatives
of France and England,' gave great amusement to
the population of Gallipoli. They quite understood
the force of the satire, and exclaimed, " Pekt,
peki ! "—very good.
Although generally in the dark as to political
occurrences, news has sometime reached them with
a speed almost incredible. It is said that in India
the natives are often aware of the event of a battle
before a single European is acquainted with the
fact. In a similar manner intelligence runs along
through the countries of the East, and is whispered
thousands of miles off, particularly if it be anything
calamitous to the Christian nations. At the time
of our disaster in Affghanistan the news of the
great calamity was passed from mouth to mouth
from the Khyber Pass along the caravan-roads of
Affghanistan and Persia, and was the talk of the
bazaars of Constantinople weeks before the event
was known in England. In the present crisis they
are apparent apathetic, but the proverb about still
water should prevent a too hasty judgment as to
their feelings and impulses. So far as can be judged,
they are chiefly anxious that the armies should quit
the capital and march to the frontier. Thelact
that some women have accompanied the English
force has somewhat disquieted them. Surely the
Giaours must intend to remain in the country,
since they have brought their harems with them.
They are not really sanguine as to the result of the
struggle so far as regards their faith and nation.
They make little distinction between friends and
allies. Three of the great armies of Europe are
now on Turkish soil, and a fourth may any day
advance its columns.

On Monday a dinner was given by the Sultan to
Prince Napoleon at the Imperial palace at Beyler-
bey. The diplomatic body, the Ottoman Minis-
ters, the suite of the Prince, together with General
Prim, were among the guests. After dinner the
Grand Vizier proposed the health of the Emperor
Napoleon, and the Prince that of the Sultan, it is
to be hoped in more satisfactory terms than on the
last occasion. The Prince expressed a hope " that
if the Western Powers have astonished the world
by the wars they have carried on against each
other, they will be equally strong and admirable
in their alliances. The treaty," he said, " which
they had just signed, bore witness to their disin-
terestedness ; the future would prove their
strength." He concluded by saying that since he
had seen this fine country he was more than ever
grateful to the Emperor who had permitted him
to devote himself to its cause. Redschid Pasha
then gave the health of Prince Napoleon ; the air
" Partant pour la Syrie" was played, and pipes
and coffee followed.
On the Bth the son of Abbas Paella, Viceroy of
Egypt, arrived in the steamer Paid Gihaad.
Ilhimi Pasha—such is the young man's name—is
to be the husband of one of the Sultan's daugh-
ters ; and he has brought a number of the most
valuable presents for the bride and her father ;
among other things, it is said that the vessel in
which he arrived, and which was built a short
time since as a yacht for the Viceroy, is to be pre-
sented to the Sultan. Ilhimi Pasha has been ac-
commodated in the palace of Chemchi Pasha at
Scutari. The large number of edifices at the dis-
posal of the Porte must surprise any one who re'
fleets on the paucity of such structures in England.
But in this poor and embarrassed country the
erection of such luxurious abodes is continual ; no
desire of the Sultan is restrained. At the present
moment a magnificent palace is being constructed at
the mouth of the Bosphorus for the Sultan's use, at
a cost, it is said, sufficient to make a railway from
the capital to Adrianople. As far as regards num-
' ber of residences no monarch in Europe is better
provided for than this sovereign of a decaying and.
insolvent State.

Last night the ball at the French Embassy in
honour of Prince Napoleon took place. It was
the most brilliant that has been seen here for some
time, and was attended by Marshal St. Arnaud,
Lord Raglan, the Turkish Ministers, and all sorts
of persons of distinction. Prince apoleon's re-
semblance physically to his illustrious uncle was
a matter of general observation.
Lord Raglan, it is said, holds out hopes of ern'
ployment to many of the enthusiastic spirits who
are eager to signalise their valour. Corps of volun-
teers are likely to be formed and attached to each
division of the British army. Should such a
course be adopted it will be judicious for those
anxious to see service to join such a corps, instead
of casting in their lot with the Turkish array
After all, the Ottoman force is not one on which
reliance can be placed ; the men are brave, and
would fight well till beaten, but the army has not
the morale which would enable it to recover from
a defeat. Should any reverse befall it, the men
would probably rush into the wildest excesses, and,
in their rage, make no distinction between their
enemies and their allies.

The weather here is almost as changeable as in
London. For two days past it has poured With
rain, while at present the sky is cloudless. The
grass and trees are of a brilliant green, and English
meadows have never produced finer crops of hal
than might be cut in the valleys of Constanti-
nople if the exertions of man seconded the bounty
of nature. Throughout a great part of this country
the grass is said to be very fine. The Russians
have gained in this respect a great advantage by
seizing the Dobrudscha at such a time. Great par
of it is a rolling prairie, covered with the most
magnificent grass, which the enemy will just be 30
time to mow. Fodder for their horses will thus
be obtained at an expense trifling in comparison
with the outlay which must be made by us.
The bands of Albanians who are committing ev
cesses in the neighbourhood of Adrianople have
excited the attention of Government. Of their
number 95 have been captured after a long resist-
ance. It is said that Omer Pasha has asked for the
power of inflicting the punishment of death ; and
that a firman will be issued giving to him the au-
thority necessary for the support of discipline and
the protection of the inhabitants.

- Very general regret was felt among the English
officers at the approaching removal of Admiral
Hamelin to the Baltic. During the whole time of
his command he had cordially co-operated with the
English Admiral, and acquired the confidence of
the whole fleet. The squadrons had had some ex-
perience of the squalls and fogs of the Black Sea.
Much difficulty had attended some of the operations,
especially as English ships were sailing in company
with foreigners, whom the officers, it seems, can
only imperfectly understand.
In cruising about on various parts of the coast
the steamers have picked up some 13 or 14 prizes,
principally brigs, laden with corn, coals, salt, and
other stores. The crews were kept as prisoners on
board the different men-of-war ; and the admirals
sent in a proposition to General Osten Sacken to
exchange them for the merchant captains and other
prisoners detained at Odessa, or supposed to be so.
Osten Sacken declined, and as these unfortunates
were only eating up the provisions of the fleet, and
were much in the way, the captains sent them on
shore free. They had been put into the, various
messes on board, and were most kindly treated by
the good-humoured sailors, who, however, made
them wash themselves—a process which the pri-
soners,. it is said, regarded as some new and myste-
rious rite. One or two of the boys were dressed 12P
in correct sailor's costume, and became great fa-
vourites. They picked up a word or two of English/
but conversed chiefly by pantomimic gestures. They
were all instructed by the sailors in the art of box-
ing. Two little children were still on board one of
the steamers. They were picked up in a boat,
together with a man and woman, all wounded, off
Kostendje. The man and woman were put on shore
at Baldschik, and the latter died. This occurred
when the Russians first advanced into the Dobrud-
scha. The town of Kostendje was pillaged by the
retiring Bashi-Bazouks and Tartars. They killed
the mother of the youngest child, which was about
16 months old, and then stabbed the child itself;
it, however, recovered. The other child about
three or four years old, is also wounded. The cap'
tain pleaded bard to keep them, and, indeed, it
would have been impossible to turn them loose upon
the world during all this turmoil. So the sailors
made dresses for them, and are bringing up the
baby with great tenderness. Prizes were con-
tinually coming in, though of small value and no
great gain to the captors. The fleets had been
several times close into Sebastopol, and could make
out from 12 to 14 large ships, as many good-sized
frigates, and about 20 small steamers. One of the
steamers ventured out on the evening of the 30th•
She was immediately chased, but easily escaped,
having a long start.
On the whole, the chief events at present are the
arrival of military or diplomatic personages. Sa;
lutes are almost incessant, and the equipages anu.
personal appearance of men who have achieve de
greatness or had it thrust upon them are the chief
objects of curiosity. To chronicle dinners, ball.,
and visits of ceremony is the not very elevated task
of a correspondent at the present moment. Let
hope, however, that the time of action is at hands
and that the after-dinner assurances of devotion
i,
and determinative will In lallywe4 ?7 40041411 am