The Sun.
London, England, 1836-12-30 00:00:00

be attended with any beneficial effect. Every nay Ive hear
of some rioting in the country parts, occasioned by the col-
lection of tithes and. taxes, and the Ministry insis is on the
execution of the former, notwithstanding that they are rui-
nous to the agriculture and manufactures of Sicily, aryl that
it is no longer possible for persons, even those who t ravel
under an escort, to traverse the country wit'l any sa►ety.
Two cr three tax-collectors have again been killed in :.he
province of Caltanisetta.
Tne Government has, ',moreover, ordered the expulsion
of a number of foreigners residing in the towns, alleging that
they are political machinators, and that they have an un-
de s'andins with Italian exiles, settled in various islands,
where none of those refugees are to be found. The Sici-
lian authorities cannot be prevailed upon to execute
those extravagant orders, and the people are still more
indisposed than the barons and the clergy against Nea-
politan supremacy. This general discontent in a country
which has rendered such important services to the reigning
family, by whom they are so badly requited, must be at-
tended with fatal consequences for a Cabinet whose inability
was sufficiently evident during the disturbances excited by
the cholera, and those created in the South by their late
fiscal measures. The Ministry deceived and committed the
King by advising him to demand foreign aid—a step which
has injured him in the opinion of everybody, and may tend
to alienate from him altogether the affection of the people
of Sicily. On the day of St. Francis Xavier, the Fran-
ciscan friars of two convents, those of Roccella and Monte
Sori, renounced of themselves their religious avocations, ex-
changed their habits for secular clothes, and took to the
mountains, without anybody presuming to find fault with
them for so doing. The Bishop applied for the assistance
of a military force, but the authorities declined acceding to
his demand. Many of the Franciscan mocks, and of those
belonging to rich orders, are distinguished ti;r their liberal
and independent ideas, and their preaching has greatly con-
tributed to enlighten the country-people.

TURKEY.
CONSTANTINOPLE, Nov. 30.—1 n consequence of a
convention concluded by Nourri Effendi, the Turkish Am-
bass:icier to the Court of London, who is now at Paris, and
the Engliish Ministry, besides the ordinary Austrian mail,
English Couriers re henceforth to go twice every month to
Semlin with letters, where an English Courier must always
be ready to receive them. By this means there will be a
communication with London six times every month. This
arrangement seems to have proceeded from Mr. Urquhart,
by which the English dispatches will be spared any delay in
the Austrian States.
CONSTANTINOPLE, NOV. 30.—1 t is some weeks since I
have had it in my power to make any communication rela-
tive to Circassia. Aware that this country constitutes the
bul.wark which opposes the principle obstacle to the pro-
gress of Russia's ambition, that in one word British inte-
rests in the east are dependent of the fate of Circassia, I
have considereel •it a duty to use every means in order to
obtain information respecting the contest at present carried
on between its wariiLe populations and the troops of the
Czar. I have had an opieortunily of seeing last week a let-
ter from one of the principal Circassian Chiefs, Djambolat
Bey, dated November the 1001, which conveyed intelli-
gence of the most gratifying description. The accuracy
of the information it conveyed was further confirmed by
the statements of several individuals whom I saw on
their arrival here on Sunday last. The formidable pre-
parations of Russia along the line of the Couban,
and the redoubled activity of her blockading-
_squa-
dron far from striking terror into the minds of these
independent mountaineers, have had for result to impress
upon them the necessity of centralization. The sense of
common danger has awakened, for the first time, in their
hearts the feelings of nationality, the feuds between tribe and
tribe having ceased, and as symbolic of their union into one
peeple, a national flag has been adopted. It was while under
the excitement these electrifying feelings had awakened that
intelligence of the approach of a considerable division of the
Russian army reached the Circassian camp. After leaving
its encampment in the vicinity of the fortress Abouna, the
Russian column penetrated in the districts of Netkooadj
and Shapshik without meeting with resistance, the inhabi-
tants ielving been directed by their chiefs to retire to the
mountains, after setting fire to whatever they could not re-
move. On their arrival at the extremity of the' plain of
Shapshik, the Itinesians took up a position close to the fum-
ing ruins of Shoomeye, Shockaiky, and Daba, and on the
following day attempte4 forcing a passage across the
Dewend, leading to Chelindji:z. Their efforts on that, and
on the following day, proved a6ertive. Their subsequent
attempts were equally unsuccessful. The heavy losses
the troops experienced :n their daily encounter With the
enemy, and the difficulty of maintaining Ilia cavalry in a
country which had in every direction been laid waste, in-
duced the Russian general, after having remaiued a fort-
night in the same position, to operate his retreat. This re-
solution on his part was, it was supposed, subsequent to the
arrival of the intelligence of the dreadful ravages committed
by a body of 5,000 Circassian horsemen, which had ad-
vanced two days journey from the frontiers into the Rus-
sian territory. This body marched under the orders of one
of the most valiant chiefs, Hirsiz-ogloi Ali Bey, who had
placed the national colours of Circassia in the hands of his
own son. Laden
.with booty, they were on their return
met by the Russian column above mentioned, retiring upon
Abo Una. A desperate engagement took place, during
which large numbers were slain on both sides. On the fol-
lowing day the Russian general desired a parley, during
which it was agreed that ca4l party, after removing its dead
and wounded should be allowed to proceed on its march
without further molestation.
The Sultan went on the 26th instant to Nicomcdia
and Iznik, to be present at the launching of a line-of-bat-
tle ship built in its dock-yard under the direction and at
the expense of Achmet Paella, the recently appointed
Captain Pacha. His Highness is expected in town tomorrow.
The Porte has received the melancholy intelligence of
the Reshid Mehmet Paella's death at the head quarters at
Harpoot, shortly after the arrival of the bearer of the au-
tograph letter which the Sultan addressed to him to com-
pliment him on his victories over the insurgents in Coor-
distan. The General-in-Chief was attacked with a fever,
which on the fifteenth day put an end to his miserable
existence. Hasouz Pacha, the Ferik of Kootayah, has
been named his successor.
Essad Effendi, the late Ottoman and Ambassador at the
Court of Teheren arrived here on the 28th instant. The
last accounts from Persia represent the state of that coun-
try in the most unfavouraisle colours. The expedition
againstAsghaunistan, which for a while had been suspended,
in consequence of the financial cm'earraesinent the Shah
was placed in, has been resumed. The Persian army's
head-quarters were at Asterabad.
The ravages of the plague in the northern provinces of
Persia appear to have been as dreadful as in those parts
of Turkey which have been visited by this calamity. To
all appearances this malady will prove as fatal to the popu-
lations of this country as the terrible epidemic in 18.12.
Hopes were entertained here during the last week of seeing
its intensity subside, but the vast increase of mortality which
has since occurred, has proved them to have been perfectly
delusory. The number of victims of this disorder, during
the course of last week, exceeded 10,000.
The commercial treaty proposed by the English Govern-
ment to the Porte continues to occupy the consideration of
the Dis an. Most of its members have openly declared
their incompetency to understand it, and deeply regret that
the English Government should not have sent a person to
whom they might refer-for an explication cf its numerous
obscure passages. Mr. Pisani, the English interpreter, has
declared also that he could not understand it any more than
:he Divan. It was supposed here for some time that Mr.
Usyeliart, the Secretary of the Embassy, having been the
bearer this treaty, was the person designated by the
English Cabivat for meeting any objections the Turkish
Ministry might have to make, or supply theiu with the ne-
cessary commentaries on the text, but Lord then
seems
to have looked upon the assistance of Mr. Urquhart as per-
fectly supererogatory.

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THE ENGLISH BIJOU A LMANACK FOR 1837.
—Th's production is, without exception, the greatest cu-
riosity we ever saw. It is about the size of a small snow-
flake, yet contains a list of the days of the week, and the
months of the year, to say nothing of five or six embellish-
ments, with illustrative poetry by L. E. L., which last may
set all criticism at defiance, for no eye, less quick-sighted
than an eagle's, can possibly read it. Certcs, the volume
must have been printed in Lilliput, and—in order to keep
up what the philosopher would call " the fitnes of things"
—should be paid for in silver fourpeloy-piecess . If any of
our waggishly-disposed readers happentober acquainted
with a testy, purblind old bachelor, of
fifty py a
)
of age, we should advise them by all means to send him
this miniature almanack, by way of a New-year's gia. It
will puzzle his optics, and give a wholesome stimulus to
his nervous temperament for at least a week. Attached
to the volume is a portrait of Madame Malibran, which is
said, by those who can discern the features, to be an ex-
cellent likeness. As a phcenomenon, we have little doubt
that this almanack will become a nine-day's wonder, and
set a " wilderness" of readers staring through spectacles.
The Duke and Duchess of Leinster and family, in-
cluding the Marquis of Kildare, will shortly leave Carton
House, their Graces' scat in Kildare. The Earl and Coun-
tess Mulgave have been en a visit to the Noble Duke and
Duchess, and a distinguished circle have also been entertained
during their sojourn in Ireland.
The cholera is fast decreasing at Naples. On the
9th there were only twenty-nine new cases. The disease
was confined to one part of the town, but it is stated to be
spreading about the country, and to have reached Gaeta,
where it is doing much mischief. The States are still free
from it. The quarantine has been as yet established ; con-
sequently no intercourse exists between this capital and
Naples.