The Sun.
London, England, 1849-10-04 00:00:00

STATE OF HUNGARY.

Acs, IN FRONT OF COMORN, SEPT. 21.—The
weather has cleared up beautifully, and I can now
give you some idea of the position and environs of
this most formidable fortress. First of all, cast your
eye on the map of Hungary, and observe how the
greater Danube from Presburg to Comorn runs in
an easterly direction, with a slight inclination to
the south, while the smaller arm of the Danuba
below Presburg, diverging to the left, forms the
island of Schutt. At right angles with the Danube
the Waag comes from the Carpathians, that is to
say, from the north to the south, but before its
junction with the Great Danube it falls into the
Little Danube, to the north of the island of Schutt.,
and both conjointly flow into the Great Danube,
under the walls of Comorn. The fortress which the
united Austrian and Russian forces are now block-
ading is situated on the eastern tip of the island of
Schutt, on ground which is in the form of the
head of a fish when drawn on paper, or an acute
angle, one side of which is formed by the Great
Danube, another by the united Waag and Little
Danube ; while the base of the triangle is a
very strong line of fortifications carried right across
from one river to the other. The only side, therefore,
on which Comorn can be entered by storm is from
the island of Schutt, for at the other sides are the
rivers. At the very tip, or apex, of the triangle is the
citadel ; further west, where the island of Schutt is
broader, is the town ; while between the town and the
outer fortifications are meadows on which a portion
of the 1,700 oxen which the garrison possess graze in
security. Two bridges then connect the citadel on
the north across the Waag with the tete-de-pont on
the left bank of that river, and on the south with
another tete-de-pont on the right bank of the Danube.
These tetes-de pont are not mere fieldworks, but are
of masonry, with a central fort in each, and sur- I
rounded by bastions. To open trenches from the
island of Schutt is difficult, o❑ account of the marshy
ground in front of the so-called Palatinal fortifications; I
and even the possession of the fetes de-pont still leaves
the breadth of the Danube and the Waag between the
besiegers and the defenders. Even these out-
works would be very difficult to take, for
outside the one, over the Groat Danube, is a fortified
camp on two hills, one called the Sandberg, the
other the Schwaraberg, which the Imperialists at-
tempted to take from Georgey in July, not only
without success, but with the loss of so many men
that in some places the dead had scarcely room to fall
without being on the top of each other. This was
commonly called the battle of Acs, the bloodiest in
the whole war, in consequence of the very strong
position that Georgey held, with Comorn at his back
to retreat to in case of a reverse. As I stated in my
last, 5,000 Hungarians at this moment occupy the
intrenched camp that crowns these heights. Two
islands, one in the Great Danube, and another in the
Waag, are also occupied by the Hungarians, which
places at their disposition a considerable amount of
meadow land for the pasture of their oxen, in addition,
to the. " Meadow of the Gypsies," as it is called,
within the fortifications on the island of Schutt.

You will, therefore, easily understand that Comorn
is beyond all comparison the strongest fortress of the
Austrian monarchy, for although the defensive ca-
pacity of Mantua is equal to it, Comorn, as a centre
of offensive operations, is much more formidable; and
although Mantua is so difficult to take, it is also easy
to invest. Now, in Comorn the investing circle must
be considerable, and from these strong tetes .de pont
the force within can at will break out in any direction
they choose, as was the case in August (last month),
when Klapka broke out towards Raab, and 700 men
were cut down or drowned in the bog behind the
house in which I am writing this letter, before the
other brigades could ,be alartnitl. If such a thing
were to happen mow, General Nugent could give
them a hot reciption; at the same time I have no
doubt that Comorn could defy any force that might
be brought against it for many weeks to
come, to say nothing of the incalculable incon-
venience which the stoppage of the navigation of the
Danube occasions, for it is the great artery of this
country.
In spite of all this the position of the besieged is a
desperate one. Like Mantua, Comorn is one of the
most unhealthy towns in Hungary, and those very
swamps that render it so difficult of access to a
besieging force are terrible allies by the slower
process o disease. By authentic accounts the sick in
the hospitals of Comorn amount to 5,000 souls, and
in spite of their large present supply of bread and
butchers' meat the consumption of 40,000 mouths a
day is making rapid inroads on it, and the certainty
of nothing turning up to enable them to hold on has
demoralized them. But Comorn having become the
last receptacle of the desperate Ultras, Klapka, who is
disposed to surrender immediately, has been repeatedly
threatened. The armistice has been prolonged till 12
o'clock this day, and at this moment, while the clock
of the village of Acs is striking 11, the negotiators
are with General Nugent in discussion, so that I hope
by post hour to let you know the result, for if the
surrender is to take place, the good news will not
fail to prove acceptable to everybody, and I am sure
to none more so than General Nugent himself, who
is too old and too brave a soldier not to deplore every
life that may be uselessly lost in a civil war. Th(re
can be no doubt that if they surrender uncondition-
ally, no executions for high treason will take place ;
at the same time I think it highly unreasonable that
they should make (as they are doing) the compensa-
tion for the bank-notes they have been printing at
such a rate one of the conditions of surrender, as well
as payment in good Austrian bank-notes or specie for
the paper they have expended for the new works laid
out in enabling them to keep the King of Hungary
out of the fortress, which was built by Austrian
money, and furnished with those immense Imperial
stores at the expense of the Austrian war chestiwhich
enabled the scot free Magyar nobles to give the uni-
ted monarchy such a tremendous shake. I do not
blame them for asking the best terms they can get,
but it puts one a little in mind of the Albanian, who
takes the run of a Bulgarian larder, and then with a
cocked pistol demands a recompense for the wear and
tear of his teeth.

These negotiators, whom I saw after the bandages
were taken off their eyes, are certainly noble, warlike-
looking fellows, dressed in dark blue surtouts, with
crimson silk thick cords braided on their breasts,
hussar fashion, and fur calpaks. Their names are
unknown to fame, the principal one of them being a
colonel. Klapka, who commands in Comorn, is not
a Magyar, but a Bohemian, and was an Imperialist
Lieutenant in the Archduke Stephen's regiment of
cavalry.
Last night being moonlight, I took a turn through
the camp, all the country around, as seen from any
rising ground, being a great semicircle of fires,
stretching round Uj Szony, opposite Comorn from
the Danube round to the Danube again; so that it
puts one in mind of the blast furnaces in the environs
of Birmingham ; and this morning Comorn itself looks
bright and beautiful from the outside, its white spires
seen in the broad sunshine against the clear blue sky.
All nature smiles, and it is difficult to associate its
walls with such an amount of suffering as now exists
within and without their precincts.
Wherever we ride or drive we are struck with the
fat black garden loam, which could bear crop after
crop of wheat without manure and little cultivation,
and cannot help wishing the dawn of a more favourable
pacific period for this noble land. The village of
Acs itself, so renowned in the military history of
Hungary, straggles on a slight eminence, one tee
01
it being the fatal bog into which the Ma
August drove the Imperialists, and the other
hten-
park attached to a hunting lodge of r i
y tenants oft whom
stein, which has at present
hmeanwriter of these brief
that nobleman never heard,
considerably surprised
ngocYtehersaorsmall
pa ttrhaei n
language n g es t a -
notes among the veer
1
English spoken by the servants
to hear a great
inzdeal
here, and learned
boysti his
race-horses, and that the
blishment here : thhae:priincekeedhaud
Magyar belP--.411 grooms. The houses of the village
from
the Boglis
and
it whitewashed outside, are mostly thatched
are a
d down the street is
lip a° , ,
troops, and pools of mud almost knee-deep glisten in
the sun as a squadron of cuirassiers
slaps through them,
or a block-up takes place of baggage
waggons. All along thu . sides, or provision
on the dry ground,
are the stalls and
carts of camp-followers; here a
dame of 16 or 17 t
s one weight, of colossal stature, is
serving red O.en wmF •
e or brandy, from a light cart,
a
and there is Jew's store, ew' s store, with a display of camp
necessaries and luxuries, of which boxes of cigars
are, in this swampy climate, very prominent. Out-
side the village the camp looks just like a scene of
Wouvermans , with the varied costumes, the wide-
spreading turf, and the ranges of tents, and standards
guarded each by a corporal and twelve men, with
their helmets all laid in a row on the ground. Some
officers are neatly lodged, one Istrian regiment ha A -.
ing built, on so short a notice, several brick cottages
for their officers. The camp, in fact, is a town in
miniature, like Madrid to the eyes of the Devil on

The -Penile (in Commerce, published at Port au,
Prince, gives the following account of the proceedings
at the nomination of President Soulouque to the title
and dignity of Emperor of Hayti :
" The Empire! such is the event which occupies all
minds. Last Souday, August 26. at the morneLt that
we were distributing our journal, the cannons resound-
ing fr,.•,na every quarter saluted !he noininati-n of the
Preiddeut h tin 8:Allot:Tie to the title and dignity of
Emperor.
" Sitlce the 231 of August thire has been circulated
in the cai.ital a,ll 'address to the Members of the Chamber
of Represen:atives and the Senate, demanding, in the
name el the people, the title and dignity of Emperor for
the President of 11eyti. This address was e,,vered With
signatures. In the afternoon of the 24th it was sent to
the Chamber of Representatives, and the next day two
declarations to the sxm purv)rt, signed by the general
officers, colonels, and subordinate officers, who were at
the capital, were also sent to the Legislative body by
General Vil Lubin, commander of the place. On the
same day the Chamber, after having examined the peti-
tion, brought in a Bill conferring the title and dignity of
Emperor on the President of Hayti. The day after, the
26th, in the morning, the Senate adopted it.
" Immediately thereafter that body went to the Pa-
lace, where the representatives and civil and military
functionaries were already assembled. The Emperor
and Empress did not delay in making their appearance.
The President of the Senate then placed the Imperial
Crown on the head of the Chief of the State, and placed
a cross of gold at his button-hole. Next he placed around
the neck of the Empress a chain of great value, aftt r
which the shouts of " Vice l'Ehipereur 1" re-echoed in
the hall. Mr. Larochel delivered an address to the Em-
peror to which he briefly replied.
" The public functionaries then accompanied their
Majesties to the parish church, where a Te Deem was
immediately chanted. For several evenings subsequent
the city was illuminated."

The decree of the Legislative body was worded as
follows :

" Considering the wish manifested by a majority of
citizens and officers of every rank, and addressed to the
Chamber of Representatives and Senate to receive the
sanction of the Legislative body;
" The Chamber of Representatives and Senate, uniting
in the wish of the people and the army.
" Decree as follows :

" Art. 1. The title and dignity of Emperor are cow
ferred on the President of Hayti, Faustin Soulouque, as
a mark of gratitude fur the eminent services which that
illustrious chief has rendered to the country.
" 2. The present laws and institutions will remain in
force until the LE gislative body shall be called on to re-
vise them in order to render them conformable to the
new state of things.
" Given at the Chamber of Representatives, August
26th, 1849, the 46th year of indep,ndence."
(Signed by the President, Secretaries, and
twenty-nine Members )

The Senate adopted the Bill the neat day,rand its
vote i 3 similarly signed by all its officers. The Em-
peror accepted his elevation in the following lan-

guage :
" The President of Hayti declares that he submits to
the wish of the nation, which, by the agency of the
Chamber and the Senate, confers on him the title of Em-
peror. In consequence, he orders that the above law of
the Legislative body be promulgated and executed
throughout the territory of the Empire.
" Given at the Imperial Palace at Port-au-Prince,
August 26th, 1849, the 46th year of independence, and
the first of our reign. " SOULOUQUE.
" By the Emperor."
(Signed by the Secretary•• General and
other officials )

The Senate, on adopting the decree, prepared an
address, stating that the act was done in obedience to
the wish of the nation, and telling Soulouque that his
profound love for the public weal and high sense of
duty had entitled him to the dignity, his elevation to
which would assure the future prosperity of the nation.
The proclamation of the new monarch to his subjects
is as follows
" LIBERTY,

EQUALITY.
"EMPIRE OF HAYTI.

" PROCLAMATION TO THE PEOPLE AND THE ARMY BY
FAUSTIN SOULOUQUE, EMPEROR OF HAYTI.
" Haytians! The faithful organs of the nation, the
Chamber of Representatives and the Senate, by a spon-
taneous vote, have conferred on me the title of Emperor.
The slave of the country which has confided to me its
destinies, for whose glory and happiness there is no
sacrifice I am not ready to consummate, it is my duty to
accept without hesitation, bat with the deepest sentiment
of devotion, the new burden imposed upon me.
" Full of confidence in the Supreme Will, which on
two solemn occasions has evinced for me its benign
solicitude, I preserve the happy hope of being able
worthily to respond to your expectatio.i, by maintaining
all the institutions which guarantee the rights of citi-
zens, by causing order and peace to reign in the empire,
by assuring the triumph of the principles of liberty and
equality, and by maintaining at the price of all possible
sacrifices the independence of the country and the tuttg-
rity and indivisibility of its territory.
" Haytian,! The Legislative body will at once be
called on to engage in the revision of the constitutional
compact, in order to put it in harmony with the new
order of things; I will observe its prescriptions and
cause them to be observed. I swear it before God
and man.

" Haytians! Let the new era which opens before us
be marked by the most complete fusion of hearts; let it
cause all passions to be silent, if any still exist among
us; and let us all join the hands of reconciliation on the
altar of the country.
" Vivent Liberty and Equality!
" Vivent Union and Concord!
" Vive Independence!
" Vive the Empire of Hayti, one and indivisible!
1 " Given at the Imperial Palace, Port au-Prince, Aug.
06, 1549, in the 46th year of independence and the first
of our reign. " SOULOUQUE.
I "By the Emperor, &c."

[ADVERTISEMENT ]—The extensive publication of
The Observer commences at four o'clock Sunday morn-
ings. Newspaper agents can have any number of copies
before five o'clock on Sunday morning in time to supply
passengers going by all the railway trains, as well as by
early steam-vessels. Price of The Observer, 40 folio
columns, Gd. Published by Mr. Clement, junior, 170,
Strand. Monday Edition of The Observer is regularly
published at four o'clof k Monday afternoons.
THE HIBERNIA.—This powerful ship, which struck
rshaiip's,coulntwill
miennducing
upon a rock, and had to be sent back from British Ame-
rica for repairs here, went into the Secanal Dry Dock,
near Pike-slip, on Monday, under the care of Messrs.
M‘Pherson and Gray, shipwrights and caulkers, who
have about fifty men at work on her stem and keel,
which have received so much damage that it will pro-
bably Le the end of the week before she gets afloatagain.
Had not the Hibernia been a very strong-built vessel
she would have been wrecked; no ordinary ship could
over have get off that rock egain. The copper is
stripped off in part, and all the heel of the stem and
the forward part of the keel, and deadwood and heels of
cants are carried away; full eight feet up the stem, and
about thirty feet aft, of the keel, is destroyed. The
rock, on which she remained half an hour, she must
have struck upon with terrible force. To prevent the
water from filling the ship, they promptly built a box
and caulked it carefully forward near the leak, and thus
prevented the waters from gaining on them all through
the ship. They then put back for Halifax, and in a
very few days this tight steamer will be just as sea-
worthy as if there were not a rock on the whole coast of
America.—Ncw York Herald of 19th Sept.
ME. TIDD PRATT AND THE BALLOT.—It iS not
so generally known as it should be that from 1,000 to
1,200 societies are at the present moment in active_wbo
ope-
ration for the purpose of enabling members of t e (
hcarious
comprise about half a million of the purel
nements into capital for their purculitasteen,
years' rent. As
classes) to convert the rent which they
by the immediate payment of a
Inbruestrnent and Freehold
the funds of these Building
00l
1. eriodical subscrip-
iloireit
doubtlessher hy bbe al l o
within
o r
theby
Land Societies aecumulatteey
tions of the members
to
themember who II aro advanced,a.? which
according os rte dhfr ie neir getteted to
plan of the society, yeither
sub-
mits to the greatest
rotation of znee3 e
at the tail
the House of
end of the sea-
recollectio few Members f 1847, when but were in town, Mr.
Bien o
t was desirable. 141
of our
succeededredo renders rsp ar thatliilal
Commons to affirm the principle that the ballot • in the
election of Members
to that time, and long after Mr. •
Tidd Pratt, the bar-
rister, appointed to certify such societies, had affirmed
or certified the rules of a
Henry Berkeley
the "ballot" principlenumber of societies in which
wasef a leading principle. But me
sooner had the Ilouse Commons in its collective ca-
pacity refused to accede to the ballot in the election of
Members of Parliament than Mr. Tidd Pratt declined to
certify any more societies cn the " ballot" principle.
Such a course of proceeding, we must confess, is most
anomalous, and far from satisfactory or dignified.—
The Reporter for October.
THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS.—We have had
a week of most splendid weather for the completion of
the harvest. The crops, which everywhere have proved
most abundant, are now nearly all safe under cover. The
accounts of the potato crop are disheartening. From all
quarters we hear that the disease is making serious
havoc amongst the " tubers." Some farmers say that
at least one half their crops is already destroyed; others
say that even if one-half be gone, there will still be an
abundant supply left on hand.—Carlisle Journal.
A stout, red-faced gentleman, in a white beaver,
blue coat, and buff vest, offered to wager a 101. note that
he would close his eyes, and, simply by taste, name any
kind of liquor in the house. The bet was taken, and
the process of winning or losing commenced forthwith.
" This is genuine port," said the fat gentleman, tasting
from a wine glass. " And this—this is whisky," and so
on through the hotel's " manifest." A wag then poured
a few drops of water into the glass, and handed it to the
connoisseur. " This is—ah—ah—this is (tasting it)--
Iby Jupiter! gentlemen, I lose the bet. I never tasted
this liquor before."

TROLLOPE'S NEW NOVEL.
Now ready, at all the Libraries, in 3 vols.,
THE OLD WORLD and the NEW.
By Mrs. TItOLLOPE.

Author of
"Father Eusta,.T," " The Lottery of Marriage," 13"
Henry Colburn, publisher. 13, Great liarlhJrougli-street,
•

THE EDINBURGH REVIE
No. CLXXXII.,

be published on Satu

,y, the 13th of October.

CONTENTS :
I. Reason and Faith ; their Claims and Conflicts.
11. Agriculture and Science.
111. Tennyson's Princess—Schools of English Poetry.
IV. The Electric Telegraph.
V. Schools of Desk n.
W. Unsound Social Philosophy.
VIE. Statistics of Coal.
VIII. Pepys's Diary.
London : Longman and Co. Edinburgh : A. and C. Black.

TIIEATRE ROYAL HAYMARKET.
Mr. -A. Tv.io,ster. s.4ie Lessee and Manager. Old Bromotom
The public is respectfully informed that this popular establishment
is OPEN for the Season

THIS EVENING,
Whcn will he performed the Comedy of THE LOVE CHASE. Sir
William Fondlove, Mr. Tilbury ; Master Waller, Mr. Howe ; Wild-
ra.le, Mr. Webster; Widow Green, Mrs. W. Clifford; Lydia, Miss
J. Mordaunt ; Ccnstance, Mrs. Nisbett.
G' After which the highly successful and laughable Farce, called an
A LAMIING SACRIFICE. Bob Ticket, Mr. Buekstone ; Susan
Sweetapple, Mrs. litzwilliam.
After which the Farca of SEPARATE MAINTENANCE. Mr.
Pennipother, Mr. Keeley ; Mrs. Pennipother, Mrs. Keeley ; Jane
Briggs, Miss P. Horton.
To conclude with A K1P,43 IN THE DARK•
On MONDAY, Oct. S., Mr. MACIMADY will make Fts first ap-
pearance in London siry4e his return trom America, and commence
his first series of his 'Farewell Performances pre-vious to his retire-
ment from the stage, at the end of June next.
Due notice will given of the appearance of Mr. and Mrs. KEAN.
The Box-of lc', will be oxen on Thursday, under the direction of
Mr. I. T. Ambler.

'IIIBATRX itOYAL. ADELPHL
Under the direction of Madame Celeste.
THIS EVENING,
Will be performed the popular Drama of MARIE DUCANGE.
Principal characters by Messrs. Boyce, 0. Smith, Wright, Worrell,
and 7aladarne Celeste.
.fter which a new Farce, entitled A BIRD OF PASSAGE. Mr.
Carry Chick, Mr. Wright; Mr. Chaunt Ginger, Mr. Paul Bedford ;
y.fr. Charles Pusher, Mr. Boyce; Ernest llopefEl, Mr. Worrell; Mrs.
Waters Rummer, Mrs. Frank Matthews.
To be followed by a novelty in the shape of A MOST UNWAR
liANTABLE INTRUSION, which will be committed by Mr. Wright
to the annoyance of Mr. Paul Bedford.
To conclude with ANIMAL MAGNETISM.

ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE.
Under the Management of Madame Veatris.
Sole Lessee. Mr. Ctis.rles Mathews.
THIS EVENING,
Will be presented a COMIC Drama, called THE GARRICK FEVEIt.
After which, THE FOLLIES OF A. NIGHT.
To be followed by the Musical Drama, entitled THE SENTINEL.
To conclude with BOX AND COX.
Dress Boxes, ss. ; Upper Boxes, 4s. ; Pit, 2a. ; Gallery, Is. Nc
tal'-arice tta any part of the house.
Applications for rrivate Boxes must be made to Mr. B'lcroft, 15
New Bond-street.

PIUNCESs'S THEAI,..6.
Mr. J. M. Maddox, Sole Lessee and Manager.
THIS EVENING,
Will be performed the celebrated Opera of DON GIOVANNI.
Tu conclude with a new Extravaganza, entitled THE FIRST
NIGHT.

ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHFATRE.
Proprietor, Mr. W. Batty.
nder the Patronage of her Malesty the Queen, his Royal Highness
Prince &lbort, &c.
THIS EVENING,
Will be perfouned Fitzhall's grand Equestrian Spectacle, entitled
THE PROPHET, in which Mr. W. West will appear.
To be milowed by an Inimitable display of SCENES DT THE
C:RCLE. by the dist Elnestrlan talent of the day.
To conclude with a favourite Farce.
Pox-odice open from ElJven till Four.
Stnge Manager, Mr. W. West.

111011 WATER AT LONDON MUDGE.
THIS DAY —Morning, 69 min. after 2 Eveutng, IS min. after 3
To-gossow—,.cr,mg, 3G min. after 3 t Even.ng, 56 min. alter 3

ATHMI.--SUN UTFICE, OCT. 3.

THERMOMETER, Loweiit, 49 , Highost, 59 ; Noon, 54•

BAROMETER, 29.18.
Wind N.N.E.—Heavy rain during the whole of the
night ; Morning cloudy ; Afternoon dull.

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