The Sun.
London, England, 1849-02-28 00:00:00

THE MOROCCO PIRATES.

STEAM EXPEDITION UNDER SIR CHARLES
NAI'IER TO THE RIFF COAST.

Gibraltar, Feb. 19, 1849.
Sir,--The frequent piracies committed in the ♦icinity
of Cape Tres Forces having for a long time past en-
gaged the serious attention of those trading to the Me-
diterranean, I have now the satisfaction to acquaint you
that an efficient steam squadron, under the command of
Admiral Sir Charles Napier, consisting of the following
vessels—viz., Gladiator, Sidon, Roynard, Plumper, Poly-
phemus, and Stromboli, departed very unexpectedly, on
the afternoon of the 17th inst., after embarking the
34th Regiment in the Sidon, in order to chastise the
pirates of the Riff coast, and destroy their launches
and boats ; but as these might soon be replaced, as
stated in the dispatch of Admiral Parker, of which I
had the honour of sending you a copy in my letter of the
3d ult., it appears to me that the said coast should al-
ways be vigilantly watched not only by our navy, but
by that of France and other maritime nations whose
merchant vessels resort to the Mediterranean. The ex-
tent of the Riff piracies there is no means of ascertain-
ing, but it is the general opinion that the crews of many
vessels so taken may have been often unable to effect
their escape, or been lost at sea in their boats by lead
weather, thus leaving no one to tell the tale. It is re-
ported that a Spanish vessel has very lately been cap-
tured by the Ruffians. I shall apprise you when the
expedition alluded to returns from Cape Tres Forces, and
of the result ; but you will, probably, obtain a more
exact and full account of it when the Admiral's dispatches
on the subject are published.—l have the honour to be,
Sir, your very obedient servant,
J. LONGLANDS COWELL, Agent for Lloyds.
Captain Halsted, RN., Secretary, Lloyds.
P.S. on the 20th.
All the steamers alluded to in the preceding have just
returned; and from what I have been able to gather, it
would appear that they coasted as far as Melitta (the
Spanish penal settlement beyond Cape Tree Forcas)
without discovering any boats or launches, owing, no
doubt, to the Riffians having taken the precaution to
bury them in the sand on the sea coast, which I under-
stind they aro in the habit of doing when apprehending
attack. 'I here is little doubt that since the arrival here of
the Gallant Admiral's.squadron, about a month ago, the
Riffians have been expecting to be chastised, and conse-
quently re tired from the shore, afterconcealing their boats.
To have attempted to follow them into their mountainous
country, with the marines and 34th Regiment, would,
doubtless, have been injudiciously risking a very
serious loss of lite, without producing any good result.
It is feared that this lawless people may now be embol-
dened (by finding they can so easily place themselves
beyond the reach of punishment), to renew their system
of piracy on merchant vessels when becalmed, conse-
quently a man of-war steamer from this should occa-
sionally be sent to that coast ; and as I have, also, on a
previous occasion, suggested, all ships and steamers of
war, passing in and out of the Mediterranean, ought to
he directed to sight Cape Tres Forces and the whole of
the Riff coast to the west of it. The greatest punish-
ment which could be inflicted on the Ruffians would be,
in the opinion of many here, the simultaneous setting
fire to their crops of grain i❑ the month of May. The
Emperor of Morocco has always professed his complete
inability to control this portion of his subjects.

J. L. C.

COURT CIRCULAR.
The Queen and Prince Albert took a carriage drive
yesterday, and visited her Majesty the Queen Dowager al
the Priory, Stanmore. Her Majesty and his Royal High•
ness were attended by Lady Portman, Colonel the lion.
Charles Grey, and Colonel Seymour.
The Royal children took their accustomed exercise
yesterday.
The royal dinner party at Buckingham Palace yes-
terday included their Royal Highnesses the Duke and
Duchess of Cambridge, Count Schimmelpenninck, the
Netherlands Minister; Count Colloredo, the Austrian
Minister; the Archbishop of Canterbury, Lady Augusta
Cadogan, Lady in Waiting on her Royal Highness the
Duchess of Cambridge; the Marquis and Marchioness
of Salisbury, the Marquis of Anglesey and Lady Ade-
laide Paget, Viscount and Viscountess Mahon, Lord
and Lady Eddisbury, Lord George Lennox, and Mr.
Edmond Mildmay, Equerry in Waiting on the Duke of
Cambridge.

Her Majesty's private band was in attendance in
Buckingham Palace on Monday evening, and played the
following pieces:—
Overture—" Hayden" Auber.
Quartetto—"ll Turco in Italia"
Sinfonia (No. 9)

A deputation of eighty gentlemen, headed by Mr.
Hodges, M.P. for West Kent, had an interview respecting
the hop duty, with Lord John RuxsusseistleelbmianLn,odrhapistatdhi
pre uaddoiine a.
Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer, yesterday, at the official resi-
dence of the Noble Lord in Downing-street.
A deputation, consisting of the Rev. F. Kitchin
(Scone). the Rev. J. Livesey (Sheffield), and the Rev.
F. Wade (Kidsgrove, Stafford), had an interview with
Sir George Grey yesterday, at the Rome-office.
The Brazilian Minister transacted business yesterday
at the Foreign office.
Lord
The Chevalier Bunsen had an interview with
John Russell yesterday.
The Earl of Harrowby had an interview with Earl
Grey yesterday at the Colonial-office.
LoArddßerpauctkaiteiyon, ,mc.opn.s.iLstoinrgd
Lewisham,
Mr . C. B. i 4
Rev.. A. r d. d eabri.l
re
iy
Joseph
Livesey,
:see-
ePpyh• :
Napier, ALP., the Rev. F. Wade, the
the Rev. J. Sneyd, and the Rpemeyovh.nit included
terview yesterday with Lordi
The Chancellor of the a Exchequerhis official tad
residence a
Parlia-
mentary,
. ~ements,
lvnincr-Ds
tirneneej
, Mr. -ges, Mr. Fox, Mr.
Elliott, Mr. Reynolds.,
yTesht
serdcaoyn,i
ilivSft
ruG.a
rmr
et
go,
offErt,o,trtds,
isDrwa Williamnie
Y. Nugent,
aSsgiicerrnilat
Clay,
Somerville,,FllLoeiarmgrhudiseNo anu,
gli enr t. Ciur.
31,cui.
high, Lord Illarcus Hill, and Mr. Rice.
Dispatches were received yesterday at the Colonial-
office,
dCo we yule° nhad an evening party
offiTche,cfmroammthhieonGeossveorfn
Lano Governor o
yesterday, at Lansdowne House.

INSTITUTION FOR AGED AND INFIRM JOURNEY-
ERN TAILORS.--The annual general meeting of the
members of the institution took place on Monday, at the
Freernasoia Tavern; Mr. Harrison in the chair. Ac-
cording to the accounts laid before the meeting, the
receipts for the year ending the 31st December, 1848,
were 2,4691. 7a. 7d., besides 4961. interest on stock. The
atinwil subscriptions and donations to the relief fund,
were 8491, to the permanent fund, 124/ ; and the sum
contributed at various public dinners, was 6651. The pay.
mints mule to pensioners during the year amounted t 3
1,076/. ; and the amount of stock, increased this year
by 3001., wa3 13,2341. is. 6d. The present number of
inmates in the asylum was 58, including 11 widows, but
as the meeting, at the close of the other business, bal-
lotted for three more, the number of recipients was now
increased to 61, making the total number since the in-
stitution was founded 97. The Chairman stated thst
there had been a falling off in the subscriptions of the
journeymen, the parties most interested in the society,
whereas the subscriptions of the masters had at least
not decreased ; and the claims made upon the institution
were now greater than they had ever at any previous
period been. The office bearers for the ensuing year
were elected, and the ballot-boxes were openedtsto forbe
ro
the
election of three from among the applicants
ceived into the asylum.
Gortmlitter in
zuTn he
♦
setting
liNs
tDn
iegOhMt
eldoEnßt
aCi
GaTzegulkepolf
with reference to the trade
and commerce of her MONO 8 settlements on the Rim
forth the regulationEnsed"theTnuemw
Gambia and their dependencies.