The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-22 00:00:00

THE WAR IN THE CAUCASUS

TEEBISOND, JAN. 12.—The storms of the month OfDe-
cember had interrupted our relations with the Circassian
coait. Yesterday the arrival of several vessels from Kertch
and Suckum-Kaleh brought us positive news of great im-
portance relative to events of which Circassia has been the
theatre. The following details, which are derived from
the best source, are as well known at the Russian Consulate
as at the Palace of Halil Pacha. :After two years of the most
perfect tranquillity, which permitted the Russians to direct
their entire efforts against Schamyl, the famous chief of the
Tschetschenses and Lesgians, war has again commenced on
the banks of the Black Sea and of the Kouban with the
greatest ferocity. On the 7th of December the Governor of
the Fort Golowin, situate 30 leagues to the north of Suckum-
Kaleh, was warned by his spies that the warlike tribe of the
Übbikhs was planning a night attack against the
fort, and that at the same time the Tschigetes,
commanded by Hadj-Terike-Okow, one of the bravest chiefs
amongst the Circassians, were collecting in the mountains, in
order to surprise the fortress of Gagra. On the same day the
Russian steam-boat, coming from Redut-Kaleh and proceed-
ing to Kertch touched at Fort Golowin. The Governor of
that fort immediately dispatched it to Gagra, to apprize the
garrison of the danger which threatened it. This circum-
stance saved the Russians, for during the same night 4,000
mountaineers attacked the retrenchments of the Gagra with
the greatest fury. The fortress, which is surrounded on all
sides by lofty rocks, would have been certainly captured by
the Circassians, if the garrison, accustomed to peace during
two years, should have been taken unawares. But, notwith-
standing the brave resistance of the garrison, 800 men strong,
protected by artillery, the loss of the Russians was consider-
able. The mountaineers, not being able to scale the
walls, well defended by the Russian infantry, possessed
themselves of a great rock to the north of Gagra, upon
which the Russians had established a post. Thence they
directed a murderous fire against the interior of the fort,
and their balls reached even the sleeping apartments of the
officers. This position was held during two days, notwith-
standing several sorties made by the garrison, which were
repulsed. The want of ammunition at length compelled the
Tschigetes (the lost Circassian tribe to the south of the great
chain) to retire to the mountains. The attack upon Fort
Golowin took place two days afterwards. More than 5,000
mountaineers of the Übbikh territory had surrounded the
fortress. Although all their attauks were repulsed, the Rus-
sians themselves admit that the enemy showed more courage,
boldness, and fury than on any previous occasion, and that
but for the information given by their spies, the fort would
have incurred a great risk of being captured. With respect
to the movement on the Rouban we have no accurate in-
formation. We are assured, however, that 4,000 Schap-
soukhes, commanded by Chora Beg, had passed the river
near Ladoschskaja. The cause of all this commotion, after
an uninterrupted tranquillity of two )•ears, is owing to
the following circumstances :—The Circassians are in
want of corn and salt, which they are compelled to
purchase from the Russians. In order to accustom
them to pacific relations, Prince Woronzow had accorded
them considerable advantages, and he carried his complai-
sance towards the Circassian chiefs so far as to permit them
to trade with Turkey, and to send their female Circassian
slaves for sale. But by degrees the Russian generals be-
came more exacting. They demanded of the Circassian
chiefs to surrender the Russian and Polish deserters, of whom
several hundreds are dispersed through the mountains. They
demanded hostages for their fidelity, and they required that
the Circassians should deliver up Schamyl's emissaries.
When the Circassian chiefs refused to consent to these con-
ditions, the Russians refused to supply the Übbikhs and
other tribes with corn or salt. The Übbikhs were ever re-
markable for their antipathy to the Russians, and when at
length the latter captured a Turkish vessel near Pitzounda,
laden with 60 female Circassians, the mountaineers lost all
patience and revolted on three different points, aided by the
majority of the Works, the nobility of the country.

ROYAL THAMES YACHT CLUB.—This first of our
metropolitan aquatic clubs gave their anniversary ball on
Thursday evening, the company mustering, with members
and visitors, nearly four hundred. Dancing was kept up
with unflagging ardour, to the music of Adam's orchestra,
till an early hour of the morning, an elegant supper having
been done ample justice to soon after midnight. The Noble
Commodore, Lord Alfred Paget, in giving the health of her
Majesty, which was enthusiastically received, alluded to the
especial honour accorded in her graciously becoming the
patroness of the Royal Thames Yacht Club; and Mr. Joseph
Wilkinson, in a very neatly-turned speech, expressed the de-
light which the club felt at the presence of so many of the
fair sex, to whom the flag of every yachtsman must strike,
and whose smiles were his best guerdon either on the deck
or in the ball room. The admirable arrangements of the
stewards were the topic of general comment, whilst their
courteous attention to their guests, throughout the entire even-
ing, was unremitting. Such was the demand for tickets
that the supply was wholly incompetent to meet it, and how-
ever we may sympathise with the disappointed, yet the en-
joyment of the evening was greatly enhanced by the judi-
cious restriction as to numbers, and the great care exercised
in the distribution of the tickets of admission.
SEIZURES OF ILLICIT DISTILLERIES.-011 Friday.
appears to have been a busy day amongst the Excise officers,
as no less than four illicit stills were seized by them in
the course of the day. From the observations of Messrs.
James and Frederick Pargeter, officers of Excise, of pre-
mises 27, St. Peter-street, Bethnal-green, and the delivery
there of certain suspicious articles, they were convinced
that something illegal was going on, and on obtaining a
search-warrant they proceeded to the house, and having
gained admission, they soon found that those suspicions were
perfectly correct. On proceeding to the front kitchen, they
found a large copper still in full work, running off strong
spirits. They then went to the back kitchen, when another
still immediately met their view, also at work. In this
room two men were engaged, and so busy were they, that
for some time they were unaware of the presence of the
officers. One of them was holding a bladder with a funnel
in it, while the other was filling it with spirits from a tub.
One gave the name of James Brown, and the other Alfred
Crompton, but protested they were only servants. ?;There was
a large quantity of fermented wash and spirits, and the usual
distillery apparatus, which they seized. The next case was
at 7, Scott-street, Bethnal-green, kept by a man named
Joseph Adlington. The officers got over a gateway, and
effected an entrance into the house, where they found a still
at full work, running off spirits of wine, a quantity of spirit
50 per cent. over proof, fermented wash (which was de-
stroyed), and all the usual apparatu., which were seized and
conveyed to the Excise warehouses. The third case was
in Stoney-lane, Petticoat-lane. Messrs. Bayford and Lewins,
the officers, from information received, went to a house in the
above street, and after a good deal of trouble effected an
entrance. In a back apartment they found a very large still
in full work, and a man attending to it, with an immense
quantity of fermented wash prepared for carrying on a large
trade, with spirits ready for sending out. The apparatus was
of a complete description, the whole of which was seized.
NARROW ESCAPE FROM ADDITIONAL CALAMITY:.
The mother of the unfortunate boy, George Beale, whose un-
timely end was recorded in our paper of the 4th inst., was
herself on the point of perishing upon the Downs, between
Cherhill and Yatesbury, on the night of the severe snow
storm of Monday week last. It seems that on the receipt
of the melancholy intelligence, which was communicated to
her by the Rev. Dr. Money Kyrie, she had started from
London on a sudden impulse, " to see her child's grave."
He was her favourite son. When near Yatesbury she en-
countered the full force of the storm. Blinded by the drift
she lost her track, and was overpowered by constantly sink-
ing in the snow, which in many places were several feet
deep. A man who accompanied her was in little bettor
plight. She was brought to the rectory at Yatesbury in an
almost insensible state; but, by the administration of proper
remedies, was happily so far restored in eight-and-forty-
hours as to be able to return by rail to London. We hear
that a subscription, proposed to help her on her journey, was
readily responded to by all the principal farmers of the parish
—Devizes Gazette.

BURGLARY AND EXTENSIVE ROBBERY.—On Friday
morning it was discovered that the premises of Mr. Mar-
shall, in the Edgeware-road, had been entered, and watches
of different descriptions, to the amount of 1001., stolen from
the shop.
THE ISLAND OF ASCENSION.—PORTSMOUTH, FEB.
19.—Letters from the Island of Ascension, up to the 29th of
December, have been received. They furnish the gratifying
intelligence that all the inhabitants were in good health ;
that the turtle had re-appeared in abundance, and been taken
and the ponds filled with them; and that the water tanks
were also well supplied. Commodore Sir Charles Hotham, in
the Devastation steamer, accompanied by her Majesty's ship
Actmon, Captain Mansell, had put to sea on the 26th of De-
cember, intending to be absent for three months, and visit and
inspect the different stations on the coast of Africa, and the
men-of-war cruising off them. Sir Charles Hotham left her
Majesty's steamer Hydra at Ascension, for her officers and
crew to obtain refreshments and rest, after a long cruise on
the coast. Commander Morell had heard that he was ap-
pointed to the Hydra, vice Young, promoted, and on the ar-
rival of Captain Hutton, who was to take command of the
Tortoise and the Island of Ascension, will bring that steamer
to England; she was to sail on the Ist of February. The
African squadron were all at sea, and, with the exception of
her Majesty's brig Wanderer, had been tolerably healthy.
She has lost about ten officers and men from fever. The
Larne, 16, and Espoir, 10, are ordered home to be paid off,
having been nearly four years in commission, and the
greater part of the time employed on the coast of Africa.
Letters from her Majesty's ship Fox, 36, Commodore Sir
Henry Blackwood, Bart., dated the Ist of January, have
sailfor foErngTlranina-
cadorUrnrili‘an. arrived
eaerne onexthp expected
announcingherbeldayt.o TI beingleave
eoffitcheaerbsosut andat tcrewitooa
were all well.
TENURE OF LAND IN IRELAND.—A document
possessing much interest at the present moment was on Fri-
day issued among the Parliamentary papers. It contains au
abstract of returns from the clerks of unions throughout

Ireland relative tO-theniriber of persons holding land,-com-
parative size of the holdings, &c., and is reprinted from
papers pre,ente.l to the House in the session of 184.5. The
census of 1841 is taken as the basis of the calculation. From
this return it appears—" That in the year 1841, the total
population of the 130 unions was 8,174,029; and the total
area 19,146 502 statute acres. Of this population the ntun-
was 883,097 (representing
probably little short of
four and a
~,b ei rt h oft h e
ipre
familiesrhsits m i
millions).
holdingio
grossn . land
The
neurmher of persons holding
land, whose holdings eo not exceed one acre of ground, is
124,407. Those holdings between one and two acres
23.5'54%
amounted to 50,233 ; between 2 and 3, 35,368 ; between 3 and
2,600 to 3,000,
4, 45,135; between 4 and 5, 52,071 ; between 5 and 6,
813e6t,4w6e8en; bsetawnede9n,64o7Bd227; 4boe,t3w7e4e;n b9etawnedenl7o,an3d4,7B9,
number of persons holding from 10 to 20 acres was 186,155 ;
from 20 to 50, 120,681 ; from 50 to 100, 4'),772 ; from 100 to
200, 15,458 ; from 200 to 500, 5,947 , -from 500 to 1,000,
51:(1)2007,;
6. The
Tlh,oeol:etro,
s2o,ofoOla, fromu2dB4h;eldt.
y,oowo
etr0e41.0,90002,
,15147; faroeniCs4,.oiO number 5,000, 3 ; and above
i
included in the foregoing classes,, of holders not
ap-
pended to the return, there i 30,316. In the notes ftreonman3c
estimate
datethfoe
the in common or joint-
bog, and otherwise unprofitable and, appertaining to many
of the unions; but there is no formed
dononf tthoef waste,whole
extent of such land,
although it has been included in the
above.
return of the gross acres of land given
FIFESIIIRE, ST. MONANCE.—THE WEATHER AND
FISHING.—The weather has been particularly fine the whole
of the week, and our fishermen have been diligent.
The
herring fishing has been prosecuted with indefatigable and
untired earnestness. Many of our crews have slept little
during the week. The fishing being at the May Island,
seven miles from our place, in moderate weather it requires
a considerable portion of the fishermen's time in making their
passage to and from the fishing-ground ; that, combined with
other labours which they have to perform during the day,
prevents them from getting regular rest. The turbot fishing,
which has been backward for some time, looks better, and
several of our crews have this week caught fourteen or fif-
teen at one haul. The cod• fish have almost entirely disap-
peared again ; several boats having short lines caught only
a very few. The wind has been prevailing from the north-
west, with keen frost, which has pinched our fishermen very
much. The herring-fishing has not been very general. Se.
veral of our boats have been singularly fortunate, but the ma-
, jority have barely made wages.—Edinburgh Weekly Reporter.
We understand that the Queen has decided that
' the Garter, vacant by the decease of the late Duke of Nor-
i thumberland, shall be conferred upon his Grace the Duke of
Bedford.