The Sun.
London, England, 1841-11-08 00:00:00

LEVANT NEWS.

Malta papers to the 26th ult hare been received; and
advices from Constantinople to the 17th, Alexandria 20th,
Smyrna 19th, Beyrout 7th, Corfu 22d, and Tunis 20th.
The Malta Chronicle, after some observations on some
modifications proposed to be introduced into the qua-
rantine system, says :
" We are happy to announce that the quarantine on
all vessels arriving here from the Black Sea, will be ad-
mitted to free pratique, after performing ten days' qua-
rantine, instead of twenty-five as. heretofore, provided
they shall have complied with the prescribed formalities."
The following naval intelligence is given by the Malta
Chronicle :

" During the past two months no less than six mer-
chaut--vssels, the descriptions of which all vary, are
reported to have been fallen in with in various parts
of the Mediterranean, which being so unusual a cir-
cumstance, leads us to fear that pirates have again ap-
peared in the Archipelago, probably some of the Candiot
insurgents, making up at sea for their reverses on shore.
Our harbour has again assumed an attractive and lively
appearance, inasmuch as we have now no less than 9
ships of the line, 2 frigates, 2 brigs, and 8 steam-vessels
of war, making in all 21 pennants, besides those of
foreign powers. The Ganges, 84 ; Revenge, 76 ; and
Vanguard, 80, arrived in port on Sunday last, the two
former from Tunis, which they left on the evening of the
19th inst., and having fallen in on the following day with
the Vanguard, which left Malta on the 19th inst., she re-
turned with them. The Daphne, 18, was lying at Smyrna
on the 19th inst. On Friday, the 22d inst., a naval
court-martial assembled on board her Majesty's ship
Howe, in Valletta Harbour, to try a private of Marines
of her Majesty's ship Indus, on a charge of striking or
knocking down a corporal, his superior, in the execution
of his duty. The case being fully made out, the Court,
at which Rear-Admiral Sir John Louis presided, after
deliberating for nearly two hours, condemned the man
to be hung at the yard-arm of the Indus, on such
day as the superior officer, Rear-Admiral Sir John A.
Ommaney, may appoint ; but as the sentence has
not yet been carried into execution, we trust it may be
commuted into transportation, since we understand it
appeared from his defence (in which he was assisted
by Mr. Secretary Waller), that he was easily excited
by the effects of liquor, or the sun, in consequence of in-
juries he had formerly suffered in the head, and of which
traces were still perceptible. We understand a mid-
shipmang
age
a n ofd
conductth
e Catihn oburg unbecomingi dhglesvowi
mlliliealmt siamhsn, oe officerris t
tli y
.nNcbe., promoted, when
tt
or r
ri e
adr
df os r loamn
hast
he
Stromboli, o
Captain)
ow
who,
been detained at this island by Sir J. A.Omman of y
to
prosecute the charge. Her Majesty's brig Savage ar-
rived from Tripoli, in Barbary, yesterday. The Cyclops
steam-frigate,
_Captain 11. T. Austin, C. 8., arrived in
port this morning, having left Constantinople on the
evening of the 12th, and the Dardanelles on the evening
of the 13th inst. She came under sail the whole of the
way from Motelin, having removed her paddle-boards,
and reached Malta on the Bth day from thence, after
being subject to all descriptions of wind and weather;
a proof of the efficient capability, in this important par-
ticular, of British steamers being enabled to make quick
progress as well as (but, of courFe, not so rapidly as)
under steam."
A Corfu letter of the 22d ult. says:—"The last divi-
sion of the 42d, under the command of Major Fraser,for
embarked yesterday morning by the lonian steam r
is
no
Cephalonia. The Vernon is still in port. There
other news stirring."

TURKEY.
A Constantinople letter of the 17th ult., in the Malta
Chronicle, says :
" Mr. Bankhead, First Socretary to the English Em-
bassy, on Friday paid his irst visits to the Porte, the
Grand Vizir, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs ; yes-
terday, he was received in audience by his highness the
Sultan at his Imperial palace of Bessik-Jch,
accredited
n
he
presented the letter of his government, whaich
him as Minister Plenipotentiary to the Sublime Porte.
H. E. M. Pontois had yesterday his audience of depar-
ture of the Sultan. The French Ambassador is waiting
for the steamer of war from France which will bring M.
de Bourquenay."
The Constantinople intelligence of the Oriental Ob-
server contains the following :
`Ye must begin our weekly budget of news by re-

lating that on the 6th, at twenty-five minutes past two
in the morning all Constantinople was roused from sleep,
not by the lugubrious cry of aynghun var (fire); not by
the simultaneous barking of Stambol's 100,000 dogs ;
not by deafteßing peals of thunder ; but by some thing
more startling than all put together, viz. an earthquake.
People who, like ourselves, have been accustomed
to such convulsions of nature, know that there is a
vast difference between earthquake and earthquake. Some
times a motion is felt so gentle that a kitten springing at
a worsted ball will cause as much ; at other a slight un-
dulation is scarcely perceived, and every one asks his
neighbour • was that an earthquake ?' This, however,
was not of either description ; fiat there was an awful
rumbling, as of the rushing of an impetuous blast ;. then
from the south came the shock which set everything in
violent movement. The beams of the houses writhed as
huge serpents in the agony of death ; the tiles cracked
and rattled, the walls bent, and menaced to crumble,
and as for the beds, they became positively alive, and
seemed desirous of shaking off ',heir trembling tenants.
This lasted for a few seconds, and then the impulse sub-
siding gradually all was still again. The moon shone
brightly, and save a few fleecy clouds which might have
been mistaken for the milky way, the sky was perfectly
clear, whilst not a breath of wind was stirring. Every
person was frightened ; some dressed themselves, and
quitting their houses, sought refuge in the small burying
ground, on which determination they truly congratulated
themselves, when, at 3 o'clock, a second shock took place,
perhaps not quite so violent,but which lasted longer,and was
consequently more dangerous. This drove other timid or
sleepless individuals to the burying ground, but as imme-.
diately afterwards a strong breeze sprung up many per•
sons gained confidence, and once more sought repose.
Two other shocks occurred subsequently, but so slight
as to have been scarcely perceptible. In the morning
the first question addressed by one to another was about
the earthquake, and it was soon ascertained that stone
buildings had suffered considerably. In Yol guetchen
khan ten rooms fell, and three persons were killed ; a
part of that wall of Eski Seria also came down, destroy-
ing three braziers' shops, and some say the braziers too ;
at Kebabgi khan two zooms were thrown down, _ and
twelve others were split asunder completely. In innu-
merable other places walls were rent, and the plaster
strewed about. The roof of one of the Catholic churches
at Pera was cracked nearly across ; indeed very few
stone buildings escaped entire. Fortunately the shocks
were not of long duration, or we should have had to
deplore a great loss of life ; as it was, we have. not
heard of more than six or seven persons having
perished. On the. Bth instant presents were sent
from the Porte to the Embassies for various
persons who had a hand in the Syrian business.
A splendid sword of honour, with hilt richly mounted
in diamonds, is destined for Admiral Stopford, another
for Colonel Hodges ; Admiral Bandiera gets a sword
and a decoration suitable to his rank. To the Secre-
taries, Attaches, and Dragomans of the Allied Powers,
snuff boxes were given. Prince Metternich, Cdunt
Nesselrode, and M. Boutieneff get each a portrait of'
the Sultan set in brilliants. Nothing was prepared for
Lord Palmerston, for the very good reason that he re-
fused to accept a present. In a short time the medals
for the naval and military officers, sailors, and soldiers,
will be ready. Some are in gold, the rest in silver ;. the
idea of copper for the men (which by the way did not
originate in the Porte) having been discarded. The
Emir Beshir on Friday paid a visit of ceremony to-the
Ministers at the Sublime Porte, and no doubt he will in
due time be presented to the Sultan. A number of Greek
-Archbishops and Bishops also waited upon Rifaat
• Pacha, to complain that the Catholic Priests in Syria
have got into the habit of wearing the Greek clerical
cap, so that it is almost impossible to distinguish which
is which ; and as strange mistakes might arise in 'con-
sequence, they solicited that the Porte would issue orders
to have the inconvenience remedied. This will probably
be done, and the flocks in Syria will be alle to know their
own pastors."