The Sun.
London, England, 1840-11-16 00:00:00

THE EMIR BESCHIR.

The secession of this Prince from the party of Ibra-
him is likely to be productive of great effects, as he is,
without doubt, the most influential man in Syria. The
terms which he solicited were merely that he might re-
tain his private property, consenting willingly to with-
draw his claims of sovereignty in favour of his nephew,
lately appointed to supersede him. These terms, I be-
lieve, will be allowed him.

The history of this man is rather extraordinary. I
shall enter shortly into its detail, as I believe it has
not hitherto been made known. He has for nearly
fifty years been Sovereign Prince of the mountains of
Lebanon. In that period he has been mixed up with
most of the important events that have occurred in
Syria ; indeed, it may be said that the late troubles
which, by popular discontent, sprung up in this
country, are in a groat degree the result 04
his agency. He is a member of the Shebals fa-
mily, who for centuries have possessed the exclusive
and acknowledged right of sovereignty in these moun-
tains. He has all along managed to purchase and re-
tain the friendship of those around him in Syria superior
to himself in authority—of the Pacha of Acre, to
whom be was in several functions subordinate whilst
under the dominion of Turkey ; and of Mehemet lat-
terly, to whom in character he is much allied. He has,
moreover, with every change in political events, ma-
naged to shape his conduct successfully for his own
safety—his late conduct at Sidon being but a part of
he feature of his whole life. Nor is his past history
(tree of suspicion, which, if true, would stamp him with
stains of a deeper hue. The sons of his brother, who
stood in the path of his ambition in the early part of his
career, died suddenly, and nearly at the same pe-
riod of time, most opportunely for his personal in-
terest. For many years after his accession he ma.
naged by intrigues, as well as by force of army, to in-
crease in riches. He was long the despoiler of neigh-
bouring tribes, purchasing impunity of conduct with a
share of his plunder and exactions. About the year 1827
his energies took a new direction. At that time he
had a powerful rival in the person of a Sheik (of the
family of Gam Blott), then highest in command amongst
the Druses, and who pursued with the Porte a course
in direct rivalry to his own. He signally defeated this
Sheik in a celebaated mountain action, and the result
was that he came into possession of absolute authority
amongst the Druse sect, so much opposed to his own in
religion, in habits, and in territory. A still greater spi-
rit of discontent and hatred became in consequence en-
gendered between the Druse and the Christian than
had ever before existed ; yet the Emir found means of
shifting the obloquy from himselt, whilst at the same
time he secretly encouraged the causes of the
evil feelings. In this is seen the greatest proof of
the crafty and politic skill of him whose course it is
here attempted to depict. In the years 1834, 1835,
and 1.836 the Emir furnished large subsidies to Ibru-
t iat from amongst the Druses, in produce and in men.
Not less than four thousand men were drafted in one
year. At the revolt of the Kisruons in June last, and
which was occasioned as much by the tyranny of their
Cl iA as by the exactions of the Egyptian Paella, the
Druses, as is known, were readily prevailed upon by the
Emir to join him in bringing his own tribe again into
subjectioo. The above is the real explanation, as far
as my own observation has served me, of the late other-
wise inexplicable to.iduct of these tribes.
The Etnir has reached his 86th year ; he has three
sous, the youngest of whom was associated with him in
his government. The extent of the principality feiong-
tog to the Shelia() family reaches from Tripoli to Sidon
seaward, and inland along the anti. Lebanus, including
the valley of the Boccah.

PROSTITUTION IN BIRMINGHAM —The So-
ciety fur the Protection of Young Females have lately
sent agents to Birmingham to make inquiries concerning
the extent of prostitution in that town, and the desirability
of establishing a branch of their Society in the district.
The Society's agents state that " they find, from statis-
tics which have been laid before them, that in the town and
neighbourhood of Birmingham there are upwards of seven
hundred infamous houses, in each of which from one to
twelve young females arc kept for licentious purposes, and
in many 6f which juvenile, and even infantine, prostitution
is carried on. They find also that, in addition to these,
there arc numerous houses of assignation, where boys and
girls, from eight to fourteen years of age, are encouraged
to spend the whole night together, the boys being thus
trained to a course of immorality and crime, the girls to
degradation and ruin. They have also ascertained that
there are in Birmingham procurers and procuresses, moving
apparently in respectable speres of life, who, though os-
tensibly living by trade, are, in reality, mainly dependent
for subsistence upon the numbzr of thoughtless and inno-
ceot girls they trepan, to feed the mortality of the bag-
nice, where the average of human existence, after enter-
ing upon their dark scene of pollution, is, at the utmost
not more than seven years. These evils, though (being
usually wrapt up in their own dark shadow) they do not
obtrude themselves at every turn upon our notice, are not
on that account less real. The sadness of the desolate
hearth, robbed of its fairest hope; the deep and harrow-
ing pangs which parents feel whose child, long perhaps
the joy of their hearts, has been seduced from a home of
peace and virtue to the haunts of vice and degradation ;
the broken hearts of unhappy victims, who lured as they
thought, to a life of pleasure, find, instead, a life of wret-
chedness and woe I—these loudly cry for the interference
of all who ,us yet have not tasted of their bitterness, but who
kwehoowl
invoet
bbyotwli
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atrbwroinuggho
ft h einmn
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tworoc,t cnihneys
be made to share in pangs which no tongue can describe.".—
Staffordshire Examiner.

We understand that it 'the :
Duke of Buckingham to commencels winter season of
itinerant humbuggery on Saturday
when bis Grace will attend the Georgenext, the 21st instant,
Inn, in this town,
and address the gaping crowd of farmers on the importance
of preserving high rents and dear pnces.—Ayletbury
News. . intention of the
his
While we entertain the happy confidence
that
there will be no war with France, it gives us
protection to the maritime towns ofe givethis
every necessary
country. This,
faction to learn that Government is fully prepare
l to satig-
trie assure the public, we state from a th u 0..
rity.—Brighton herald.
Colonel Sibthorp, M.Pi, it is reported in Lin-
coln, is so seriously ill in London that alarm is felt for his
life.—Stamford Mercury.