The Sun.
London, England, 1841-12-30 00:00:00

THE LEVANT MAIL.

TURKEY.
CONSTANTINOPLE, DEC. B.—ln alluding in my last
letter to the inefficiency of the Grand Vizier Raouf
Pacha, I by no means anticipated that he was to be dis-
placed the day after, and still less that he was to he suc-
ceeded in office by Izzet Mehemet Pacha—events which
have taken by surprise not only the public at large, but
many of the Turkish Ministers themselves. The con-
sternation which still prevails at the Porte, or the public
offices of the Government, is such as I have never before
witnessed there, exceeding even that which was prodived
by the defeat of Nezib and the death of Sultan Mah-
moud, and which, in short, I can only compare to the
terror experienced in the interval of the two shocks of
earthquake that occurred here some months ago. But
to enable you to understand this extraordinary agitation
of the public mind, it will be necessary to give you some
idea of the character and antecedents of the man whose
• unexpected elevation in the place of the feeble Raouf has
occasioned it. Izzet Mehemet Pacha, the commencement
of whose career was signalised by the unrelenting fierce.
(0( t ness he displayed in the massacre of the Janissaries,
held during the settlement of the affairs of Greece the
post of Reis Effendi, and this was the Minister whom
Sir Stratford Canning found so intractable, and whose
-te;
,ut. obstinacy proved subsequently so disastrous to the Porte.
„11,.'„ He was afterwards made Capitan Pacha, and finally,
• Grand Vizier ; the post of the latter he now holds fur
the second time. During the last Russian war, having
been sent with a flotilla to the relief of Varna, he was
frequently engaged with the enemy, and distinguished
himself by his intrepidity both by land and sea. In the
capitulation of Varna, which, it was always suspected,
was abandoned by treachery to the Russians, Izzet Me-
hemet was accused of bribery, not less than Youssouf
Pacha, the Governor. Certain it is that they mutually
denounced each other, and, whether for this reason, or
on account of his personal vices and cruelty, he for many
years laboured under a sort of disqualification, and was not
employed by Sultan Mahmoud in any high office. After
his death, however, he was appointed Seraskier in the late
11. n, expedition to Syria, where he was wounded by accident
in the leg, and whence he was removed in consequence of
the representations of Admiral Stopford and General
Jochmus, both of them declaring it was impossible to
carry on the war with a colleague so capricious and head-
' strong. Such is the individual who has now been made
Vizier Moutlaq, or absolute—a Turkish Pacha of the
old school—a compound of cruelty, cunning, and rapa-
city. The stories that are told of his violence and bru-
tality are almost incredible. Among others, that of his
having, while in Syria, ordered his cook to be bastina-
doed to death for having put too much salt in his soup,
a sentence which, but for the humane interference of the
English officers there, would have certainly been ex-
ecuted, is indisputably a fact. There are many traits
besides of this nature which I shall spare your readers,
and proceed to explain, as well as I can, why a mon-
ster like this—a man not fit to live, and much less to
rule—has been promoted to his present high office. The
surmises on this subject are almost endless. By many
his advancement is said to have been owing to the ad-
vice of Chosrew Pacha. who had lately an audience with
the Sultan, and who, declining to become Grand Vizier
himself, named Izzet Mehemet—as a worthy substitute.
By others it is attributed to Russian influence, a suppo-
sition, in some manner, countenanced by the report of
• • his having been bribed at Varna. It is thought, also,
''• that his sudden advent to power at the present epoch in-
dicates a determination on the part of the Porte to make
wisr with Greece, his sentiments having been openly
declared for a rupture. For my part, lam disposed to
believe that causes much less heroic, though quite as
significant, may be discovered for this appointment, and
that it is neither more nor less than a speculation.
tip to the present moment there have been no further
chenges in the Administration, though the announce-
men t of them is hourly expected at the Porte.
(From the Journal de Smyrne.)
CONSTANTINOPLE, DEC. 7.—The disastrous occur-
rences in Syria between the 1/ruses and Maronites have
been taken into consideration by the Porte, and the Mi-
• nisters have resolved upon adopting every means calcu-
lated to put an end to this deplorable state of things.
Nothing has transpired as to the nature of these resolu-
tions, but there is reason to believe that they will be im-
mediately carried into execution, and to hope that their
results will be effectual. The works at the arsenal con-
- tinue to be carried on with great activity ; several ships
are said to be fitting for sea, and are expected to sail
shortly under the command of the Capitan Pacha. It
is conceived, though not ascertained, that it is destined to
put a stop to the hostile demonstrations of Greece. Ad-
nfiral Bantliera had yesterday the honour of being pre-
' sented to the Sultan at his Palace of Bechiktash, ac-
companied by the Austrian internuncio and the officers
of the frigate Venere and the brig Montecuculi. His
Ilighness received the Admiral most graciously, and in
strong terms expressed his satisfaction at the numerous
important services he had rendered to the Turkish empire.
(From the Malta Papers.)
A Constantinople letter in the Malta Times reminds
the reader that the new Grand Vizier was removed last
year from his command in Syria by the express demand
of Great Britain, on account of the cruelties he com-
mitted. It is supposed from this that he is opposed to
Lritish interests. The same letter mentions a report of
the. Circassians having defeated the Russians in the
Caucasus, and having occasioned them a loss of 1,800 men.

EGYPT.
ALEXANTRIA, DEC. 9.—The French steamer was at
the very month of the harbour on Sunday evening (sth
instant), and eve saw nothing more of her until yester-
day afternoon.
The letters wore landed last night about sunset, but
not given out till this morning, and the mail from Malta
missing.
The Pacha remains in Zipper Egypt buying up all the
Wheat and corn, they say.
Boghos Bey remains in Alexandria to carry out the
Thaw treaty so far as it allows of increased imposts, while
the internal duties are promised to be reduced.
The tariff made at Constantinople for this grand corn-
Mercial Turkish treaty, is put in force, and on British
Manufactures the duty amounts to eight per cent. on the
value. The old duty here was nominally three, but really-
-Less. The tariff fixes the duty on most goods, being in-
tended for 3 per cent. and 2 per cent. added, making 5
Per cent. on the value ; but when paid in the Paella's mo-
tley it amounts to eight, and soinetimes more, per cent.
on the present market value.
Government has not yet renewed sales of produce, of
any kind.

Nothing from Syria.
The National Guard of Alexandria has at last been
completely disbanded, and the arms returned into store.
One of the regiments of Guards has been employed
lately in road-making. A road of 500 yards in length
was cut and levelled in a week, leading from the great
Square in the direction of Fort Cretin. No hard mate-
rials are yet laid on it. The form and name of a thing
are sufficient in this country.