The Sun.
London, England, 1840-12-07 00:00:00

DISASTER AT ACRE.

On the 6th of November, three days after the fall of
this redoubtable fortress, and when the British were still
rejoicing at having achieved, in three hours, and with a
loss on their side of only 22 killed and 44 wounded, that
which even in its then inferior strength withstood 11
assaults of Napoleon, and was only taken on the 12th with
a sad loss of human life, they were doomed to suffer a
disaster, the origin of which is likely never to be cleared
up, though, in all probability, it has arisen from the loose
manner in which powder appears to have been conveyed
from place to place by the enemy during the defence of it
against the Allies, for it seems the approaches to the
works from the several magazines are literally one con-
tinued train of powder, requiring the greatest vigilance to
remove, so as to avoid such consequences as the one we
are about to relate.

A column, at least 500 yards in height, of thick yellow
smoke and dust, with a loud and simultaneous report, suc-
ceeded by a white smoke and the bursting of as many as a
thousand shells, spreading in all directions far beyond and
all around the ships of the fleet, some of which, and among
them the Wasp, being only about 100 yards from the shore,
announced the explosion of another powder magazine
within the fortress of Acre ! In five minutes after the
officers who landed from the shipping to the succour of the
suff.!rers, among v-horn there might be shipmates
and messmates, encountered on the road those who had
fortunately escaped carrying to the hosts for conveyance
on board, for medical aid, the maimed and wounded, which,
together with the killed, are said to amount to 280, of
whom at least 110 are native women and children. We
have been unable to ascertain how many are the sufferers
in the British fleet, but we understand that as many as
fileen marines are killed, and had it not been the hour of
dinner, the number would have been considerably increased.
Among the seamen there are several wounded, and of the
officers, Brigadier-General Sir Charles Felix Smith,
R. E., very slightly ; Captain Collier, R N., of the Castor,
leg broke, and other injuries and bruises, and Lieutenant
-Johnson and the Rev. Mr. Kitson, both of the Princess
Charlotte ; from which ship Mr. Warre, mate, with a
working party, were ordered to clear out a magazine full
of powder and shells, which was on fire from the explo-
sion; this perilous service was happily performed without
any casualty, notwithstanding the doors had been shat-
tered. By the applying of wet bales and blankets, by
dusk the chances of further damage were considerably re-
duced, though the fire was not entirely extinguished until
a late hour of the night. Nothing could exceed the in-
trepid conduct of the parties employed, who even mounted
the burning roof, braving all danger, in order to introduce
the hose of the engine, playing upon the fire. The Prin-
cess Charlotte had two of her marines killed and nine
wounded, besides several seamen, and the officers, belong-
ing to her above-named.

ACRE, Nov. 2.

On Friday, the 6tls, an explosion of a powder maga-
zine took place, and the loss of life on this sad occasion
was indeed fearful. Captain Ford himself seas on shore
on the spot a few hours before, and reports that a number
of poor Arab women were there, seeking among the ruins
the dead bodies of their husbands and relations. These
ho supposes amounted to a hundred, and it is probable that
all met a melancholy fate by the explosion.
Captain Ford himself escaped narrowly, for lie had been
sent to attend Sir C. Smith a few moments before the ex.
plosion, but excused himself, having felt too much fatigue
from his previous exertions.
The effccts of the explosion were very remarkable.
Among the columns of dust which filled the air were per-
ceived immense sioaes (many of which fell near the Tahiri
Bairi, without however striking her), shells exploded with
horrible din, and bodies of men and women wore hurled
into eternity ! Men in boats going off to different ships
ware wet through by the splash caused by the fall of stenos
and other heavy bodies in the water. The Stromboli was
struck, but providentially no one was wounded. At three
o'clock signals were made from the Princess Charlotte
(dig ship) for all the boats to go on shore and render as-
sistance. At four it was painfully known that many were
killed and wounded. Among the sufferer 3 were Captain
Collier, of the Castor, who had his leg broken and a con-
tusion en his head, He is, however, doing well.
General Sir Q. gmith, who was examining his horse,
had a toe b►oken and his horse killed.
The Chaplain of the flag-ship and twelve mawine3 badly
wounded.
Twelve marines wounded and several missing.
Forty Turks killed and wounded, and about 100 Arabs,
men and women.
In town, oxen, asses, sheep, mules, horses, camels, &c„
lie indiscriminately with mutilated human bodice. Al-
though Arabs arc employed to remove the dead, the work
is one of much labour, on account of the heavy stones
with which the bodies are covered. There is no support-
ing the dreadful odours that arise from the putrefying
masses.
Water is scarce and bad. At the time the Tahiri Bald
left men were dying in the streets for want of surgical aid ;
the surgeons of the fleet were too few in number to do
what they desired, though their individual exertions were
highly commendable.
Mahmoud Bcy, with 2,000,000 of piasters, made his
escape, with about 20,000 people, during the night ; many
of them were next day seized by the mountaineers, or vo-
-luntarily surrendered.
Colonel Schultz, a Swiss Engineer, after being badly
wounded, surrendered to Sir R. Stopford, by whom he
was sent on board the Edinburgh, with orders to be well
treated.
He was afterwards embarked on board the Tahiri Bairi
for Constantinople, but ere he reached Beyrout he was suf.
fering so severely that Captain Ford landed him at the
English hospital there, where be will receive the very best
attention and care.

The ships in general, except the rigging, arc little
touched.
Admiral Walker behaved nobly, bringing his ship close
in to the forts, with only two feet water under her keel,
and in a very exposed place. He was raked by a bat-
tery on his quarter, and exposed to the fire of batteries
on his beam.
He only lost four men killed and eight wounded. His
ship was much injured, and sailed yesterday (stla) for
Constantinople for repairs, and carrying 1,200 prisoners.
The assistance rendered by the two Austrian frigates
was considerable, and called forth the thanks of Sir R.
Stopford.

BEYROUT, Nor. 7.

Our advices up to this date announce that Ibrahim
Paella was at Zable, with about 1,000 men, but in a
state of the most abject despondency, owing to the con.
tinued desertions from his reduced army. A military
plan of his position bad been drawn, and measures taken
to attack him.
The Emir Bechir with 5,000 mountaineers was above
him about an hour's distance, watching his slightest move-
ments and keeping him in check.
The Turks are seized with an enthusiastic desire of
taking him, every one individually hoping that he may be
the happy man.
In order to prevent desertion from his army, Ibraham
has formed the plan of taking woman and children as
hostages from the neighbouring villages, and for every
man who deserts one helpless hostage is to fall 1 In
more than one instance his threats have been carried into
execution.
Ibrahim declares that, if driven from Zahle, he will fall
beck on Damascus, and give it up to plunder by his li-
centious soldiers.

All the coast from Scanderoon to Acre is now in the
possession of the Turkish troops ; large quantities of rico
and grain have been found in many places.
With the exception of the Princess Charlotte, all the
ships had returned to Bcyrout ; she was to follow in
to days, after some slight repairs had been effected.
We have just heard from au unquestionable source that
Hebron and Legia have declared for the Sultan, and
Ibrahim is pretty closely hemmed in, whilst the spirit
of desertion is so rife in his army, that he is com-
pelled to keep his cavalry perpetually in motion round
the camp, to prevent the infantry from disbanding. It is
added that the scarcity of provisions has begun to be felt
by the Egyptians, and that they find great difficulty in
collecting anything like a sufficiency, although, to intimi-
date and :ender subservient the inhabitaats, Ibrahim con-
tinues to fire villages and slaughter women and children.
hastion) announce
sworn
not
His cruelty is extended to even babes unborn, and we,
with our own ears, have heard one of his admirers (it
need not be said of
towliethavetri;
pitiless
umph that the
iwn wrettchna
woman alive all Syria .S • t Humanity shud-
pregnant
ders at the deeds of the monster, but whilst a wise and is repeatedly made the mark
of assassins, not a hand
r a
isc
reaised against Ibrahim.
7 t fiore ,accompanied b D
•
SMYRNA.—Sir Moses Mon e ,

W. Wire, Esq. and Dr. Loewe. arrived with his amiable
lady by the French mail-packet Tancrede. Although their
stay was limited to a few hours, these indefatigable gen-
tlemen could not devote one single instant of their time to
pleasure, but immediately turned their thoughts to acts of
public good ; to acts of public philanthropy.
No sooner had the vessel anchored than the quay was
literally thronged with Jews, poor, rich, healthy, sick ; in
fact, of every class, to welcome their benefactor—their
liberator, Sir Moses Nlontefiore, on his landing.
The chief rabbi, accompanied by some persons of note,
went on board, and were received with distinguished marks
of respect and attention.
In a short time Sir Moses and his lady landed, :accom-
panied by Mr. Pincherle, a highly respectable merchant.
Having performed his devotions in the synagogue situ-
ated in the Jew quarter, he received the deputations of
several of his co-religionists; but so little time was allowed
the worthy gentleman for action, that he was obliged to
confide the execution of several orders to Messrs Pin-
cherle, and content himself with promising to give replies
to their demands, and act upon their wishes, from Malta,
the present place of his residence.
It gives us infinite pleasure to record one action of bene-
ficence out of the hundreds of which Sir Moses has lately
formed the subject.
As he was passing through the narrow streets of the
Jews' quarter he perceived two shoeless, hatless, and al-
most naked lads. He immediately called them to him,
and, after a few questions, gave orders to Mr. Pincherle
to clothe and educate them, and afterwards bind them
apprentice to some useful business at his own private
expense.
DEATH.—Yesterday, at an early hour, of dysentery,
Joel Davis, Esq. This gentleman was in the suite of Sir
Moses Montefiore, on his arrival here from England, but
did not accompany that gentleman on his mission to
Alexandria.

Sir Moses and suite were still nailer quarantine, at
Malta, on the 27th of November.

THE CAMP OF IBRAHIM PAC/lA.
This chief was, by the last accounts, at Zacchally, a
village situate on the plain of Boccah,' immediately
under the range of the hills of Lebanon. It would appear
that he has with him both Soliman and Hussein PAchas,
and that their combined forces do not exceed 12,000 in-
fantry and 2,000 cavalry, and not more than from twelve
to fifteen field pieces. The new Emir Beehir is at El
Ilarby. Provided he be accompanied by Commodore
Napier and 1,000 British Marines, he offers to descend at
once and give Ibrahim battle ; or he would do so without
the Commodore, with a reinforcement of 5,000 Otto-
man?, as many additional muskets, and a dozen or two of
field pieces, which would imply that the Commodore is a
host of himself, to say nothing of the artillery and small
arms ! Abdalla, the brother of the Emir, is at Harnona,
with 2,000 infarnry and 500 cavalry kmountaineers).

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
MALTA, Nov. 25

The Asia arrived on the 21st instant :ro.n Alexandria,
after a loug passage of 21 days, having anchored in the
Bay of Kolo Kythia, in the southern extremity of the Mo..
rea. She returns' to the Levant as soon as she gets newly
masted and refitted. Mr. Robert Anderson, R. N., master
of the Ariadne coal depot at Alexandria, with the crew of
this vessel, are on board the Asia. The Hastings received
pratique yesterday, and will be hove down and have her
damages made good forthwith. The Acheron steamer
left for Gibraltar on the 19th instant, with the mail for
that place and England, and will, on her return, bring
those from London of the 14th inst. On the arrival from
Alexandria of the contract steam-ship Oriental, with the
India mails expected about the 28th inst., the Alecto now
ready for sea will be despatched to Marseilles, there to
await the London overland mails of the sth proximo.
The Euphrate French war steamer, which arrived from
St Jean d'Acre and Alexandria on the 17th inst., proceeded
on her voyage from Toulon, after coaling on the 20th
inst., and the Calcutta sailed yesterday morninp. for the
Bay of Marmorice, where it is expected she wilt find the
Admiral. Several individuals of the suite of the Emir
Beehir returning to Syria, were granted a passage in her.
The Beacon surveying sloop was to leave the Pil was of
Athens on the 23d inst., and may therefore be looked for
early next week, as well as her tender the Magpie. Both
vessels will remain at Malta until the end of March next.

The Cyclops, war.steamer, arrived yesterday afternoon,
having left St. Jean d'Acre on the 15:h, and Beyrout on
the 13th inst., bringing, besides invalids from the squa-
dron. his Highness the Emir Megid (another son of the
Emir Beehir) with his suite, but no news of importance,
though we understand some serious casualties have hap-
pened among the officers and seamen of the Fquadron,* by
an explosion of powder at Acre on the 6th inst., of which
we have not yet been able to collect the particulars. The
news brought from Alexandria by the Euphrate had not
yet reached Sir R Stopford when the Cyclops left Syria,
but we understand it is the intention of the Gallant Ad-
miral to visit Alexandria in the Princess Charlotte before
retiring from the coast for the winter.

CONSTANTINOPLE, Nov. 17.

On the 11th instant the Austrian steamboat brought us
the happy tidings of the fall of Acre, at a sacrifice of next
to nothing. Joy beamed in every countenance It Was a
day of mutual congratulation. The Newspaper offices were
besieged with applications for supplements containing the
particulars. Some of these supplements were pasted up on
the street walls, and Government issued orders for public
rejoicings. The day following, consequently, the ships of
war and batteries fired, at the five periods of prayer, royal
salutes ; in the evening we had an illumination, and were
to have enjoyed the sight of a grand display of fire-works,
but unluckily on that day the death of the eldest infant
daughter of the Sultan, the Princess Mevhibe, occurred,
and as this event deeply affected her imperial father, the
fire-works were suppressed.

The capture of Acre has placed in the hands of the
Allied troops the whole coast of S)ria without exception,
and the position of Ibrahim's army, surrounded as it is on
all sides by bold and enthusiastic enemies, has become des-
perate. . .

Mehemet Ali has despatched to his aid six regiments,
who were marching by the desert of El Arish to the scene
of action. It is not likely they will ever succeed in join-
ing the Egyptian General, Its their road to him is along the
coast and under the walls of Acre, so that the Allies will
easily cut them off, whilst, if they venture up into the
mountains, their fate will be still worse, for the Allies give
quarter, whilst the mountaineers in general do not. They
have too many wrongs to avenge, and have learnt from
Ibrahim how easy it is to put to death defenceless men.
Baron Sturmer and the Commander of the steamer
Marianna, after dining with Reschid Paella, were last week
taken to the Sultan, who was delighted at the pre.onta-
tion or the Captain who bad brought him such good news.
On the 15th, Lord Londonderry, who, with his lady,
arrived here a few days ago by way of the Danube, was
presented to the Sultan, who was exceedingly attentive to
his Lcrdship.
M. Marinitch, director at this place of the Austrian
Lloyd's steamers, has been honoured with the Nishsni
Iftihar. His alacrity in placing at the disposal of the
Government the steam-boats under his charge has procured
him this distinction.

Dr. Morpurgo, Member of the board of public utility, is
about to proceed to Paris on a mission. As he enjoys the
entire confidence of all parties, (i. e the Porte, Mehemet
Ali, and France) his services, it is thought, will be e -
ccedingly
During the night of the 14th a fire broke out at Thera-
pia, and the wind being strong from the south a great:part
of the village was destroyed before it could be got under.
The palaces of Lord Ponsonby and Count de Pontois es-
caped, but the inmates wc:c greatly alarmed. A house
in which some of Lord Ponsonhy'a establishment lived was
burnt.
Selim Bey, late governor of Smyrna, quits Constanti-
nople to-morrow for his Government in Bosnia.
It was thought that hett Pacha, incapacitated from ac-
tive service for the present on account of hie wound, would
have been superseded in the post of Seraskier of the army
in Syria, but no one having been appointed to succeed him,
it appears that he will retain his command.
Reschid Pacha gave a grand Ministerial dinner on
the lath.
More troops are to be sent to Syria. The steamer Zi-
baish is to proceed on the 2lst with 600.
The wind being for a fortnight past from the south, we
have quite midsummer weather, and the crowd of cur-
-1 riages filled with_ ladies of rank, and beautiful children
decked out in diamonds, to be seen every afternoon at the
grand Ramann promenade at Sultan I3eyezid, is very
splendid. Nor are the Frank ladies backward in going
to see and be seen. Seldom a day passes but at least a
dozen carriages and arabas filled with Pera and foreign
belles, figure in the throng, not to mention the innume-
rable pedestrians.
The Sultan goes regularly every afternoon to his kiosk,
and all the Ministers arc seen as punctually taking their
seats in a shop on the promenade. No business is trans-
acted by day, and it is at night alone that all the public
offices are open.

Officers wounded—Captain Collier, of her Majesty'
ship Castor, Rev. Kcatson, of the Princess Charlotte,
and Mr. Johnstone.

EXTRAORDINARY CASE.—The Seren Gainer
a Welsh publication, contains the following narration, for
the authenticity of which it vouches, and gives names in
support of its truth :_There is at present a young woman,
21 years of age, residing in the parish of Clydey, in the
county of Pembroke (daughter of Mr. John Davies,
of Hendre-Gwlym), to all appearance quite dead, hav-
ing been in that state for nearly a twelvemonth past, but
awakes once every twenty-four hours, precisely at ten
o'clock at night, and will converse with the family
and others for about twenty minutes, when she will
again relapse into the same state, and remain so until
ten o'clock the following night, at which hour she revives
to the minute, throwing out her rrms and folding her
hands together, and rising up in her shoulders until the
spectators imagine that her bones were cracking. She
continue.; in that laborious state for the space of ten
minutes, when she comes to a perfect possession of her
faculties. She recollects well if any promises bass been
made her on the previous night, and will b 3 very bitter for
a time if the same are not fulfilled ; but, if brought her,
she makes use of none of them, as she cats and drinks little
or nothing. She could never be persuaded to attempt eat-
ing any food but three times during 32 days, and then,
putting the three together, no more than a child twelve
months old would take. After convcrsiag a short time,
she will suddenly clasp her hands together, throw her arms
iato the same manner as when awaking, and will return
into the same state as before until ten o'clock the follow-
ing night,—Hereford Journal.
THE It floNE.—The Marseilles papers state
that the Rhone was still very high at Tarascon, on the
25th ult., and many parts of that town and the surround-
in country were still submerged. The garrison was wok-,
ing at the repairs of the breaches made in the dykes at`
various points.
'I'HE BOY JoNEs.—We understand that Mr
Maule, solicitor to the Treasury., has received instructions
to prefer an indictment against Jones at the next West-
niir,ster Sessions, for secreting himself in Buckingham
Palace with intent to commit a felony.