The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-07 00:00:00

x, icy': ~

JULY 7, 1847.

ROME-PROCLAMATION OF THE
POPE.

Some placards of an exciting tendency having recently
appeared at Home on the occasion of the fete on the 17th
ult., a proclamation was published there on the 22d by
Cardinal Giazi, in the name of the Pope, in which his
Holiness, after alluding to the reforms which he had felt
it his duty to introduce, declares that he intends to per-
severe in the same course, but to observe in so doing
wisdom and prudence. The proclamation says—
" His Holiness is firmly resolved to pursue the course
of amelioration in every branch of the public administra-
tion which may require it ; but he is equally resolved to
do this only on a prudent and calculated gradation,
and within limits which belong essentially to the
sovereignty and the temporal government of the
head of the Catholic Church—a government which
cannot adopt certain forms which would ruin
even the existence of the sovereignty, or at least
diminish that external liberty—that independence in the
exercise of the supreme primacy for which God willed
that the holy see should have a temporal principality.
The Holy Father cannot forget the sacred duties which
compel him to preserve intact the trust that has been
confided to him."

The Pope then enumerates some of the reforms and
ameliorations that he has introduced, and the proclama-
tion adds :

" The Holy Father has not been able to see, without
deep regret, that certain restless minds are desirous of
profiting by the present state of things to pro-
mulgate and endeavour to establish doctrines
and ideas totally contrary to his maxims, or
to impose upon him others entirely opposed to
the tranquil and pacific nature and the sub-
lime character of the person who is the vicar
of Jesus Christ, the minister of a God of peace,
and the father of all Catholics, to whatever part of the
world they may belong, or finally to excite in the minds
of the people, by speeches or writings, desires and
hopes of reform, beyond the limits which his Holiness
has indicated. As these persons are in small number,
and the good sense and rectitude which govern the
great majority of the people have hitherto rejected these
insinuations and counsels, the Holy Father feels assured
that they will never find a welcome among the people.
But it is more easy to imagine than to describe the grief
felt by his Holiness at some horrible acts which have taken
place in various provinces, and which are in open opposi-
tion to the peace and concord which he was desirous of es-
tablishing among his beloved subjects, when in the early
days of his glorious pontificate he pronounced the sweet
words of pardon. Another subject of grief for his Ho-
liness has arisen from certain assemblages of the multi-
tude, which, under a pretext of a scarcity of corn or other
wants, have taken place in divers parts of the state, to
the disturbance of public order, and sometimes with
menaces against personal security."
Cardinal Gizzi then says that the Pope dons not con-
found these meetings with those which have taken place
for the manifestation of gratitude for the benefits which
he has bestowed upon the people, and that his Holiness
is deeply sensible of these demonstrations, and implores
God to bestow the most perfect blessings upon them ;
but he adds—

" The paternal heart of his Holiness suffers deeply at
seeing entire populations and individuals incessantly
put to expense for public demonstrations, artisans
abandoning their labour to the injury of their
families, and youths destined to study losing
time which is precious to them. The heart of
his Holiness would suffer more still if this state of things
were to continue. The first year of his pontificate is
over, and in this period of time the Holy Father
has been able to appreciate the love, gratitude, and de-
votedness of his well-beloved subjects. He now asks a
proof of these praiseworthy sentiments, and this proof
must consist in the cessation of all unusual popular
meetings, on whatever occasion, and all extraordinary
manifestations, except those for which, anterior to the
present notification, permission had been received from
the competent authorities."

THE FRENCH ARMY in ALGERIA.

The following anecdote, hastily translated from a
letter recently received by the relative of an officer of
the French army now serving in Africa, may be in-
teresting to those who. in their hasty admiration of the
military spirit of the " Grand Nation," may neverthe-
less be ignorant of the severity of the French military
code, and of the treatment which sometimes follows the
most heroic acts of self-devotion in that land of " liberty
and independence :"
"A lieutenant in one of the regiments in Algiers,
about a year and a half ago, was sent with a detach-
. _

ment of 200 men tocarry ten thousand cartridges, &c., to
a garrison stationed in a fort about thirty miles from
head-quarters. On his road he was interrupted by Abd-
el-Kader, with a force of nearly three thousand men;
and though resistance in such a case is useless, still a
code in French military law seems to say that an
officer is not justified in surrendering without firing
a shot. The little band was, therefore, formed into

a square, and thus awaited the attack. A. party of the
Emir's cavalry having, approached within a short dis-
Lau,c,
and at length an Arab muleteer left the detachment,
who, after some time, came back again, saying that
Abd-el-Kader demanded that the arms and ammuni-
tion of the little band should be given up, adding, that
on that condition the whole party should be spared,
otherwise he was resolved to crush them. The lieute-
nant having refused to comply with this demand, ex-
horted his men to do their duty, unloaded the mules,
placed the ammunition so that it might be blown up in case
of extremity, and thus again awaited the attack. After a
little time, another messenger came to say that Abd-el-
Kader had sworn to cut off the head of every man of
the party the moment a shot was fired by the French.
What then was the poor lieutenant to do ? Here was,
on one hand, the Military Code, which forbade him to sur-
render without showing something like resistance, by at
least one fire ; and, on the other, certain death to the
whole party if he did. In this dilemma he consulted
with his sub-lieutenant and the surgeon, but they
knew not what to advise ; and at length he deter-
mined to go to Abd-el-Kader, and offer his own
head, that he might thus not only save the lives of his
men, but preserve his own honour, by showing that
it was not that he feared death for himself, but that
he would not be the instrument of cruel slaughter
to the 200 poor fellows under his command. On leaving
the detachment, he was at once seized by an Arab, of
whom he demanded a conference with the Emir. lie
was immediately conducted to Abd-el-Kader, whom he
found seated under a tree surrounded by his chiefs. A
French woman, the wife of a soldier, was sent to act
as interpreter. flaying given up his sword to the
Emir, and explained to him the military code of his
country, he then said:—" You wished that I should
decide concerning my men. Well, I will save their
lives; but, in not accepting the combat, I lose my
honour, and disgrace this mark of distinction (pointing
to the ribbon in his button-hole). Take, then, my head;
take my life ; for you are about to take from me that
which is equally dear to me." The lieutenant then took
off his cravat, and, with an energetic sign, explained to
the Emir his wish. The Emir looked at him all this
time with great calmness, and presently, returning him
his sworOlth an air of kindness, said to him, through
the interpier, " There is no cowardice in yielding to a
force so considerable as that which is opposed to you ;
accept the lot which fate has destined for you ; your
men shall be treated with humanity ; none of them shall
be dispoiled ; and they shall owe to you a life which
they cannot possibly preserve otherwise. Do not
grieve ; such are the chances of war ; mine to- day
yours to-morrow. God will have it so." At this mo-
ment the sub-lieutenant and surgeon arrived ; for they
having already written a note to the lieutenant to know
the result of his interview, but which had not reached
him, had no longer been able to endure the state of
anxiety in which they found themselves. Whilst the
interpreter was explaining to them the substance of the
conference, the detachment itself arrived, without arms,
and they all became prisoners. This happened on the
28th of September, 1845. They followed the march of
the Emir's army, from place to place, until the 4th of
October, when they were joined by 86 other French pri-
soners, the remains of a detachment of 400 who had been
met by a very superior force, and had fought as long as
they could. On the 4th of April, 1846, an order was
brought that the officers of the two detachments, and
four men as attendants, were to pack up their tents, &c.,
and march to Zarries, and that the rest of the men were
to follow the next day. After marching for four days
they came to a plateau where was encamped the main
army of the enemy, but there were no signs of their poor
men, whom, indeed, they never saw again, for in the
interim they had all been slaughtered. Though the
Arab chiefs denied that such was the case,
and said that the men had been sent to Zabara,
yet various circumstances excited a suspicion in their
minds that they had been massacred ; and all doubt
on the subject was removed on the Ist of June by a
letter being brought to the officers, with Abd-el-Ka
der's seal, stating that the Emir had thrice written to
General Cavaignac about an exchange of prisoners ;
that, in his last letter, he had stated that he had rea-
son to believe that the Emperor of Morocco, the ally
of France, was about to make an attempt to gain these
prisoners, and that unlees an exchange was effected in
twenty days they would be put to death. The letter
stated that no answer had been returned, and that,
therefore, there was no alternative. The eleven sur-
vivors expected that the same fate would soon be expectation
but it appears that they were spared, in the exope ey,
that they would be ransomed by a sum of re 'II the
funds of the Emir being at a low
the bna b.
porrinhtebglauneis::'
tion, indeed, was at length put to
frfinos
for their
whether they would pay 60,000
liberty ; but they refused, saying
that the sum was
"'After several
more than they could command
nego-
tiations it was agreed that 30booro francs should be pill
last, they were con-
and, on the 24th of No m
veseeeenear Algeria, where the
ducted to a Spanish
money was paid, andpotreesS. panish governor sent them
to the nearest French port in Algeria. On their arrival
there, they went to head-quarters ; and shortly after-
wards Lieut. Marin was
_ordered to take his trial before
a court-martial forn surrendered to the enemy
lie wag found guilty and sentenced
without fighting !
to he shot. He availed himself, however, of the
privilege of every prisoner to appeal to the Court
of Cessation, and this Court has since nullified the
decision of the other, and ordered another trial,
which, it is expected, will take place in France,

probably at Marseilles, because the lieutenant
has represented that there is in Algeria a prejudice
against him, and that he cannot there have a fair trial.
I have read the narrative of the captivity, during four-
teen months, of the lieutenant and his companions, and
their sufferings and privations must have been terrible
indeed; and yet, after all the misery, mental and bodily,
that this poor lieutenant has gone through, he is brought
to trial and sentenced to death for an act of the purest
humanity. Oh! wretched and ungrateful country
that compels a man, whether be will or no, to
become a soldier (unless he is rich enough to buy a sub-
stitute), then refuses to make an exchange:for him if he
becomes a prisoner, and punishes with death the officer
who has done his best to save him from cruel butchery.
Every one who reads the simple narrative of this poor
lieutenant, and his unvarnished letters to his sister, must
detest the name of conscription, abhor the words
"mili-
tary horror," and execrate the name of Algeria ; whilst
his blood must boil with indignation against a Govern-
ment so corrupt, or weak, or unfeeling, or ungrate-
ful, as to permit such destruction of men, and such
endurance of suffering as is constantly taking place for
, such a worthless possession as Algeria. The small
garrison to which this lieutenant was carrying am-
munition, Bsc., consisting of 100 men, were set upon
by the Arabs, and every one killed. Four days before
this lieutenant was intercepted by Abd-el-Fader,
another detachment of French, amounting to 400
men, was met by 3,000 Arabs. There was no
parley; a fight commenced, and only eighty-six out of
the number escaped death. There must be gross mis-
management somewhere, when small detachments are
sent, as it were, into the very jaws of a numerous and
bloodthirsty enemy. Perhaps you will ask the reason
why the French Government does not make an ex-
change of prisoners, knowing the sufferings they en-
dure, and the risk that exists of their being slaughtered,
owing to the Arab chiefs having no settled place in
which to keep them in safety, and being themselves re-
duced to such poverty of means, that they have not, at
times, scarcely wherewith to nourish them ? The reason
is,that they look upon Abd-el-Bader as a usurper of autho •
rity, a rebel chief, a mere head of a bandit party, and
they will not recognise him as a rightful Emir, by treat-
ing with him as with any other lawful prince. And so,
from this pretty piece of political etiquette, the paternal
Government of France suffers its brave defenders to
endure indescribable miseries and privations, or be
slaughtered in cold blood if they hays the misfortune
to fall into the hands of the enemy. "Liberty !"
" France," and "La belle France," are pretty epithets,
but, to those who get a peep behind the scenes they are
little else than idealities. * *.

DIET OF THE PEOPLE.
(From the Dublin Evening Post.)
The following communication from the Central Board
of Health has been issued as a circular by the Relief
Commissioners. It contains matter of great importance
and interest to all classes, and on some points—particu-
larly those in reference to quality, as distinguished from
quantity, of food—information new, but highly instruc-
tive to our readers, and for which we should feel grateful
to the Board of Health :

" Central Board of health, 64, Lower Gardiner-strict,

21st June, 1847.
"Gentlemen,—The Central Board of Health have
had under consideration your letter of the 3d instant,
requesting to be informed 'in how small a propor-
tion rice may be used with Indian mcal (if at all

necessary) without sacrificing its useful properties,
as a corrective of the prevailing malady of the population;
or the advantage, if any, of the additional bulk it acquires
in cooking ?' and, in reply, the Board desire to observe
that the precise proportion for the object in view
could not be fixed, as it would often necessarily vary ac-
cording to circumstances of seasons, predisposition to
disease, and even individual constitutions; but that as a
general rule, rice may be mixed with advantage in almost
any proportions, however small, with Indian meal, and
in larger proportions, according as its cost may permit;
care, however, being always taken, as explained in pre-
vious letters of the 11th May, and Ist June (see extracts
annexed), that each ration when cooked should contain
its full equivalent of raw meal and rice, as recommended
by the Board of Health in the same communications.
"The Board of Health, although admitting the ad-
vantage of bulk occasionally acquired in food by cook-
ing, yet, taking into consideration one of the forms of
disease now prevalent in Ireland, do not recommend
that rice should be used with the object of giving bulk
by the absorption of watery particles; but, on the con-
trary, that cooked rations should be given out in as solid
a form as possible, leaving it to the natural feelings of
thirst to supply the quantity of fluid necessary for
healthy digestion. With the object also of obviating
the general predisposition to relaxation of the bowels,
which will probably increase as the summer advances,
the Board of Health recommend the addition of some
of the ordinary condiments to the stirabout, of which
perhaps pepper will be found the most acceptable and
the cheapest.
" The Board of Health take this opportunity of
acquainting the Relief Commissioners, that they have
itttrlO. Ala mu Elba n,Teue ireuva lent e' - al-flar llttf Li le
marked improvement in the general health and strength
of the people, have followed upon the substitution of
cooked food for raw meal, and they, therefore, again
recommend that every exertion should be made for
extending the use of cooked food in the distribution of
rations.

" While on the subject of diet, the Board of Health
deem it of importance, through the medium of the Relief
Commissioners, to draw the attention of Relief Com-
mittees, and of the people generally, to the fact, that a
form of disease now very prevalent among the people;
resembling in many particulars sea scurvy, is connected
with, or dependent on a defective nutrition, arising, not
from deficiency of quantity, but from deficiency of
quality or variety in the food. The potato, although not
containing a large proportion of nutriment, is remarka-
ble as containing within itself all the varied elements
necessary for forming healthy blood; no one of the sub-
stitutes for it with the exception of oatmeal, possesses
this remarkable !property; and hence the use of more
than one article of food is necessary in order to secure a
sufficient supply of the varied elements of nutrition, and
thus to obviate the form of disease referred to.
" With this principle in view, the Board of Health, as
the season of the year now gives facilities for it; strongly
recommend the admixture of onion, leeks, scallions, of
shallott, in cooked meal rations, or stirabout, which will
both act as condiments, and will also furnish some of the
elements of nutrition essential for forming healthy
blood. Onions are so rich in nutritive qualities, that as
a mere article of food one ounce and a half may be con-
sidered as equivalent to about one ounce of meal. On
every opportunity the importance to health of using ve-
getables, such as carrots, parsnips, turnips, and cabbage,
along with meal, should be impressed upon the people.
" It may not, perhaps, be out of place in these obser-
vations to make the people generally acquainted with the
highly nutritive qualities of beans and pease, which,
weight for weight, contain from ten to twelve times as
much nutriment as potatoes. In those countries where
rica is very extensively used as the food of the people,
experience has taught them that rice by itself has low
nutritive qualities,
,but that ;the deficiency can be sup-
plied by adding about two ounces of beans, pease, or
lentils, to each pound of rice. It must, however, be re-
membered, that with beans or pease some other vegeta-
ble food must be used, as, although possessing, in a high
degree, some of the most important elements of nutri-
tion, they nevertheless do not contain a sufficient variety
of other nutritive elements to support the human body
in health.

(Signed)
To W. Stanley, Esq.,
"Secretary Relief Commission."
EXTRACTS FROM LETTER OF THE CENTRAL BOARD OF
HEALTH, DATED IST JUNE, 1847.

ARTIEUR, MOORE, Secretary.

" The allowance of rice which may reasonably be
made in lieu of Indian corn meal should not be less than
one pound and a half of rice in lieu of one pound of
Indian corn meal, where either grain is given alone;
and the same proprtion should be observed in a mixed
ration, viz., if half a pound of Indian corn meal be
given instead of the standard ration of one pound, there
should be given along with it three-quarters of a pound
of rice to make the mixed ration equivalent to one pound
of Indian corn meal; and in like manner of all other
proportions in which rice and Indian corn meal mixed
may form a ration.
su-
betngous 1
~ The Board of Health cannot hesitate to assure the
Relief Commissioners that rice, instead of
perior, is much inferior to Indian corn meal in
qualities. d boiling, may be
" It is true that rice, by steeping an
„gy solid food
bulk of appare .
made to furnish a larger a 1 quantity of Indian
than will be famished by
ani caiitisaen the supposition of
corn, and hence has proba. bbyt
of nutriment afforded.
the bulk thus obtained
parts in every one
A given quantity of it will, by
its being more nutritious;
of
isR Rice
eecceopntitiraTi n
sa s
atbooatr
ciArt,ht.y.tive
absorb a very large proportion of
ell into a large
and apparently firm
hundredsteeping andof starch.
boiling,
water, and will swell
will, .
of nutriment. A very simple experi-
ment
but this mass contain a very small propor-
tionate
in satisfactorily illustrate this:—Ono ounce of
common starch boiled in the ordinary way will form,
tionatewquantity
with a pint of water, a firm mass, which, from its ap-
parent consistency, will seem to be good substantial
food; but the bulk thus formed, it is obvious, contains
very little nutriment. In like manner of rice—cue
pound of it may be made to form, with water, a starchy
mass of five or six pounds weight; but the produce, as
in the experiment of the starch, is bulk without equiva-
lent nutriment."

TuE
STEAMER WASITINGTON.—CoIoneI Barlow,
the chairman of the Dock Company, has invited the
Captain and officers of the Washington to a dinner,
which will take place at the Dolphin Hotel, on Thursday
next, in commemoration of the Washington being the
first of the American liners that arrived in our docks.
The gallant Colonel has also invited S. P. Edwards,
Eq., collector of the Customs, and several other gentle-
men, to the entertainment, and there is but little doubt
that it will be such an one as will be worthy of the en-
tertainer and entertained.—Hampshirc Telegraph.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has received
from " C." 51. "for the exigencies of the country."
The amount will be paid into the receipt of the Ex-
chequer.