The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-22 00:00:00

THE FRENCH IN OTAHETI.
VALPARAISO, MAY 30, 184 G.
The following are extracts from a letter received by a
vessel just arrived from Otaheiti:—
Oranenri, APRIL 15, 184 G.—On the 22d of March, about
three o'clock in the afternoon, a few of the natives found their
way into the town, and set fire to the houses of Major Fergue,
a Polish gentleman. in the service of the French, and Mainoi,
a native chief, in the French interest; the latter they killed
before the French were able to interfere. The French soon
turned out to check and chastise the natives, and a general
firing commenced on both sides, which was kept up till near
seven o'clock in the evening. So sudden and unexpected
was the attack, that the inhabitants were all struck dumb
with consternation, and a scene of the greatest confusion ee:-
sued. The foreigners began immediately to remove their
fannies from the town onboard the vessels; some hurrying
away from the scene of the conflict with their wives and
children, and others escaping with their books, papers, and
what money they could lay their hands upon.
There was a loss in killed and wounded on both sides, but
the precise number I have not heard.
Next day, being Sunday, there was a cessation of hosti-
litie-t, but almost every day since shots have been exchanged ;
and to-day they bad another engagement. The plan adopted
by the hostile tribe appears now to be to hang about the
neighbourhood of the town and to harass the French with-
out coming to anything like a pitched battle. This morning
[the dates of the writer's letter run on consecutively from the
11th to the 15th of April] a party of the natives in the In-
terest of the French went, by permission of the Governor, a
short distance from the town, and attempted to plunder the
provisions, vegetables, &c., of the enemy, when they were
attacked and repulsed by the latter; they had one man shot
through the liver, who is now dead, another badly wounded,
and a third is missing. The other side lost one man killed.
In the second engagement above mentioned, which was the
most serious, the French had a force of about `...)50 men.
After a sharp firing of about an hour and a half, the French
and their allies (Kariakas, as the natives are called) returned
with two poor devils prisoners. The opposite party lost men
in killed in this engagement also. I cannot help alluding to
the cruelty of this wretched war of a powerful nation with
the poor inoffensive natives, and I do think that the adoption
of more conciliating and politic measures on the part of the
French would at least mend matters.
The avreement entered into between the Governor and Sir
George Seymour wee broken soon after the Admiral left, by
the sending of the L'Uranie to the Leeward Islands, and
destroying the beautiful little village on the Island of
Hualline.
To give a particular account of the events of the last three
weeks would require more time than I can spare; but I may
remark that the situation of the French is insecure, and that
of the British residents is extremely critical and unplea-
sant. Neither our lives nor our property are safe, and what
makes it worse for us is, that the French accuse us of insti-
gating the natives to renew hostilities, and with supplying
money and ammunition for them to carry on the war with ;
and so strong ie the feeling against us, that the French, even
our old acquaintances, keep aloof from us.. This feeling of
hostility has most unfortunately been communicated to the
" French natives, or allies," as they are called, as will appear
by the fact that about a fortnight ago, Dr. Henry, of the
Salamander, while walking in Dr. Johnstone's garden, was
fired at by a French native, and wounded in the back of the
head. The cloth cap he had on directed the course of the
ball upwards, which saved his life. The ball took with it a
part of his scalp. The native was tried by court-martial,
and acquitted. The verdict was, "Shot by accident." Dr.
Henry is now almost well again. What the British Admiral
will say to this verdict when he comes here, is a question of
deep interest to us.
In the event of the French troops being beaten by the
natives and driven within the outposts, the commander of
our own man-of-war, the Salamander, is strictly forbidden
even in that case to send his boats to our assistance. We
were told publicly by the "Director of European affairs"
(a French functionary), that, should the troops be beaten,
French boats would be sent to our relief, to which we should
be conducted by a guard of French soldiers, or to the square
of the Government-house, at our option. But though all this
seems very fine, we don't much relish "a guard of French
soldiers."
Our countryman --- had a narrow escape. He, with
the rest of us, sent his property on board, and shortly after-
wards a 32-pounder was shot slap through his house! He
landed his goods a week ago, and was obliged again to pack
up from the uncertainty (in which) we all are in as to the
result of all this fighting.
Every one is obliged to keep within doors from six in the
evening to six next morning ; and as for the pleasure or
comfort of living here we are obliged to subsist entirely upon
salted and preserved meats.
_ The following appears as an article of news this afternoon

in one of the Valparaiso newspapers :
" OTAUEITE.—The Hamburgh brig Vigilant brings us
news of two attacks of the natives and French. One was in
a valley, and both parties had several killed and wounded ;
the other was at a tower defended by a small (un corto) num-
ber of French, who made a sally, attacked (the natives) with
the bayonet, and took from them a piece of artillery which
they had brought."
The same paper adds :
" There was a scarcity of all kinds of provisions. Flour
was at 20 dolls. a barrel, and biscuit at 15 dolls."
The Vigilant has come here, chartered by the French Go-
vernment, to take provisions hence to Otaheite. She has
brought from Otaheite a cargo of molasses, and 20,000 dol-
lars in specie on private &mint.
Another letter from Otaheite states that a small schooner
of 62 tons burden, sailing under the flag of the "Navigators'
Islands," chartered by two British subjects, of the names of
Evans and Paynter, to trade amongst the Islands, is sup-
posed to have been run away with by the crew or by the
crews and captain jointly. The schooner was called the
Malolo, and the master's name is Turnbull. While the char-
terers were on shore negotiating for a return cargo to take to
Otaheite, on the sth of March last, they saw the schooner
stand out to sea, and they have had no intelligence of her
since. Evans, and another Englishman, a passenger, after
waiting ten days on the island, procured a native boat, and
proceeded to Otaheite, and gave information of the circum-
stance to Captain Hammond, of the Salamander, in the hope
that he might be able to render assistance in recovering the
schooner. It is with the same view that I mention the fact,
as if inserted in the papers the publicity given thereby to the
affair may lead to the discovery of her fate. V.
English merchantmen just arrived—The Ann Rankin,from
Glasgow, in 110 days; the Corsair, from London, in 91 days;
the Ann Mary, anchoring, from Liverpool, 135 days.—Val-
paraiso, May 31st.

THE 9th LANCERS at the BATTLE

OF SOBRAON.
We are requested to publish the following copy of a letter
addressed by Major-General Sir Harry Smith to Lieutenant-
Colonel Fullerton, commanding her Majesty's 9th Lancers,
in refutation of a calumnious statement which has obtained
circulation respecting the conduct of Colonel Campbell at the
battle of Sobraon. Although the statement referred to did
not appear in our columns, we have much pleasure in giving
publicity to so complete a vindication of Colonel Campbell's
character :
" Simla, June 18, 1846.

" Sir—ln reply to your letter of the 14th inst , this day re- i
ceived, representing that some vile, calumnious, and wicked
reports are in circulation by certain newspapers in England,
to the effect that her Majesty's 9th Lancers did not do their
duty in the field at the memorable battle of Sobraon ; I have
the satisfaction to record the following facts, although I had
heretofore believed that a regiment of British Dragoons was
protected from insult and indignity by its own appellation.
" On the celebrated morning of the 10th of February the
division of Infantry under my command was directed to post
itself on the banks of the Sutlej, fronting the left of the
enemy's position, and near the village of Guttah, as near
the enemy as possible, but not to get within range of his
cannon.
" The brigade of cavalry under Brigadier Campbell,
of the 9th Lancers, and in which this corps was, I had
received instructions would be placed in support, to the
rear of the left of my division, and to the right of General
Gilbert's.
" At daylight in the morning Brigadier Campbell rode up
to me with his staff, and pointing out his brigade, requested
to know if it was posted as desired.
" I highly approved of its position. Not certain that I
was with my division near enough to the enemy, I directed
Brigadier Campbell to move up a squadron of the 9th Lan-
cers which he, instantly did, for the purpose of ascertaining
the range of the enemy's cannon.
" The squadron was commanded by Captain Read, who
handled it in a masterly manner, moving up to the enemy's
position with skirmishers; rapidly a heavy cannonade was
opened on this squadron. My object as to distance was at-
tained, and I withdrew the squadron, which Captain Read
again brought back in the steadiness with which it had ad-
vanced, although at the time under a sharp cannonade, and
when this squadron rejoined the beautiful body of men the
9th Lancers, I saw that flash of the British soldier's eye which
is not to be mistaken, and a sort of pulsated motion in their
saddles, evincing that eagerness for the fight their national
courage inspired.
" My division was ordered to the assault of deep and strong
entrenchments—no field for cavalry, difficult enough for in-
fantry—and I directed Brigadier Campbell to remain where
he was, to support my division and General Gilbert's, in case
we were beaten back ; an event I did not anticipate, although
I provided for it.
" Atter the victory, I ascertained that so eager was this
brigade for the assault, that it had been moved forward, and
had lost some men and horses by the enemy's cannon. This
I regretted, but could not animadvert upon so laudable a de-
sire to participate in the danger and glory of victory. Had
I made use of this brigade in the assault of entrenchments, it
would have been madness; while I assert, with veteran con-
fidence-and the knowledge of British soldiers which expe-
rience acquires, that never did our country, so famed for
gallantry in its soldiers, possess a regiment better animated
with every noble feeling of the brave, from its officers to the
privates, than the brigade of Brigadier Campbell, of which
the 9th Lancers formed a conspicuous portion; or never did
the revered Sovereign of our realm possess a regiment of
Dragoons more efficient in physical strength, or better
animated for war, than her Majesty's 9th Lancers.
" I have entered into a lengthy detail, almost unnecessary,
for our noble and gallant Commander-in-Chief's dispatch
contains all that I have recorded in a few words; and the
world may rely on ix, that such a General would never com-
mend the craven-hearted—an appellation, I thank my God,
in 41 years' experience, I have never seen applicable to a
British regiment in the most daring deeds of arms.—l have
the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient humble servant,
H. G. SMITH, Major-General.
" To Lieut.-Colonel Fullerton, commanding
her Majesty's 9th Lancers."

ADVANCE IN WAGES.—A HINT TO MASTERS AND
WORKMEN.—There is now some evidence of a much better
state of feeling than when strikes among workmen were the
order of the day. The operative carpet-weavers of England
petitioned their employers for an advance of wages, which
was granted for six months, on condition that the Scotch
manufacturers would give a similar rise. This was acceded
to with great good will. The English operatives, by letter,
then requested their Sottish brethen to use their influence
with their employers to give a corresponding advance on
wages, and to use every moral means in their power
to be successful, as in the event of want of success the
English weaver would, at the end of six months, lose
the advance, which is a valuable one, being fully eleven per
cent. Accordingly, the Scottish weavers have petitioned
their employers, and already five firms have given the
advance, in a very handsome manner, two firms in Ban-
nockburn, and three in Glasgow. The firm of Messrs. John
Geddes and Sons have deserved great praise in this affair, in
at once giving the advance, and allowing it to come into im-
mediate operation. It is expected that this rise of wages
will become general. It is hoped that the carpet manufac-
turers of Kilmarnock and Aberdeen will likewise give the
advance, which now appears likely to be general, in the
handsome manner that the other manufacturers have done.—
Scotch Reformer's Gazette.
The Turkish police lately proceeded to the house of
a French hairdresser residing at Pera, in search of a Turkish woman
with whom ho was suspected to carry on an intrigue. The French-
can barred his door and refused them admittance, so that they were
obliged to wait for the arrival of an officer of the French embassy to
force their entrance to the house. As long a delay as possible was
contrived, and in the mean time an opening was made in the wall of
the house, and the woman passed through it in man's clothes. The
hole was masked by a picture, and when the police entered they
found nothing.