The Sun.
London, England, 1833-09-17 00:00:00

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not more frequent. One of the British couriers has
been delayed here a month ; but as another arrived
this morning, it is presumed that the former will
soon take his departure.
Considerable alarm was caused here on Monday
in consequence of a fire having taken place in Galata,
which consumed at least 100 houses and 150 shops,
as the Monifeur Ottoman, though interested in Its
diminution, frankly allows. Threatening notices
were sent round, and I myself saw masons at work
walling up the windows of some merchants' count-
ing-houses and other stores, to prevent combustibles
being thrown therein by the incendiaries. The sol-
diers are said to be principal agents in this nefarious
Plan, because they are treated harshly and their pay
reduced ; several of them have been arrested. There
are, besides, many foreign wretches in this city who
make a practice of plundering during a fire, and who,of
course, do not neglect encouraging incendiarism.
The frail wooden buildings of which this city is
formed serve much to keep the inhabitants in terror.
Yet no stone buildings are now erecting, with the
exception of the Russian Chancellaria, as the bureaux
of that embassy and consulate are called; all Pere,
where the Franks reside, is formed of wooden filthy
barrack-hke huts. The Turks are described as
having an aversion to stone buildings, lest they
should be used as fortresses against their troops.
Guardhouses are placed in every street, and an
active police is kept up in order to prevent all po-
pular commotions; yet there is no inhabitant who,
on going to bed, does not think of the chance of his
being awakened during the night by the cry of fire.
The departure of Achmet Pacha to St. Peters-
burgh has not taken place : it is supposed that the
aversion of this favourite to the English and French
arises from the money with which the Russians
have supplied him ; he is afraid lest his absence
should produce an intrigue to upset him. The in-
trigues of the two parties at Court are now as strong
as before.
I saw the Sultan on Friday last, surrounded by
all his officers of state, as he entered the mosque at
Beshik Tack, about six miles from the city ; he
looked a fresh hale man on horseback ; but on foot
his short legs gave him an undignified appearance.
To my surprise, he, who is represented as so grave,
laughed loud on seeing the Seraskier Pacha in the
porch. After the usual prayers, the Dervishes of
the mosque, who are of a spt cial order, participating
alike of the howling and dancing classes, commenced
their religious exhibition in his presence. Although
no Christian is allowed to enter the building, I con-
trived to see them from without. Thirty of them
stood at first in a circle, and commenced bowing to
the right and left, and to the three masters of the
ceremonies in the centre : while some of their order
beat a drum, and a sort of cymbal with a leathern
thong, and sung verses from the Koran. The bow-
ers hopped round several times, shouting " Alla
hu ;" next they joined in parties of threes, and
jumped several times like mad waltzers, still shout-
ing or hallooing in concert. It was a horrible speci-
men of human absurdity, to see them caper in the
air, and to hear them respire and shriek together.
Some sunk from exhaustion; at length the others
grouped themselves in parties of 8 or 10, and hopped
and jumped, and hallooed " Alla hu," &c. until they
could do it no more. On a signal from the superior they
returned to the first places, when after a short pause

they recommenced their antics. Mahmoud, who
has a taste for such exhibitions, was in the gallery
looking on, with all his Court; even the Turkish
ladies, who were not allowed to enter the mosque
during prayers, obtained permission from behind a
screen to witness this fete. Several persons, among
whom I was, looked on through a window, but or-
ders were at length given them to retire.
The Russian ambassador, Count Butenieff, had
a solemn audience last Wednesday of the Reis Ef-
fendi, when the ratifications of the late treaty were,
as it is confidently affirmed, exchanged. This may
account for the fact of four or five Turkish corvettes
having been sent to the arsenal, where, as if to be
laid up in ordinary, they have had their yards and
topmasts taken down.
The Aloniteur Ottoman, which is now published
once a week, and solely in the Turkish language,
contains, in the last, a notice that the Sultan having
been prevented during two years, by the laws of
destiny, from sending his usual tribute to the sacred
tomb of the prophet, was preparing so to do this
year ; and that the pilgrims would proceed as usual.
This is regarded as a sign of peace on the side of
the Sultan. Another notice states, that an
order has been issued to all the Pachas, to
have the money left by will, &c., to the young
men employed as soldiers, taken care of. As
the number of Turkish youths in all the villages

is much diminished, and ;Is the Pachas plunder on
all sides, this order is considered as equivalent to al-
lowing them to seize the property of the young
soldiers altogether. There is a story in circulation
of the Sultan having given leave to 300 of the dis-
contented to proceed to their homes, but orders
were sent to the Pachas to cut them to pieces on
their arrival. Disturbances have broken out in Al-
bania. In Bosnia the Porte has made some efforts
to control the disaffected, by sending thither David
Pacha, who was formerly implicated in a rebellion
at Bagdad, but whose firmness and talents have in-
sured his pardon and his being employed in an im-
portant situation, to enable him to enter upon which
the Sultan advanced him 500 purses, about 2,5001.
The want of money is still the crying evil : all the
departments of the Government are embarrassed;
credit and commerce are at a low ebb. Small
vessels, which used formerly to traffic in corn from
the Black Sea, are now begging freights in this
port; several Greek vessels of this description have
turned pirates even on the Sea of Marmora, that is,
Within sight of Constantinople. The Government
has made some attempts to put them down, as they
have been in the Archipelago by the British and
French fleets. The Actapon frigate has gone on a
cruise into the Sea of Marmota, but is to return to-
morrow.

The sultan is preparing a grand review of his

troops at St. Stephan°, which is to take place this
week. It is now said that a great many of the
Turkish men-of-war are to go into the arsenal.
A tartar has arrived this evening from Syria with
intelligence that Ibrahim Pacha had returned to
Alexandria; he is said to be about to visit Mecca.
The misery in Egypt is described as very great.
The last intelligence from Greece states that a
division prevails among the members of the Re-
gency, the Count Armansperg and M. Von. Maurer
being opposed to the plans of General lleidegger.
King Otho was confined for a week to his bed, in
consequence of illness, caused by his melancholy si-
tuation and disappointments. The Greek bishops
and priests are preparing to separate from the pa-
triarch of Constantinople, and to establish a synod
for the government of their church.
TUESDAY, AUG. 27.—The Russian fleet has not
as yet gone into ordinary, for that Government is on
the alert, in order to profit of every occasion that
may offer. A person who left Odessa ten days ago
has described the Russian soldiers as delighted
with their expedition to this country, particularly as
their rations were considerably increased. They
have a wish to return, but as yet all look tranquil
in that direction.
In Albania, where the inhabitants are remarkable
for the most warlike disposition, the disturbances
are very serious. The people detest the Pachas or
Governors sent by the Porte, who oppress and
plunder without scruple ; they are therefore in re-
volt en masse against every agent of the Sultan,
and wish to have a Pacha of their own, whom
they can control.
In the island of Cyprus, the population of al
ranks have joined to throw off the yoke of the
Sultan ; they have, as it is reported, murdered
the Austrian Consul, and compelled the British
and French Consuls to adopt their cause, in or-
der to save their lives.

It is the fashion of this country to decry all
that the Egyptian Government does, and in par-
ticular to paint the misery of the Egyptian sub-
jects. The misery is undoubted,—but so is that
of the Turks. Mehemet Ali is most enterprising,