The Sun.
London, England, 1834-11-17 00:00:00

TURKEY.

CONSTANTINOPLE, OcT. 21.—We have news that the
Russians continue their warlike preparations upon a large
scale, and one is led to judge that something is contem-
plated, either defensive or offensive. The fortifications at
and about Sebastopol are being greatly strengthened, and
the building of heavy ships goes on at a great rate, not only
at the public establishments, but in the merchants' yards.
Russia seems determined to make the most of the time
that has been foolishly granted her, and she will soon be
in a condition to set England at defiance, having, as she
has, the power, at any moment, of throwing out her frontier
to the Hellespont. Then there are, at this moment 85,000
Russian soldiers collected at different places, whence they
could be conveyed, at the shortest notice, to Stamboul and
the Dardanelles. Of these, 15.000 are at Silistria, which,
it will not be forgotten, is in Turkey ; 25,000 are in
Walachia and Moldavia, or on their frontiers ; 25,000 are
in Bessarabia ; and 20,000 are at Sebastopol, Nicolaif, &c.
Behind these, at no considerable distance, and ready to
support them, are 80,000 or 100,000 more ; and these are
quite independent of the eastern army, kept as an incubus
sitting on the breast of Persia. And yet we see all
this ; and knowing Russia of old, as bent upon devour-
ing Turkey, we look on, and make ourselves believe we
confide implicitly in the honourable intentions of Russia ?
Russia prepares her hosts just to watch over the safely
of her she has long doomed as her victim ! But the
Emperor Nicholas is magnanimous. He has hugged
,Sultan Mahmoud to his bosom, and will treat him this time
as a friend. It is still in the minds of many of us that
when he commenced the last war upon Turkey, he de-
clared solemnly, with a flourish about magnanimityand pure
intentions, that he would not accept a foot of ground—he
had no idea of conquests ; and yet he blushed not to dic-
tate the treaty of Adrianople, which made over to him
Sandjaks and fortresses in Asia, and put him really in pos-
session of Wallachia and Moldavia, which it is a farce to
call any other than a part of Russia. Now, this same
Turkey is again placed at the mercy of the same disinte-
rested gentleman, and England looks on, with half-a-dozen
ships down in the Archipelago, and France, with a power-
ful fleet
Russia. As long as there are fools in the world, there will
always be rogues to profit of their folly ; and Russia is now
profittinc,,, of it with a vengeance. At any hour Constanti-
nople is her's ; the Dardanelles are her's ; every thing is
her's. The Turkish army has even been removed to a dis-
tance, and will be kept there for some time, no doubt—
certainly during the winter and spring, so that the door is
well open, and if the Russians feel so disposed they may
come down and take possession at their leisure. I don't
pretend to say they will do so, but is it right to leave so
much in their power ? Ultimately, come they must, either
as friends or foes ; and once here, it is very unlikely that
they would go away again. The finances of Russia will
hardly admit of her keeping colossal armies on foot for a
long time, just to watch ilst Turkey reposes, and the
Emperor must be playing for a greater stake than that. If
the west of Europe were to-morrow engaged, so that atten-
tion to this quarter would be entirely drawn off, we should
have the Russians down before the end of the week.
It would appear that everything is quiet in Syria, but
the questions in dispute between the Sultan and Mehemet
Ali are as far from an arrangement as ever. The Pacha oi.
Sivass had been on an excursion against a powerful tribe of
Kurds, whom he has put in order, and afterwards he em-
ployed his army of 40,000 men in cutting a military road
over the mountains leading into Diarbekir ; so that, should
circumstances require it, he would have no difficulty in
Crossing with all his artillery and baggage. This would be
the best way, too, of getting to Orfa, should he be sent to
expel the Egyptians from that Sandjak. If everything were
settled in that quarter, as some pretend, where would be
the object of keeping up so large an army there ? Until
this army is withdrawn, it is evident no final determination
has been come to. One thing is certain, that Mehemet Ali
owes an immense sum to the Sultan, and pays not a para.
The Sultan never hears his name mentioned but he scowls
vengeance. A very little, consequently, would produce a
renewal of the war, and the present peace is a hollow truce-
to all intents and purposes.

The plague goes on much as before ; but, I think, is ra-
ther on the decline. The Turks are tired of taking pre-
cautions against, and mingle together without the least re-
straint. The school processions, which have been suspended
ever since the destruction of the Janissaries, have this year
been renewed. The scholars of all the 600 and odd Mus-
selmen schools of Constantinople, in long conical and other
caps, made of pasteboard, and rendered as gaudy as gilt
paper and tinsel can make them, are conducted by their
respective hodjas (masters) to various pleasant places of
resort about the capital. Flags decorate and music enlivens
the procession, which is sometimes accompanied also by men
on horseback, masked as Ulemahs, with head and arms suit-
able to great men, inasmuch as they would be well propor-
tioned to bodies ten feet high. Thousands of richly-attired
Turkish ladies, in carriages and arcabas, throng to the scene,
as well as a fair proportion of well-dressed men on foot and
on horseback. They go early in the morning. The scholars
are engaged in sports suited to their different ages. Ven-
ders of sweetmeats and other good things attend, and it
becomes a lively affair ; nor does it terminate until threat-
ening darkness disperses both actors and spectators. In a
word, it is an Eton Montem at Constantinople, repeated
during the fine days of perhaps a whole month. Tho
Sultan wishes to make himself as popular as possible, and
in removing the prohibition to those amusements he sent his
son-in-law, Halil Pacha, accompanied by many of the
Turkish Ministers, and influential men, to grace the first
master by their presence. There is great liberty and hap-
piness amongst the middle and lower classes at Constanti-
nople ; and, perhaps, the Sultan is led to believe all his
people are equally cared for ; but he is mistaken, for their
sufferings in the Asiatic provinces are dreadful. Justice
there sleeps, and nearly every Governor is a tyraut, whose
only aim seems to be to enrich himself at the expense of
those over whose welfare he ought to watch. If men
were placed at their posts purposely to ruin the country
in every possible shape, and with all practicable expodition,
they could not succeed more completely.