The Sun.
London, England, 1856-02-09 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 9, 1856.

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2PORTINU NOTES.

LATH BilrKS.-TURF TALK.

The " Bricks ".of Bath were not a little gratified with
the success of their steeplechase meeting yesterday.
They, however, unquestionably deserved their good for-
tune, for, unlike some race officials, they were not con-
tent with issuing an attractive programme, and leaving
the realisation of the promise of sport to chance, but
they worked cordially and effectively to obtain the
patronage and support of owners of horses and the
racing public. For the first time, for many years, the
scene of action for the cross country contests took
place on the race course,- and so numerous were
the people scaling the steep heights of Lansdowne, that
I could scarcely divest myself of the idea that I was
' about to assi,t at the celebration of the legitimate May
Meeting. The sport was marked by several incidents of
temporary interest. The ground was deep and hold-
ing, and severely distressed.the competitors. To the
great joy of the Victoria•street division, General Evans
followed up his Chet tsey victory by upsetting a very,
" hot pot.' on Tons Gurney for the Bath and Somerset
Steeplechase. Mr. Pattison seems to have worked
wonders with the General ; for, after turning him out
for some time, he had him in training only about three
weeks before he sent Lim to Chertsey. There the horse
surprised him by winning. At Bath, however, success
was expected, and I am glad to say the horse was
backed by its party. Surely a dinner ought to take
place at the Victoria Club to celebrate the victory of
General Evans !

Strange stories are circulated about;the "nobblerg,"
who have, it is asserted, made two distinct and despe-
rate attempts to "get at" the Derby favourites—Fly-by-
Night and Ellington. The former horse, if report speaks
true, narrowly escaped being pois9ned. The facts, as
they have reached me, are these:—A carrot containing
poison was introduced among several others about to
be used in John Scott's stable. The hope was, of
course, that Flyby-Night would ha►Ve the fatal morsel.
Chance, however, directed otherwise, and the poisoned
carrot fell to Aurifer, who died shortly after eating it.
I believe that strict inquiries are being made into the
affair. An attempt to get at Ellington was more
clumsily made. His stable door was broken, but the
persons were, it is supposed, disturbed, for they did not
complete their work. The days of nobbling and Dan
Dawson are seemingly about to .he revived with a ven-
geance.

Poor Frank Butler was buried on Thursday last. He
expressed a wish before his death that Lis funeral should
be very quiet. Never, perhaps, was a jockey more re-
spected ; and, certainly, never was a man more de-
servedly esteemed. I received my early education at
the same school with Frank, and he was then loved by
his school-fellows. Frank was a good, diligent scholar,
and belonged to the " first form."
Liticolu Raoes will take place on Tuesday and Wed-
nesday next, and notwithstanding the "bad odour"
which still attaches to them, they are likely to be at-
tended with fair success. The programme comprises flat
races and steeplechases. I will discuss the items on
Monday. A FRESH MAN.
Feb. 9.

STOBY OF THE SIEGE OF KARS.

dren, we can no longer support them !" Such a time st.
that was the time for trying the true soldiers—(hear,
Lear)—and 1 am proud to say the soldiery there bore the
test nobly. (Cheers.) The Turkish soldiers have been
much abused, but they stood firmly and well under suf-
ferings end trials which could scarcely be exceeded, and
which I find it inipossih!e to describe. (Hear, hear.)
Many of them dropped down dead at their posts from
sheer hunger and exhaustion ; and in the forts, where
scanty provisions fur three days were laid up, there
was not a single instance ,if a biscuit being stolen. (Ap-
plause.) The hospitals were crowded with the sick and
dying, and death stared us itl the face daily, on every
band. (Applause.) But those who died, died like heroes;
and to the last our works were maintained by that gal-
lant band of starving soldiers. (Cheers.) At this time a
Turkish pacha, whose name I cannot mention without
indignation, was constantly writing to us from Erze-
route, whence we expected him to come with a reliev-
ing force—" Hold out, I am coming ;" "hold out two
days longer ;" " hold out three days _longer ;" " hold
out, I am coming." We did hold out, day after day, and
week after week, but relief never came. (Hear, hear.)
Perhaps ho had not sufficient force, but however the;
was, if it had not. been for hie delusive promises of relief.
the garrison of Kars would, to a man, have shouldered
their muskets and buckled on their swords, and cut
their way through the Russian force, leaving a heap of
ruins behind them. But this was not to be. The time
came at last, the dreadful hour of capitulation. The
hearts of every one swelled well nigh to bursting with
grief and indignation. (Hear, hear.) Geis. Williams.
one snowy morning—for the weather by that time had
become nipping cold--one snowy morning Gen. Wil-
liams rode out to the Russian camp with a flag of truce.
He was met and conducted with all due politeness and
respect to General Mouravieff. He said, " I have come
to arrange the terms of capitulation. There are certain
articles upon which I must insist, and if you refuse
them, you must remember the garrison has not yet
surrendered ; if you refuse them every gun in Kars
shall be burst, every trophy destroyed. (Hear, hear.)
I have no wish to rob you of trophies which you have
well earned, but if the terms I ask are refused, you will
have nothing but a famished crowd of disarmed soldiers."
(Hear, hear.) That chivalrous and noble-minded man
—for it would ill become me not to render justice to
the chivalry of an enemy—(applause)—that noble-
minded man replied—" General Williams, you have
won for yourself a name in history ; posterity shall
stand amazed at the courage, at the endurance, and at
the lofty qualities exhibited by you in this siege.
Yourse'f and your troops are covered with glory. I
have no wish to outrage humanity by anything unbe-
coming me as a general ,and the terms you ask I accede
to." (Cheers.) I leave you to imagine the emotion
between those two brave generals, whose hearts were
swelling with the noblest feelings that ever wera ezlled
forth in our nature. (Loud cheers.) Ladies and gen.
Vernon, I am unable to describe to you the melaucholy
day of our capitulation; our poor troops, feeble and tot-
tering from starvation and disease, marched out to meet
—not a conquering, but a conquered and defeated foe.
(Hear, and cheers.) They laid down their arms to their
conquered enemy. They marched before a well-ap-
pointed, splendid, and magnificent array of men, and yet
an array whom that poor wretched body of captives had
defeated. They yielded not to their formidable besiegers
—they yielded only to famine. (Hear, hear, and cheers.)
But two days' provisions were left them at the time of
their capitulation, and those provisions consisted only
of a handful of biscuit on each man's back. (Hear, hear.)
Never shall I forget the scene of the capitulation.
Women and children wailed from the h.use tops ; old
warriors wept aloud, exclaiming, " How is it God has
forsaken us?" The Turkish soldiers reproached their Go-
vernment for thus deserting them, and it must be ad-
mitted that their Government was unworthy of such
splendid troops. (CheerS.) Time will show who was in
fault, but I think you will agree with me that, upon
whomsoever the blame may rest, the garrison of Kars
has covered itself with glory. I had a letter the other day
from a distinguished member of Parliament, who said,
" I have read your work ; but I am sorry to see you
have abused the Turks, and have thereby pitted the
fanatics of England against the fanatics of Turkey." I
deny that I have abused the Turks; I have only abused
the Turkish authorities, and if they do not deserve what
I have sail, lam ready to beg their pardon. (Cheers.)
You will real upon the subject yourselves, and will
then judge whether they have deserved what I have said
or not. The Turkish soldiers are brave, loyal, and de-
voted, and have proved themselves to be so, but a cer-
tain corrupt clique of Turkish Niches command these
soldiers, who are not worthy of them. (Cheers.) lam
unable to tell you how I admire tha Turks, but I will
not mix them up with those men who, by their acts,
heap contempt upon so noble a nation. Gentlemen, I
have concluded the few words I have to say to you, and
I have now only a little indulgence to ask of you, Mr.
Mayor. I beg to propose a toast. I have said how much
I feel honoured by the presence of the ladies, for in Tur-
key they shut up the ladies 'a the harems- -(laughter)-
a most vile practice. Allow me to propose the toast of
" The ladies of Hull." (Dr. Sand with sat down amid
loud and continued cheering.)
The toast was responded to, and the health of
General Williams having been drunk, the assembly dis-
persed.

Yesterday morning Dr. Sand with, the sole sojourner
in Kars who has yet arrived in England, was entertained
by his fellow-townsmen at Hull to a public breakfast at
tae Station Hotel. The Mayor (A. Bannister, Esq.)
occupied the chair, and there was present a wry large
number both of ladies and gentlemen. After the usual
loyal toasts, the Mayor proposed the health of Dr. Sand-
with, jun. Three enthusiastic cheers were given for
Dr. Sandwiths On the applause subsiding,
Dr. TIUMPHRY SANDWITH, jun., said—Mr. Mayor,
ladies and gentlemen, when, seven years ago, I first set
out from the town of Hull to seek my fortune in a dis-
tant land, high as were my anticipations, I never dreamed
of the honour which awaited me on my retain home.
Gentlemen, my heart is full, but my tongue is feeble and
inexperienced. (Cheers.) To you, Mr. Mayor, and
those. gentlemen
.who have planned this banquet, mythanks are chiefly due for the high honour that has been
done me, and the pleasure you have afforded me in
meeting so many of my fair countrywomen, whose bright
eyes and fair complexions I have but dreamed of for the
last seven years--(cheers and laughter)—and whom at
one time I never thought to see again. It is scarcely ne-
cessary for me to notice the delicacies spread out before
me, when but a few weeks ago I was taking a luncheon
off a poor old cavalry horse. Gentlemen, I can do little
more than repeat my thanks for the honours you have
this day conferred upon me. (Cheers.) But I cannot
accept them as merely given to myself. I cannot forget
my gallant old chief—(loud cheers)—who, though he lost
his city never lost a battle—(continued cheering)—who,
although in one sense unfortunate, has crowned his hon-
oured head with unfading laurels ; and I think, there-
fore, you will agree with me when I say that at the top of
that list of glorious heroes which this war has called forth
the'narne of General Williams stands pre-eminent. Only
those, perhaps, who have been with him during the whole
of that campaign, disastrous as it may have been in one
respect, yet glorious and advantageous in this—that we
may say it has saved Asia Minor—(cheers) —only those,
I say, who have been with him, and have been enabled
to follow his course step by step, and to watch him day
by day, can rightly understand the difficulties he has had
to encounter. (Cheers.) When we first went to Kars
we met the army at Erzeroum, a mere rabble. I would
not cast a slight upon a brave and long suffering ally,
but we cannot disguise the fact that the army to which
we went had been beaten five times, and that the last
battle had been the most disastrous of all. When Gen.
Williams joined that army he did so simply as her Ma-
jesty's commissioner, and not with any authority as a
general ; he had not the command of a single regiment
in the field ; his duty was simply to report the course of
events to his Government. But Gen. Williams was
equal to the circumstances in which het found himself
placed. (Cheers.) He found the army dissolved, and
the enemy at the very gates of the province—(hear)—
and peculation among the officials. (Cheers.) He at
once told the governor and the officers that they were
enriching themselves at the expense of the troops, and
Le told them so in language as plain as that I now use
to you. (Hear.) They crouched to him, and from that
time he was the actual commander-in-chief. (Cheers.)
During the winter of 1854, and during 1855, his work
was incessant ; ho prepared the army for a new cam-
paign, but unfortunately, and indeed unhappily, he was
not backed up at Constantinople. The Peebles were too
busy in filling their coffers to meet Gen. Williams's re-
quisitions ; but, nevertheless, this brought out the qua-
lities of the hero of Kars more than ever, and he made
the best of the resources he had. (Cheers.) General
Mouravieff, at the head of a well appointed army of
40,000 men, was just then preparing to besiege Kars.
We were at that time at Erzeroum. Colonel Lake had
gone on a month before to Kars, and had greatly
improved the insignificant fortifications which he found,
and, by Captain Thompson and Major Teesdale aiding
him, they made that city what it has proved to be --
impregnable to all but famine. (Loud cheers.) Four
forced over a distance of about one hundred
miles brought us to the city. We found the troops no
longer what they had been—poor, neglected, destitute,
ragged men--truly they were ragged men—but their eyes
were fi led with courage and their hearts full of "Veeliams
Pacha," whom they recognised as their commander.
They told us at every step that they would stand to the
last ; and I need not tell you Low well and nobly they
redeemed their word. For some few days we were me-
naced, but saw nothing of the Russians. Oe one occa-
sion, Col. Lake an-I myself did venture to go and tea() a
peep at .them. It aas early one morning, and that
morning introduced me to my first experience of actual
warfare, although I had gore through a campaign on
the Danube. We set out before daylight. We rode for
fire or six miles to our outpeets, which consisted of about
300 miserable cavalry. While taking a peep at the for-
midable Russians, my eyes were attracted to a dark
body looming through the gloom which appeared to be
bearing down upon us. We watched them carefully,
but they appeared to disperse. Nevertheless, Colonel
Lake deemed it advisaile to commence a quiet retreat,
and accordingly the commander gave the words, "Trot,"
"Canter." We had not proceeded far before three
whole regiments of Russian dragoons swept like a whirl-
wind down upon us. There was the crash of the car-
bines and the clash of sword., and they cut our little
force to pieces, though, thank God, I am here to tell the
story, but very few escaped to tell the tale. (Sensation.)
A few days after this day's incident, the alarm gun from
the top of a battery was fired, and the word passed from
mouth to mouth, "The foe, the foe !--they come, they
come !" (Hear.) We sallied out, not from our en-
trenchments, but from the open camp that surrounded
our breastworks, and then we saw a compact body of
men; their bayonets gleaming in the morning sun, their
flanks protected by cavalry and artillery—there, : say,
we saw them advancing towards our breastworks. Every
soldier there said, "Thank God, they have come at last!
We are ready !" I must tell you that at this time our
total force was about 17,000, including a great number
of irregulars; the enemy's force was 40,000. As this
huge body came nearer we pushed out our irregu-
lar cavalry, who were met by the Cossack irregu-
lar cavalry of the Russians. And never did my eyes
rest on a more glorious and magnificent scene.
The grassy plain between the two armies was
enamelled with myriads of flowers sparkling in the morn-
ing sun, and there the two forces in their Asiatic dress
and Asiatic armour met hand to hand, and chief to chief,
like as in some ancient tournament. But soon this play,
as it were, of warfare ceased. Their masses came on and
made a rush upon the extremity of our works, where
they met with a hailstorm of grape. Our cavalry sallied
out and met the advancing columns, and on all sides
raged the tide of war. (Cheers.) The battle lasted but a
short time—three hours at the utmost—and then the
Russians retreated. (Cheers.) Unluckily we had no
effective cavalry, or that might have been the first and
last affair at Kars. It were long to tell you what fol-
lowed. We had work enough to do I can assure you.
Day after day, week after week, passed without any
succours showing themselves, and without any as-
sistance being forthcoming. Nevertheless, the hearts
of the troops were in the right place. {Cheers.)
The Turkish soldier stood out wonderfully. General
Williams at that time was constantly with the Turkish
marshal in command, and he said, " Now we are fairly
and completely enclosed on all sides. You are hero as
Commander-in-Chief not only of the army but of the
town and fortress, and I am here to give you advice."
He still remained without any nominal command, but
he was actually, bona fide, and absolutely in command.
We had at that time a large portion of the population
disaffected towards us, namely, the Christians—and a
very good reason they had, I am sorry to say, for it—
for they had undergone ages of oppression at the hands
of unworthy governors and pachas. (Hear, hear.) We
had, besides, traitors in the camp ; and all these things
occupied the attention of the gallant General Williams.
However, measures were instantly taken for the repres-
sion of these. Week by week rolled on, varied only by an
occasional skirmish, an occasional feint, an occasional
slight attack. Still there were craven spirits who coun-
selled surrender, and, completely surrounded as we were,
our poor, starved, unpaid soldiers, many of them gave
way and deserted. General Williams at once adopted
strong measures. Every soldier caught attempting to
desert was tried by drumhead court-martial, and shot on
the spot. Every man found communicating with the
enemy was at once hung. (Sensation.) These things may
appear horrible to you in England, unaccustomed as you
are to having the horrors of war brought home to you ;
and I must say that these measures were not more pain-
ful to any individual than to Gen. Williams. Neverthe-
less they were necessary ; and it was these measures
which caused us to hold out, and, in fact, saved Asia
Minor. (Cheers.) But, gentlemen, a brighter day was
dawning for us ; another glorious triumph was to be
ours. On the 29th of September, when our troops were
giving way under the hope deferred, which rnaketh the
heart sick—on the 29th September, shortly after the sea
had risen, the roar of artillery was heard on the western
extremity of our works, intermingled with the rattle of
musketry. We knew then what had happened. W
knew from the constant roll of musketry and the inces-
sant roar of the cannon that the hour of assault had ar-
rived. Aud we thanked God in our hearts, and each man
buckled on his sword and rushed into tthesepoor midst
troops
of the
fray. (Cheers.) Several mortal hours ho
fought against the enemy whilst he made assault after
ra d the
they heaviest
were
assault. Some of our batteries were carried, but General
Williams, with eagle eye, saw where
:fight, and reinforcements wereteseunt
out raged
where
t o
required, and drove or!tta h the bayonet the
Russians who had got in o theirpb gin
atteries. There they
fought hand to hand with clubbed rifles, with daggers,
even with stones. Again, again, and again their close
aeolumns came up to be mown down by our artillery with.
Tape shot, and by the deadly and incessant fire of our
iflernen. After seven hours' mortal conflict, we saw at
In et the Russians retreating down the hill. (Cheers.)
T key bad advanced double quick time in their attack,
beet I cannot express to you the speed with which they
retired. (Laughter, and cheers.) We then saw every IMPROVED COMMUNICATION BETWEEN LONDON AND
she ipkeePer, tailor, shoemaker, and saddler in the place DUBLIN.—We have much pleasure in stating that Go-
jar; ne out, armed with their muskets and guns, and vernment have, within the last -few days, concluded
firing into the retreating soldiery. (Cheers-) The very arrangements for the future, by which the communicas
wo men brought us ammunition in their aprons, and tion between London and Dublin will be greatly ims
ass isted us in every way—crying out, "We pray for proved. The time required for passing from one metro-
yo‘ u," we will help you," "may God sharpen Your polis to the other, will be only eleven hours, instead of
sea ords." (Hear, hear.) Some of these devoted and between fourteen and fifteen hours, while the sea voyage
g. shlant women, I regret to say, fell—but they fell glo- will be performed with much greater comfort than at
ri ously, like true heroines as they were. (Cheers.) Un- present. The journey from London to Dublin will thus
h. ippily, at this time every grain of barley bad been be acoomplisbed in
in the latter er eatter case no sea or water
innian hr less than from London to
i sued, and we had not arty cavalry force in the place, Edinburgh, although
or this would have been the termination of our troubles. communication nt ery ones.— orninu
Advertiser.
(I rear, hear.) The Russians were able to retire to their THE FALL or KAES.—Aye can state, with the greatest
n up, where they bad 40,000 cavalry yet untouched confidence, that the official correspondence. which Lord
Clarendonhas promised
ate I uninjured ; so that although their infantry was tornbefore Parliament relative to
am I shattered in pieces, by means of their cavalry they the fall 0 Kars, will not be given in a complete form.
wee e still enabled to surround us. Ladies and gentle- I Some of the most important portions of that correspora
mrn a I cannot describe to you the horrors that ensued , dente will beomitted altogether, while, in several of the
in the month or two following this attack. There you documents, stars will figure somewhat profusely. The
sae, women and children expiring by• the way side of reason of this will, when the whole truth.comes out, be
fain fine ; as you passed along they
turned reproachful found to be, that a party whose 91CC2ite has seldom been men-
gala ces at the soldiery, almost as starving as they, ex- tioned in connection with the sacrifice of Kars to the
e
alai/ ring, " Why do you not go out to fight ? Why Russians, is implicated in that crime to a very great
keen us here to perish with hunger?" " Take the chil. extent.—Morning Adartiser.— [Who is he 9.--gD. Stat.]

MARKET NEWS.—(This Day.)

COVENT GARDEN.

We were tolerably well supplied with both fruit and
vegetables. On the whole, the trade ruled steady, at last
quotations.

FIIIIIT.—Pine apples, English, 4s to 6s per lb; colonial
do., Os to Os each ; hot-house grapes, 6s Od to 108 Od per lb ;
foreign ditto, Od to Os ; melons, 2s Od to 3s 6d each;
peaches, 2s Od to 6s; nectarines, is 6.1 to 4s per dozen ;
apples, is 6d to 2s 6d per half sieve ; pears, is Od to
3s per dozen ; plums, Os to Os per sieve ; green gages, Os
per punnet; apricots, is 6d to 5s Od per doz.; common plums,
Os Od to Os Od per sieve; cherries, Od to Od per pound ;
lemons, Gd to is Od per doz ; oranges, 3s to Os per 100 ; fil-
berts, 9s to Os per doz. lbs ; cobnuts, 14s to Os ; almonds,
Os to Os per lb. ; walnuts, 8d to 10d per 100; figs, Os 9d
to is Gd per doz ; strawberries, Od to Od per pottle ; goose-
berries, Os Od to Os Od per half sieve ; currants, Os Od to
Os Od per half sieve ; raspbsrries, Od to Od per pottle.
VEGETABLE.—GreeIaI, is 6d to 3s Od per doz. bunches;
cabbages, lOd to is Gd per dozen; Savoy ditto, is 6d to
2s Od per do. ; brocoli, is 6d to 3s per bundle ; potatoes, 60s
to 105 s per ton ; vegetable marrow, Od to Os per doz. ; peas,
Os to Os Od per bushel ; French beans, 3s Od to 4s Od per
100 ; turnips, 2d to 1.1 per bunch ; carrots, 5d to 6d per
bunch ; cucumbers, 4s Od to 6s Od each ; garlic, Od to
Os Bcl per pcund ; spinach, 4s Od to 5s Od per sieve ;
old onions, 2s 6d to 4s per bushel ; now ditto, Os to Os per
doz. bunches; leeks, MI to 3d per bunch : shallots,
6d to 8(1 ; horse-raddish, 2s Od to 4s Od per bundle ; parsley,
4d to Gd per bunch ; celery, Os 9d to is 6d per
bunch ; endive, is 6d to 4s Od per score ; beet, is Od to 2s
per doz. ; parsnips, Os 6d to is Od per dozen ; small
salad, 2d to 3d per punnet ; mushrooms, is 3d to is 9d per
pottle; artichokes, Os to Os Od per ha!f sieve; cabbage lettuces,
Od to Os Od per score; sorrel, 6d to is per half sieve,
radishes, is to ls 3d per dozen hands ; tomatoes, 3s to 4s
per half sieve ; chilhes, is to is 6d per 100; Brussels
sprouts, 3s Od to 3s Gd per half sieve ; capsicums, is to 2s
Per 100 ; walnuts pickling, Gd to is par 100 ; cauliflowers
6s to 10s Od per doz. ; rhuburb, is to is 6d per bundle ;
asparagus, 4s to lOs per 100 ; sea kail, is to 3s per punnet;