The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-05 00:00:00

THE SIEGE OP HERAT.

The fall of Herat was again reported yesterday
on the arrival of the Marseilles packet from Con-
stantinople. The public have had some experience
of the value of reports from this quarter, and will
probably require some better warrant for the
news.
Some statements from Teheran, very favourable
to the Persian besiegers, were copied by us yes-
terday from the Presse d'Orient. They are not
very consistent with the following, which is taken
from the Journal de Constantinople of the 21st.
December
The latest news which we have received from
Persia, and which conies to us from a reliable
source, contains some facts of the highest import-
ance.

Prince Murad Mirza, the general commander-
in-chief of the Persian expedition against Herat,
had written to Teheran that he finds it utterly
impossible to make himself master of the city with
25,000 men. Th© father of the reigning Shah,
Mohamed Shah, was not able to succeed in doing
so when he attacked Herat with a force of 80,000
be :
The Emir r ,
men.
The arrival at Herat of the Emir Serdar, the son
of Dost Mohamed Khan, with a reinforcement of
numerous columns of Atthan troops, belonging to
the warlike tribes of the Tadiks, of Kisilbacb, and
others, had resulted in the re-establishment at
Herat of the lines of communication with Aff-
ghanistan.
The Army of the Shah was concentrated towards
the north-west, and was awaiting succour from
te t
bSerdar,
inhabitants upon his
thatarrival
hadat Hbeereant ,
gentan-
nounced
Teheran.
hhei
s rea
fna
Dost Mohamed, as a precursor of his
formidable army, which was at that time concen-
trated at Candahar, and ready to march against
the Persians.

----
WHAT NEXT ?—Some of the banners sect to the Mis•
souri invaders, worked by the ladies and blessed by the
priests, bore upon them "For God and Slavery !"
ANOTHER :TREAT CITY FlRE.—Yesterday morning,
about half past ten o'clock, a fire, attended with a great
destruction of property, broke out in the extensive
range of premises belonging to Mr. C. S. Spencer,
steam-will and. saw-mill proprietor, carry'ng on busi-
ness in .Northumberland-all Fenchuren-street, City.
The building was nearly 80 feet long, and of considerable
width. It was filled up with costly steam machinery
and engines.
_TS v three o'clock in the morning the fire
was entirely eV';'. nguished, but not until the engine-
house, the boiler-lam uses, and other rooms were destroyed.
Fortunately, the sulTerers were insured.
held yesterday at the
PHILANTHROPIC S'
meeting of the director, s of this admirable institution was
The following statementei:• , in the chair.
-street ; William Gladstone, EDHILL.—A
statistics of
for the quarter
the efficiency of the charity • Admissions
riends, 4 on con-
Sept. 1 to Dec. 1 :—On pay. nie!itarly 1
Crown-court, Thread-
needle
11 Bth Viet., c. 86,
ditional pardon, 17 ; under 1, h
7Lschorgee—Emigrated, 11;
16 ;
transferredfre list, 2 ; total, 39.
.o
ffi•TxYche'issb i ti sn. interestingSCHOOLS, Lq.
'
1 by friends, 2 ; placed
00l frigate 2 ; placed on
trial
with
i r
iteontdhse,
11,1 i v; e
withdrawrpo o l islc.
in the school, 241.
r
in service, 1 ; total, 37. Numbs, -,-. ,i and 18th Vic., cap.
The school was certified under it IA
CATTLE .SHow.—Yesterday
in conform ,ity with the rules
86, Sept. S.
gates of the Baker-street
of the Smithfield Club, the
t all further aih nission of imple-
ments afternoon, l'erE S 1 laTtlitFhlreeneD o'clock,CLUi3
Bazaar were closed against
somewhat its usual aspect
at tin's period. The
to assume
are nearly all oocupied, not-
withstandinghe galleries
stands in t l
e increase of space, with machinery
of agrioul ture..aiTnshe show yard hi now beginning
a arg
and implements, and the various stalls are iv' readiness
for
the reception of
the cattle, some c f which
base
already arrived, and to which there will be a
large accession in the course of to-day. The grey t bulk,
however, of the animals entered will not arrive' until
to-morrow (Saturday), more especially those from the
Birmingham cattle show, which does not close till this
found n
Prince Albert and the Prince of Wales, the Duke
of v
Richmond, the Duke of Rutland, the Duke of Bed-
feoredn,itge Amongst the competitors will, it is stated, be
Earl of Leicester, Earl Spencer, Earl Ducie,
Lord Portman, Lord Berners, Sir John Shelley, m-P.,
and nearly all the well-known agriculturists throughout
the kingdom. The judges will make their awards of
the prizes on Monday, and in the evening the private
view will take place. It is believed that Prince Albert
and the Prince of Wales will this year honour the show
with their presence.