The Sun.
London, England, 1856-02-07 00:00:00

LATEST NEWS.

PARIS, TRIIRSDAY MORNING.

The French Government, last night, forwarded
the passports for the two Russian diplomatists
who are to attend the Congress.
Count Orloff has left the Russian capital for
Paris, and Baron Brunow leaves Frankfort to-
day.

The French Minister, M. de Bourqueney, quits'
Vienna to-day for France.

TRIESTE, FEB. 6.
The English are to send their German Legion,
as well as other troops, into Asia.

OMER PASHA. AND HIS ARMY.

HEAD-QUARTERS TURKISH ARMY, MINGRELIA,
Dec. 29.—Since the abandonment of Seva, on the
retreat, Skender Pasha has been desirous to harass
the enemy by a cavalry expedition, to be con-
ducted upon principles peculiarly his own. He
proposed that each man should carry 7 days' pro-
visions, that there should be no tents, that no pri-
soners should be taken, and that his own wounded
should be deserted and left where they fell.
His plan was not sanctioned by his superiors,.
probably because it was contrary to their great
principle of passive expectancy ; but, the rear
of the camp at and about Chopi having been
threatened by a mixed force of Russians and native
militia, Skender Pasha was directed to dislodge
them. He started on the morning of the 23d, and
found four battalions of the enemy, with a few
small mountain guns, posted in a neighbouring vil-
lage. The wooded ground interfering with cavalry
operations, he sent to the camp for reinforcements
of infantry ; and as soon as these reinforcements
arrived, after a short exchange of distant and harm-
less firing, the enemy prepared to evacuate his posi-
tion. Skender Pasha ordered a bayonet-charge ;
and, having given the word of command, dashed
forward alone at full gallop into the very midst of
the Russians, and cut his way out again unharmed,
to rejoin his troops. While this act of foolhardi-
ness was being performed, the advancing Turks
encountered a flock of geese, a prize as precious
to them as the golden apple to Atalanta. Forget-
ful of the enemy, they lost all order in pursuit of
the feathered booty ; and only returned to their'
ranks when Skender Pasha rode amcmg them, vo-
ciferatinc, curses and dealing forth blows with a
liberal hand.b Again the levelled bayonets advanced
to the charge, the more fortunate of the soldiers
having each a goose struggling under his- arm or
dangling lifeless from his belt. But, on reaching
the village, a number of sheep were found grazing
behind the houses, and, with the, unfailing instinct
of half-filled stomachs, the volley of musketry
that should have been reserved for the Muscova
dealt death and destruction among the hapless
muttons. Here blows and curses were of no
avail. The geese could be carried, the slaughtered
sheep could not be left. Thanks, therefore, to the
hunger of the soldiers, the Russian and Miu-
grelian troops made, good their retreat ; Skender
Pasha having no consolation, except in the burning
of the village and in the indiscriminate plunder of
everything contained in it. The sheep that escaped
the volley were driven into camp, and 'the victors
tasted meat, perhaps not having, done so for a fort-
night. Under a proper system of provisioning they
would certainly have done all that was actually
accomplished, and would also have inflicted a severe
blow upon the enemy, instead of figuring as the
chief actors inn scene of disgracefal and unparalleled
absurdity.
On.the 26th intelligence of a skirmish at Sugdidi
reached camp from Redout Kaleh. The story is,
that a party of native militia attacked and drove
in the Turkish outposts, but that the assailants
wore eventually repulsed with some slaughter.
JAN. I.—Omer Pasha has abandoned his inten-
tion of returning to Ohopi.. He is havinc, his winter
residence constructed near Redout Kalbeh.

TURKEY.
(Prosy the Times Correspondent.)
CoNsratcruiorna, Jan. 28.—As I told you in my
last, after the third conference about the fourth
point has taken place between the representatives
of England, France, .and Austria on one hand,
and the Grand "Vizier, and the Minister of
Foreign Affairs on the other ; the former, acting
in concert, drew up a note, in which they
embodied the general ideas and principles they
wished to propose to the l'urkish Government on
this subject. Lord Stratford, who had taken the
lead in this matter all along, drew up the original
docu went, which, after "a few alterations from his
colleagues, was accepted by them, and in this
amended form transmitted to the Porte on the 22d
instant.
This document, although only containing the ge-
neral principles which, according to the Ambassa-
dors, ought to be followed in the amelioration of
the condition of the Christians in Turkey, is of con-
siderable length, and touches on many subjects
which do not indeed directly belong to this ques-
tion, but without the regulation of which it was
not thought possible to make any permanent eine"
lioration.
The document begins by saying that the time
has come that the Turkish Government, in consi-
deration of the services rendered to Turkey by the
allies, as well as in its own well understood interest,
should make those changes in her internal institu-
tions which on one side might satisfy the wishes of
Europe for ameliorating the condition of the non-
Mussulman subjects of the Porto, and on the other
side set at rest the just claims of so large a portion
of the population, consolidate the Turkish empire,
and make its further material and social develop-
ment possible.
After this introduction the first point touches on
the general principle of equality between Mussul-
man and non-Munulman subjects, the security of
their persons and property ; it treats likewise of
the position of foreigners in Turkey, especially as
regards their inability to hold property.
The second point concerns the administration of
justice. Separate tribunals are proposed for the
Mussulman and non-Mussulman subjects. For
mixed cases, where both Mussulman and non-Mus-
sulman are concerned, a mixed tribunal fairly
constituted is recommended, and the right of all
non-Mussulmans to come forward as witnesses de-
manded. in the original
oc imen d t it was even
proposed to appoint a non-Mussulman adlatus to
every Mussulrou Governor, in order to protect
the rights of the non-Mussulman subjects in this
respect. Should a diversity of opinion arise between
the two it was proposed that the matter should be
referred to Constantinople. This point has I hear
been 'given up, after mature consideration, and
very wisely too it seems to me, for it would have
been in contradiction with another point likewise
recommended, namely the ability of non-Mussul-
man subjects to fill official posts,by which these latter
could become themselves Governors. Besides,
such a proposition, if carried would throw the
whole provincial jurisdiction into the hands of the
Council in
-Constantinople, for it is highly probable
that it livery case the two Governors would take
a go74trary viei of the disputed question.
The next point regards the police of the Empire
on an extended and improved scale.
Another, the' development of the agricultural,
industrial; and commercial resources of the coun-
try, roads, canals, railroads, imports and exports,
regulations of commerce, and finishes with allu-
sions to the undoubted desirability of an improved
financial system.
The next point touches education, school's, ele-
meLtary as well as superior, medical polytech-
nic, &c.
Then comes the right of indiscriminate military,
enlistment, expressed, however, only in principle.
The opinion of the Porte is demanded as to how
she could best combine the application of this prin-
ciple with the existing military institutions of
Turkey.
The last point is the removal of the inability of
non-Mussulman subjects for civil and military
offices.

Thus you see nothing has been omitted which can
contribute to the objects in view ; on the contrary,
many subjects have been touched which have only
indirectly reference to it. The propositions about the
fourth point have thus grown into the project of a
complete social, judicial, political, and military re-
form, nor could it be expected to be otherwise, for
the principle of complete equality, civil and politi-
cal, of all subjects, alters entirely the bases of all
institutions in Turkey.
Several conferences have been held at the Porte
to discuss the merits of these propositions of the
allies, and on the 26th inst., that is, the day before
yesterday, a great council was held, iu which the
answer to 'lles° propositions were considered. I
can hear :As yet nothing of the nature of this
answer, b at it is highly probable that the general
principles themselves will, under the existing
circums.tences not be objected to. But whether
such sorer 'ping reforms can be carried out at one.
stroke i.s another question altogether. They
imply a :1 ecolution as cSaplete for Turkey as that
of 93 in :France. If lam well informed even the
Ambasse v (tors do not expect complete success, but
they see)). t to have started from the traditional
diploar tic niaxina to demand a great deal in orclter
to get 4 l'attieG