The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-03 00:00:00

THE SUN, [MN DON, THURSDAY EV Pl.NifiG, JANUARY 3, 1856

LINES LEASED ‘T FIXED RENTALP.

LAW INTELLIGENCE—(This Day.)

THE SURRENDER OF KARS.

RAILWAYS.

Compans

Ciostng enclr
yester thy

T4nwlnells
Tester lay.

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.

ERZEROUM, Dec. 11.—Our first news of the pro-
bable fall of Kars reached 113 through that line old
soldier General Kmetty. Riding in hot haste, he
reached this ou the afternoon of the 28th ultimo.
The intelligence he brought simply amounted to
this—that the provisions being all but exhausted
General Williams had sent his aide-do-camp,
Major Teesdale, to Mouravieff, to propose the
opening of negotiations. Kmetty's own case was a
desperate one. He had been formally sentenced to
death by the Austrian Government, and had no
mercy to expect at the hands of the Russians.
Things being at this pass, he waited ou General
Williams, and bes Ought him to accept his resigna-
tion, and allow him to cut his way through the
enemy's lines. His sword, he said, was now of no
further use, and he would rather blow his brains
out than become a prisoner at discretion. Williams
feeling bow little ho could do for him if it came to
the worst, allowed him to leave, which he did that
very night, accompanied by General Kolman and
an escort of trusty Kurds. Kolman, as an officer
who had held high rank in the Hungarian revolu-
tionary army, was in the same predicament as
himself. The Russian soldiers on the move at

(Before Mr. Commissioner Evans.)
IN RE WILLIAM ASLETON.

This was a meeting for certificate. The bankrupt was
described as of Loughborough-road, Brixton, builder.
The amended balance-sheet commenced Sept. 8, 1854,
and ended Sept. 18, 1855, and showed Dr. to surplus,
2,070/. ; creditors unsecured, 8331. 18,. id. ; do. holding
security, 1,2401. ; liabilities, 1571. 17s. ; Cr. by good
debts, 91. 4s. 2d. ; property, 6221. ; do. in dispute, 7001.;
do. held by creditors, 1,7501. ; liabilities, 1571. 178. ;
losses, 1341. 15e. ; trade charges, 7021. 17e. 93.; house
and personal expenses, 2041. Ss. 4d.

The bankrupt obtained a first-class certificate.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—(This Day.

MANSION-lIOUSE.

RO➢EERY OF £985 BY A BANK CLERK•—A respect.
ably-dressed young. man, described on the police-sheet as
Robert Holly Withers, 19 years of age, clerk, was placed
at the bar charged with having absconded with 9851. in
Bank of England notes from Leighton Buzzard, the
property of his masters, Messrs. Bassett, Son, and Har-
ris, bankers, of that place.
John Spittle, a City detective, deposed that in conse-
quence of a telegraphic communication received this
morning at the police-station, he went about 6 o'clock to
Euston-square station and there met Mr. F. Bassett.
Shortly after, the prisoner, with a carpet bag and an
umbrella in his hand, entered the pay-office at the
station, when he was pointed out to witness by Mr.
Bassett, who gave him into custody. Witness informed
the prisoner he was a police-officer, and charged
him with robbing the bank at Leighton Buzzard of 9851.
in Bank of England notes. Witness desired him to hand
him all the notes he had about him, and he took a roll
of notes from his pocket and gave them to him, com-
prising 3 notes of 1001. each, 2 of 501., 11 of 201., 18 of
101. and 36 of 5L He was then removed to Moor-lane
Station and searched, when another 51. Bank of England
note was found upon him, 9/. 10s. in gold, and some
silver and copper. The charge was then made against
him and entered, but the prisoner said nothing. On
his way to the Mansion House he said, "It was his
intention to have gone down by the half-past six o'clock
train and have replaced the notes by half-past eight
o'clock, as it was his duty to take the notes out of
the drawer, in the morning, and he could have re-
placed them without their having been missed. What
he did last night was owing to his having taken a little
drink."

night recognise each other by a peculiar low, long
whistle ; and, imitating this, the adventurous little
party succeeded in passing several of their patrols.
At last, however, they were recognised, charged,
and dispersed, but, meeting at a place of rendez-
vous previously fixed upon, continued their jour-
ney till they reached this without further accident.
After their arrival we remained in a state of un-
certainty for several days. They had left Rars
before Teesdale return (it turned out aftewards
that he had been detained to dinner by Mouravieff),
and were, consequently, quite ignorant as to what
terms might be offered and accepted on either side.
All they knew was that General Williams's affairs
had reached the point of desperation, and that ho
was not in a position to refuse any conditions
which the Russians might please to offer. We were
at last relieved from our painful suspense by the
arrival of Captain Thomson's interpreter, another
Hungarian refugee in the Turkish service. He
left Kars after negotiations had been closed, and

was enabled to inform us on what conditions it had

been surrendered. They were as follows :—That
all non-combatants should be allowed to leave ;
that private property should be respected, the in-
habitants uninjured, and that all foreigners in the
Turkish service should be permitted to depart un-
questioned. Last, not least, all the officers were
allowed to retain their swords in consideration of
their gallant defence on the 29th of September,
and to the honour of Alouravieff be it said, that
this generous clause was inserted in the body of
the treaty with his own hand. Seventy guns, on
the other side, and 20,000 stand of arms, were
made over to the Russians. The Nizam (regulars)
to the number of 5,000 were taken prisoners of war.
The Rediff, or militia, and Bashi-Bazouks were
dismissed, to go whither they would. Liberty,
however, in the case of the latter, has been at best
but a cruel gift. Our Siberian winter has set in
along the loftier mountain ranges, and report speaks
of 150 of these poor wretches being smothered to-
gether in a teppi, or snowstorm, within the wild
passes of the Suwanlee-dagh. Numbers, too, have
been frozen to death, and the villages along the
road from Kars are filled with their miserable com-
rades, who have sunk exhausted upon the way.
We see them staggering in all day along the prin-
cipal thoroughfare into the city, haggard and foot-
sore, their countenances half idiotic from cold,
hunger, and fatigue. _ .

Mr. F. Bassett, one of the firm, deposed that the pri-
soner was a clerk in their establishment, and bad been
placed with them more with a desire of his obtaining a
knowledge of business than remuneration, and that it
was painful to him to have to appear against him. It
was witiess's duty to see the money was all right, and to
lock the safe. The prisoner had nothing to do with the
cash. Last night, about half-past eleven o'clock, from
information he received, he went to the bank and ex-
amined the cash and found about 1,000/. missing. The
notes must have been, abstracted from a roll about a
quarter
past eight o clock last night whilst witness was
calledaway to another part of the bank. The book con-
taining the numbers of the notes had been also abstracted,
but the notes produced had the private marks of the
bank on them.

The prisoner, whe had nothing to say, was committed
for trial at the next Bedford Assizes.

LLOYD'S SHIPPING.—(This Day.)

LONDON, Jan. 3.—Wind this day at noon, light airs
from the Westward and dull hazy weather.
Cow's, Jan. 2.—Wind .E.—Arrived—Arana, from
Jamaica.
SOUTHAMPTON, Jan. 2.—Wind
loon, for the West Indies.
PLYMOUTH, Jan. 2.—Wind S.E.—Arrived—Walmer
Castle, from Landon, for Port Philip. Sailed—Amazon,
for Adelaide, S.A.
PORTSMOUTH, Jan. 2.—Wind S. to S.E.—Arrived—
Wales, from Calcutta. Sailed—Stad Uricht, for Sydney,
N.S. W.
FALMOUTH, Jan.
z fresh breezes.—Ar-
rived—Coraelia, from bloulusein.
SClLLY.—Arrived—Elin, from Rio Grande.
LOWESTOFT, Jan. 2.—The Harmony of Shields has put
in leaky, having struck on Yarmouth Sands.
WEVIINHOH, Jan. 2,--A brig laden with coals is on the
Gunfleet—is expected off with assistance—part of her
cargo thrown overboard.
CARDlFF.—Sailed—Adam Yon Ross, for Jamaica.

Their. condition, even before leaving Kars, was as
wretched as could be ; so much so (I quote word
for word from an eyewitness) that it was positively
painful to stir out of doors. They were lying about
in all directions, groaning piteously—watching the
Russian provision waggons, which, as if to add to
their misery, passed almost all day within their
ken. Townspeople and soldiers alike suffered all
the horrors of famine. The former crowded round
the General as ho rode out of his quarters, and
prayed him with all the eloquence of despair to seek
some means of putting an end to their misery.
Women forced their way into his very rooms, and,
throwing their starving children at his feet, im-
plored him rather to kill them at once than let
them perish thus piecemeal for want of sustenance.
The hospitals were crowded with sick ; on the
Thursday before the surrender 80 men died in one
day. Many went mad or became idiots from sheer
hunger and hard work. Those who preserved a
remnant of health, half-starved as they. were, and
scarcely clothed, were obliged to mount sentry
almost every night up to the alleles in snow. Since
the battle of the 29th there had been no animal
food to issue to the troops. Horses had indeed been
killed in the General's stables secretly by night,
but the meat was sent to the hospitals for the sick.
A pittance of bread or flour made into weak broth
was all that the working soldiers had to subsist
upon. Discipline was al'uost at an end. The sol-
diers had at one time all but worshipped General
' Williams. After the action, in particular, they
gathered round their gallant leader, only too happy,
after the Eastern fashion, to touch the hem of his
garment in token of their submission and respect.
Now these same men refused to salute him, turned
their eyes away when they saw him approach. Still,
to the last, he hardened his heart in hope. Omar
Pasha had written to him, on his arrival at Batoum,
to hold out only another month, and he would be
with him. The Muchir here, too, Selim Pasha,
who had been sent from Constantinople to take the
command, forwarded a similar despatch, informing
him that he was at the head of a large and well-
disciplined force, all admirably equipped and eager
for the fight, and that ho would lose no time in
marching to his relief. Thus deceived, the Gene-
ral determined to hold out as long as a mouthful
of food remained ; and, in fact, the last biscuit
was issued out of store on the very day of the
capitulation. At last, on finding out the truth.
that the Muchir here at least had no intention of
coming to his aid, ho called a general council and
proposed a sally. But the troops by this time wore
too exhausted even to march, far more to fight
their way for days together over the mountains.
We had no cavalry, no artillery horses ; fight-
ing our way in short, at such odds, was out of the
question, and a surrender was determined upon as
the only remaining resource. The terms obtained,
as may easily be believed, were much more favour-
able than the vanquished had any right to expect;
and, allowing all credit to the generous forbearance
of Moura.vieff, no small praise must at the same
time be accorded to General Williams for having
managed matters so well under such difficult cir-
cumstances. The two things that he felt most
anxious to settle well were the protection of the
inhabitants and the safety of his brave companions
in arms who might otherwise have paid a heavy
penalty for their doubled devotedness to the cause
of European freedom. His fixed determination on
these points of honour was of an order which needs
no praise of mine. He threatened, in fact, that
unless his wishes in regard to them were acceded
to, he would destroy the guns, blow up the works,
and then leave the Russians to do their worst.
Fortunately, ho had to deal with a reasonable
enemy, and the high-minded sacrifice was averted,
no less by firmness on the one side than forbear-
ance on the other. He had no difficulty, as far as
I can ascertain, in settling matters as he wished.
It was late before the Turkish troops were
marched out of the town. Those of the Russians
were drawn up without to receive them, and the
victors presented arms to the vanquished as they
passed.
The higher prisoners were treated with the
greatest kindness and consideration. The General,
after he had despatched the little business that re-
mained on his hands, was sent on the route to St.
Petersburg in Mouraviefrs carriage and four, ac-
companied by Colenel Lake,* Captain Thomson,
Mr. Churchill, his private Secretary, and an Eng-
lish soldier servant. All his Turkish servants had
deserted him in their dread of an imprisonment in
Russia ; but, as some similar custom has always
prevailed in the world, and can hardly be consi-
dered peculiar to Turkey, after all there was not
much to complain of. As to himself, he was in
good health and spirits, looking forward to a speedy
zelease.

(PER ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)
SOUTHAMPTON, Thursday Morning.
Arrived.—Calcutta, (s. tpt.), from Portsmouth ; Bro-
thers, Cardiff; Aurora, London ; Despatch, (s.), Jersey ;
Alliance and Nord, (s.), Havre.
Sailed—Wonder, (10, for Jersey ; Atalanta, (s.), Havre.
LIVERPOOL, Thursday Morning.
Wind S.
Arrived.—Charles Horsfall, from Bonny; Habana, (s.s.),
Havannah ; Margaret, Havre ; Montauk, Galveston.
Sailed—Mina, (s.s.)rfor Lisbon ; Curack, North Or-
leans ; Zagora, Alexandria ; Countess of Morley, for Gib-
raltar.

QUEENSTOWN, Jan. 1.
Wind N.N.E.
Arrived.—Oriono, from Syra ; Orwell, Prince Edward's
Island.

DUBLIN, Jan. 2.

Wind S.S.W.
Sallod. —Garland, for Jamaica.

(BY SUBMARINE AND BRITISH TELEGRAPH.)
Wind S. ; light and fin©. DEAL, Thursday, 9.41 a.m.
Passod—Scandin, from London for Cardiff.

The Government of Sweden is employed in making
extensive naval and military preparations.
It was rumoured yesterday in Paris that Marshal
Pelissier is appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Allied
armies.

General Giovanni Durand() will replace General La
Marmora ad interim in command of the Sardinian army
in the Crimea.

The receipts of the London and Blackwall Railway
for the half-year are 35,1921. against 38,3291. for the
corresponding period ending with Christmas, 1854.
LONDON, TILBURY, AND SOUTHEND RAII WAL—It is
proposed to make a branch railway, 41 miles in length,
from the London and Blackwall Extension line to the
Tilbury line at Barking.
SOUTHAMPTON Jan. 2.—The Royal Mail Company's
steam-ship Magdalena, Captain Abbott, left this day
with the usual West India, mail, a full cargo, jewellery
to the amount of 7,5001., and 117 passengers. The
Tyne, with the homeward West It dia mail, is expected
every hour.
NORTH BRITISH RAILWAY.—It appears that con-
siderable exertions are being made to change the
omanydirec-
tors of h
company, and to appoint other gentlemen
on from five to ten times as much
stock
as the present directors held.
The ladies of Launceston (Tasmania), having trans-
mitted to her Majesty the sum of 1,0841., to be applied
the
in
boardt i
the s
company
holdingp
for " the benefit of the sick and wounded soldiers, sailors,
and marines in hospitals abroad," her Majesty has been
graciously pleased to direct that the above sum shall be
placed at the disposal of Miss Nightingale, as the most
effectual and satisfactory mode of carrying out the
wishes of the ladies of Launceston.
The British war steamer Caradoc arrived at Mar-
seilles on the 30th ult., from Constantinople, which she
left on the 23d. Sir Edmund Lyons, Admiral-in-Chief
of the English Black Sea squadron, and General La
Marmora, Commander-in-Chief of the Sardinian army,
came passengers in that vessel, and took their depar-
ture for Paris the next morning. The Caradoc will, no
doubt, await the return of those two personages to con-
vey them to Malta, whence they will proceed to the
Crimea on board the Royal Albert. The Console ot Eng-
land and Sardinia accompanied Sir Edmund Lyons and
General La Marmora to the railway station. The 39th
Regiment of the line and two detachments of the 20th
and 50th, left Marseilles, by railway, for Paris on the
filet al
ANTICIPATED VISIT OF D. MEDHURST TO ENGLAND.
—For nearly forty years this distinguished Chinese
scholar and indefatigable missionary has prosecuted his
labours in the Gospel ; first in the Malayan Archipelago,
and, since the year 1843, in China Proper. Having re-
cently learnt that the pressure of these labours has begun
to tell with serious effect upon his health and spirits, the
Directors of the London Missionary Society have invited
pay a visit to his native country in the course of
WIDENING Or CHANCERY•LANL—Yesterday some
him
mxt tmmer.—Missionary Magazine.
houses on the west side of Chancery-lane were disposed
of by auction, by Messrs. Pullen and Son, Fore-street,
in compliance with directions from the City Improve-
ment Commissioners, and which will be forthwith taken
seof
'widening the entrance into it.
situate between the Mitre and Carey-
street, they are removed, there will be a
considerable addition of width to the street. A few
more houses will have to be cleared away to carry out
Tdohe hw
houses
the full intention of the improvements in this part of
the " Lane."
EFFECT OF THE RUSSIAN " INFERNAL 'MACHINE.—
for
and thear
wephue rp n
The surveying steamer Firefly, Captain Otter, which
arrived at Woolwich about ten days ago from the Baltic,
has been docked for the purpose of ascertaining the
amount of damage sustained by the explosion of the Rus-
sian infernal machine. Several sheets of her copper are
blistered on the spot struck, and some are ripped up.
The concussion, as described by the officers of the Firefly,
was very severe. The damages were principally internal,
and were repaired at the time by the carpenters of the
fleet. They consisted chiefly of injuries done to the sail-
room, which was knocked away, and the bulkheads were
sent across the orlop deck, which was likewise started
up three inches in various places. The whole of the
men's mess gear on the lower deck was broken to pieces.
The Firefly also experienced some very severe damage
in her lower timbers, and lost her forefoot on a reef of
rocks while carrying on her reconnoitering operations off
Abo, near the Gulf of Finland.
Voss's Gazette announces a new daily journal,
founded at Naumburg, in Prussian Saxony, to
advocate Russian interests.
A letter from Berlin of the 27th ult., in the
Correspondent of Hamburg, says "We are
assured in diplomatic circles that the Cabinet
has not yet sent from Berlin the despatches
in which representations in favour of peace are to
be made to Russia, but that a very pressing note
I to that effect is being prepared, and that it will be
bout off in a few clays,

At the tine of our last intelligence the Russians
had just taken possession of Kars, and. the town
was in a state of confusion, such as might be ex-
pected from its occupation by a mixed army of
wild Cossacks, Circassians, and Kurds, with no
small portion of a regular soldiery—the hardest
drinkers in the world. All our employes, however,
attached to the Turkish army were treated with the
greatest consideration till their final departure.
M. Zohrab, for instance, on General Williams's
staff as interpreter, was lying ill of typhus at the
time of occupation. On hearing the riot of the
soldiers he thought it would be safer to applY to
the commandant for a guard ; but the latter at
once relieved his fears by assuring him that strict
orders had been issued to insure his not being mo-
lested, and that if anything happened he should be
applied to at once. Passports were granted to the
Hungarian officers in the Turkish service with the
greatest readiness. The conduct of the Russians,
indeed, throughout has been irrepproachable.
There is very little news here as regards Ern-
roum itself. The Muchir has been hanging a few
spies. On riding through the bazaar the other day
I found one strung up at the Gorgi-kapu, or
George's-gate. He was suspended only a few yards
from the ground, with his hands tied behind him,
and then fastened to the shutters of a shop at his
hack, to prevent the body from swinging. The
Osmanli inmate of the said shop took it very

* Nothing is said of Teesdale. This must be ?Al oyeil
oight, 1 think.-_—E. •

quietly. He was sitting crosslegged on his counter,
smoking his chibouque, and staring at the corpse
as apathetically as possible. It was slung from his
roof, too, like a sign, and, if it had really been so,
ho could not have taken it more as a matter of
course. The man was an Armenian, and was to
have received 500 piastres (something less than
41.) in return for his information.
The weather on the hills has been very incle-
ment. I have already mentioned that 150 soldiers
were buried in a snowdrift. A caravan was swept
down in the same storm, and 10 men frozen to
death. The load lost was a valuable one, contain-
ing, however, a curious item—leeches. They form
an important article of Persian export. The value
of them is estimated at 3,0007.