The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-19 00:00:00

THE WAR WITH PERSIA

A Constantinople letter of the sth says that
Ferukh Khan was to take possession on the 15th of
this month only of the palace assigned for his resi-
dence. According to the news it is unlikely that the
Persian ambassador, supposing him not to haye
given up the project of coming to Paris, will arrive
at Marseilles so soon as has been supposed. How-
ever, it was very confidently stated in the official
circles of Paris that he would really be at Marseilles
by the 22d. A correspondence of the Bth, in the
Constitutionnel, expresses an opinion that Lord de
Redcliffe's negotiations with Ferukh Khan did no
meet with all success that the English minister
hoped for. "This is but a conjecture," says the
correspondent, " but one that is not devoid of
probability." It is said that Ferukh Khan was
greatly dissatisfied with the explanations offered on
the subject of the attitude of the English in the
Persian Gulf, and their recent declaration of war,
and that he had suddenly broken off the conferences

which were commenced. If the rumours current

are to be believed, M. Thouvenel has offered his
mediation between the two diplomatists. •
M. Bourree, the French minister to the court of
Persia, whose arrival at Marseilles is announced by
telegraph, left Constantinople on the Bth rather un-
expectedly. It may be remembered that some time

ago it was thought that he would accompany Ferukh
Khan to Paris. The reason assigned for his abrupt
departure is the sufficiently probable one that he
desires to report to his government the present
state of the negotiations btween the English and
Persian Ministers on the Anglo-Persian question.
The Verite attaches no credit to the denial by
the Boersenhalle of Hamburg of the existence of a

defensive treaty between Russia and Persia.
The Presse d'Orient, iu speaking of the affairs of
Persia, says :
English subjects and interests at Teheran have, in
consequence of the absence of all the personnel of their na-
tional legation, been placed under the protection of the
Ottoman ambassador. The capture of Herat took place
on the 26th Oct., but no letters have been received from
that town later than the sth.
A letter from Teheran of Nov. 8, forwarded by
the Constantinople correspondent of La Presse,
gives some details of the circumstances connected
with the taking of Herat. It says :
The greatest joy was caused here by the news of Herat
having at last fallen into the hands of the Persians. When

at first the siege operations advanced but slowly, the
Shah sent there a French officer named Bubler, whom
he had had for some time in his service, for the purpo
of instructing the engineers of the Persian troops. That
officer had belonged to the Polytechnic School, and,
according to custom, went to the school at Metz, to
spend two years, at the end of which period he was
named lieutenant in the French army. Just at that time
Persia required a good officer of engineers, and M.
Buhler, thinking it a good opportunity to push his for-
tune, gave in his resignation, and, withdrawing from the
French army, proceeded to Persia, where, after a short
time, he had given such indubitable marks of ability,
that he was named colonel in the Persian army. When
the siege advanced so slowly, the Shah sent Col. Buhler
to the force before Herat, and transmitted special orders
to Sultan Muraci-Mirze, the commander in-chief, to
follow the French officer's advice in everything relating
to the works before the town. The day after his arrival,
in the beginning of August, Colonel Buhler was en-
trusted by the prince with the command of the opera.
tions, and at once gave an immense impulse to the
works. The approaches to the town were entirely pro-
tected, and bodies of troops were sent out to keep in
check the tribes in the neighbourhood, whom Dost
Mahomed was exciting to rise against the Persians.
These diversions had an excellent effect. The great
tribe of the Azareh, and the population of the
Ghour, were reduced to neutrality, and Timour
Konli Khan, the most important chief in the
country, repaired to Teheran to make profession of
his friendly disposition towards Persia. On the south
side an advance was made towards the chain of moun-
tains which extend in the direction of Candahar ; whilst,
at the same time, operations were carried on towards
Furrab, so as to counteract the movements of poet
Mahomed, who, at the instance of the English, had
gone in person to Candahar. All the efforts made to
stir up the natives of the country failed before the men'
sures of the Persian commander ; one of the most noted
military chieftains, the Sultan Ali Khan, was induced
even to quit Candahar with his family, and to come and
claim at Herat the protection of the General Sultan
Murad-Mirza, who allotted to him an asylum adequate
to his rank in the province of Khorassan, whilst he sent
one of his vassals, the chief of the tribe of the Aktche'
zais, to present his homage to the Shah, at Teheran.
As soon as the result of these operations had been ascer-
tained, the besiegers established three strong posts to
the eastward, at Bibrond Khan, at the sources of the
river Heriroud, which flows past Herat, and at other
places. This service was performed by the cavalry ; and
towards the end of the month of August the siege
batteries were in a condition to open fire, and the attack
was commenced against Fort Nouchki. The artillery'
wag well served, and the trenches were advancedregularly until they approached in some places wawa
ten metres of the ditch which surrounds the to.bwane.
The defensive works of Herat consisted of a
_ss-
tioned wall, which was raised during the siege of
_u.es
and which had forced the father of the reigning Sin
after many useless efforts, to raise the siege. Afterwards
some English officers of the East India Company's th
d
ser-
vicee had added exterior works, the key of whichwas
fort just mentioned, Nouchki, and certain fortifications
whilst
of no very great strength in front of Pilehkane,t.heGfaeteese.
the whole surrounded by a rather deep
a g their advances the
the Persians were steadily
ceeded in partially
destroying
command was frequently heard
Affghans by their frequent s?mrtiketsihnemowreortkhea.n olnncethseusee-
skirmishes the word of
uage
indeed there was not
given in the English l
thethe splliagchet.es todnoeu
ob
ft
ttbhea
most
noEnglishgst.cu ri officers
incidentscers were
of presentth e s
siege
who,n
without the k
limstaedneedbytoa ere praenpyeaotfePersian
aitors within thrle°wciietvdgeattedr
was an attempted attack made
traitors
ae
et
nasne
natd
ev at
one dark night surprised d
overwhelmed by superior numbers, were
station,lenders,by s
o a
tower,
from which, however,
t :loon givenpe rsia
nett bs.he:eediomry e r
tobliged to retreat with the loss of two-thirds of their
number. If this movement had been better arranged
and supported Herat would probably have fallen into
the power of the Shah that very night.
At the beginning of October the trenches were
so far advanced that Colonel Buhler pledged him-
self, in a despatch to the Shah, that the Place
would be taken within a given time, and so convinced
was the ruler of Persia that the French officer would
make good his promise that he raised him to the rank
of general. The exterior works were destroyed bl
mining, and several breaches were effected in the wall'
Everything was ready for the assault, and the Pershing
had made all their preparations for the final attae.ke
when the besieged, reduced to the greatest extremities V_
famine, and wishing to prevent the terrible consequence!
of the forced capture of the town by an army irritated
by a long resistance, despatched Mir-Abdol-Asim to
Persians, to declare the town was willing to surrender._e
This overture being well received, Yssa Khan, who co
mended the garrison, issued from the town, accoFcr,
vied by all the chief personages belonging to it, civil
military, and proceeded to the Persian camp to le
ad
his submission to Murad-Mirza. The prince rec_
him with great kindness, and with an assurance of goo
ia
were thrown open and the Persian troops mad
treatment. Immediately after the gates of thee t"
entrance, in such perfect order as to do great
honour o
the discipline acquired in the Shah's army.r
score
theti. It 18
was
thy of remark that not a single act of violence
tbe
committed. Murad-Mirza established hiresen
gafteectit
order
citadel with four of his regiments. The
guarded by Persian sentries, and the most pered
I:;the
""
fore,t aab li
distancehed in
et
fh
4e
o ltown.eag
leagues,
'occupiedbesare hear
Persians, and the chiefs of the Affghan.tri _
lligthmencitoaurniltyry arou
ing in from all sides to the commander-in-chief.

REDUCTION IN TILE RATE OF DISCOUNT.

(From the Times' City Article.)
The Bank of England yesterday hove lowered their rate
of discount from 61 per cent., at which it has stood during
the last fortnight, to 6 per cent.
eds teb
er daany:
Although it was known that the measure was certain to
ab be
tard. adopted
ieidn withinssi
o na
it
week
eorralt wq
uoa,
rat
en and s flie=s was wt
would
iily
nonnced forthwit, it seemed to create some surprise, and
caused an immediate movement in the funds of nearly' a
half per cont. According to the last Ga.zette return the
stock of bullion and the reserve of notes were beyond the
amounts at which they stood when the reduction to 6 per
cent. was resolved upon in May last, and there is reason to
suppose the next statement will exhibit a fresh improve-
ment. Meanwhile the Red Jacket, which is now 84 derv,
out from Melbourne, may be expected at any moment wite
a further quantity of gold, and an unusually heavy
receiPt
of silver is to be hoped for a fortnight hence by the nao
Mexican steamer. The American remittances are else
likely to be considerable by the Persia, which will be due
on Saturday. Hence, although the drain to India coo'
tinues upon an unexpected scale, and prevents any parole"
neat revival of the continental exchanges, the supplyyro•
miser fully to keep pace with the demand, and there is D°
ground for maintaining a rate higher than that of our
neighbours. With regard to any further relaxation, how'
ever, the prospect must now depend almost entirely uPen
the course of financial affairs in France and GernisoP
Probably, in consequence of the reduction here yesterclei
the Bank of France may speedily remove their prohibiti/
against bills having more than 60 days to run, but gel iora-
tion being found practicable in that country. In Clerrasui
and Holland, after some temporary signs of ease, the teli,i
dency lately has been towards an increase of pressure. I
is therefore necessary to recognise the possibility that tea
rate now fixed may have to be maintained for some tituet
and this consideration apparently led to a reaction in tl!o
Stock Exchange during yestyeerdstaeyrdaafyternoon from the oe"
vanced quotations which were realised when the alteratioa
waTshriersrteruacdtionpnabnlnico.unced
counts and to loans upon securities
The discount establishments have redaPuPcelideathsleiikr°rattoesdi::
51 per cent. for money at call, and to 5i per cent. for dt
posits with seven days' notice. The rate of the Joint-stooo.
Banks for deposits is reduced scent.
o 1 per
..............-......-....-,...--.--+......
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MADAME TUSSAITD'S EXIIIIIITION.—In conseque—
of the approaching holidays, numerous additions can
improvements are, we understand, in progress. A-reelic,
the latest additions is a portrait model of Robson, e,
notorious for frauds committed while in the service 0'
the Crystal Palace Company. wile in
that,
although the attendance at this popular establishrnen!
was more considerably increased than on auy previoo
occasion, not one accident occurred,