The Sun.
London, England, 1860-07-27 00:00:00

TILE CIVIL WAR IN SYRIA.

The following letter appears among the "Papers
relating to the Disturbances in Syria," published
yesterday :

" MR HARVEY TO CONSUL FINN.
" Jerusalem, June 15, 1860,
" My dear Sir,—ln compliance with your re-
quest, I send you an account of the proceedings of
the R.Y.S. Claymore, at Tyre, on the 9th and 10th

of this month.
" As the circumstances will, of course, be greatly
exaggerated, and as it is so very undesirable that
yachts should ever abuse their privileges by inter-
fering in political matters, I am glad to have an 1
opportunity of stating publicly what I really did,
and my motives for so doing.
" Being becalmed about half-way between Tyre
and Sidon early on the morning of the 9th, we saw
her Majesty's ship Firefly steering towards Tyre,
and about 10 a.m. of the same day we met her on
her return from that place. We hove to to speak to
her, and heard that all was quiet.
" On approaching Tyre about 3 p.m. we saw sig-
nals being made to us from the, American Consulate,
and, upon going on shore I found the English Con-
sul, Mr. Attalah, and the Christian inhabitants in
a state of great alarm, on account of a letter which
had been received imraediately after the departure
of the steamer, stating that a large body of Druses
meant to attack the town that night, The Con-
sul told me that our arrival had greatly re-
lieved their fears, and they earnestly wished
that we would remain a day or two, as the presence
of an English vessel would probably deter them
from miking the attack. Knowing how continually,
and with what little foundation such reports arise
in the East in time of war, I declined complying
with this request, being much pressed for time, and
having my family on board.
" However, about 10 p.m., he came on board again
with several of the principal Christians, and told
me that a second letter had just been received by
the Greek Bishop from the chief Sheik of the Meto-
wali, stating that the attack would certainly take
place to-night, and advising that the women and
children should be put in boats and sent out to sea.
He conjured me in the most earnest manner not to
desert them in their peril, his words being Si vows
etes Chretiens, et pour l'amour de Jesus Christ,' to
try and save some of the women and children. He
begged me to bring the Claymore (now about a mile
off) close to the shore; and anchor her so as to pro-
tect the gates of the town.
" I could no longer hesitate. The report was no
longer vague and uncertain, but had assumed some-
what of an official character from the position of
the writer of the letter, and the person to whom it
was addressed. I told the Consul that the request
must be made in writing, to which he agreed, and
a copy of this document shall be sent you from
Jaffa.

" The Consul brought off the captain of the port
to pilot us, and some boats to tow us, it being now
calm. I anchored just out of musket-shot of the
town, close to some country vessels, and moored head
and stern in such a position that my guns would
rake the flank of any party advancing to attack the
gate; got all my guns over to the land side and ran
them out ; loaded all our revolvers, served out mus-
kets and ball cartridge to the crew, made them a
speech, in reply to which they all swore to stand by
me, and, in short, in my very small way, cleared
for action.
" At the same time I explained to the Consul
what I would and what I would not do. I had
placed the yacht in such a position as might well
deter a party advancing to the attack of the town
from exposing themselves to the fire; but I distinctly
told him that I should not consider myself justified
in actually firing. I had had no formal or written
request for assistance from the Turkish authorities,
and I personally entertain a great admiration and
regard for the Druses, from whom we had lately
received great hospitality. What I would do was
this—l advised him, as soon as the attack began,
to send all the women and children on board
the country vessels, near which I had purposely
anchored, and I undertook to fire on any boats
approaching them with hostile intentions, or
to return any fire which might be directed on
them from the shore, provided they had not pro-
voked it by firing first themselves. I should have
endeavoured to communicate this to the Druse
Chief, with whom, indeed, I should have sought a
personal interview. The English Consul informed
me that many women and children had taken re-
fuge in his house, which was barricaded and de-
fended by 50 men well armed. He himself, with a
party, were to patrol the town all night, and that
the Turkish Governor, with another party, had
placed himself so as to command the isthmus.
" The night, however, passed off quietly, and next
morning I went on shore and suggested to the Eng-
lish Consul that scouts should be sent into the moun-
tains to reconnoitre, and that all the boats should be
seized and placed under a strong guard, I also went
with him to see whether a simple earthwork might
not be thrown up to continue the line of the east
wall of the town across the isthmus.
" From the nature of the ground, however, full
of pits and mounds, and considering that the chief
danger was from the Metowali population of the
town itself, I abandoned this plan as impracticable.
I found scouts had already been sent by the Go-
vernor, and a party were told off to seize the boats,
but as this would have caused a great sensation
and given great offence to the Metowali, I sug-
gested it should not be executed till the enemy
were actually in sight.
" The day also passed off quietly, but great ap-
prehensions were still entertained for the coming
night, during which the same precautions were
taken as the preceding one. Boing constantly en-
treated to remain till Monday, I consented to do so.
The opinion seemed then to be that should no
attack take place to-night the probabilities were
that the Druses had changed theiv plans, and the
immediate danger would be over. Probably the
arrival of the Claymore so immediately after the
departure of the Firefly had caused the yacht to be
taken for a man-of-war under her orders; for I was
told that two men, well known to be Druse spies,
had left the town immediately after the Claymore
took up her position near the beach, aid hastened
to the mountains to inform their friends of the vast
accession of force the Tyrians had received from
my poor little 4-pounders.
" However, I do not believe the Druses would
attack any place defended by an English force,
however small. They have a great esteem and re-
w‘ld
oo
gard for us, and would hesitate in commencing what
would appear, according to their ideas, abl d-feud
with Great Britain.
" Feating lest the part which I have taken may
lead to a hostile feeling against the English, and
so affect future travellers in the Lebanon, I shall
write to my friend Said Bek Joublat, at Moktareh,
the Prince of the Druses, to say that I should have
taken no other part than to have protected the
women and children, in which I am sure he would
have assistedte
ronicte.i; and that I should have extended
thesame on equally bad the party attacked
pbeen Druses. Before my departure I received an
address of thanks signed by the Greek and most of
the Christian inhabitants. The Turkish Governor
had come on board the day before to express his
obligation to me.
" I feel great pleasure in stating that, as far as I
could judge, the English
Consul a
the affair with great vigour
and
determination.--I
throughout
rmiii
at
ien.—
have, &e.,

"JOHN HARVEY."