The Sun.
London, England, 1860-08-23 00:00:00

THE SUM LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, AUGUST 23, 1860.

er'
misery Beyrout. Early last month the few Eng-
lish and American residents here formed themselves
into an " Anglo-American Committee" for the relief
of the destitution created by the religious war, and
right nobly have they done their work, sparing
neither their time nor personal labours nor purses in
the discharge of their self .imposed duties. If the
sources of their charity are limited, if they confine
their appeals chiefly to those whose mother tongue
is English, the application of this charity is most
Catholic and in the broadest and most liberal spirit.
They have already collected from local subscribers
49,487 piastres, and spent 23,358 piastres, out of
which 4,700 piastres were handed over to the Sisters
of Charity, and the remainder expended in the pur-
chase of clothing, bedding, and in the daily supply
of food. Operations were commenced on the 16th
of July. After the first four days the average num-
ber of persons fed was about 700, but on the 6th of
last month it rose to upwards of 1,000, and the day
before yesterday lists of applications were received
for the daily supply of food to 3,248 individuals. In
the course of the afternoon two members of the Ame-
rican mission in Syria, the Rev. W. M. Thomson
and the Rev. J. E. Ford, distributed assistance to
nearly 4,000 people. It would be almost an imperti-
nence to speak in terms of praise of gentlemen so
well known and appreciated in Eastern Christendom
as are these members of the American mission; but
what may not be so well known is the arduous nature
of the labour they have voluntarily undertaken from
the simple desire to do good,and in illustration of the
doctrines they teach. They are the hands and eyes
and ears of the executive committee, investigating
the applications and distributing succour, in the
course of which they perform an amount of physical
labour which, taking the trying character of the
climate into consideration, would be too much for
a London drayman, and drive a fort de la Halle to
despair. The pressure upon the committee has in-
creased enormously within the last few days, as pre-
viously stated, in consequence of the return of seve-
ral native indigent families from the Kesrouan,
while the sources of relief have at the same time
diminished from the reduction, and in some cases
stoppage, of several native subscriptions. Of course,
the committee, on which are the leading English
merchants of the town, did not attempt to supply
the full necessities of the poor, the object being,
while providing against death by famine, to provoke
the action of the local authorities and stimulate
them to the discharge of their duties. It is calcu-
lated, at a minimum, that a piastre and a half are
required daily to provide food for each head of po-
pulation. The committee give about a piastre.
Another system adopted has been to induce the
Christians to return to and remain in their vil-
lages by entering into arrangements for sup-
plying them with bread in the localities them-
selves. By this means it is hoped the Christians
will rebuild their houses and resume their labours,
else next year they will be worse off than they are
now. Perhaps I ought to add that of the 3,248
applicants only 80:are Protestants, and grants are
made to Maronite congregations on the certificate
of the clergy—in one case Bishop Butros—that
the applicants were needy, deserving of charity,
and that their church was unable to support or to
assist them. In connexion with this subject rather
a curious circumstance has come to light. A state-
ment has been made by some of the leading lay
members of the Greek Catholic Church in Beyrout
in which it is distinctly asserted that the clergy of
this country who may have been affected by the
late deplorable events have sustained comparatively
trifling injury, nevertheless, that there are some
among them who desire to turn to their own indi-
vidual profit the sufferings of the people by going
to Europe to collect charitable subscriptions; and
the authors of the statement add that, " it is a fact
sufficiently well known from the antecedents of the
Greek Catholic clergy that if they superintend the
distribution of charitable succour the unfortunate
poor will not derive the slightest benefit from it."
Consequently, the laity of this sect have requested
the Anglo-American Committee to take the neces-
sary measures to prevent any such abuse of Euro-
pean charity.
Profiting by Crimean experience, it is proposed
to erect soup kitchens. Application has been made
to Vice-Admiral Martin—who has given already
40 sacks of bread, for the loan of water tanks, to be
converted into boilers, so that if we obtain the as-
sistance of the engineers to set them up we shall
soon be in working order, and able to stave off or
reduce in virulence the epidemic which the medical
officer of the Turkish Government has reported is
inevitable. I have to apologize for dwelling so
long upon this subject; but, by the public at home
more interest is taken in works of Christian charity
than in following the tortuous intrigues of Oriental
government, its falsehood, cruelty, and meanness,
or in unearthing the policy of the representatives
of civilized States. With thousands of Christians
already slain, and tens of thousands almost certainly
fated to undergo famine, pestilence, and sudden
death, it becomes a matter of very secondary im-
portance which European influence is preponderat-
ing in Syria.
Since writing the above a letter has been received
from the secretary or manager of the Ottoman Bank
in London, which for stupidity and bad taste de-
serves notice. It states that, so far as London is
concerned, the Relief Committee at Beyrout is to
be superseded by a London committee, of which
Mr. Layard is to be chairman, and the £l,OOO voted
are to be placed at the disposal of the English Con-
sul here. A grosser or more offensive insult could
not be offered to the English merchants and to the
American missionaries who have hitherto given
their time and money to the good work. The Con-
sul's diplomatic position renders him most unfit to
distribute charity; and Mr. Layard and his friends
can scarcely mean to intimate that the Anglo-
American Committee are not to be trusted with a
few pounds.
Since the despatch of my last letter I have endea-
voured to ascertain from persons of long experience
and accurate knowledge of Syria the cause of the late
outbreak, since their deliberate and matured conclu-
sion must be of greater worth than the opinion of a
recently arrived European. whose information has
been chiefly derived from reading. The task would
be easy if it had to be performed anywhere than in
the East. But we are in the land of fable. The
moment the traveller sets foot on shore he is sur-
rounded by unrealities—saving always dirt and ex-
tortion. Fiction or rather falsehood is erected into
a system, and disfigures the common occurrences of
everyday life, while incessant, continuous, and the
most glaring contradictions pass as matters of
Course.
The other day I spoke with a European of long
experience in the Lebanon. He told me that the
Druses were the aggressors, and that the Maronites
only required organisation to gain the upper hand.
The next day the same authority asserted that the
Maronites began the war, although they were too
cowardly to fight even when the advantage of num-
bers was on their side. A Turkish official of high
standing asserted that Monsignor Tobia, Bishop of
Beyrout, was devoted to France, and that he had
conspired to bring about the independence of Syria,
in proof of which two letters are said to exist.
Another official, superior to the first, informed me
that Bishop Tobia was the uncompromising enemy
of the extension of French influence, that the letters
said to exist are the forgeries of a Druse, and that
the Turkish Government had abundant proofs of
the bishop's thorough devotion to the Porte, for he
warned the officials of the plots and intrigues against
the maintenance of the Sultan's authority in Syria.
All the Consuls and subjects of foreign Powers
are of different opinions as to the cause of hostilities
between the Druses and Maronites. Even the Turks
themselves differ, although they do not often take
the trouble to give an opinion. Then the members
of the various sects have their views. According
to one the massacres have been caused by the in-
trigues of Russia. His neighbour tells you they
have been provoked by the proceedings of France
to assert her claim to be regarded as the protector
of Eastern churches. The Porte is accused of
having fomented the troubles to convince Europe
of the necessity of changing the status quo ; while
England is with equal bitterness held responsible,
since she is said to be opposed to any alteration of
thette m
present state
and thingsteof from a bitter jealousy of
ideal mission of France, and
om a b
fr ase desire from commercial profits. Take

the religious view, an .d we shall be told that the
fanatical Mahomedan party has organised an ex-
terminating war, nil& a. the patronage of a member
of the Sultan's famil .y at Constantinople, against
the Christians throng tout the East ; and in support
of this assertion we are reminded of the Indian
rebellion, the Morocc o war, and the onslaught last
May on the French. frontier stations in Algeria.
The Moslems mint tin, on the contrary, that they
are the victims of ri; new crusade, resuscitated by
the Ultramontane party—here the members are
called Jesuites—in order to divert the attention of
Cabinets from Ron re to Constantinople, and to pre-
vent the downfall of the Pope by compassing the
destruction of th,e Sultan. Lastly, we have the
question of race a to render the imbroglio all the
more difficult and inexplicable. With such
a ravelled skein before me, I feel great
diffidence in expressing an opinion either
one way or the other, lest an act of injustice should
be committed, for it is impossible to obtain positive
evidence. The utmost we can get is an accordance
of the opinions held by the majority, or an assur-
ance that this or that statement is credited gene-
rally.
Accordingly, then, to general opinion and public
notoriety, the Turkish Government has always
been opposed to the last diplomatic settlement,
which, by the institution of two Kaimakans—one
for the Druses and the other for the Christians—
has greatly enfeebled the power of the Porte. The
Pashas, knowing this, believed they would be re-
warded if they pitted tribe against tribe and sect
against sect, to their mutual destruction. The policy
of divide et impera has disciples in Europe, the dif-
ference being that it is the only one which the
Turkish mind is capable of understanding and per-
sistently following. France has been all along
opposed to the system of two Kamaikans, which
was the result of the quadruple alliance. The pro-
gramme which she has proclaimed is, placing the
Lebanon under one governor, who is to be a Chris-
tian, and to this end her political and religious pro-
paganda has invariably tended. The union of
Druses and Maronites under the same local govern-
ment, with a view to the gradual independence of
the Lebanon, is said to be the French idea as to
how the Eastern question should be solved, The
idea has its advantages and disadvantages. It places
France in contradiction with herself on two points
of the same coast. In Africa she is the enlightened
and impartial protector of Moslems, supporting
their schools and mosques out of the national trea-
sury, and endeavouring to put in practice the pre-
cept of the founder of the Imperial dynasty, that
the reasons which ought to make the ruler of a
Western State a Christian ought also to make him
a Mahomedan in the East. But between the policy
observed in Algeria and that followed here there
ought to be agreement. If in Algiers France is Mos-
lem, she can hardly be anti-Moslem in Damascus, the
holy city of Islam. When M. Edmond de Lesseps
was here as the consular representative of France,
some two or three years back, he was indefatigable
in striving to extend the influence of his country.
After failing in his advances to the Druses he fell
back upon the Maronites, visiting them in their
homes to promise protection, and inviting them to
his house on great occasions, whence they used to
proceed to church in grand procession, thus identi-
fying France with the Maronites in the eyes of the
Moslems. These subjects of the Porte claimed to
be protected by France, and if they committed an
offence they would not be arrested and punished by
the Turkish authorities. This system, although it
has existed for a long time with respect to the con-
ventual establishments in the mountains, has been
productive of endless disturbances and illwill. There
was the case of Tonijos Chahin, a muleteer, who
claimed to be protected by the Lazarists, and who,
when punished for an offence by a Sheik, without
their intervention or permission, intrigued and
brought the people to place themselves under
foreign protection, until in the end he was enabled
to overthrow thenative princes and appropriate their
estates. The " Native Christian Association" here
recently received a new and extended development
under the presidency of Monsignor Tobia. They are
accused, without a titt:e of evidence being forthcom-
ing as yet, of having procured arms and ammunition
for distribution among the Maronites, on condition
that if the arms were ever required for defence they
were not to be paid for, and of having excited the
Christians to rise. Four members of this Maronite
1 Committee at Beyrout have left the country. Their
names are Ayoub Trabelsy, member of the criminal
tribunal ; Mansour Tean, member of the civil tri-
bunal; and Nicola Naccache and Naoom Kikano,
native bankers.
The Turkish authorities here are accused of hav-
ing informed the Druses of a Maronite plot against
them, and of having supplied them with arms and
ammunition, the latter from the arsenal at Constan-
tinople. It is, therefore, not surprising when mat-
ters had been brought to this point—the train, in
fact, laid—when rival races and sectaries had been
irritated against one another, and encouraged by
European political intrigues, that an explosion
should occur, and that the outbreak, when it came,
should take proportions never contemplated, burst-
ing from all control, and wrapping the country in
flames and blood. That any one concerned in
these proceedings ever imagined they would be fol-
lowed by the atrocities which have filled Christen-
dom with disgust and horror no one for an instant
supposes. God forbid that any policy or any sect
should incur so terrible a responsibility. But people
ought to have learned by this time that if revolu-
tions are not to be triode by rose water, neither are
the antipathies of race and religion to be excited
with impunity.
For some time murders and outrages had been
committed by the two tribes on one another, but
they had been so common that they were held to
constitute the normal condition of society in the
Lebanon. At the beginning of the year the Maro-
nites made armed incursions, or promenades mill-
taires, into the Druse country, boasting that in a
short time they would drive out the Druses or ex-
terminate them. The Moslems sent in messengers
asking for peace. At Beit-mari they even sent their
children to their Maronite acquaintances to be kept
as hostages. But they were returned with mes-
sages that war was inevitable. The 18 Druses of
Beit-mari left accordingly, and were fired on; they
turned, fought, and were defeated. Subsequently
they returned with reinforcements, and, though
still numerically inferior, were victorious, when
the massacre and firing of houses were effected. So
far as I have been able to learn, this is the true
statement of the first outrage which may be sad to
indicate a departnre from the usual proceedings of
chronic assassination and outrage.
The telegram which was despatched on the 6th
will have informed you of the position of affairs at
Damascus, and I now forward a, resume of the
letters and documents on which it was founded.
On the 28th of July Fuad Pasha arrived at Da-
mascus with the Muschir, accompanied by some
3,000 troops, which tranquilised the people, and put
a stop to the exciting reports thit before were daily
circulated, and served to keep up the panic. On
the following day his firman was read, and early in
the morning Mr. Brant, the English Consul, called
to pay his respe:lts.
Within a day or two of his arrival he received
despatches from Constantinople, announcing the in-
tended expedition of French troops. He at once
issued proclamations, which were distributed in the
towns and along the seaboard, stating that they
were coming with the Sultan's consent ; for it was
feared that, with the excited state of the Moslem
mind, the rumour of a hostile expedition, or of any-
thing looking like a crusade of the Cross against the
Crescent, would render the fanatics furious, pro-
voke perhaps fresh massacres, and jeopardise the
small Christian communities scattered over the
country. In Damascus the fanatics boasted that,
with the help of Druses, Kurds, and Arabs, they
could defend themselves t.gainst the Sultan and his
allies. Meanwhile Fuad Pasha was taking informa-
tion, and awaiting the arrival of two battalions
which he had asked from the military commander
at Beyrout, Ismail Pasha, better known in England
as General Kmety, one of the valiant defenders of
Kars.
On the 3d, Fuad Pasha, having received these re-
inforcements, commenced acting with extraordinary
vigour, which at once inspired the Christians with
confidence, and induced them to say, "We do not

effec

300.

need the French." In his irst interview with the

Great Medjlis, Fuad made a hasty salute in return
for salams, &c., and did nct invite any one to sit

down. He then addressel them to the following

"By this affair you have dcie three things—you have
violated the religious law; yot have trampled under foot
the civil law of the Empire ; you have placed the Sultan

and his Ministers in a position from which they do not see
how to extricate themselves. Now, let each of you bring
me a list of the guilty parties—authors, leaders, and actors
in the affair; and any ono whc does not bring such a list I

shall count one of the authors of the massacre. You may

Last Thursday night themilitary were on the alert.
At dawn yesterday the giards were doubled, and
new ones stationed. The gates of the city were all
closed and guarded, and so one permitted to pass.
The city was terrified, and did not know what was
coming. Much plunder as collected, but the ob-

ject was the arrest of the criminals. About 400 were
arrested, as mentioned in the despatch, up to the
4th, and the private letters received yesterday, the
7th, state that 1,800 are in prison awaiting their
trial, that every Christiar. and Jew appears to have
regained his courage, and that no Moslem dares
look Europeans in the face. Among the latter
Fuad is very popular. They are unanimous in
praising his energy, and they ask, "How is such a
man to be humbugged, cajoled, misled, or bribed 9"
The heaviest indictment made against the Turkish
officials and Moslems of Damascus is by a Nlahome-
dan gentleman, in the shape of a letter, of which I
subjoin a translation from the original Turkish :
"May the most merciful God take vengeance.
" The sole cause which alined up the people of Damascus
and of the villages to bring about the insurrection described
below is this :—That before the breaking• out of this wicked-
ness by 20 days some of the worthless fellows and baser
people had been appointed, by order of Government and
the decision of the chief council of Damascus, to be police-
captains, and officers and policemen, and thereupon these
persons, being themselves the chiefs of the sedition, collected
a number of the lowest and basest fellows, and commenced
supplying them with arms, and, as they were appointed to
guard the Christian quarter, this circumstance incited al.
thoughts of all the Damascenes to preparation for this work
(the rising), whereas no one would have thought of the oc-
currence of such a sad event as this.
" On Monday, the 27th of June (0. S.), 1860 (July 9,
N. S.), at about 2 o'clock p.m., some boys made crosses in
every section of the city, and began to cause the passers-by
to tread upon them and otherwise to insult the Christians;
and the making of these crosses and these insults were not of
such a nature as would naturally occur to these boys, but
they must have been instructed by some of the leaders of the
sedition. After half an hour the report of the affair of the
crosses and of the audacity manifested in insulting and hu-
miliatin,g..the Christians had by some means or other reached
the Government, and immediately the chief of the police,
with some of his men, went forth and seized a part of the
boys and other persons, and sent them to the Government,
when they were put in chains, and sent forth to the market
to sweep the streets, and actually began sweeping. Then
there gathered around them the Moslems of the neighbour-
hood, and rescued these boys from the police, and broke off
the chains from their feet and cast them away ; and as soon
as the boys were set free all the shops of the whole market
(bazaars) were closed within the space of 5 or 10 minutes,
and in a quarter of an hour two cannon were fired, and
from that time guns began to be fired. The traitor, Selim,
Agra of the Medan, an officer (Boulik Basha) of the irregu-
lar troops, took with him an immense number of the worst
people of the Medan, armed, and led them at once to the
Christian quarter; and as soon as he entered that quarter
immediately fell upon the houses of such Christians as he
p reviously had his eye upon, and breaking open the doors,
he and his companions set about plundering, and burning,
and killing; and, inasmuch as the wretch alluded to had
under his command a number of armed villains, no one was
able to get the start of them in carrying off the most choice
and valuable of the plunder.
" True, the people of the villages surrounding Damascus,
and the Arabs, and Di uses came in crowds to the city after
some hours and filled* it, and they also plundered much, and
were fierce in shedding blood and burning. But the
assembling and agreement and union and concert and pur-
pose of all the people of Damascus with the villagers and
Arabs in the space of an hour, for the accomplishment of
this sedition.in Damascus, could not have occurred without
some previous determination on the part of the leading men.
And that this was the case is made clear as day by the cir-
cumstance that, within the space of five or ten minutes,
white and green banners were displayed from prominent
positions on all the Moslem houses, no one forbidding. And
is it possible that at such an evil time such a procedure
should occur to any one without his having been previously
prepared for it ?
" The city guards and irregular troops that had been en-
rolled and officered by the order of the Great Council of the
city professedly for the protection of the Christian quarter,
they were the ones who first began plundering and burning
and killing. Hadthese city police and people of the Me(
who were enrolled as guards kept the heads of the streets
leading to the Christian quarter, and bolted the gates of the
quarter, and fired upon invaders, and endeavoured to turn
them back and prevent them from entering the Christian
quarter like the regular troops, the affair would not have
arrived at such a pass, but would probably have been soon
stopped.
" Had the members of the Great Council and the leading
men and principal persons of the tows proceeded at that
time to the Christian quarter, nothing whatever would have
occurred. Whereas in these circumstances no one of the
aforementioned members of leading men said to any one,
" Desist." And from this it is evident that the calamity
which has fallen upon the heads of the poor Christians,
npon their posterity, their houses, their children, and their
wives, was by previous intent of their leading men, or was
moreover apparent from all the indications manifest in their
conduct. Many of the Christians concealed themselves in
their houses, and were consumed in the flames, and many
of them, subjected to severe tortures in order
that they
after
ymfteigr being subjected
the places where their property
was concealed, were butchered within their houses after
making such disclosures, lest they should afterwards make
complaint. Many of the women from whom they could not
draw their bracelets quickly had their hands cut off, as were
likewise the fingers of many others who had rings which
could not easily be removed. They were not satisfied with
this, but killed and destroyed many of them, and there were
many women also not able to remove their ear-rings from
their ears who had their ears torn open or cut off in conse-
quence. Some of the Christians were taken out by the fol-
lowers of Abd-el-Kade,r, the Algerine, from the wells and
other places where they had concealed themselves, and
while they were being conveyed to the Castle they were
fired upon and wounded by bullets,
" His Excellency A.bd-el-Kader, above mentioned, took a
large number of the Christians to his house and saved them,
and his men also saved a great number and took them to the
Castle, and in that distress there was no one but he and his
followers who made any effort to save the Christians. It is
true that some persons among the Moslems took from the
Christian quarter a few men, women, and children, and
conveyed them to their houses, and they also took some
persons to their houses from the Castle, asking the privilege
of taking them, as if they had merciful intentions towards
them ; but, alas for these poor people I what harm and tor-
ture they inflicted upon them in their houses, in order to
make them disclose the places where they had concealed
their property ; and how many acts of wicked violence were
inflicted upon them I On the morrow they would return a
part to the Castle and kill a part, while others were com-
pelled to become Moslems. Many vile persons took from
the Castle a number of women and children without giving
surety for them, and as soon as they got them out of the
Castle gates they chose out the youngest of them and left
the older in the street.
" I was present in the Castle on that day, and saw persons
of the lowest class picking out children, whom they took
away without any one saying to them What are you
doing ?' They opened the Armenian, Greek, and Catholic
Churches, carried off the vessels and killed the priests, and
then burned the churches. They plundered the Russian
Consulate, and burned it. The consul is at present in the
Government Palace, but the Consulates of England and
France were not touched, as they were in the Moslem
quarter. There were in the Custom-house about 200 Chris-
tians at that time, and I immediately went in haste to the
Palace and brought some of the regular soldiers and took
them away, and thus I secured the salvation of these poor
people.
" Those Christian houses which were in the Moslem quar-
ter were also burned after they had been plundered of
everything in them. The number of such houses was about

" On the 9th of July, O.S. (21, N.S.), Khaled Pasha, the
military governor, in accordance with the decision of the
Great Council, commenced sending to the Christian quarter
and taking out the property concealed there, forbidding any
to enter except those thus employed, and some of the Chris-
tians who were in the Castle alsl obtained permission to go to
the Christian quartet and search forwhatevcr might be found
in their burnt houses. Three days since a few of the
Christians began to issue out into the streets nearest to the
Castle, but it was reported that a Christian was killed near
the Kaimardeyeb.
"On the day of the outbreak they took the bell of one of
the churches and placed it in an inverted position on the
middle of the cross, which has been from ancient times
lying under foot in the street of the Emweh Mosque. On
the day of this affair and the following night, the gates of
the city remained unclosed that there might be no obstacle
to the removal of the plunder to the houses of the plun-
derers. After the dwelling-houses of the Christians were
finished, their shops also were broken open and the goods
carried off in the night. Many of the Sheiks, Ulernas, and
principal men disguised themselves and plundered in the
Christian quarter ; and in short no one in Damascus re-
frained from plundering the property of the Christians, not
even the old women."
Up to the present date we have no news of the
French expedition. Nevertheless the Commissariat
is active in preparing for the troops. The Turkish

troops, whose pay is from 18 months to two years
in arrear, have addressed a petition to the Sultan,
praying that if there should be any fighting they
may be employed without French assistance, until

it be proved that they are unable to uphold the
Sultan's authority.
The latest intelligence received from Aleppo states
with respect to that city nothing disastrous or
alarming has happened, though the recollection of
the troubles experienced some years since keeps the
Christian inhabitants constantly in mind of their
danger. They hope to escape a recurrence of those
scenes, especially through the wakefulness shown by
the Government of the district, and the• measures
taken for the prevention of Moslem risings,and more
particularly at the present time, since the issue of the
Sultan's decree reached Aleppo, conferring upon his
Excellency F aad Pasha full authority for the punish-
ment of those who have shed human blood. Never.
theless, when the news of the Damascus massacres
arrived in Aleppo the Moslems began to show bad
feelings towards the Christians. The boys began to
curse the Christians and threaten them, preventing
them from going about in the streets. They made
crosses on the ground and also on pieces of paper,
hanging them about the necks of dogs, and if they
saw a Christian passing they would spit upon him
and curse his cross. Previous to this the Christians
had presented a sum of money on the feast of Kour-
ban Bairam to the sheikhs and agas. Oa account of
this state of matters the Christians, especially the
women, did not, at the date of the last letters, leave
their houses, and they were alarmed by Moslems
coming and saying, " To-night will be the rising,"
and pretending that news had been received of mas-
sacres in other towns—Jerusalem, Homs, llama,
Antioch, Bilan, Adani, Orfa, Aintab, and Saarit.
The day before the Damascus post arrived in Aleppo
bringing the news of the outbreak there the Moslems
knew what had happened there, the news having
been brought by a Bedouin, who had come from Da-
mascus. When Ismail Pasha, the new governor of
the diatriet, arrived, the firnian wan read, and night
of the agas were summoned and received with hon-
our. Leave was given to each one to have a certain
number of men under them as soldiers. They imme-
diately commenced to arrest the rabble of the town,
who patrolled the streets with arms, and gave the
Christians who wished an opportunity to escape
from the town, and about 50 persons left for Alex-
andretta, and by the next opportunity others in-
tended leaving, but when thii came to the ears of
the Government a deputy came to the Christian
quarters, accompanied by Ali Effendi Gabri, one
of the members of the Medjlis, who said that they
had heard some of the Christians intended to leave,
and that they hal come on the part of the Pasha
and the Medjlis to assure them there was no cause
for fear, and they gave orders not to give tazkeras,
except to those who went on business. On the
21st of July express advices were received from
Diarbekir, stating that 3,000 or 4,000 soldiers were
to proceed to Aleppo, and were expected about
the 30th. This somewhat reassured the Chris-
tian inhabitants, but up to the date of the last
letters the Government had not released the six
innocent Christian prisoners who had been then 50
days unjustly imprisoned. At Saarit the Moslems
burnt a school belonging to the Keldan,and searched
for a distinguished Christian who resided there, to
kill him, but he fled, and the result is not known.
The Moslems of Orfa are at variance among them-
selves ; in Aintab they refuse to pay taxes.
We have quite a large fleet off the town, and
Beyrout roadstead presents a most animated ap-
pearance. There are here :
British—The Marlborough (flag), the Exmouth (liner),
will leave for Candia in a day or two ; the Liffey (frigate),
the Racoon (corvette), the Lapwing and the Mohawk
(despatch vessels), to leave to-day for Alexandria with
mails; and the Firefly (surveying vessel).
French—The Donawerth (flag of Rear-Admiral Jehenne)
the Redoubtable (liner), and the Moselle (steam transport),
to sail for Toulon on the 9th.
Turkish—The Fathie (flag of Mustapha Pasha), the
Geattiere (liner), and one screw corvette.
Sardinian—The Eurydice (frigate) and one steam sloop.
Austrian—One frigate, the Radetzky, and one steam
sloop (paddle).
Dutch—One frigate, the Admiral Von Wassenaar.
Greek—The Ariadne (corvette), the Athena (brig),
brought bread for the poor ; and one gunboat.
At Sidon—The Neptune (English liner).
At Jaffa—The Victor Emmanuel (English liner), and
La bentinelle (French screw brig).
:dan

_HEALTH OF LONDON DURING TILE
WEEK.

(From the .Registrar-General's Weekly Return

The deaths in London, which were 999 in the'
previous week, rose to 1,029 in the week that ended
last Saturday. If the deaths from epidemic cholera
in the 33d week of 1854 are excluded from the re-
turns of previous years it will be found that the
average number of deaths in corresponding weeks
of the last ten years is 1,091. With this average,
corrected for increase of population, the present
return may be compared, in which case it will
appear that the deaths of last week were less than
the calculated number by 171.
The births registered last week exceeded the
deaths in the same period by 656.
Diarrhoea, which had been increasing slightly
during the previous five weeks and in the week
ending the 11th inst. was fatal in 90 cases, exhibited
no increase last week4,in which the deaths from it
were 87. There were also in the week 6 deaths
from cholera and choleraic diarrhoea, all of which
were those of infants except one. A warehouse-
man, aged 46 years, died on the 15th instant, at 68,
Havelock-street, Islington, of cholera, after 47
hours' illness. Not more than 7 cases of small-pox
were fatal ; of scarlatina there were 37, and of
diphtheria 6. Three girls died in one family of
scarlatina, within three days, at 3, Litchfield-
street, Soho.

A master butcher, aged 31 years, died of delirium
tremens, the result of intense anxiety and losses.
An officer of the Indian civil service died of ele-
phantiasis. A man and a woman died at the ad-
vanced ages respectively of 97 and 96 years.
Last week the births of 829 boys and 856 girls,
in all 1,685 children, were registered in London.
In the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1850-59,
the average number was 1,589.
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
height of the barometer in the week was 29 477 in.
The barometrical readings rose from 29.67
in. on Sunday, and fell to 2922 in. on Thurs-
day. The mean temperature of the air in the
week was 57.8 deg., which is 3.6 deg. below the
average of the same week in 43 years (as deter-
mined by Mr. Glaisher). The mean daily tempera-
ture was below the average throughout the week, and
on Saturday the amount of deficiency was 8.2 deg.
The highest point attained in the week by the ther-
mometer in the shade was 70.8 deg. on Thursday,
the lowest was 48.8 deg. on Saturday. The entire
range of temperature in the week was therefore 22
deg. The mean daily range was 14.7 deg. The
mean temperature of the water of the Thames was
61 deg. The difference between the mean dew-
point temperature and air temperature was 4.6 deg.
The mean degree of humidity of the air was 86,
complete saturation being represented by 100. The
humidity varied from 76 on Friday to 96 on Satur-
day. The wind blew from the north-west generally
on the first two days, afterwards chiefly from the
south-west. Half an inch of raiu fell, most of it on
Tuesday and Saturday, and a less quantity on every
other day. The magnets were disturbed on the
12th, 13th, 16th, 17th, and 18th.

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Rev. Mr. Price to resist any force that might be
brought against him. The enterprise was soon
bruited abroad, and numerous persons of different
classes offered to assist in the undertaking. The

storming party met on the Spaxton-road at six
o'clock on Tuesday evening, headed by Mr. Price,
and a few friends in a cab, and• proceeded in two
vans, each drawn by a oouple of horses towards the
Agapemone. They arrived there about seven o'clock,
and directly commenced the assault. Two of the
inmates of this peculiar institution were on guard,
armed with bludgeons, at the gate leading from the
garden in front of the laundry, that point being the
one most easily scaled. Mr. Price, followed by
about twenty of his supporters, rushed towards the
gate in question immediately upon leaving his
vehicle, and scrambled over the adjoining wall, ob-
taining access to the grounds at once. The Aga-
pemonites retreated and gave the alarm, but were
quickly follo wed by their late co-religionist to the
front door of the principal dwelling. On reaching
thus far Mr. Price knocked at the door and loudly
demanded entrance, declaring that he had come for
his wife. Entrance was denied him, and the door
was thereupon battered with iron bars the assail-
ants had brought with them. The panels were
smashed in a short space of time, but it was found
difficult to burst open the other portion, the wood
being very solid, and the bars at the back exceed-
ingly strong. When the panels were smashed the
Agapemonites were seen ha strong force in the pas-
sage, well-armed with life-preservers, and the en-
trance was barricaded with tables. One of their
number presented a pistol, and threatened to shoot
the first intruder. A man in the crowd outside
hereupon produced a second pistol, and informed
the Princeite that his weapon was as good as the
one first exhibited.
While these proceedings had been going on the
door in front of the dwelling had been forced open,
and the assailants increased to 60 or 70 in number.
Mr. Price, in a firm and collected manner told his
late friends- that they had brought this business
upon themselves by treating him like a dog, and
keeping his wife from him. He added that he was
resolved upon searching the premises for his lady,
if she were not given up to him, and if he were not
allowed to do so peaceably, he would do so by force.
After this address the crowd became somewhat
excited. One man shouted "Let him shoot, he can
only kill one," and another called upon the owner
of the second pistol to fire also. A cry was raised
to break in the two bow windows. This direction
was about to be carried into operation, and the
people at the threshold were beginning to force
their way into the passage, a man aiming a blow
at the pistol with his cudgel, when one of the de-
fenders called out " A flag of truce." This was a
most prudent step, for the assailants were resolute
men, bent on carrying out their object, and blood-
shed must have resulted had not the Princeites de-
cided that discretion, was in this instance the better
part of valour. A parley ensued, the spokesman
on the part of the Agapemone offering to admit Mr.
Price to the house. The companions of that gen-
-1 tleman would not accede to that arrangement, and
it was eventually agreed that six individuals should
accompany Mr. Price in pursuit of his wife. They
then entered the house, and searched every room
therein, their examination lasting more than an
hour. A male Princeite went with the searchers
from room to room, and the ladies of the establish-
ment were seen in their various apartments. Beds
were turned over, and closets peered into, but no
Mrs. Price was discoverable. The investigating
party were treated civilly by the inmates, and when
it grew dark were supplied with a candle. Whilst
the search was going on the outside multitude was
greatly augmented by persons from Bridgwater,
'who came in vehicles, on horseback, and on foot,
and by the inhabitants of the villages of Spaxton
and Charlinch, who flocked to the spot to ascertain
what was the matter. Before eight o'clock there
could not have been less than 500 people assembled,
and none were heard to utter other than disparag-
ing remarks of the fraternity whose repose had been
thus rudely disturbed. The lane leading to the
Abode of Love from the main road was filled with
gigs, vans, &c. From the first groups of men had
stationed themselvesin different parts of the grounds
to foil any attempt to take away the lady concern-
ing whom so much trouble was being taken. Two
or three Princeites stood as sentinels at the door
which had been broken in during the search of the
principal residence. The upper rooms were exa-
mined twice, and locked as they were left, but the
scrutiny proved unavailing. The cottages, conser-
vatories, and stables were next visited by Mr. Price
and his half-dozen followers without success, and
near eight o'clock the trespassers quitted the noto-
rious abode. .
The conduct of the assailants was much less riot-
ous than might have been expected. It is said that
scarcely a shrub or a flower was injured, and that
the breakage of the door was the only damage per-
petrated. Mr. Price, previous to setting out on his
expedition, impressed upon those who accompanied
him the great desirability of inflicting no greater
injury than was absolutely necessary for the ac-
complishment of the object he had in view, viz., the
rescue of his wife, to whom, he maintains, he is
rightly entitled. He kept the multitude, who readily
gave him their help, under control, and was anxious
that the Princeites who strolled about during the
search, should not be maltreated. A busy trades-
man in the furniture removal line had the effrontery
to inquire from a gentlemanly member of the pecu-
liar institution whether his services were likely to
be required, " For," said he, " I have heard you are
about to leave this place, and I can remove goods
cheaply and safely for you." Prince himself, on this
as on the former occasion, was not visible. The
mission to the Agapemone having failed, a consulta-
tion was held as to what next was to be done. Smile
suggested that the neighbouring Lamb Inn and cot-
tages should be visited, but the general opinion was
that Prince's farm at Aisholt (three miles distant)
contained Mrs. Price, and that it would be ad-
visable to hasten thither at once. To Aisholt,
therefore, Mr. Price led the way, twa vans,
several vehicles, and a number of men on foot
following. The cortege had not gone more than
half-a-mile before an inmate of the Abode was
discerned mounted on one of the splendid black
chargers of the establishment, galloping towards'
the motley procession. The rider passed the
hindermost gig at a smart pace ' • a shout was
then raised that he was a Princeite, and
must be stopped. The fiery horse was lashed and
struck, and men in the road ran in front of the
spirited animal to drive it back. The horse reared
and plunged, but its rider kept his seat admirably.
No progress could be made, and the mounted dis-
ciple of the " Holy Ghost" returned, only to hasten
to the menaced Aisholt Farm by another route.
The road was rough and hilly, so that heavily laden
conveyances advanced slowly. The expeditionary
corps were, however, eager for the fray, and left
their vans in order to walk to the place to be at-
tacked. Darkness drew on apace, and when the
bottom of the dangerous Aisholt-hill had been
reached, and the establishment in question' was
near, a council of war was held, whereatit was de-
cided that it would be unwise to attack the farm
that night, as sufficient time bad elapsed to permit
the removal of Mrs. Price, if she had been there,
and it would be impracticable to hunt the adjacent
woods in search of her. Mr. Price and the indivi-
dual who had acted as his lieutenant collected
around them, in the road, what may be called the
advanced guard of the storming party, and ad-
dressed them. The lieutenant said the men had
acted manfully, bravely, yet prudently, in assisting
Mr. Price to obtain his rights. That gentleman
was deeply grateful to them for their generous
support, and none the less so on account of their
non-success. Another attempt would be made to
restore to Mr. Price what he was justified in seek-
ing, and what he was entitled to by the law of God
and man. He trusted that the gentleman they had
so kindly and generously assisted would meet with
the same hearty support on a future occasion.
The Rev. Mr. PRICE also briefly addressed the
assembly. He first sincerely thanked them for their
hearty sympathy and support, and then went on to
state his belief that it would he useless to proceed
to Aisholt that night. He appealed to God as his
witness that he had no desire to retaliate upon the
Agapemonites in consequence of the ill treatment
he had received at their hands. He only wanted
his rights, and he was resolved to obtain them. A
visit to the Aisholt farm could only now have the
effect of frightening and disturbing the inmates,
and that he tad no wish to do when his purpose
could not be gained. Those who had accompanied
him, he averred, had done nothing of which they
need be ashamed at the Agapemone. When a large
body of persons congregated for, such an object as
they had in view riotous behaviour usually took
place, but nothing of the kind had occurred that
night, and he begged those who had so kindly af-
forded him help thus far to quietly and peaceably
return to Bridgwater. He again thanked them in
a feeling manner, and intimated that he might
hereafter ask them for their 'assistance. Both
speakers were repeatedly applauded, and at the ter-
mination of Mr. Price's speech an enthusiastic in-
dividual called for three cheers for the hero of the
evening. Others thought it would be unseemly to
disturb the night by hurrahs ; but more than a
dozen volunteered to lie in ambush for the lady,
and to obey any orders be might think fit to give.
They disclaimed any thought of compensation, and
declared they were willing to continue the woman-
hunt for several days. These offers were politely