The Sun.
London, England, 1857-03-26 00:00:00

CIR,CASSIA.

The following letter, which is extracted front the
Pestle Lloyd, cannot but be acceptable to all those
persons who take an interest in the fate of the
Caucasian races :

" Circassian ileac'-quarters, Tuabs, Feb. 26.
"By means of the British steamer Kangaroo you will
receive this letter, which will, perhaps, convey to Eu-
rope the first information of an event that may have very
great influence on the future fate of the Circassian na-
tions.- It is well known to you that Mehemed Bay
(Bongy.i), to whose person I am attached, has acceded
to the wishes of the chiefs and deputies of the Circassian
tribes, and has accepted the post of Commander-in-
Chief. Oa Monday, the 231 of February, we landed at
Tuab?,: where we have our head (palters. Before
our departure, Mehemed Bey engaged a couple of
hundred excellent military instructors for the different
arms and they accompanied us hither. Mehemed Bey
has already been solemnly proclaimed General-in-Chief
of all the Circassiac forces. The princes, nobles, and
deputies of the people have sworn on the Koran to obey
him, and a deputation of the Circassiaa Diet has to-day
sect in the flag of the proPhet, which is the symbol of
the highest power. The enthusiasm was verygreat when
the ne v commander swore fidelity to the secred standard.
(The flag itself is green;and on it is a white sword with
the crescent and the star.) •
"The ex.iitement is great, and the Circassians are re-
solved to obtain their complete independence or to perish
in the struggle for it. It is expected that 150,000
(?) men will he in the field by toe month of May.
`Russia,' said Mehemed Bey to me just now, will
soon have an opportunity of convincing herself that
a new spirit prevails. I know the materials which
are placed at my disposal (Mehemed Bey was with
the Circassian& during the late- war), and am of
opinion that a nation which, without a military organi-
sation, could resist its enemy during 30 years, will,
when properly organised, be able to achieve its complete
independence.' You may expect to receive some im-
portant news from these mountains in the coming spring.
You shall hear from me as early information of what
happens as our means of communication will permit."

EGYPT.
(From a Correspondent of the Daily News.)
ALEXANDRIA; MARCH 7.
l'am happy to announce to you the return of M
de Lesseps. I have already, in my letter of the 23d,
informed you of the arrival of the Viceroy at Cairo:
His Highness, who left Kartoum on the 28th Ja-
nuary, and travelled by Bazondah and Dongola,
has accomplished his journey with a marvellous
rapidity, for ho passed in 24 hours over ground
which it usually takes 40 hours to traverse. For
the passage of the cataracts, which at this period of
low water are most dangerous, the Viceroy made
use of a small boat, and, accompanied by a few fol- ACCIDENT TO THE HON. UR. MORETON.—On Friday
lowers only, he passed through these dangers with last an accident of a serious nature occurred to the Hob.
the intrepidity fur which his family is notorious. Mr. Moreton, brother to the Earl of Dame, and first-
M. do Lesseps remained behind to nurse one of lieutenant on board her Majesty's screw steam gon-ves-
his companions who had fallen seriously ill. Owing gallope, on this station. Whilst riding at a fast
to this slelay he reached Cairo about ten days after up the hill on the road from Baschetto to Citta
the Viceroy. Vecchia, his horse, a spirited animal, came into violent
the collision at a turning of the road with a pony.cart
lam enabled to give you interesting details' of driven by a midshipman, coming at a rapid pace from Viceroy's journey to Soudan. These remote pro- the opposite direction. Mr. Moreton was thrown for-
vinces were subjected to an abuse of authority, ward a considerable distance, and fell on the other side
which has now been checked by the presence of the of the cart ; but, with the exception of being much
sovereign. The taxes have been reduced by two- shaken, and incurring a slight contusion on the shoulder
thirds ; measures have been taken for the protec- by striking the wheel in his descent, we are happy to
state that he escaped
of the
The horse, however,
tion of the lives, liberty, and property of the sub-
the brass-headed shafts of the
jects ; the, magistrates are to be elected by the pe-
e depth of a foot, the unfor-
pulations, and all this has been initiated with ad- cfaarretdenwtoerrieneg;
his
sr
cohneest.to
tunate animal almost instantly expired. It was after-
mirable grandeur and tact.
wards discovered, on opening the carcase, that the shaft
These are the fruits of the expedition undertaken bad penetrated the heart.—Malta Times, Mianrpral7.
2,
by the Prince for the purpose of seeing with his own Farwell PRISONS.—There are at
of noeanl eyes and putting a term to the evils of which the large or central prisons for teheamen.
nd.
report had reached him. It was his intention to women sentenced to more than 12 reception
imprison-
carry
carry the benefits of. civilisation to the farthest went, B'lltarY Confinement, and hard labour, Of these
limits of the country he governs. His mission was houses 13 receive only men six only women, and two
Tlaijevaux and Limoges) both! men and women. The
a blesr,ed -and holy one. The abuse of authority
movedi.nlnt in
the prison at Clairvaux will shortly be re-
towhich has now ceased compelled the inhabitants
fly from evils which they could not conquer, 0 a new central prison—the old Abbey d'Aubc-
thefor r.ive,. in the Haute Marne, which has just been purchased
taxes were levied, not from individuals but
from the villages, and those who remained had to 1 the State, and is being fitted up for the purpose. The
pay the arrears of those who had left the count' y. beWomen who are now in the central prison of Limoges will
these
also been
to Cindillle, andlhn Uitailel of Doullens has
To give you an idea of the frightful depopulatiou
l asrronfn •ed for the reception of 500 women. To
of C'e,me regions, it Will suffice to tell you that at
uthichpcaonnetains same detentionoiniotiaoyalbeonffddoeed Belle-hlslet-henter,
the lime of the conquest—about 35 years ago—
then) were 24,000 sakes, but there are at present forts ofthe Mediter:ranepan—Lamai:toeXst, Iluis-de
but 1,500. Such is the result of the old Turkish and Bre coo, in wlich are detained soldiers or sailors con-
ach oinistration. , dernned to the punishment of irons, and some Aralcs
At present all this is abolished, and the taxes who have been condemned in Algeria for different crimes
are, levied from individuals, not from communities. or noisdeameanours. The pri-oners in the two last-named
As a guarantee for the due execution of the new forts have been recently sent to Africa in consequence of
system he has appointed to the government of an arrangement come to between the Ministers of Wry
Se:enaar his chief secretary and interpreter Arakel and Interior. Two penitentiaries are now being built in
Boy, d, Christian and a European, if not by Corsica, one for adults and the other for lads uuder 16.
The former, which is nearly completed, has already re •
birth, at least by education. The high charact.e. (Lived 500 inmates, and will be able to accommodate
which the new governor bears is so notorious that
everybody expresses his satisfaction with, the Vice-
-1,030. 'lee persons in this establishment will be mu-
ployed in agricultural pursuits.— Oolignani.