The Sun.
London, England, 1857-09-11 00:00:00

THE INDIAN TELEG.RAPH VIA THE
EUPHRATES VALLEY.

The following information, derived from an authentic
source, is a practical illustration of the security of a
telegraph through Syria and Mesopotamia, and of the
wisdom of the Porte in refusing to incur the responsi-
bility of protecting it :
The reports of serious disturbances in Syria and of
the disorganised state of that important province of the
Turkish empire which have been current in Paris for
some days past, are fully confirmed by the following
letter received from Beyrout, dated the 16th of Aug. :
" Our merchants are in a state of great uneasiness, and
if order be not restored in the country all transactions
with the interior will become impossible. The mail
which left this on the 10th inst. for Damascus was plun-
dered at a distance of six leagues from Beyrout by the
Druses, and two of the guards were severely wounded.
Cash to the amount of 182,000 piastres was carried off
by the highwaymen. Of this money 100,000 piasters
belonged to the local government, and the remainder to
private persons. The Emir of the Druses has written
to the Deftarder here to say that be took this money to
indemnify himself for the arrears of pay due to him for
several years. The local authorities, in place of punish.
ing the malefactor:, are imposing fresh taxes on the
people to replace the money stolen. News of a still
more disastrous nature has been received here. It
is said that the great caravan, which left Damascus for
Bagdad two moths since, has been completely plundered
by the Bedouins of the tribe of Chatnmar. This
caravan, composed of I,2so.camels, carried merhcandise
worth 15,000,000 piastres. The drivers in want of
water turned from the direct road to reach a branch
of the Tigris or Euphrates, and while in the Desert the
caravan was attacked and pillaged. This news has
caused great anxiety among the merchants here, who
still hope that it will not be confirmed."

MR. TOWNSEND, 711. P.-MEETING AT

WOOLtricir.

A crowded public meeting was held last night at the
Lecture-hall, Nelson-street, Woolwich, for the purpose,
as stated in the handbills, of hearing from Mr. Town-
send, M.P. fur Greenwich, an account of his parlia-
mentary conduct during the late session. Mr. Eugene
11Iurray took the chair. Mr. Townsend, who was re-
ceived with great cheering, after recapitulating the ques-
tions on which he had voted during the session, stated
that until property-qualification was abolished, and a
very large extension of the suffrage obtained, the peol le
would never be able to send members of their own
choice. After referring tl his labours to obtain addi-
tional pay for the dockyard labourers, he promised in
the next session of Parliament—and he should be
there in spite of his enemies—(!oud cheers)—to
submit a motion to increase the wages of govern-
ment labourers to 163, a week. He had been in busi-
ness at Greenwich fourteen years, and until recently
no man over had to call upon him twice for a debt.
Mr. Townsend then entered into detail with a view to
prove that at the period of his election he possessed the
requisite legal qualification, and that his subsequent
difficulties were caused by the persevering efforts of
a solicitor whom he name,t, and who bad boasted that
he would drive him from his seat. He had just begun
to find his way about the House of Commons ; he had
to the utmost of his ability served his constituents ; and
it now became a question whether he should continue to
serve them—(cries of " Yes")—or not. If they wished
him to resign his seat, he would not be a stubborn man ;
but if otherwise, his enemies should not wrest the seat
from him. It was the cause of the constituency he was
fighting. His enemies did not object to ;aim as John
Townsend the auctioneer, but as John Townsend the
member of Parliament. Mr. Townsend resumed his seat
amidst the most uproarious applause.
A resolution of confidence in Mr. Townsend was
unanimously passed.

CRYSTAL PALACE FLOWER SHOW.—As We antici-
pated, the fine weather of yesterday brought down large
numbers to the Crystal Palace. A flower show at a
shilling is really a novelty, and must have been doubly
so to many of the visitors yesterday. roe specimens of
fruit and flowers, especially the former, retain all their
bloom and freshness, and bid fair to be as attractive to-
day as they were on Wednesday. Not the least interest-
ing portion of the show is the Amateurs and. Cottagers'
Collection. In this the exhibits show a great advance
on last year, both in quantity and senility, and the fruit
and vegetables would do no dis:Tedit to profeesional
growers. The Crystal Palace Company has originated
an idea that is likely to be of real service in the- promo-
tion of private horticulture.
CRYSTAL PALACE. —ONIS SHILLING DAY.—THORSDAY,
SEPT. 10 —Admission on payment, 13,252 ; ditto, by
season tickets, 1,375 ; total, 14,627.
Exaggerated and alarming reports have been circu-
lated to the effect that a solicitor has absconded, leaving
liabilities to the amount of about 150,0001., represented
in part by forged bills. It is added tat one of the Lon-
don joint stock banks i 3 a heavy sufferer. The facts of
the case appear to he as follows : —Mr. T. Dean, solicit, r,
of 7, King's Bench Walk, Temple, has absconded. We
believe, however, that the total amount of his liabilities,
so far as can be ascertained, does not exceed 25,0001. ;
that the circle of sufferers scarcely exceeds half a dozen
persons, chiefly his own relatives and immediate clients;
and that the sum in .which the bank referred to is inte-
rested is under 2,0001 , and may be partially covered
by other securities. Mr. Dean lived, in apl tin way, at
Barnes Common. His practice was never extensive, but
.he had been some 25 or 30 years iu the profession.-
-Daily News.
FRENCH AND ENGLISH FISHERMEN —On Wednesday
Louis Gifford, master of the No. 299 of Dieppe, and N.
Germs, master of the No. 348, of Boulogne, were brought
before the North Shields magistrates by Lieut. Sieve:al,
of. the Otter, charge] with fishing withiu a mile and a
half of the Northumberland coast, and the charge being
proved against them, they were mach fined 101. and
costs. Lieut. Eimpeen, in answer to a question from
the Mayor, stated that the English fiehermencomplaire d
very much of the damage done to their nets by th
French boats fi‘hine upon the English ground. lie
stated that the c e.v of a French lugger bad been
guilty of a very inelignant act on the previous
night. They had sailed their vessa with a grapnel-
inn over l.r st:ru, through a fl set of English boats,
and tore away five or s x of their nets. 'l'ne crew
had, however, covered their number, and the English
fishermen hai not been anab!ed to ident fy the vessel.
At present about 150 large French luggers, manned
with crews of from 15 to 20 men each, are fishing for
herrings in the North Sea. As we have before stated,
by international treaty the fishermen of either c iuntry
are. prohibited from fishing within three miles of their
neighbours' coast ; but the Bitti,l3 Admiraly have only
provided one steamer this season to cruise between the
Humber and Berwick, and protect 150 wiles of coast.
Of course, all the best fishing is within three miles of
the laud, and, as the crews of the French loggers ex-
ceed in number the men on board our boats three t.,
one, they have literally the possession of the herring
fishing, and do ac they like ; for it is tint found that the
one solitary steamer can keep up any sort of regulation
along such a solitary line of coast.