The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-23 00:00:00

CIRCASSIA.

A correspondent in Constantinople sends the
1 Semaphore of Marseilles the following information
respecting the present military state of Circassia :---
" Mehesnet Bey on arriving in Circassia occupied
himself in organising proper means of attack and
defence, and in collecting men and stores. In ac•
cord with Sefer Pacha, he decided on organising
the country militarily, onthe footing of the militia
of the Ottoman reserves. This organisation com-
prised 100,000 families, who can, in case of need,
severally supply three or four soldiers, so that
an army of from 300,000 to 400,000 men can
be obtained. A first levy has already been
made, and has given for the province of Adekuma
3,500 men ; for that of Osapsona, 18,000 ; of
Netuchat, 10,000; Touabszill, 7,500 ; and ljbush,
which is very mountainous and cannot be reached by
the enemy, 2,000. These troops have already been
equipped, and are ready to commence operations.
The son of Sefer Pacha, Karabutir Bey, has under-
taken to organise the cavalry, which will consist of
all the young men belonging to the richest families,
and he has already marched for Kudakai at the
head of 1,000 horse to make a reconnaisance on
the Kouban. Stores are abundant, and the grana-
ries are filled with wheat. The Circassians will
likewise have a fair share of artillery ; in addi-
tion to the campaign pieces which Mehemet Bey
brought with him, there are several cannon at
Anapa, and in the country a great number in
bronze and iron which the workmen of Mehemet
Bey have repaired. The horses to draw these guns
and those of the baggage train are to be supplied
by the population at the rate of 2 per 100 families.
Russia, at one time, endeavoured to detach Sefer
Pacha from the Circassian cause, by offering to re-
cognise him officially as Chief of Circassia, under
the suzerainty of the Sublime Porte, and even to
give him a palace at Anapa ; but he would not
allow himself to be seduced. By Circassia, pro-
perly speaking, is meant all the territory which
extends from the Kouban and Anapa to Mingrelia
and Abasia ; the rest of the country is Daghestan
(land of the mountains), and is occupied by a great
number of independent tribes, who only unite to
combat Russia. Circassia recognises Sefer Pacha
as its military chief ; Daghestan obeys the religious
authority of Schamyl ; and in addition, there is a
mysterious personage, Naib Emin Pacha, an Arab,
who is represented to have come from, Egypt, and
who has grouped around him a certain number of
Circassians escaped from the tribes; These tribes
are severally subjected to the authority of a chief;
who is so despotic that he exercises over them all
the rights of a master over his slaves. Emin Pacha
two or three years ago went to Constantinople,
where he recognised the authority of the Sublime
Porte, and was invested with the title of Pacha.
By promising liberty and a division of property, he
has gathered together, from the different tribes,
an imposing phalanx of Circassians, and as their
chief occupies an independant position. It is in the
province of Abezech that he chiefly resides. He
has not yet come to an understanding with Me-
hemet Bey and Sefer Pacha to unite his forces to
theirs against the common enemy; but it is believed
that be will shortly do so. Sefer Pacha, as already
stated, refused to accept the propositions of Russia,
several combatshave taken plaee between his forces
and hers ; the last engagement, however, of which
an account has been sent to Europe was between
the Cossacks and the Naib Emin Pacha. On the
whole, a serious conflict seems on the eve of com-
mencing in Circassia."