The Sun.
London, England, 1859-11-19 00:00:00

THE SULTANA AND HER CREDITORS.

A Constantinople correspondent of the Presse
gives the following account of an affair which had
for some days been the subject of conversation in
that city :
" About three years since the Sultan dismissed
from the seraglio one of his wives named Besime-
Sultana. She was a Circassian and of great beauty,
and, being far superior to her companions in mental
endowments, she had -acquired great influence in
the Palace, which occasioned no little jealousy, and
raised her numerous enemies. A trifling circumstance
favoured their designs. One of the Sultan's sons
having lost his mother the Sultana Besime was chosen
to replace her. As the young Prince happened
one day to be unruly she gave him a slight tap
on the cheek. This was reported to the Sultan
with gross exaggeration, and he decided that the
lady should leave the seraglio. She was, however,
treated with all respect, and a palace assigned for
her residence at Bella-Limen, on the Bosphorus,
with an allowance equivalent to about 10,000 f.
per mouth. This income, however, was too small
for her style of living, and in the course of two
years she had contracted heavy debts. The ex-
Sultana, seeing there was no hope of recovering the
Sultan's favour, applied to him for permission to
marry, which was granted. Shortly after, Tevfik-
Pasha, a general of division, became her husband.
This gentleman,who was educated in Paris, and who
speaks French very fluently, held the office of chief
of the staff in the Ministry of War, and having the
habit of speaking his mind freely on men and
things, made himself a great many enemies, among
whom was the present Minister, Riza Pacha.
His superiors in rank, dreading his criticisms,
sought every opportunity of getting him
out of the way by appointing him to offices in dis-
tant localities, which however he constantly refused.
After Tavfik's marriage with the ex-Sultana her
creditors became very pressing for payment, and on
their applying to his enemy, Riza Pacha, the latter
resolved to make them proceed against Tevfik
Pacha and seize his property to pay the wife's
debts. Having taken his measures, Rise. Pacha
went to a friend's house at Balta-Liman on the
23d ult.. and by his directions his friend sent to
request the presence of Tevfik Pacha. The latter,
on arriving, found himself in presence of Riza and
a number of soldiers. Riza immediately ordered
him to embark on board a steamer lying at Bebek,
which was to carry him in exile to Broussa. Tevfik
protested, and said he would appeal to the Sultan ;'
but Riza replied that he was executing the Sultan's
orders, and further informed him that Besime was
included in the decree of exile, that all their goods
would be sold for the benefit of their creditors, and
that they must be ready to start in a quarter of an
' hour. This proceeding has excited universal re=
probation among the Turks, and the Minister of
War will soon have to repent that he has used his
power and influence to gratify petty animosities."

MODERN DUELLING.—A laughahle occurrence
took place on Thursday morning, the 3d inst., at Venn, be-
tween the son of a respectable chemist of Plymouth and the
son of a retired gentleman. It appears that they had a slight
quarrel about a younn lady in Portland-square, and not
being inclined either of them to give up their love for her,
they decided on fighting a duel, which accordingly took
place. They fired two rounds each, neither wishing to hit
the other, because they regarded their own lives better than
to give them up for the person they were fighting for.—
Plymouth Journal.
LIBERAL DEMONSTRATION AT ROCHESTER.—A
liberal festival on an extensive scale took place at Rochester
last night, to celebrate the recent Parliamentary and mu-
nicipal victories achieved by the Liberal party in that city.
The banquet was held in the large factory of Messrs. Foord
add Sons, Mr. Foord, the head of the firm, being the Mayor
of the borough for the present year, there being no other
room in the city large enough to accommodate the large
number of persons who took part in the proceedings. The
factory was most tastefully decorated with flags, banners,
and evergreens, and at the head of the building a cross
table was set apart for the principal magistrates of the
borough and county .who had received invitations, the
whole of the town council, and other visitors. The
number of persons who sat down to dinner was over 1,000.
The room was crowded ro excess. J. Steele, Esq., one of
the city magistrates, occupied the chair. The members for
the city, Messrs. Martin and Kinglake, were present, and
addressed the meeting,