The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-07 00:00:00

THE CAPTURE

MOHAMMERAH.

The following further telegraphic despatch has
been received from Sir James Outram through
Constantinople :

" The flying expedition to A.hvraz returned to
Mohammerah on the sth inst. (April) completely
successful.

" The large Persian army retired from their
position, and retreated rapidly towards Dizful be-
fore a British force not 400 strong.

" One gun was captured, and extensive military
stores were seized and destroyed."

TURKEY.
CONSTANTINOPLE, APRIL 24.
Yesterday was the day fixed for the Nisiah, or
.fiancailles, of the Sult tn's three daughters, who had
been promised in marriage seine time ago to Mah-
moud Pasha, son of Fethi Ahmed Pasha, Grand
Master of the Artillery ; Ethem Pasha, son of
Mehemet Ali Pasha, Capitau Pasha ; and El Hami
Pasha, son of the late Abbas Pasha, Viceroy of
Egypt. It had been arranged that the ceremony
should take place at the same time for the three at
the Palace of Top-Kapou or Seraglio Point, which,
although abandon- cl by the Ssltans as a residence
since the overthrow of the Janissaries, is still
the traditional place where many grand ceremonies
are performed. To th's palace, therefore, the Sul-
tanas were to proceed in state from Dolma Bakche,
and to witness the procession all the harems of
Constantinople had poured forth their inmates
from an early hour ; every window, every shop,
every little nook whence it was possible to catch
a view of the procession in the long distance
from Dolma-Bakche -0 Top-Kapott was covered
with Turkish women ; they were squatting all
around and all one upon another, decked out in
their gayest ferejees, of all the colours of the ra'n-
bow, topped with their white heal-dresses, which
contrasted with the black faces of their attendants.
Wherever the street widened it was lieed with
carriages, in which were reclining the slaves and
favourites of the wealthy, and in many of these was
to he noticed a lovely face reluctantly concealed
behind the curtains, which would now and then be
gently drawn aside by delicate white fingers covered
with gents, to allow of the admiration of the Euro-
pean passers-by. The Sultanas left Dolma Bakche
at 11 a.m. At the head of the cortege was the
Kislar .Aga, or chief of the black eunuchs. He
rode a superb charger magnificently caparisoned ;
he is frightfully ugly, but his dress was so bril-
liant, the gold was thrown over it in such profuse
masses, that it stayed the eye and prevented his
ugliness being noticed. Then came the three Sul-
tanas, each in a state carriage glittering with sil-
ver and gold, and drawn by horses whose trappings
were also studded with silver and gold ornaments.
There were eunuchs riding on all sides, and all in
fine clothes and on splendid horses. Each Sultana
was attended by her mother and by one slave. As
they drove rapidly past a blaze of diamonds flashed
across the eyes. Then came the other slaves and
female attendants in about thirty carriages, vie-
ing with their mistresses in the splendour of
their dresses and jewels, and many far surpas-
sing them iu their charms. Although the Sal_
tanas went to the Seraglio in person, neither
they nor their future bridegrooms app''.,"ar at the
ceremony of betrothal. This is performed by pro-
curation. The Kislar Aga represrents the Sultan
and the Sultanas on this occasi.ron and the Grand
Vizier, Redschid.Pasha,repre'sentedthe bridegrooms.
The witnesses were Ri7ss Pasha, the Seraskier,
Chefik Pasha, of the Mins,
and Ili Ghalib
Pasha, sron-in-law of the Sultan. Like every
Turki'fn father, the Sultan stipulates the sum
his 'son-in-law is to pay for his daughter, and this
'sum becomes her dowry. This was fixed at 5,000
Turkish pounds in this instance. The marriage
contract is read before the witnesses, prayers are
pronounced, and the first chapter of the Koran
read, and this part of the ceremony is overy. The
Sultardts return to their residence, and are followed
there by the presents offered by their fiances. The
presents are by no means the least important part
of the ceremony, and are taken to the Imperial
Palace in great state. First, three beautiful Arab
chargers, magnificently caparisoned were led past.
The saddlecloths were of the handsomest embroi-
dery in precious stones I ever saw, even in this
land of embroideries. These were a present to the
Sultan himself from his future sons-in-law. Then
came the presents to the Sultanas themselves,—
first, sweetmeats of all sorts contained in covered
china vessels ; five of these vesselsare put on a tray,
and a cage of hoops and gauze of various colours,
trimmed gaily with ribands and flowers, covers the
tray, which is borne on a man's head. A hundred
such trays of sweetmeats were borne past from each
bridegroom. Then came other trays, larger, ten in
number, on which were placed shawls and articles of
dress ; ten pieces of the richest brocade of silver and
gold were among the dresses offered by El Hami
Pasha, and various rich cashmere shawls. Then
came two carriages in each of which was an enor-
mous coffer covered with velvet and ornamented
fully of costly perfumeries.
with silver plates,
Then came the more precious articles on teatrays,
covered with a large Cage, surmounted, in those
sent a
'ani Pasha, by a golden eagle, with
spread
As the presents offered by El
sptbyw E
inl
g lls.
Hami Pasha 'were by far the most costly and taste-
ful, I will content myself with describing these.
First, the 5,000 pounds dowry was carried past in
five red satin bags on five trays. Then the head-
dress for the bride on her wedding-day—a gold and
silver knot for supporting the hair at the back of
the head, and a baud of velvet embroidered in bril.
limits and pearls, with a verse of the Koran for the
front. Thee the veil of silk which is thrown over
the bride, embroidered in pearls and brilliants,
and with no less than 700 carats of brilliants on it,
—then the slippers, also one mass of pearls and
diamonds, and the pattens used in the bath, co-
vered with gold and precious stones, then the
round toilet glass, of which the back was a plate
of gold beautifully worked, and also studded with
precious stones. Precious stones were scattered in
profusion in all these articles of every-day use, so
to speek, but now came the jewels themselves,—a
splendid diamond tiara, very high, and long enough
to go round to the back of the head, with a large
bunch, of flowers in diamonds dropping over the
right ear ; this had been set in Paris, and was beau-
tiful in design, as well as costly. A pair of diamond
earrings, with diamond drops of great size and per-
fectly oval shape. These gems, without an equal in
the world, had been the property of El Hami
Pasha's father, and had been procured for him in
India. It is calculated in jewels alone he has spent
over 120,0001. sterling. What will be the effect on
the little Sultana to whom all this finery is des-
tined ? The eldest is scarcely 15—a mere child
in our ideas. Although the three have been be-
trothed, only one was married this year—that one
which is destined to Ethem Pasha, son of Mehemet
Ali Pasha, who must not be confused with the
Minister for Foreign Affairs, whose name is also
Ethem Pasha.

The Marchioness of Salisbury will return to town to-
morrow, from Eastbourne-, Bussex.

The Marchioness Di wager Townshend and Mr. Laid-
ler have arrived hi to for the season.

The Earl of De-iny is detained at Knowsley by an at-
tack .of from which he is suffering.
The F-farl and Countess Craven and family arrived in
tow; ys,.tertiay, from Ashdown Park, for the season.
The Earl and Countess Granville gave a grand dinner,
last evening, in Bruton street.
The Countess of &Aland has left town for Brighton.
The Earl and Countess Spencer arrived in town a few
days since, from Althurp Park, for the sea on.
Viscount Palmerston gave a grand entertainment last
evening try the following members of the House of Com-
ranns 1--The Earl of Mulgrave, the Right Hon. the
aker, the Solicitor-General, the Attorney-General for
Irrland, Viscount Castlerosse, Lord Ashley, Viscount
Duncan, Viscount Monck, Lord Alfred Paget, Lord E.
Bruce, the Cbaocellor of the Exchequer, the Right Hon.
R. Lowe, Sir Mt Berkeley, the Right Hon. W. G. Hay-
ter, Mr. B. Osborne, the Right Hon. R. V. Smith, the
Hon. Sir C. Wood, the Right Hon. Sir B. Hall, the
Right Hon. W. Cowper, the Right Hon, Sir G. Grey,
the Right Hon. C. P. Villiers, Sir J. Ramsden, the
Right Hein. F. Peel, Mr. Danby Seymour, Mr. R. W.
Gr€.7, Mr. C. Clifford, the Right Hon. W. Labonchere,
tine Right 3lun. 11. Fitzroy, ,Mr. Wilson, Mr. Dodson,
Mr. Brand, Mr. Buchanan, ctc.
Lord Stanley of Alderley arrived in Own, last even-
ing, from Manchester. Lady Stanley is expects(' in town
in a few days, from Madeira.
L-rd and Lad? Charles Pelhan3 Clinton bate left town
f Ayala.) Park, Northamptonshire.
Lady Howard de Walden and the Hon. Misses Ellis
are expected in town today from Brussels.
A oeputation from the clergy of the East-end of Lon-
.lon, climieting of the Rev. Canon Champneys, the Rev.
G. H. M'Gill, the Rev B. Carter Smith, the Rev. W.
Nl‘Call, and the Rev. G. r. Driffield, bad an interview
with the Right Hon. E. I. Bouverie, at the office of the
Poor-law }hard, on the subject of the lqualirati9n of the
poor rates in the metppolie. •