The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-17 00:00:00

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Dated Dec. 15,1859.

AVERAGE PRICE OF SUGAR.
The Average Price of Brown or Muscovado Sugar, cern-
puted from Returns made in the week ending the 13th day
•f Dec., 1859, exclusive of the duties of Customs paid or
payable thereon, on the importation thereof into (..ireat
Britain
Per cwt.
From the British possessions in America .. 255. lld

SPA EN AND MOROCCO,

(From the Times' Special Correspor,c7ent.)
CEUTA, DEC. 3.
The skirmish of the 30th ult., of which I spoke
in my last, was of rather more i'.nportance, esti-
mated by the loss on the side of the Spaniards, than
lat the time believed. We had about 230 killed
and wounded, but the wounds of more than half
of that number were of a very slight description.
It may be imagined that many soldiers weary of lying
under a scanty tent on bleak hills are not sorry to
avail themselves of a scratch. as a pretext for three
or four days of better quarters, even in an hospital.
From this, however, it is not to be inferred that
the troops show any indisposition for the work they
have come here to do. As far as Icould observe, on
the 30th they displayed abundant alacrity and eager-
ness, and their officers express themselves well
pleased with their conduct. All, however, that has
as yet taken place can hardly be said to be more than
skirmishing, with the exception of the fight of the
25th, which appears to have been a sharp little com-
bat. I have heard one or two persons talking of five
" actions" in 11 days, and seeming to think the cam-
paign already begun, but this can be looked upon
only as an exaggeration, especially when we have the
great events of the Italian and Crimean wars still
fresh in our memories. The present can, of course,
not be a great war, bat it may prove a very haras-
sing one, and may give occasion for the display of
the soldier's best qualities. I shall consider, the
campaign as fairly commenced only when we make-
a decided move from this place ; when we strike
our tents and march for Tetuan or Tangier. Against
which of those places our first ettOrts will be di-
rected it is impossible to say ; the Commander-in-
Chief confides his plans to no one ! but public opi-
nion inclines in favour of Tetuan, and some think
that the Third Division, which is still at Malaga,
will not come here at all, but will be landed in the
neighbourhood of the last named African town,
while the force now here, or the greater part of it,
will move round by the coast to co-operate with it.
It must be, one would think, the object of the Ge-
neral commanding to avoid engaging himself with
his army in the mountains, where the Moors'
knowledge of the country and the lightness of their
equipments would render them troublesome foes,
where artillery would have difficulty in acting, and
baggage and wounded would prove great encum-
brances. The Moors would then be to the Spaniards
what the Spanish guerillas were to the French on
many occasions during the Peninsular war—a
swarm of hornets buzzing round a body which
could have crushed them in an instant could it have
grasped them, but which ever eluded its clutch,
and returned again to sting.
As regards the reistance that may be expected
from the enemy when he is found in larger force and
in more considerable encounters, opinions differ so
widely that it is almost imposSible to make up one's
mind on the subject. There are persons with the
army who have resided long in Morocco, and here
at Ceuta one meets with others who may be pre-
sumed to have had sufficient opportunities of judg-
ing the military qualities of the Moors. Their opi-
nions differ very strangely. Some talk of the Moor-
ish Cavalry as formidable, while others declare
that it will never venture to approach regular
European troops. If we get into the plains we
shall have an opportunity of seeing who is right.
If the Moorish horsemen be as brave as some report
them, great steadiness in square and deliberation in
firing will be necessary successfully to resist their
onset. Much will depend upon the Spanish officers,
and the conduct of those in the recent affairs I have
heard highly eulogised by some of the chiefs. They
were to be seen, I heard a general officer say two
days ago, everywhere at the head of their men,
leading them on well in front, and charging first
over the obstacles behind which. the enemy shel-
tered himself. The officers of inexperienced troops,
new to war, and confronted with an enemy who is
notoriously addicted to and skilful in stratagems
and surprises, have double need not only of the ut-
most coolness and presence of mind, but also to en-
courage their men by setting them an example of
daring, and by showing themselves willing to take
the largest share of danger.
The arrivals of troops from Cadiz still continue.
Three stesmers came in this morning, laden with
soldiers, horses, and mules. As usual at the com-
mencement of a campaign, especially among people
to whom such matters are a complete novelty, not a
little confusion seems to prevail at the places of
embarkation. One hears officers bewailing things
belonging to them have been left behind, and with-
out which they cannot move forward. Some have
been here for days whose horses or baggage animals
are still at the Trocadero awaiting shipment ;
others miss their servants, and some can get no ac-
count of their baggage. The little quay of Ceuta
is a busy scene, heaped with stores of every kind—
flour, barley for the horses, bread and biscuit, and
all the numerous et caatzTas indispensable for the
support of an army. Besides the newly-arrived
vessels in the bay aro large lighters and the
heavy sauare horse-boats receiving provisions and
cattle. The beasts sent for rations seem, for some
reasons to me unknown, to suffer more than the
horses and mules. In company with some offi-
cers who were seeking expected property, I visited
early this morning the three steamers that had just
arrived, and on our return we passed a boat in the
bottom of which lay prostrate three or four oxen,
apparently dying, but certainly in very evil plight.
This most probably arises from overcrowding in
heated holds.
Of the sanitary state of the army it is not easy
to get at reliable accounts. There have been cases of
cholera, but as little as possible is said about it, and
I suspect dysentery to be the more frequent com-
plaint. I have no grounds for believing that there
is much illness among the troops—not more at least
than might be expected in an army suddenly en-
camped on exposed heights in a season of high
winds and heavy rains, where the midday sun is very
powerful and the nights are very cold. We have
now had two dry days. To-day is beautiful, the
wind has lulled, the sun is brilliant, and all is life