The Sun.
London, England, 1868-05-07 00:00:00

THE ABYSSINIAN CAPTIVES.

Mrs. Stern has received the two following short
letters fiotn her husband :

"Amba, Magdala, March 31, 1868.
" My dear Charlotte,—We have at last reliable
intellig.2nce of the onward movement of the arm'''.
On the 25th inst. Sir Robert Napier was only a few
days distant from our Amba, and it is expected that
he will be here ou Monday or Tuesday next. The
King, it is said, receives through the peasantry dailY
news of the progress of our troops. He is not a little
nervous about the issue of a coat, st he has most reck-
lessly provoked. Last Sunday he visited our fort with
all his European workmen, and most of his fol-
lowers. As usual, he indulged in all sorts of im-
potent brag. His subjects (?), his priests, and the
late Primate, with whom, as ever, he associated n3l
name, came in for a profuse share of abuse—the
well-known method by which he vents his rage ee
those -whom he has most wronged. To Consul
Cameron, Mr. Rassam, and others he also adverted,
and that, too, in no very gentle terms. With Mr.Rag-
sam he had a long chat. Their conversation was ul
the old conciliatory, friendly, and flattering strait),
interspersed here and there with exaggerated comph"
meats about the nobleness of Kings, the greatness
of their hearts, and the superiority of the mould
out of which they are formed. At Mr. Bassaut s
especial request, his two companions, Mr. Prideau%
and Dr. Blanc, were relieved of their fetters,
favour which he promised yesterday to extend to
all the other captives. Whether he will really do
so or not is not just uow a matter of great signifi-
cance. We are, without exception, strictly guarded,
particularly the old prisoners. The motives which
prompted the Negus to impose on us this fresh
annoyance I do not feel disposed to interpret.
Perhaps he wants to intimidate us ; and also It
may be that it is a mere Abyssinian tonic to
fortify, by an ostentatious display of authority
the courage of his timid band of adherents. Myself
and, I believe, the majority of fellow-prisoners are
quite impervious to these flashes of pride and indlg:
nation. We may have a few more unpleas
shocks, a few more ugly encounters and trying er
Bodes, and then there will be freedom from fe,ttere,
release froth bondage, and rest from disquietude'
trouble, and suffering. Cheer up. God is with the,
He will succour, shield, and deliver his oppressed
captive servant.

" April 3.
" You will be glad to know that yesterday the
Negus, at the earnest request of Mr. Rassam, re-
lieved us. of our fetters. Mr. Rassam had a 100 g
interview with him, in which he still dilated on bi°
faded greatness,aud the ungracious repulses his Prof'
fers of friendship had met with in foreign laedll"
The Emperor Napoleon, he- asserted, had taker'
his envoy, Mr. Bardel, by the neck and turned I.on
1.
out of his palace (?). Consul Cameron came back
and brought me no answer to my letter ; then a
beat Stern. Subsequently I discovered that be lead
written ill of me.' • And then, as if to check
self in his not very palpable accusation, he 0312,
in reply to a remark about his energy and Pe'
severance, Ah! even Stern calls me in his book s
most wonderful man.' Such and similar topic'
formed the staple of five hours' converse with gr'
Rassam.
,4 Rassam deserves the most unqualified
praise for the adroitness and tact which he has die-
played in his intercourse with this strange Kingei
General Sir Robert Napier is very near us, and
with God's blessing, and that wisdom which comet,'
from above, I believe all will end successfully ant
prosperously.
" In great haste, yours affectionately,
" 11. A. STERN:

NAVAL AND MILITARY IN7ELLIGENCS.

The Bellerophon, 14, screw (armoured) it to
frigate, Capt. R. J. J. S. Macdonald, has gone int
Portsmouth Harbour from Spithead, to comPle 0 o
some gun carriage fittings and other trifling matter
preparatory to sailing to join the Channel Fleet -
its rendezvous in Portland Roads.
The Elk, 2, twin screw (composite built) gull;
boat, 465 tons, 120 horse power, launched dariiil
the past winter from Portsmouth Dockyard, 11,4/1
subsequently fitted with her engines and heile,,Pa'
was placed ten weeks since in the old shiPPul;
basin of the yard, to wait there the finishing of
pair of screws, which were ordered to be cast frog
enlarged patterns. On Tuesday last she was tapeh r
out of the basin again and docked to receive a
screws, which had in the meantime been comPlet,ebe
for her. On attempting to clean the ends of `;11,
shafting, however, to receive the screws, it was dito
covered that galvanic action bad been at werift,
such an extent that the " key" pieces on the sba of
ings were reduced to plumbago, and other parts to
the metal " honeycombed." The fact apPeallsio
be that the small area of water in the old ship b3.do,
is but seldom opened to the admission of the ti
eo
has always three or four copper-bottomed iressh,
floating upon it, and is, therefore, a chemical bap,
whew power has been so unexpectedly yet ?the
vincingly displayed upon the screw shafts
of
Elk.
.„., gt 10"
The Dwarf, 2, twin screw (composite btlioilnit-
vessel, Commander C. Walker, sailed frora

head yesterday for China. sort
The sailing Indiaman Calcutta, Young, r°30,1.
arrived at Spithead yesterday morning froal to
cutta, with 153 time-expired soldiers belonging

various regiments on board. gerr
Her Majesty's paddle (despatch) steamship left
con, of the Channel Fleet, pursuant to orders' dor
Portland Harbour for the westward on lute:opg
last at a late hour, notwithstanding the sy-osetl
easterly wind and heavy sea outside. It is OPP
the Helicon will call at Plymouth for further
structione.
fts held
A court-martial, which lasted all day, W,,.blef
yesterday on board her Majesty's ship Fort:l3l'lo,,
flagship of Vice-Admiral Sir B. W. Walker, IC third
on Mr. Thomas M‘Lucas, carpenter of tiled,
class, belonging to the Sheerness steam reser'rior,
two charges. First, with having called his oe'
officer, Lieutenant Odevaine, " a --- B.od
and secondly, with refusing to receive a rePr.edo
from Commander W. Partridge, of her I", shiP
ship Cumberland, on the quarter deck of tha (ter
for the first-named charge. The Court, iiiity of
lengthy consultation, found the prisoner g.
both charges, and sentenced him to be di°
her Majesty's service. t gitoYdi
The colonelcy of the 7th Regiment of Foo
Fusiliers) is vacant by the death of Sir Sa'. TheAuchmuty, G.C.8., on the 30th ult., at Pa to gr.
deceased General was the second son of the .1-3 the
011
Samuel Auchinuty, of Brianstown. eatere' wed
ect
army as ensign, in October, 1797, and goa, serl„,o
his promotions by service in the field. 009 Po
several years in the West Indies, and 13 Foos
accompauie I the 2d battalion of the 7tu Goal's
Portugal. As Deputy-Assistant-Adintal3bb-,ttles
to the 6th Division, he was present at thei
poiote
Busaco and Fuentes d'Onor. lle was 'J. slee'd
extra aide-de-camp to Gen. Sir Lowry C°,,,,and
ceeding to the regimental majority be e°,strigaet
the light companies of Major-General Rossulo toe ;
, rro he
and served with them at ()rifles ann. -L. 1'
the latter was promoted Brevet Lieut•-etll3icafrlio
gallant General served on the Staff Ide 3 ctr s,nig a
maao
1848 to 1852. In 1857 he was
1861 f
b the
Commander of the Bath, and in , of
Cross of the Order. He had been
Colonel
Royal Fusiliers since Jnunary, 180*