The Sun.
London, England, 1828-09-23 00:00:00

• .
2,400 more, the entrenccments,. casements, &c.,'
being armed with 900 pieces of ordnance, and de-
fended by 30 or 35,000 men. The large space is
entered by 11 gates, some being reserved for sorties,
and others leading to the streets. The town has
been fortified to a great extent since 1806. A
branch of the Tekeson, a river which -falls into the
Danube, supplieS the town and • camp with water,
and fills the ditches. The third a►:d fourth branches
serve to inundate the country. At this spot the
roads from. Constantinople, Tournovo, and Rasgriul,
meet ; and these the Russians have intercepted, a
month ago, by occupying positions in the rear of
Tchingite-Ken, of Tclranack-Kalessi, Ta-Bournar,
Rasgrad, and all the points of the neighbouring moun-
tains ; so that the besieged are inelosed'in a net of
iron. Disease prevails in the Ottoman army, and
the heat, which rose this year, at Bucharest, to 40
degrees,-cost the lives of a great numbers of, Rus-
sians, who, notwithstanding th►s, have remained fir►u
in their lines of blockade. _ . __. . •

We are positively informed that the Russians are
about to resume the offensive. The magazines of
Odessa are overflowing with corn, supplies, and pro-
visions of all sorts. Russia has never had a more
numerous assemblage of illustrious persons, nearly
all of whom flatter themselves with the idea of
passing the winter at Belgrade, and Bujukdere on
the. Rosrhorus. It is pretended that that would
accommodate every one, with the exception of the
Ministers of two Powers, well known for their fa-
vourable disposition towards the Turks.
The plague has entirely ceased at Bucharest, and
in the neighbouring cantons.
The warlike preparations still continue in Hun-
gary and'-; Transylvania, without the Russian Go-
vernment appearing to trouble itself on the subject ;
although it must be quite aware Of the plots of our
Cabinet, it pretends to see nothing.
A merchant, who set out from \Viddin eight days
ago, tells us that he saw, -in a square of that city, a
huge. pyramid, composed of the heads of Russians,
and a crowd of soldiers of that nation loaded with
chains. Some were sold as slaves, and others,
• fastened like criminals, were sent to Constantinople,
bearing the impaled heads of their companions,
which were sent to the imperial slaughter-house of
the Gralf(l Signior.
(From the Journal des Debuts of Saturday.)

PARIS, SEPT. 20.—The Sultan probably • exag-
gerates very much the advantage gained by the gar-
risons of Shumla and Varna; hut, as we have no-
thing to oppose to these reports, we will not discuss
their details.

There is hitherto one incontestable fact, which
that since the departure of the Emperor, the
chances of war have not been favourable to his

armies.

The bloody sortie of Varna, the check of Gen.
Rudiger, and the retaking by the Pacha of Widdin,
shew it sufficiently. Will the return of his Ma-
jesty, and the arrival of reinforcements, change the
face of affairs? We cannot be long without learn-
ing it.

(From the Constittitionnel of Satimhiy-)

THE SMUGGLING MONEF.

PARI9, SETT. 20.—The monks have hitherto been
considered • as persons very hurtful to society, con-
suming much, and producing nothing. To five
themselves from this reproach which is cast on their
uselessness, those of Spain have taken to commerce,
and, what is is better, to smuggling. Having obtained
from the weakness of the King leave to cultivate to-

bacco for the consumption of their monasteries, they
have by'degrees extended and perfected the culture of
this plant, and they have at length had such large crops
that they can afford to sell it at much lower prices
than the Administration of Tobacco can afford it.

In vain has the Excise sought to oppose itself to the
increase of this branch of industry ; it has become
every day mere considerable, and more lucrative.
The Government itself has perceived that it would
not he sufficiently powerful to stop its progress, and
preserve the monopoly of its Administration. In
its distress, it has thought it prudent to call to its
assistance the Holy See. Negociations have been
commenced with the Court of Rome, and the Apos-
. tolled Ntmelo, in consequence, has just addressed a
Circular to the heads and Guardians of Convents,
in which, after reminding them of the different Bulls
of the Pope, forbidding monks every species of com-
merce, he enjoins them to cultivate no tobacco be-
yond their own personal wants, and no longer to en-
gage in smuggling. In conclusion, he orders them
not to oppose themselves for the future to what the
Administration may do in visiting their convents,
for the purpose of determining. the state of the to-
bacco crops.
TOULON, SEPT. 14.-( Private Letter.)-7-The two
war battalions of the 3d Regiment of Infantry of the
line have just been formed ; they appear destined to
form a part of the next expedi:ion. Troops arrive
daily, who are immediately stationed about Tonlon.
Some battalions of the depot of the regiments which
have set out for the Levant, perform the duty of the
place.