The Sun.
London, England, 1844-03-02 00:00:00

MAJORITY-NOES, 91.

BUENOS AYRES AND MONTE
VIDEO.
(From the Weekly Dispatch of this day.)
LIVERPOOL, MARCH I.—The following letter, which has
just conic to hand, from the River Plate, gives a graphic
sketch of affairs at Monte Video. The respectability of the
source from whence the communication is derived, is a
guarantee for the correctness of the statements. The condi-
tion of the Monte Videans is, as regards provisions, it will
be seen, somewhat critical ; but the contest between the rival
Republics is, the writer thinks, drawing to a crisis :
Nov. 22, 184.3.—We have now been upwards of nine months
besieged, and, although I cannot say that the war is yet
over, I am happy in finding there is some appearance of its
being so, as we cannot hold out more than a month longer,
because the Government have not the means of paying for the
supplies of provisions requisite for the garrison of the city, which
amounts to about 3,000 dollars daily. They have long since sold
all theduties and Government property, and the foreign mer-
chants have advanced upwards of 1,000,000 dollars to carry
on the war ; Government have besides to find rations for about
8,000 poor people, now living in the city on account of the block-
ade ; these rations are now reduced one-half. There is a great
amount of suffering and misery in the city, and it must in-
crease daily until the war is at an end ; even then how many
must be deprived of fathers, husbands, and brothers ! It is
now a fortnight since we had news from Rivera, dated the
18th of October, in which he states that he is coming to
relieve the capital, and has a very strong army. Urquiza,
the chief of the enemy's cavalry, with all his force, were re-
treating before Rivera, whom we expect near here every day
He is coming to give battle to Blancoes, that he may get
assistance from the infantry. It is said that Rivera must
have at present an army of 10,000 or 12,000 men • surely
with that army he can beat OribeL and then.zwe shral be all
right again. We have had a great many skirmishes lately,
and numbers of our men have been wounded. We have four
hospitals for the wounded, and they get very well attended
to. The principal one has received about 1,300 wounded
men since the Ist of July. Nine P.M., there are just gone to
the mole, to be embarked, 2,000 infantry, and 200 cavalry,
with some cannon—it is supposed for the Mount. If so, we
may probably see a fight to-morrow, or it may be they go to
Santa Lucia, to join with Rivera. A battle must take
place, and I expect it will be in the sight of
the city. We had a very hard fight last week.
A Colonel Neira, with 25 men, went to attack an outpost of
the enemy, when he was shot. As our people did not return
with the body, 360 Italians, and 500 blacks went to regain it.
They had to fight upwards of 2,000 Blancoes, and they suc-
ceeded, after a desperate struggle, in regaining the body.
The Italians and blacks charged with the bayonets, and killed
upwards of 100 men. We had seven killed and about fifty
wounded. A melancholy occurrence took place the day our
troops went out on this expedition. A lieutenant of cavalry
and one man charged eight Blancoes. It was thought at the
time that the officer had been killed, but from those who
have come in since, it appears that the horse of the lieute-
nant was shot from under him, and he fell a prisoner to the
Blancoes, who immediately cut off his head, which was found
the next morning stuck on the iron rails fronting a dwelling-
house, with the ears cut off. How different was the treat-
ment given to the officer who fell into the hands of our men.
He was, after a few days' imprisonment sent on board the
English commodore's ship, in order to be given up to Admiral
Brown, the commodore of the Buenos Ayrean navy.
Nov. 24.—Our troops are still at the Mount. We have sent
more to-day. I expect it is an expedition to obtain cattle.

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.—This establishment is
not likely to open before the 9th inst. Agents from the ma-
nagement have departed for. Paris on account of the action at
law pending between the directeur of Les Italiens and For.
nasari, who, unless the, matter is amicably arranged, will
not be able to leave Paris as soon as his services will be re-
quired here. The rehearsals for the new ballet Esmeralda
take place daily under the surveillance of Perrotz assisted by
the indefatigable Nadaud.
TosT-orrics AT A RAILWAY STATION.--The Post-
master-General has ordered a Post-office to be opened at
Normanton Railway station, by which passengers will have
an opportunity of receiving and forwarding letters at that
important station. The Normanton station is at the junc-
tion of the Manchester and Leeds and York and North Mid-
land lines with the North Midland line, about three miles
from Wakefield, and ninemiles from Leeds. The same should
be done at other large stations.
Dispatches were sent off yesterday evening from the
-Colonial-office, for the Governors of the West India

MAGAZINES-CONTINUED
COLONIAL MAGAZINE.

This is a carefully conducted periodical, and con-
tains a vast mass of useful colonial information, ga-
thered from a variety of sources. In the Number
before us we find some entertaining recollections, ac-
companied by wood engravings, of "Algeria in the
year 1843."

JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE.
A Journal, as may be surmised from its title,
wholly of a practical character, and appealing for the
most part to the tastes of agriculture. The informa-
tion it contains is various, and appears to be judi-
ciously condensed and well arranged.

UNITED SERVICE MAGAZINE.
The two most entertaining articles in this Number
are—first, an account of a " Five Days' Retreat of a
Turkish Army," in which there are many stirring
and even dramatic incidents ; and secondly, " Military
Anecdotes and Sketches of Character." In this last
article, Major Wilkie, the author, gives a brief and
piquant sketch of the late Captain Dormer, who, ac-
cording to the Major's account, must have been one
of the most inveterate gastronomists on record, " hav-
ing a pure love of the art, which, like other loves, be-
came a passion, and a reigning one."