The Sun.
London, England, 1842-08-03 00:00:00

STATE OF TURKEY.

CONSTANTINOPLE, JULY 13.—The information I com-
municated to you in my last letter with respect to the
hostile collision that had taken place between the Turks
and Persians at Sulemaniah and Bayazid, and which
was conveyed here by Tater in ten days from Bagdad,
has been fully confirmed through other channels. It
was expected also, that, though the forces of the Shah
had suffered a trifling check, he would still prosecute the
war, and it was added that he had already left Teheran
at the head of a considerable army. and was in full march
to the frontier. Among his other demands from the
Turkish Government is an indemnity of 3,000,000
purses, or 1,500,000/. for the damage done to Persian
property at the sacking of Mahamera by the Turkish
troops some years ago, and it being unlikely that the
Porte, however desirous of peace at this critical moment,
will consent to pay so exorbitant a price for it, blow s and
bloodshed, followed, perhaps by territorial conquest on
the one side or the other, appear to be the only means
left of settling accounts between them.
The Shah, as well as I can ascertain, is much better
prepared for hostilities than the Turks; he is reported to
have 60 regiments of infantry, 20 of them disciplined by
English officers ' • and his cavalry, according to all ac-
counts, is, for Asiatic cavalry, highly efficient. Ali
Pacha, of Bagdad. who, by.the way, on receiving his
firman of dismissal, civilly begged to be excused from
obeying it, or resigning his post, alleging the extreme
affection of the people .to his person, has not more
than four thousand regular troops under his command.
The Porte, therefore, has determined on expediting all
its disposable forces to the Persian frontier. These are,
unfortunately, in respect to number, but very insignifi-
cant—three battalions of infantry,. a regiment of cavalry
900 strong, and 500 toptches, or engineers, were all that
could be mustered, and left Constantinople yesterday:
Serious as the danger in this quarter may appear, the
Turkish Government has just now to face other difficul-
ties still more imminent, and still more appalling.
Another outbreak has this week taken place at Nissa,
on the confines of Servia. The Bulgarian peasantry, ex-
eited:and re-inforcediby emissaries from Greece, are again
in open insurrection against the Suhan's authority, hav-
ing proclaimed their independence, and invited the whole
Christian population of Turkey to join in their holy
war against the Mussulmans. The Porte has long ago
foreseen, and is in some measure prepared for this storm;
it is now evident that the troops, which had been or-
dered to concentrate at Monaster, were intended for the
prompt repression, if not prevention, of these disturb-
ances, and immediately on receiving intelligence of them,
an additional brigade of infantry was directed upon Nissa,
from Adrianople, by orders of the Government, and
another I believe is already en route from Constantinople.
Hussein, the celebrated Pacha of Widdin, has also been
commanded to make a levy of Bash Boauks, or irregu-
lars, and descending along the Servian frontier, to fall
upon the rear of the insurgents at Wissa. These ener-
getic measures will, in all probability, be attended with
the desired effect ; but the nature and extent of the mis-
chief which has been long brewing through the whole of
European Turkey, and in which there is undoubtedly
much foreign leven and many foreign ingredients, are
such us are neither easy to trace or eradicate.
Negotiations for a commercial treaty arc, as I in-
formed you in a previous letter, at length on foot be-
tween Mavrocordato and the Minister for Foreign
Affairs. The Porte, it seems, has at length consented
to treat, and his compliance 'was probably hastened by
the menacing aspect of affairs in Roumelia.

PRINCE LOUIS NAPOLEON.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sin,—The letter of Prince Louis Napoleon which has
appeared in the Morning Post causes me much pain, as
the Prince rightly judges that it could not be my inten-
tion " to insult misfortune."
It was incautious in me to make the remark I did in
the work to which he alludes, as I merely followed the
general impression that Prince Louis Napoleon, when
set at liberty by the French Government, accepted that
liberty on his parole.
,I had certainly no right to offer an opinion on a poli-
tical question, which I do not pretend to, understand,
and should not have ventured a comment on proceedings
which Prince Louis Napoleon doubtless thought likely
to advance the interests of his native country, and I am
much grieved to think that an inadvertent 1% ord of mine
should have added bitterness to the sorrows of a captive,
whose fate—respected and beloved as he was in his pri-
vate character, by those who had the honour of his ac-
quaintance in England—Occasioned such deep commis-
seration.

By those better informed than myself my casual re-
mark will be passed over without attention, and those
..vho shared my error will, I hope, if they were in the
least guided by my opinion, on seeing the affecting letter
of Prince Louis Napoleon, forgive n:e for having uncon-
sciously misled them, as I trust the illustrious prisoner
of Ham will do, when he is aware of the sincere regret
I feel for having distressed him. I have the honour to
be, Sir, your obliged humble servant,
LOUISA STUART COSTELLO.
Richmond, Aug. 1, 1842.