The Sun.
London, England, 1842-05-24 00:00:00

FRENCH WAR IN AFRICA.

Despatches hAVEI-6.4wr.-revir,i..44-iwy-4re-larent-
meat from the Governor-General of Algeria, dated Oran,
the sth, and Mostaganem, the Bth instant, and inclosing
reports from other Generals of the proceedings of the
divisions under their orders. The accounts are, gene-
rally speaking; satisfactory, very little opposition being
offered to the French by any of the hostile tribes, except'
those immediately under the" influence of Abd-el-Kader,
and a desire being manifested to submit to the French ;
but the only event of any importance in these despatches
is contained in a report from General Bedeau to General
Bugeaud, dated from the bivouac of Matila the 30th ult.
The General states, that on the 27th be received informa-
tion that for three days the town of Nedroma had been
blockaded by Abd-el-Kader, with a force composed of his
regular troops, and about 1,900 horse and foot of the
tribes of the Kabyles, and of Souhalia and Trava ; and
as prompt succour was demanded, General Bedeau im-
mediately resolved on 'marching. After giving an ac-
count of his march to Bal el Taza, the General says
In the afternoon of the . 20th, at one o'clock, I per-
ceived some horsemen on the Col de Bal el Taza, and
soon afterwards the heights on the right, which are very
steep and rocky, were covered with Kabyles, marching
with their standard. The number of horse on the Col
increased, and we could easily distinguish the flag of
A bd-el-Kader among them. At this time the heat was
stifling, our men were somewhat fatigued, and our march
was slow. I formed my convoy into a mass, and en-
trusted it to the guard of Lieutenant-Colonel Boudhors
with two battalions of the 56th. The Zouaves, and Bth
battalion of Chasseurs were placed at the head of the co-
lumn, having taken off their knapsacks. The 10111 bat-
talion of Chasseurs and 25th, the right column, under
Commandant M`Mahon, also, deposited their knapsacks.
I ordered the Commandant to attack the heights on his
right, as soon as he saw the Zouaves reach the Col. I
told him that I should then, with the cavalry and
the Bth Chasseurs, make a rapid movement on the
right, so as to surround the Kabyles, and drive them
upon his column. These dispositions made, the offc.n •
sive movement was commenced. The Col was weakly
defended. The Gvum of the Beni Amers pursued the
cavalry of Abd-el-Kader on the left, while I proceeded
with twenty regulars of the Sidi Mohammeds, and two
squadrons of Chasseurs, by difficult though practicable
paths, which led us on to the line of retreat of the Ka-
byles ; Commandant M`Ma,hon executing with equal in-
teiligence and activity the directions I had given him,
our two columns were able to re-unite. At least 200
killed were left on the ground, and we took seventy pri-
soners. Our soldiers returned loaded with bournous and
muskets. The Goum of the Beni Amers rejoined the
column without having been able to reach the enemy, his
.cavalry having fled without resistance. The cavalry of
the Gossels was engaged at the right of our ChasSeurs.
The vivacity of the attack continued to the end of the
combat, and we have therefore had a slight loss, viz., five
killed and sixteen wounded. Our native allies had some
wounded. Ido not estimate the number of Kabyles on
the heights at less than 1,800. They thought themselves
safe there, on account of the difficulty of the roads, and
were therefore much astonished when they found our
cavalry at their heels. Their retreat then became a flight,"
The despatch conclndes with a notice of the officers
and troops who most distinguished themselves, and
with an announcement that General Bedeau intended,
on the Ist instant, to encamp in the country of the Sou-
halias, where he hoped to effect the submission of the
Tra vas.

The Governor-General, in his despatch from Mosta-
ganem, where he arrived on the Bth, states that he
would proceed with his column to carry on operations
on the Cheliff, as soon as the troops under General d'Ar-
bouville'should have joined him. There is a long de-
spatch from General Changarnier, dated Blidah, the qth
inst., giving the details of his late razzia, the main parts
of which we have already seen published. He states the
number of prisoners taken at more than 400, the num-
ber of cattle at 6,000, and about 200 camels, horses, and
beasts of burden. There is also a report from Algiers,
May 10, of a slight affair on the 7th, in the neighbour-
hood of Bouffarick, with about 200 Arabs, under Ben
Salem ; four of the enemy were killed, and about twenty
wounded. The French had only two men wounded.

•
TILE RETORT COURTEOUS.—BetheI, an Irish bar-
rister, was the opposing counsel in a case in which
:M Nally, the celebrated witty barrister, was employed.
Bethel made several rude personal observations on
M'Nally, who on that account interrupted his opponent
in his speech. Bethel, vexed at this, at last exclaimed,
"Brother 111‘Nally, you have taken the liberty of forcing
your remarks in the middle of my statements, and have
several time-L: brohen the thread of my discourse." "Bro-
ther Bethel," said M'Nally, " why didn't you wax it
Getter ?" Bethel's father had beet► a shoemaker, and his
son was ashamed of him.

A dividend of ss. in the pound .has been declar d
on the joint esiate of Messrs. llobhouse, Phillott, and
Lowder, bankers, of Bath.-.---Ilath'Paper.
A CUTTER.—A tailor of Plymouth announces that
at his shop, a travelling coat, dress coat, waistcoat, two
pair trowsers, a hat, and two shirts, may be obtained—
made to measure—for the trifling cost of thirty-two shil-
lings ! ! !—Devonport Telegraph.