Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-03-28
The French Encampment at Bstru,

Beirut claims especial attention from it's CON-
nectlon with the massaoras of Syria. Entering
tne oay we anchored among feet of war yes7
sels, mostly Turks, with two or three French
"a slne1e 6rltlsh corvette lay anchored a long
way on, In safer bay. The other vessels IF
the English fleet had been ordered to the Adri.
auc, In view OF the uncertainties of European
poltlcs Thus, the French are left nearly
alone In the defence or protection of Syria. I
presume Napoleon does not regret his advan-
tage, and doubtless will make the most of it
ne occupies Syria, and you may depend upon
IL ne Will never leave. You have been often
informed that he has an army of a few tbou.
sand quartered in the vicinity of Beirut, and
among the mountains of Lebanon. T had the
pleasure OF visiting the French enoampment,
haps four or FIVE thousand French and Aigeri-
ans.
made the trip over a French road in a
French omnibus. The road is the bepinninc
OF the road to Damascus, and means some,
thing more than an effort to increase the loco
motive privileges of the residents of Beirut
and Damascus. Very recently, am told by
gentleman long a resident in Palestine, NaDo-
leon received valuable present of a fortress
In the Lebanon mountains, from the wife of a
deceased Pasha. Whatever may be the fu
ture of French occupancy, the past and pres
ent Is to be accredited to the humane desire of
the Emperor to suppress the horrible butcher
DrOmDt
alone saved the unbutchered of Syria, and his
forces must remain to insure their safety
But to return to the visit to the encampment
The roads lay amid mulberry groves and
hedges OF cactus Cafes for Turks and French
men here spring up along the way, and seem
well palronized, notwithstanding they present
little OF the attractiveness of the cafes of the
Boulevards of Paris
The road was filled with French soldiers,
Turkish soldiers, Algerines, Bodouins, horse
men, and footmen, donkeys and donkeymen
camels and camelmen, and women with various
costumes. Our French omnibus, with its team
OF mules and horses, and its black Nubian
driver, added to the strange mingling of the
European and the Oriental, the ancient and
the modern, the stereotyped and the progress
slve. We stopped in front of a large French
cafe close by the encampment Here a large
band were enlivening the gay scene with mar
tlal music, and people of all nations We re SIP
ping their coffee and smoking their "Sultana"
or "Latakea." The main portion of the French
are encamped IN the Pines, }" fine growth of
pine trees springing out of naked sands. Little
II any arrangement is observable in placing of
the tents.
The Frenchman, true to his tastes, seeks to
ornament even his camp, though, like this, it
be in a sand desert. Grass and flowers and
running vines were growing around the tents
and spaces were laid out in curves and angles
Under French taste, even the desert blossoms
as the rose. The camp-fres were smouldering
and the soldiers were sitting at their evening
meal. Their table was the ground and their
seats the ground, and yet they contrived by
digging q trench around their table not to sit
cross-legged like the Turk. Most of the tents
are small, and afford only an indifferent shelter
from the winter rains Various trades neces-
sary to the camp were carried on, such as tai
loringI ness-making, shoe-making, black
smithing, &c.
The Algerine forces are encamped in the
open field, beneath the piercing rays of a
Syrian sun. Their horses are in like manner
tied cut, exposed to all changes of the weather
Ihey were preparing their suppers at their
scanty camp-fres, and it was amusing to see
two or three of these wild Algerines sauattinp
over their pot or pan, smoking and chatting
their Arabic, while every eye was fixed on the
meat and potatoes which they were extempor-
izing into foed Their dress is similar to that
Of the Bedouin, but their eyes are keener and
their appearance thought more sprightly.
Hungarian General remarked to me that
l had seen the highest perfection of military
encampment this is real army encampment,
not the showy demonstration of annual para es,
and am satisfied that many young military
aspirsnt would be thoroughly cured by a
couple Of months confinement here-Lsftsry
from Rec. DR.. Baylies.
| ID Is stated that Mr.. Goodrich, the newly.
appointed collector Of Boston, has hard lot u
There Is a 6ushel Of letters awaiting his exami-
nation at the custom house, two pecks at the
council chamber, large pile at the United States
Hotel, and any quantity" at his house In Berk-
| SHIRE There are, probably, 5000 applicants for
the hundred ofhces In his gift.
III Ii 10 stated that the trunks Of the passenger,
by the steamer r.. r. Cuyler. her last passs pe
| from New York to Savannah were opened by t6f
custom. house officers Of the latter port and sub
Il q examination hnt
strictly personal effects Of the passengers were Der
mitted 70 pass the custom-house
III The New York Legislature have passed .
bill adding Washington's Birthday to the list Of
legal holidays, and providing that when thsse
fall on Sunday the next Monday may be observed
| instead