Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-03-30

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shadow of the fallen walls escaped. Almost stimuli
taueousy portion OF tue western wall feli eve
on a small densely -inhabted house outside th'
convent limits, aud, crushing through Its ROOF, XII
ell it is said, eight OF its inmates, who were en-
gagged iaendeayofing to rescne their effects. Al
together il is estimated that upward of one hundred
persons lost their lives The dangers attending an!
attemptSuto e&flugush the flames in the narrow
streets OF Galata the deficiencies OF the caPta IN
proper ilre-eDgines, aud the want OF water, caused
The couiag alton to have all its own way, aud II
only became. eNtinguiShed When it had burned out
all within its reach, and when its further progress
was stopped by vide gaps made by pulling down
distant houses.
AWFUL SHIPwRECE--LOss or FIVE HUNDRED AND FIFTY
LIVES.
We read in the Straits Times (Singapore paper)
''0n january ", Chinaman, much bruised
about the body, presented himself at the shipping
Office and said that he had left Swat"w fortnight
be fore IN three-InaSied schooner, NTH $50 other
passengers On the night OF the Gill; he SAID at the
entrance Ia the Straits, barely thirty miles from
Singapore, the vessel, going at full speed dashed
against the Lighthouse Rocks moment alterward
she fell back, filed rapidly, aud sank IN deep water
with all hands ON board. The man, Who believed
lGmself the only survivor, got hold OF piece OF
wood on which he hoated whole day aud night,
when lac was picked up by some hshermen' TINS
story, fearful ia It's details, was scarcely beeyed
in al fSt but fatal confirmation OF IL arrived day
NtttlAdTu non Inc DNlNh ltolhNht ~ ANhi"' ChS
OF the crew OF the ship, a Swede named CbriSten-
sen, was picked up and brought ashore at Rhio
aud his story the same as the Chlnalhans. The
vessel was the Hamburg schooner Canton, bound
from Swallow 10 Singapore"
rsLEGE APHIO COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN ENGLAND AND
INDIA.
Communication Ivy telegraph between England
and India within eight honrSand half is one OF the
recent startling facts recorded in the European
journals. The London star says
The result is due in no small measure to the en-
tcrprisc.Of the Turkish Government. The Sultan
proposed at an early period To construct, and has
at length carried ont, line from Constantnople
across the ASiatic provinces of the Empire, on con-
iaiOn that. line To lnda should be completed by
the Enlsllsh Government from Bussorah, al the head
of the gulf a. kuTrachee. lt is this arrangement
which Is in operation. The submarine line
along the shores of the gulf and the coast OF Be
loochistan is under English arrangements and
worked by English teegraphiStS, while from Bus
sUrah onward the line is entirely Turkish.
The wires now stretch over the ancient Cappa-
docia, Phrygia aud bithynia, ameng those valleys
which were 10! ages the seat OF empire, aud even
now are stirring with new life as the civilization
of the west rouseS them from the torpor OF centu
rieS Within the province where may be traced
the sites of Babylon and Ninevah-and where the
field OF Arbela may be found, on which Alexander
taught Darius that the power OF the Persian had
palcd before the Macedonan--the Turk aud Turco-
man, the Arab and Armenian, the Jew and the
Greek, may learn at Bagdad the last quotation OF
cotton in Liverpool or OF produce n Mmcing lane.
The Sultan was right when he persisted in that
route for the telegraph which shoun touch the most
important points OF his own dominiOns. Some short
CT path might have been chosen, but the tele-
graph is hltmanizing agest, more fitted TO pass
h0n city 20 sity aud 4lnaR fruitful valleys than to
become perch tor the VultUre or thng OF mys-
;ery and terror tho wandering child of the dsS-
eTt. Even in the most populous towns OF Asiatc
Turkey the long stretching wire must be marvel
impossible 10 comprehend. Men may know that
alongits slender pathway the English in India com
municate with their coontrymen at home, and tell
them OF war or peace, OF the welfare of friends,
aud even OF the price OF commodities but while
thus informed of its use the follower OF the Proph
ct can only receive the information with many
CARNATIONS and invocatiOns, with many dubious ei-
forts to reconcile the innovation with the teachings
OF his fathers aud the precepts OF the Koran.