The Sun. — 1860-07-31 (London, England)

ABD-EL-KADER, who has behaved most nobly throughout. At evening 300 soldiers were sent out, but they joined the mob in the plunder and massacre. As might be expected, " the whole Christian quarter—which includes some of the finest palaces to be found in the empire —was soon one mass of flames ; and (for this there is the positive authority of a European eye-witness, who was hiding in the neighbourhood all that fearful night), as the Christians tried to escape from the flames they were thrust back on the burning piles by the bayonets of the Turkish regular troops troops. However, when we recollect that one of the military chiefs who commanded in Damascus was OSMAN BEG, the miscreant who but three weeks previously had delivered up at Hasbeyia upwards of fifteen hundred Christians to be massacred by the Druses, all wonder at the conduct of the military ceases at once. The burning, slaughter, and pillage went on till the whole Christian quarter was burnt down, and we read that " What the Turkish authorities did may be summed up in one word—" Nothing." No less than six times did that gallant old man, Mr. Brant, the English consul, and the Rev. Mr. Robson, Irish Presbyterian missionary, at the utmost risk of their lives, go together to the Pacha Achmet, and urge him to do something to save the lives of the Christians. No: he said he could, and showed that he would, do nothing, but remained " consulting" in the castle. Can we wonder that the prevalent opinion should be that the vdaole is a gigantic scheme of the Turkish Government to crush Christianity out of Syria ? So uniform has been the conduct of the Turkish authorities, so evident their complicity in the murders, so barbarous their indifference to the urgent wants of those who are deprived of food even, that the inhabitants of all classes can hardly avoid the conclusion that they act on secret orders from the Government, That such orders can have come from Constantinople we may well disbelieve. The SULTAN must know but too well, even were he the savage to do such things, which he is not, that prompt and summary inter• ference from Powers but too glad of the pretext, would be the, immediate result. But, that his bigoted representatives in these remoter provinces are of one mind—and that the most Satanic which can be imagined, there is little doubt. It is but too evident that something decisive must be done. That the Turkish Government must be made responsible for peace and security in Syria, or that the Christian. Powers must take the business into their own h4ds. .  The Earl and Countess Delawarr left town yesterday for their seat, Buckhurst••park, Sussex, for a few days. Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston returned to London yesterday from Osborne.  Lady de Dunstanville left town yesterday for Audley-end, on a visit to Lord and Lady Braybrooke.  The Conference on the affairs of Syria assembled to-day at 2 p.m., for the second time, at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. In this sitting the French proposal for intervention, which, subject to the acquiescence of the Porte, has been accepted by the Great Powers, was discussed for the first time.  It is asserted that the Turkish Ambassador, following instructions received from Constantinople, claimed essential modifications of the project of Convention. It is also stated that England, Austria, and Russia declared themselves ready to send troops  to Syria. Another sitting of the Conference must, it is said, take place, as the representatives of the Great Powers have to obtain authority from their Governments to sign the Convention.  Lord Clyde has returned to -Wallace's Hotel, St. George's-place, Hyde-park-corner, from Osborne.