THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5253, 24 January 1878, Page 2

THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

BY TELEGRAPH. (FROM ODR Offi’ CORRESPONDENT.) Auckland, Tuesday. lu the speech from the throne on the opening of the Turkish Parliament at Constantinople, on December 14, the Sultan declared that Russia began the war, and that Turkey was compelled -to defend herself against aggression, and had offered the utmost resistance. The Ottomans had displayed a most patriotic spirit, as was evinced by the selfdenial of all classes, and the courage of the Turkish soldiers had excited the admiration of the world. His Majesty spoke with special approbation of the formation of the Civic Guard. His non-Mussulman subjects had shown a conscientious desire to share in the defence of the country. The Constitution granted to non-Mussulman subjects gave them perfect equality in the eye of the law; therefore,' as they had acquired corresponding duties at home, it was only natural they should share military service, and the Government decided to enlist non-Mussulman subjects in the ranks of the army. The only safeguard for the Empire was to completely carry out the Constitution. The Sultan’s dearest wishes were to see all classes of his subjects enjoy the blessings of complete equality, and the country would profit by the acceptance of modern ideas on financial reforms. He advocated the fulfilment of national engagements, and the adjustment of taxtion in accordance with the rule of sound political economy, the collection of the revenue on an equitable system, the revision of the judicial system, and reform so as to facilitate the tenure and the sale of landed property, as also the bestowal of municipal privileges as the basis of the administrative system. Unfortunately, the calamities of war had retarded the accomplishment of these reforms ; nevertheless, the Sultan hoped for the future progress of reforms. Various measures had been prepared by the Council of State, which would be submitted to the consideration of Parliament—concerning the civil procedure, the general election, ministerial functions, High Court of Justice, the public Press, taxation, and the state of siege. Ho concluded as follows : —“ Truth can be elicited on questions of political and civil rights only by perfect liberty of discussion. That liberty having been conferred by the Constitution, you require no further instructions. Our relations with the friendly Powers are of the most cordial kind, and may the Most High bless our common efforts." A public meeting, composed of from 6000 to 8000 persons, held at Perth recently, adopted a resolution, that the Government should resist, even if necessary with arms, the further extension of the power of Russia. The Ministry refused to receive the deputation from the meeting, as it was accompanied by a crowd. The crowd becoming disorderly, the police cleared the streets. The Standard in a leading article explains that the victory of the Russians is not the cause of the summoning of Parliament, but the license which is given to Russia by Germany and Austria to use the victory in her own way. This is what constitutes the danger to British interests. England can never consent to the quarrel being arranged on those terms. She may even have cause to demur to peace made directly between the belligerents. She claims a voice in the settlement of the matter, and it is that she may be prepared to insist upon that voice that the Government is adopting those measures which Parliament is invited to sanction. The Manchester Guardian prints a despatch from its Loudon correspondent, which says “ Every attempt to strike out a new foreign policy for Government revives dissensions in the Cabinet. The retirement of Lord Derby, the Foreign Minister, is by no means improbable. Among the number of rumored projects necessitating the summoning of Parliament are the increased armament, a war vote, and the purchase of the Turkish fleet.” A Reuter despatch from Constantinople says :—“ There is trouble in Lebanon in consequence of the refusal of the inhabitants to furnish a military contingent, or to send deputies to Parliament, based on the tact that Lebanon is under European guarantee.” A Russian official despatch dated Bogot, December 13, says 60 battalions of Turks attacked the forces of the Grand Duke Vladimir all along the line, directing their principal efforts against the left and centre. They attacked Metchka six times, but each time were repulsed with great loss. At X p.ra. the 35th division of the 12th -Russian Army Corps appeared on the scene, and attacking the Turks in flank, compelled them, with the co-opera-tion of the rest of: the Russian forces, to retire upon Krasna, their retreat to Jovan-Ciftlik being cut off. The Grand Duke Vladimir narrowly escaped a ball, which struck very near him. Sulieman Pasha, describing the same affair, claims that he carried soma of the entrenchments of Metchka, but was unable to hold them owing to the fire from the heights and the arrival of the Russian reinforcements. After seven hours battle 3000 Russians were killed.

A Bucharest special says a bullet grazed the Czarewich’s head in the above engagement. Under date December 21st a Vienna corresspondent telegraphs that although all apprehensions o£ , Seraglio conspiracies and coups d etat at Constantinople seem to have disappeared, the least thing is sufficient to revive them. The unexpected appearance of Sulie- . man • Pasha at Constantinople with 10,000 men has given rise to the fear that something of the kind ia impending. In these circumstances it is not surprising that the Sultan and Government should seek support in Parliament; and make it share in, the responsi-

bility of the course to be followed. At this moment the appearance of Sulieman in Constantinople, aud reports of the withdrawal of the Turkish field forces from about Easgrad, seem to indicate that in the Quadrilateral the necessary garrisons have been left to make the best defence they can. It appears moreover that their energies will soon be taxed, for it is officially announced that General Todlcben is to be the com-mander-in-chief of the Eustchuk armv. This looks very much as if the siege of Eustchuk is imminent. Genera! Zimmerman will probably seize the opportunity of advancing against Silistria. There is nothing as yet to indicate the des-. tination of the army of 'the Czarewich, whether it will advance on Shumla or join the forces at Tirnova, and thence advance across the Balkans. . A correspondent of the London Tdeyraph writes :—“ I wish those who made this war could have been with us yesterday aud tiio day before, for we made two days of it from Sophia, halting at Tashkiseud. At the southern foot of the hills a vivid pea might easily draw a lively picture of the wretchedness and misery this war is causing. It is not like other wars, where peaceful inhabitants remain comparatively unmolested. Here, aud hereabouts, directly the enemy advances all tho townspeople and villagers decamp, and just now that the Eussiaus have gained a success between Plevna and Orchanie, the whole country is on the move. All the roads to Sophia are blocked with refugees, of whom there are about teu thousand five hundred in and around the town. As we proceeded we encountered parties of Mussulmans coming in,. Some Bulgarians and Circassians were also fleeing, but they formed only a small portion of the fugitives. On the first half of the road we counted eleven hundred carta, and estimated that about four persons were in each cart. Many flocks of sheep and herds of cattle are being driven in every direction. The head of the household conducted his own cart, which contained the family, thtir clothing, food, cooking utensils, and provender for the bullocks. The second half of the road was in a dreadful state, and consisted of a steep ascent cut through a gorge iu the mountains, winding upwards for about fifteen miles. The whole M this road was blocked and chocked with carts in indescribable confusion. We estimated them at six thousand, making in all about twentyfive thousand souls driven from their homes r aud wandering they knew not whither. Many of the fugitives appeared to look upon the situation as hopeless,, and with serene confidence in fate camped out, driving the bullocks into the ravines aud more practicable places at the sides of the road, but of course leaving' their carts to form an impenetrable.block. All classes seemed to be involved in one common interest. All fled from the Eussian, and dreaded the - Cossack—whether Mussulman, Bulgarian, 1 Circassian, Jew, or Gipsey, all were struggling in this confused mass of humanity. Not that all were equally miserable; —after the sickening groups of grey-bearded and broken-down oldmen and half-naked paralytic hags, the eye would light upon the merry rosy faces of a cartload of children quite enjoying the novelty of the scene. Here delicately nurtured Mussulman women, whose faces never before had been Exposed to the gaze of men, might be seen picking their way through deep mud ; and little girls seven or eight years of age drove hideous shaggy buffaloes, striking them feeble blows and pulling at their nose-cords with truly infantine cruelty, A panorama of rural life in its worst aspect was presented to us. It is impossible to forget that though nearly all the families had food left for a few days,, yet when once that was exhausted they had nothing to look forward to but starvation. Almost every town, district, and village is already full of fugitives, who have been placed on the English relief list, and get a sum considered just sufficient to keep body aud soul together, to supply them with Toad, drink, lodgings, and clothing. For food they get bread ; for drink, water ; for lodgings, the ground or a cart; for clothing, what they have on their backs. The sum that supplies all these luxuries is 2d. per day per head.” Prince Wrede, the Austrian diplomatic agent, has informed the Servian Government that Austria decisively protests beforehand against Servia extending her action either, warlike or revolutionary, to Bosnia and HerzegovinaServia consequently has given forma] assurances that the strictest orders were forwarded to the commander of the Drina corps to refrain from l\ostilities in the direction of Bosnia. AMERICAN NEWS. Lieutenant Waller Walton, Assistant Inspector of the Life-saving Service on the North Carolina Coast, makes a report in relation to, the loss of the Huron, showing that out of 91 bodies found, about twelve of whom were officers, not a single trinket such as could be deemed a relic by the relatives of the. dead, was found ou the bodies. Watches and chains, money, and even finger rings had been stripped off by those who first found the bodies as they were washed up. Good evidence has been found that in the ease of Lieutenant Simraonds the third and fourth fingers of his left hand were mutilated by a body of robbers in their haste to secure their ill-gotten booty.