THE The Zealand Herald. SPECTEMUR AGENDO. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1816.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4693, 28 November 1876, Page 2

THE The Zealand Herald. SPECTEMUR AGENDO. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1816.

The Czar, while evidently determined to carry out hi 3 programme of emancipating the Christian subjects of the Porte in Europe from Turkish rule, is apparently anxious to keep England neutral. The latest telegram (from London to November 21) states that he pledged himself not to occupy Stamboul, and denies having any intention or thought of disturbing our empire in India. He is, however, mobilising six. army corps, while, on the other hand, the Turkish troops are evacuating Herzegovina, with the intention, we presume, of concentrating elsewhere. Russia will not give way, but will steadily carry out herprogrammo, while the besotted Turkish Government is evidently rushing on destruction. That Russia intends taking action to crush the power of Turkey hardly admits of doubt. Tli at England will not interfere to save Turkey is equally clear, and richly will Turkey merit the fate impending over her. Misgovernment and the oppression of subject races have long marked her rule, but they are not peculiar to her. Russia has not been distinguished for mercy in her dealings with the Poles and other conquered nations, but her conduct has been infinitely superior to that of Turkey. It is the brutality, the bestial, degrading sensuality of her armies and her people, that will outlaw Turkey, and make it impossible for England, above all nations, to raise a finger in her support. Never has public feeling in England been more strongly manifested than on thi3 question, and never has public opinion been so united. It is impossible that anylGovcrnnieiit can act in opposition to this opinion, and some means will have to be devised for securing the interests of England without mixing her up with the foul and filthy Turk, who has decorated and honored generals for deeds which the lowest savages of the lowest cannibal races in these seas, could not hope to excel. The atrocities that have been practised, in Bulgaria would have passed unknown, but for the energy of the correspondent of the London Daily Nexcs. Sir W. Harcourt had drawn attention in Parliament to the letters of this correspondent, respecting rumours of various kinds that were in circulation in Turkey. The Government pooh-poohed the reports, and Mr. Disraeli contented himself with a sneer at " our own correspondents" all the world over. But " our own" was not to be so easily put down. He started for the scene of action to describe what he there could testify personally to, with fulness and precision. Mr. Schuyler, an attache of the American Embassy at Constantinople, was dispatched by his chief on the same mission, and between them the truth has been laid bare. At the two villages of Batak and Pangurishta, the whole revolting details are given, and are irrefutable. We dare not reprint half of the official report of the Agent of the American Embassy. Nor did the correspondent of the Daily News dare send the details to his paper. Batak was a

village in a delightful valley in the Bulgarian hilla. The first sight that met the travellers' view was the heap of fleshless ■keletons of men, women, and children, eaten by.dogs who fled snarlingly aethe trarellers approached. -Further on they came upon, a heap of skulls intermingled with bones and human hair land putrid flesh, lying in one foul -heap, around which the grass was growing luxuriantly. "In the midst of this heap " —says the •writer—"l could distinguish one slight slender form still enclosed in a chemise ; the skull wrapped about with a coloured handkerchief, and the bony ankles encased in the embroidered footless stockings worn by the Bulgarian girls." These sights became more common as they advanced, and in all cases the female corpses were found to have been stripped in this way before being beheaded. Robbed and dishonored, their headless bodiee were cast to the dogs and their heads piled in heaps where they were slain. The town was burned and destroyed as thoroughly as a hasty use of fire and powder could accomplish its destruction. Those who had escaped the massacre were among the ruins to which they had returned for shelter after the Turkish soldiers left. They sat there wringing their hands and wailing. There were few tears in this universal mourning. It was dry, hard and despairing. . . . Such a sound as their united voices sent up to heaven I hope never to hear again." A heap of ashes indicated the attempt made by one body of Turks to burn the corpses on that spot. They abandoned the attempt and left the rest to rot in the open air to be devoured by the dogs abouning in the city. The description given of the massacre by theee people was fully supported by the thousands of skeletons around them. Under the ruins of the school-house there were the bones and ashes of 200 women and childen burnt alive, after brutalities not to be described. Just beside the school-house was a shallow pit, in which more than a hundred bodies are buried. And so on, and so on, amid the wreck of a city that had held eight or nine thousand people, of whom only twelve to fifteen hundred ruined, starving, wretches now remained. "We were told there were 3,000 people lying here in this little churchyard alone," says the correspondent, speaking of a churchyard in which a faint attempt at burial had been made, " and we could well believe it. It was a fearful sight—a sight to haunt one through life. There were little curly heads there in that festering mass, crushed down by heavy stones; little feet not so long as your finger, on which the flesh was dried hard by the ardent heat before it had time to decompose; little baby hands stretched out as if for help; babes that had died wondering at the bright gleam of sabres, and the red hands of the fierce-eyed men who wielded them —children who had died shrinking with fright and terror —young girls who had died weeping, and sobbing, and begging for mercy—mothers who had died, trying to shield their little ones with their own weak bodies, all lying " there together, festering in one horrid mass." Yet, horrible aa this massacre must have been, it is less horrible than the shameless brutality with which the women and children, of even tender age, wore openly treated in every part of the village. Infants were taken from their beds, or picked up from the streets on the points of bayonets, and were thus paraded in agony before their frantic parents. Others were wantonly beheaded and their heads tied around their little comrades' necks, to make them remember the penalty of rebelling against their lord the Turk. Fiendish cruelty and devilish lust held sway during the three days that this slaughter and rapine lasted at Batak. It was not provoked by resistance nor fostered by intoxicating drink. It was an outbreak of pure sensuality and wanton cruelty, debasing to humanity, and outlawing for ever the Turk from English sympathy and English support. At Pangurishta there were the same scenes, and Mr. Schuyler gives a list of sixty-five villages in three districts which have been wholly or partially destroyed, with a number estimated at not less than 15,000 of all ages slaughtered under their ruins. The same harrowing story, the same brutal cruelty and more brutal lust, the same horrible saturnalia in cold and sober .blood in every case. The repetition is too sickening. At Perustitsa the Baahi-Bazouks, or irregular troops, did the slaughter and the rapine. They were commanded, says Sir. Schuyler, by Ahmed Aga, of Tamyash, "who was subsequently rewarded with a silver medal." Tassum Bey, of Kurlovo, with his Bashis, destroyed Klissura, " and for this exploit was decorated with the Mejidie." PanGerishta was attacked by a force of regular troops and Bashi-Bazouks. About 3000 were massacred with the usual horrors. The ruffians attacked children of eight and old woman of eighty, sparing neither age nor sex. Old men had their eyes torn out and their limbs cut off, and were then left to die, unless some more charitably disposed men gave them the final thrust. Women were ripped open, and the unborn babes carried triumphantly on the points of bayonets and sabres, while little children were made to bear the dripping heads of their comrades. This scene of rapine, lust, and murder was continued for three days, when the survivors were made to bury the bodies of the dead. The perpetrators of these atrocities were chiefly regular troops, commanded by Hafiz Pacha. Mr. Schuyler . concludes by formally declaring that the report of the Turkish Commissioner, Edib Effendi " may be characterised as a tizzuo of falsehoods." The indignation meetings being held throughout the United Kingdom express the intense disgust and horror that the recital of these outrages has created. Mr. Gladstone has done good service by a timely pamphlet, in which he seeks to give a practical direction to public feeling. He purposes to put an end to these outrages with a high hand, and to render them impossible in the future by creating these provinces virtually into independent Government. In short, to secure th e autonomy of Bosnia, Bulgaria, and Herzegovina, as that of Servia and Roumunia was secured and to exclude the Ottoman Government from all administrative action in countries "upon which at best there will remain for years and for generations the tracea of its foul and bloody hand." These countries to the north of the Balkan include the old Macedonia, and represent the Greek Empire in its greatest glory. Bulgaria, especially, boasts itself the native country of Alexander the Great, and if the Turk is to be driven from Europe, a new Greek Empire may perhaps be revived in the countries he has so long desolated. Or it may be that he will be confined to the south of the Balkan for the present. His doings there are more closely watched, and his people are as civilised as the Koran will permit them to become. Germany has no strong political ends to serve. Austria, France, Italy, and England are bound to aee that Russia does not get south of the Danube, but none of them can object to the autonomy of the provinces whom they are now forcing to look to Russia as thoir sole hope and defender. But come what may, we do not believe that England will

have aught to do again with any wars undertaken to rr>ftinrain Christian peoples —however low and degraded many- of them inay have become —under the brutal and brutaliaing rule, to which they have been so-long forced "to submit.

The Hon. F. Whitaker returned last mght from the Hot Springs, and will proceed thjs morning to the Thames, with Captain Fraser, R.M., to assist in the inauguration of the county there. The letter from Mr. Farnall, which we print elsewhere, gives a very interesting account of how petitions are dealt with at Wellington, and confirms what has been stated on the subject by -Mr. Swanson and others. Mr. Farnall," on the merit of his case, has, we believe, good cause of complaint. We understand that Mr. Broomhall yesterday interviewed Mr. H. T. Clarke, native secsretary (who is at present in Auckland on his way to the Bay of Islands) with regard to the Te Puke block, between Tauranga and Maketu. It is one of the best pieces of land in the province. Mr. Clarke was not very sanguine "that the land was immediately obtainable, as a "native difficulty" had, he said, cropped up. Mr. Broomhall, however, intends to go to Tauranga, and to visit Te Puke, before passing through the interior to Napier. At a meeting of the legal profession, held at Mr. Brookfield's office yesterday, relative to the purchase of the Wesleyan Chapel site for the use of a Court-house, &c, it was resolved that Messrs. Brookfield, Tyler, and Hesketh should be appointed a sub-com-mittee, to enquire into and report upon the suitability of the property known as the Wesleyan Chapel property, in High-street, for a District, Resident Magistrate's, and Police Court; also as an office for stamps, registry of deeds, and births, deaths, and marriages; as to the price required for such property, the probable cost of alterations, &c, and that the meeting be adjourned until 3 o'clock on Monday next, December 4, on which day the report be brought up. Yesterday the natives brought into town large quantities of oysters, in kits, and retailed them iojthe street at very reasonable prices, owing to the oyster season being about to close. Mr. J. Greea, of the market, purchased some four or five thousand of these oysters, which are now on sale at his stall there.

Yesterday morning, about ten o'clock, an accident occurred to a man named Thomas Smith, one of the workmen employed at Fort Britomart by Mr. James Dempsey, contractor for the Freeman's Bay reclamation works. Smith was working at what is called Britomart Point cutting, opposite the railway station, and whilst in a stooping position, a large lump of earth detached itself from the top of the cliff, a portion of which struck the man in the head, and inflicted a severe wound over his left eye. The weight of the portion of the lump that struck Smith was about 151b5., and descending as it did, from an altitude of upwards of forty feet, the blow was a very severe one, and rendered the man insensible for a time. Smith, on recovering consciousness, was taken to Dr. Dawson's, in Elliott-street, who dressed the wound, and advised the patient's removal to the Hospital, whither he wae promptly conveyed. On examination Dr. Pawson found that the wound was_ a dangerous one —the frontal bone being fractured. Last evening the man was, however, reported to be doing as well as could be expected under the circumstances, although not considered out of danger. About half-past 11 o'clock yesterday forenoon, another accident took place at Fort Britomart from a blast. It would appear that Mr. James McShane, contractor, whilst stationed near Syms and Brown's shed, for the purpose of preventing the public from passing until a blast was fired, was struck by fragments of rock in the back of the head—the blow knocking him down, and stunning him for a few minutes. On recovering consciousness, he walked up to Mr. King's, the chemist, who dressed the wound, which was a somewhat nasty one, and from which blood flowed profusely. Mr. McShane afterwards walked home, and did not seem much the worse of the mishap. A grand concert was given by E. W. Wards Variety Troupe, assisted by the Orari Minstrels, in aid of the widow and orphans of the late Mr. Moran, in the Lomestreet Hall last evening. The concert was under the patronage of His Worship the Mayor, and Captain Mosey and officers of the ship Orari. It will be remembered that the late Mr. Moran died in the ship Orari on its voyage to this port, leaving a widow and several children to mourn his loss. Mr. B. W. Ward, ever ready to render assistance in cases of this sort, kindly offered his assistance by giving a concert. The hall was crowded in every part, shewing the sympathy the public entertain in case of urgent need like the one in question. The programme prepared for the evening's amusement was lengthy but interesting, several well-known amateurs being contributors to it. The Orari Minstrels were very fair in their chair performance, several songs being very faithfully rendered by members of the troupe. The entertainment concluded with a laughable * farce, entitled "AGhost in the Wjndhamstreet Pawnshop." ' The different characters in the farce were taken by Messrs. Doran, Ward, and Coleman. Although the sharebrokers rarely issue a bulletin of the transactions that take place daily on the Stock Exchange, it must not be inferred that business is at a standstill. On the contrary, we believe a very large amount of business is being done daily in Bank and Insurance shares, which belief is confirmed by the enhanced value of this class of stocks. Bank of New Zealand shares yesterday here sold at £18 17s Gd, and buyers remained unsatisfied at that figure. Buyers of Colonial Banks were in the market at 32s Gd, ami New Zealand Insurance stock was enquired after at 90s. South British Insurance was in demand at 70s, while Union Beach mining shares were worth 755.

We understand that the Foresters' anniversary will take place on Boxing-day. It has been decided that the annual fete shall be held at hllerslie Gardens, when a liberal programme of sports will be provided by the spirited proprietor o£ the ground. The bulk of the games will be open to public competition. A grand turn-out is expected, as the members of the Order will be in full regalia, accompanied by music. The programme will be issued in a few days, when we shall notice it at greater length. Mr. Roe's new steamer, which has been named the Oregon, is being fitted up with the requisite machinery at Onehuaga, and will commence plying between that port and various other localities in the Manukau in about a fortnight hence. The little boat is highly spoken of, and will prove a boon to the district. Mr. Roe deserves praise for his enterprise in a direction where such was much needed. The schooner Loch Lee was searched yesterday by the police, and enquiry made in every quarter that was likely to throw any light upon the large sum of money that was taken fron?. the vessel while Captain Lombard was on shore at Hapai. We are sorry to record that no clue was discovered, and that in all probability the owners of the missing treasure have seen the last of their coin. On Saturday last two little boys laid poison for sparrows, at Kyber Pass, by scattering wheat thoroughly saturated in a poisonous solution ; but instead of the little birds being victimised thereby, two valuable turkeys, which partook of the bait, were so effectually poisoned by it that they died about five minutes after picking up the grain. The Theatre Royal was again well filled last night by a pleased and very appreciative audience. "Our Boys'' went off with the usual cclal, while the afterpiece, "Peter White," was as successful as on former occasions in convulsing the auditors with hearty and irresistible laughter. The same programme will be gone through this evening.

Wβ learn that the survey of the railway line between Kaipara and Auckland has just been completed by the gineer, Mr. Stewart,- "and that Mr. Com-: mlssioner Sinclair has-been instructed to ga over the surveyed ground, with the view w estimating the cptapensatibn that should be given to the respective owners "of v land' through which the line passes. The Chief Engineer, Mr. Carrnthere, is expected in_ Auckland in a few days hence, when the surveys will be submitted to him for the purpose of deciding which of the lines is to t>e adopted, and it is_ to be hoped that no unnecessary delay will take place in the matter. It- ie believed that the line via Mount Albert will be the one fixed upon by the Chief Engineer, and, if so, the' land owners in that locality shonld make up their minds as to what compensation they should charge, in order to enable Mr. Sinclair to report to the Government accordingly. It would be well for those who claim compensation to be moderate in their demands, as in cases where undue compensation is aaked, the Government takes time to cons'der what shonld really be , granted, and thus prolongs a final settlement of the matter in dispute indefinitely. As it is desirable that this railway should be completed as soon as possible, we trust that the preliminary arrangements will be expeditiously completed, so that tenders for the work may be invited forthwith. It will interest those of our readers who are engaged in mining pursuits, to learn that a shipment of the famous Dynamite or Giant Blasting Powder is now on the way to our port by the barque Mendoza, Captain Howlinson, which sailed from Gravesend on the 2nd September, and should arrive in a few weeks. This is the first shipment made to New Zealand by the British Dynamite Company, who are the sole manufacturers in Great Britain. Dynamite has had repeated and satisfactory trials at home, and in Europe and in America, while the consumption in those countries is large, and is rapidly increasiDg, and we are assured that a fair trial in this colony will prove to the satisfaction of our miners its high economic value as a blasting agent, no other product of the chemist's laboratory having as yet rivalled it in its essential featnre of power and safety combined. We are informed that the Dynamite Company intend shortly to send out to this colony an experienced blaster, who will visit the mines in this district, and give practical instructions in the use of the explosive. Directors and managers of gold mining companies, public works and railway contractors, and others who may desire to give dynamite a trial, can be supplied on the arrival of the Mendoza by the British Dynamite Company's agent here, Mr. Kay, 36, Insurance Buildings, Queen-street, Auckland.

It is expected that the Governor's warrants appointing the Railway Commissioners will arrive by the next or subsequent southern mail from Wellington. Amongst the various matters which the Commission will be requested to give their attention to, we trust that the matter of placing additional discretionary powers in the hands of the Auckland heads of departments will not be overlooked, for it is generally admitted that had more latitude been given to the responsible officials here, the continued complaints against the railway management, or rather its alleged mismanagement, would be less, both by those who travel by rail and those whose business matters bring them in contact with Mr. Passmore's absurd regulations in the matter of forwarding or receiving goods or chattels at the different stations on the line already open. The names of the Commissioners are sufficient in warranting the public that a remedy will be forthcoming for the many grievances of which they have been complaining for months. His Lordship Bishop Cowie is expected to hold a confirmation service at Mahurangi next Sunday. A grand soiree and concert in aid of the funds of the English Church is announced for the commencement of next month. The Rev. C. M. .Nelson, of St. Paul's, is amongst the names of those who are expected to speak on the occasion, and a number of lady and gentlemen amateurs from here will render musical assistance. The local Church Committee at Mahurangi are sparing no exertions in making the concert a brilliant affair, and we feel certain, should the clerk of the weather remam in good humour, the committee's expectations will be fully realised. The programme will terminate with a quadrille party, which largely contributes to the success of these country social gatherings. •Return of sick treated at the Provincial Hospital for the week ending Saturday, September 25 : —Remained last return, S3 ; admitted since, 11 ; discharged, 8; died, 1 ; remaining 85 (males 73, females 12). Arrangement of cases :—Zymotic, 14 ; constitutional, 10; local, 44; developmental, 9 ; violent, S. One death occurred during the week, viz.,- J. 8., male, aged 40 years, on November 20, of erysipelas. Thanks are returned to Mrs. Kinder, St. John's College; per favor of C. P. Goldsbro', Esq., M.D., of a parcel of linen. William Roupell, late M.P., for Lambeth, received his discharge from Portland prison on the 22nd September last, after having served twelve years' penal servitude. Instead of taking the train from Portland, as is usual with liberated convicts, he was driven in a carriage to Weymouth, and took Ms departure from that town to avoid the gaze of a crowd collected at Portland station. Since his incarceration, Roupell has been a model convict, and his presence will be greatly missed. He was employed as hospital nurse, and never seemed happier than when alleviating the sufferings of his fellowprisoners. State of Her Majesty's gaol, Auckland, for the week ended the 26th November, IS7G : — On remand, 2 males; awaiting trial, G males; sentenced to penal servitude, 37 males ; hard labour, S5 males, 32 females; imprisonment, 1 male, 2 females ; default of bail, 2 males, 3 females ; debtors, 2 males ; received during the week, 10 males, 2 females; discharged during the week, S males, 3 females: total in gaol, 135 males, 37 females. The annual meeting in aid of the Wesleyan Home Mission was held last evening, in the Wesleyan Church, Pitt-street, —Mr. R. Hobbs in the chair. The Rev. George Brown (from Duke of York Island) gave the second part of his address promised at the Choral Hall. A report of the proceedings will be found in another column. In addition to the list of candidates for the Mayoralty, published in our issue of yesterday, we learn that Mr.Cosgrave, J. P., has, at the request of several influential citizens, consented to become a candidate for that civic honour.

We learn that, owing to the death of a relative, one of Coromandel's earliest and most influential settlers has got a legacy of about £8000 left him, whilst Ms nephews have also participated in a like manner to the extent of about £2000 each. The- ordinary bi-monthly sitting of the District Court was held yesterday. The business was not important, and was inconsiderable as to amount. The details will be found in our ordinary report. A New .Zealand Gazette, of November 16, contains a proclamation, delegating to R. G. Wood, Esq., M.H.R., the powers exercised by the Governor under the Lunatics Act, IS6S. Dr. Skae is gazetted Inspector of Lunatic Asylums for the colony. He is also appointed a J. P. Major W. St. Glair Tisdall is appointed inspecting officer in the Store Department. Letters of naturalisation have been issued to P. W. Manning, of Paparata, Auckland. Mr. Eeader Wood is appointed Executive Officer in the Provincial District of Auckland, and ie authorised to frank letters and parcels posted on the public service. Mr. V. E. Rice, clerk to the Executive Office*, is also authorised to frank letters and parcels. Particulars are given of the iutestato estates of the following persons, placed under the charge of the Public Trustee during the month of October :— J. Kidwell, M. Fitzgibbon, P. Vonton, G. Law, R. Hobson, J. Stewart, and W. Williams, all of Auckland.

It ia only a week or two ago that we had occasion to record that a discovery of a startling nature had been made in one of the stores on the wharf, where several boxes vhich arrived by the Hero, purporting to contain tobacco, were found, when opened, to be fall of sand instead. It appears that a similar trick has been played with a keg that has come out of the ship Orari, which was marked on the manifest as containing nails or hardware of a similar kind. It, however, was found to have nothing within but flint stone. These two instances of sand, however, have been eclipsed by the discovery of coal in lieu of champagne, but in this latter, we think that the case is one of broaching cargo, and not an organised scheme of fraud, as in the case of the tobacco and saiid. Further evidence about the tobacco cases is furnished in the Australian news we publish tins morning, where fifteen boxes, brought to Sydney by the Hero on her last trip, were opened recently, and found to be filled with sand, sufficient proof that a deep-laid scheme of fraud had been initiated at Melbourne, in ali probability to secure an advance from a bank. With regard to the champagne, it appears that on Saturday, Messrs. Brown, Campbell and Company sent several cases to Mr. Stowe, of Freeman's Bay. They were opened in the presence of the drayman, and one was found short of several bottles, the deficiency in weight being made up by lumps of coal being put in the holes which the bottles ought to have filled. The man returned and reported the circumstance to the firm, and a fresh case was immediately sent up, which, on being opened, was found to have been similarly tampered with. In the two cases, ten bottles of champagne were short. The coal is apparently English, and as the cases were imported in the Sam Mendel, which brought out a large quantity of English coal, it is probable that the substitution took place on board that ship. The remainder of the consignment was at once examined, but, we are glad to say, without any further tampering being discovered. The Union Beach specimens were on view yesterday, at the company's office, Insurance Buildings. There are eight pieces of quartz, and competent judges prononnce the stone to be the richest ever seen on the goldfields. The quantity exhibited is worth about 6ozs. to the lb., all ground; and although the parcel is a small one, it is worth, we are informed, £300. The report published in a contemporary on Saturday evening, as to the leader getting picked out, is, we are informed by the manager, the imagination of the newspaper's telegraphic correspondent. The stone has come principally from the cross-leader in the intermediate 80-feet level. In reference to the article which appeared in our columns, entitled " Resistance to the Sheriff," a correspondent writes : —" Myself, with many others, would kindly ask Inspector Broham how it happens that a man is allowed to threaten to shoot a constable while he is doing his duty, and not made to answer for the same. Many as well as myself think the constable would have only done bis duty had he taken him in charge, as well as Mr. McLennan, and I certainly think he ought to be made to answer before a Police Magistrate for such conduct."

The secretary of the Bay of Islands Coal Company notifies in our advertising columns that in consequence of the contractor changing the gauge on the Kawakawa Railway, from 4 feet 8J inches to 3 feet 6 inches, no coal •will be delivered from the mines from the 2nd to the 11th prox. Mr. Robert Graham intimates by advertisement that the adjourned meeting to take into consideration the site for a public cemetery for this district, will take place on Thursday next, at 3 p.m., on the premises of Messrs. Low and Motion. The Auckland Choral Society will meet this evening, for the performance of Mendelssohn's 42nd Psalm, and Weber's Mass in G.