Great Fire in Turkey

One half of the town of the Dardanelles has been destroyed by fire. At half-past eleven A. M. of the 25th of October the fire commenced in the Greek quarter, a gale of wind blowing from the north east at the time. Although it was so early in the day, and two thousand Turkish troops, with twelve fire engines were on the spot the ravages of the all consuming element, and twenty houses were destroyed before any efficacious aid was given. Much might have been done had the engines been in good order; but owing to the gross neglect of Ibrahim Pacha, the Governor of the town, not one of them could be made to work. Had it not been for the assistance of two Turkish soldiers, and the European residents, who occupied themselves in pulling down houses, and regulating the scanty supply of water, the fire would never have been arrested in its progress. The presence of the Pacha was of little use, as his commands being enforced by the whip, no one would work with good will. This terrible fire was not subdued until half-past two A. M. of the 27th, having lasted thirty-nine hours.-The whole of the Greek and Jewish quarters, with the exception of about forty houses, one-half of the Armenian quarter, about one hundred Turkish houses, three mosques, a synagogue, one hundred shops, and a large bath, have fallen a prey to the flames. At least six hundred houses have been destroyed, and, as in many of four to five families lived together, there are about twelve hundred families without a home. Of this number, one-half have taken refuge in the barracks and two adjoining villages, three hundred have found an asylum in the remaining part of the town, and the rest exposed to the inclemency of the weather, or sheltered for the time being in tents. The misery is very great, and the winter approaching. A subscription was immediately set on foot by those who were fortunate in escaping, but will afford only temporary relief, as most of the families have been rendered completely destitute. It is to be hoped that the Sultan will send succor before long, and the charitably disposed persons will be induced to raise contributions in Constantinople, and in different parts of Europe, for the relief of the poor people.

These evil consequences might have been avoided had Ibrahim Pacha paid attention in time to the earnest and often repeated requests of the Consuls and the fire-engines in his charge should be kept in good order and frequently exercised. All classes of people regretted the unavoidable absence at the capital of the military commandant, Thuessein Pach; there is but little doubt that, had he been present, under his able management, added to their veneration for his estimable qualities, his commands would have been obeyed with alacrity, and the fire would never have made such awful ravages.