The day after my arrival in Tripoli (December 2) happened to be the Moslem feast of the Asura, the anniversary of the death of the Prophet. Early in the morning I was present at a review of about 4000 Turkish troops by the Pasha and General of Division, which took place on the sands outside the Meshiyah Gate. Nearly all the troops now in Tripoli have arrived during the present year. With the exception of a single battalion, they have all seen service in the Russo-Turkish war. The men are of uniformly good calibre, well accoutred, and nearly all armed with the Martini-Henry rifle. One battalion of infantry still retains the Snider gun, and the cavalry carry the Winchester rifle, but they are all to be shortly provided with Martini-Henry rifles instead. Various movements were very fairly gone through, notwithstanding a visible want of dressing, but the most notable feature of the review was the passage of three batteries of field artillery at full gallop before the saluting point. I observed that a black dervish, carrying a green flag and a sort of drum, marched at the head of the troops, and two large, red embroidered banners (after being solemnly saluted) were carried in charge of two military chaplains. The number of the Turkish troops now in Tripoli is about 9500. They all belong to the Turkish First Army Corps. So much misapprehension exists in Europe on this subject that the details of the composition of this force may be interesting. The Imperial Ottoman Division in Tripoli consists at the present moment of one battalion of the 1st Regiment of Rifles, of four battalions each of the 155th, 156th, 157th, and 158th Regiments of Infantry, the 8th Regiment of Field, and the 2d Regiment of Mountain Artillery, forming a total of 9521 combatants. The Ferik, or General of Division, is Hussein Wasfi. He has done a great deal of really good work in Tripoli, but has managed to acquire the reputation of having a leaning towards the French. From a long interview I had with him I formed a favourable opinion as to his energy and ability. He is a rigid disciplinarian, has put the city police in excellent order, and rendered the occurrence of any disturbances at this critical juncture almost impossible. Under these circumstances the existence of a doubt as to his honesty of purpose is much to be regretted. He is a frank, outspoken soldier, was severely wounded at Plevna, and heartily despises the Bey of Tunis for forsaking the Sultan. Hussein Wasfi has trained a fine military band, but he offended deeply his co-religionists a week ago when the _Marseillaise_ was played before the Pasha’s firman was publicly read, and the playing of “God save the Queen” afterwards hardly mended matters. Some time ago Ali Sharif Bimbashi, who defended Sfax against the French in July, reached Tripoli overland with four or five Tunisian soldiers from the camp of Ali Ben Hlifa. General Wasfi received him with great cordiality and enrolled him as a major in the Ottoman service