The Press. — London, England, 1854-06-24 00:00:00

~" --- - THEI P'VE SS. and renewed during a period of several hours. The issue, however, was invariably the same. The masses of Russian infantry dashed on towards the point of attack until they came fully within range of the Turkish musketry, when they were swept away by a murderous fire, until the shattered relicts of the attacking brigades were withdrawn by their officers in hopelessness of success. 0 ;lola' bulletins from Omar Pacha describe the events of these days, and estimate the loss on the Russian aide as then already exceeding 10,000. Still more formidable attacks were made on the 29th and 31st. In the former 30,000 men, divided into three bodies of 10 , 000 each , advanced succes sively on the forts of Jellani and Arab-Tabia ,at one o'clock in the morning. This attack was very near proving successful, and the Russians had already penetrated into one of the forts by the aid of scaling ladders. The Turks, however, had in the meantime received reinforcements, and they beat off the Rug. skins, 150 of them being killed within the precincts of the fort. Retiring for two days to make fresh preparation'', the Russians again advanced in great -- - -n- -- - --- n,.,7 strength on the 31st, making the assault in the order THE WAII. they had done before. The stru gg le was long and desperate, when, repulsed on all sides, they were obliged to retire. In the evening they sent a flag of THE SIEGE OF SILISTRIA. truce, requesting permission to carry away unmo- THE gallant resistance offered by the Turkish de- lested their dead, which was granted to them. They fenders of Silistria has been crowned with signal sue- collected 2,000 corpses on the field of battle, which cess. After sustaining a series of most disastrous re- the Ottoman troops were able to count from the top pulses in every attempt against the fortress, whether of their rampants , by assault or mine, the great body of.the Russian as- On the 2nd of June having made fresh disposi sailants have withdrawn across the I)anuhe, soil the tions, the Russians Male a general assault, and siege is effectually raised. The losses on both sides attacked the forts, while their flotilla bombarded the have probably, been, somewha t exas g erated b y the town. This combat was most murderous and un accounts received through various Channels during successful for the Russians; but about midday, when the progress of events, bin is known to be emirmous, the fight was gathering intensity, the splinter of a and to have fallen in by far the heaviest proportioh shell struck Mussa Pacha, who survived but a few on the besiegers. On the Turkish side we have to minutes, though able to convince himself before regret the lOsls of tlitrisoble commander of the garri- expiring that, thanks to le i s excellent dispositions the s on, Mussa Pacha, o was killed in his own house end the valour of the Ottomans, this attack of Wh by the explosion of a shell.on the 2d lust. The Rus- Russians would fare no better than the preceding sians have seen nearly all their leaders struck down ones, Towards evening the Russians badsucceeded or placed hors de combat. Prince Paskiewitsch him- in driving a mine under the first battery of Arab self received what is called a contusion, during an Table; but the defenderS had been enabled to per unsuccassful attack,uponJnne 9, and was forced to re- ceive it in time, and they made a countermine that tire toJaasy s where he still remained at the date of the blew up from 350 to 4(X) Russians of the storming last, accounts, tenable. to obey the Einperor's corn- column, which was htilding itself in readiness to mend to proceed. t,o Odessa. On the 13th General early the breach whet the thine should have effected Schilders, who conducted the engineering operations, its object. Profiting by the disorder that the explo received a wound which rendered aniputation of the sioh produced, the Ottomans made a vigorous sortie leg necessary. Five general officers are said to hive that led to a general defeat of the enemy and the been killed or Wounded in the same engagement. taking of his entrenchments. General Luders 'is stated to have bad his jawbone In these last affairs the less of the Russians was carried away, and Prince Gortechalsoff sustained estimated at between live and six thousand slain. some injury, though not apparently •of serious cha- The Ottomans, in ptoportion. Ipst but few. meter. Count Orloff, junin, wounded iu a previous Some days of Comparative. inaction succeeded this encounter, was past hope of, recovery when the last heavy repse. , t was not until the Oth inst. that we despatches left. hear ,pf any renewed attacks. The Russians then The siege operations appear to have been prose- attempted to storm two semi detached forts called cuted upon no very definite systein. The fortress No. 5 and 11; but were repulsed with, it is said, a loss was first bombarded from the opposite bank of the of 2,000 men. The Turks lost 800. The intelli. river, hut without result. When the Russian forces genets of this date and thenceforward is, however, were pushed across the Danube they first died to communicated only by tele g ra p h, and i 4 neither full carry the place by assault, and, this being defeated, nor altogether reliable in the matter of details. • proceeded to make more regular approaehes, and for The last. Russian attack was ordered on the 13th some weeks Silistria was said to be " invested." BO upon a great, scale, under the command of Prince nothing like a complete blookade seems ever to have. Gortschaltoff and General Schildem. The particu• been established : the communications with Schumla lays of the engagement are not teld, the but the res wereult were seldom, if ever, interrupted , and O mar Pacha found was, that, after many houra' fighting, Tints little difficulty in furnishing supplies and reinforce- again successful, both Russian leaders being ments to the garrison whenever they were wanted wounded, and their forces dtiven back. The com or could be spared. Even in the ir m i nin g attem p ts pleteness of the repulse is amply testified by the the Russians appear to have been either very unskil- subsetirterit proceedings on both sides. Taking a ful or very unlucky. A grand slinultanions exploder/ reit, during which a strong reinforcement from sion of three mines On the sth inst., which was ex. Sehtrmla is said to have entered the fortress, the pected to open 6. breach for the storming parties intti Turks made a vigorous sortie, attacked the Russians the centre of the fortretti, turned out more deadly to on all points, and drove them across the Danube. the assailants than to the besieged, and the conflict Pursuing their advantage, they crossed an arm of which followed was the bloodiest and most disastrouts the rivet, seized the opposite island Of Hopa, where to the Russians of any that have occurred since the the enemy had constructed siege works, and from opening of the war. which Silistria had been bombarded. The Russians The siege now terminated had lasted almost es.- fled to the Wallachian bank of the Danube, and actly a month. During the first week of May a dis- were. compelled to witness the destruction of their tent bomb/rdment was opened from the left bank, batteries. The Turks then brought out their guns but the regular operations commenced on the 17th, and erected batteriei oh the Brilgariati bank of the when Prince Paskiewitsch effected the passage of the river, before the north face of the fortress. The river, and began to throw up siege wor ks in front of Rumen battalions east and west of Silistria imme the fortress. The next ten days were occupied with diately began to recross the river, destroying their -frequent assaults upon the fortifications at various bridges as they witlirevt. Advises from Silistria 4;of points, upon which it would seem the Russian can- the next day's date (10th) convey the brief but, non had made but slight impression, but the prince satisfaetoty tidings that the siege is at an end. was evidently urged beyond the bounds of prudence, For this glorious result the Turks owe nothing an hy the injunction from his master that " Silistria their allies. It is all their own work. ThOugh an must be taken at all hazards." Every hazard was immense allied force has remained during the whole indeed encountered, but the fortress couid not be period of the siege within a couple of da y s ' sail from taken nevertheless. The Russian leaders, :Wielding Visits, whence the march to Scratunla is short and a force far superior in numbers to the ueks,,were easy, Omar Pacha has seen nothing of t he Anglo prodigal of life, daily renewing attacks in wh ich the French arm Ca y, except the chiefs in a council of war; soldiers were literally driven by their officers to the and two English officers, ptains Nasmyth and ramparts, where they Met almost certain death' •On 13titlei, seem to be the only Englishmen present in some occasions we are told that the cavalry were die besieged forttess: They went to Silistha as placed behind the infantry to urge them on to the as- volunteers, and are stated to have done good sank. On May 21st, 25th, and 2Rth Russian attacks service. took place against different redoubts. The attempts The Sultan has expressed his intention of deco were in every instance made with reckless hardihood, ' rating every man in the garrison, and of giving the which h, The junction of the French squadron with Si C. Napier is announced to have taken place by a despatch from Admiral Deschenes to his Govern ment. This occurred on the lath. Admiral Plum ridge was expected to join on the 29th with his a dvanced squadron ; and on the 21st, according to the last advices, the combined fleets were to proceed towards Cronstadt. The united maritime force would amount to fifiy•four Sail, armed with 2,725 guns, and carrying 20,150 seamen and marines. The Par% correspondent of the Times, writing ye , tertlay, gives the following guess at the plan of calnpaign for the allied &lilies in the East The Anglodirench forces will, it ,t ppeass. leave the right bank of the Danube awl direct themselves towards the Crimea, where it is thought a combined attack will be made by i sea and land, in conjunction w ith the eircassiaws. Innuense siege preparatiOns are going on, and guns of great power have already been sent to tke Black bra, and the troops in Turkey are frequently exercised in e mbark. ing and landing. We may expect, therefore, to hear before long of 'anions operations in the Black Sea." CIRCASSIA. The Russians have encountered a serious cheek in Chu easels. Pursuant to instructions received from bt..Peters burg, the etrongludda of Redout-Kale, Anakrie, Sokum - Kale, and others situated in Maisie, on the lilack Sea, were abandoned by their garrisons, who withdrew into the interior, and, having collected the garrisons of the minor forts on their way, they advanced by the Diu iel pass, in the direction of Tiflis and Omit. This Russian force, 15,000 strong, having entered the pass, was suddenly attacked in van and rear by a large army of inountaineers ,under t he command of Emir Bey, the second in command to Seha inyl. Thus assailed, the Russian advanced guard was cut to pieces, whilst the centre and rear were compelled to re treat with a severe loss. The Russians lost three pieces of cannon, much ammunition, and above t,hree thousand killed. I)ariel lies .on the high road from Vladikaultas to Tiflis, and is six days' march from the latter place. Had the flussians succeeded in Aiming the pass they would have at ohee entered Georgia: wh ilst to the army of Kars the accession of this force Guturi would have been moat redoubtable. All the above forts are in the hands of the Circaasiaus. The town and fortress of Urzughetti, near liatoum, have been abandoned by the enemy, and are occur pied by Salim Pacha. The Russian communications with Georgia are now cut off. Schamyl is said to be in a condition to take the field with silty thousand Cirerasians, and delays his o perations only in attendance upon Ake *low movement ef an equal amount of force. under the command of Ottoman generals. From i a letter from Kars in the Paris Pram we leant that. Sch'amyi had deetroyed Kars . Russian feats Arialler and Du sad. On those occasions the Russians had 1,400 killoun- ed, and &Mimi sent 1,000 men as prisoners into the m tains. All the Caucasian tribes were moving. The Rus sian fort of hi zchet, close to Tiflis, wee closely invested. M.; ~J.....~~ ... - - 590 Lord J. RnssELL said that the commission, as a body, had already cot - mended generttl approval. Mr. DRUMMOND said that that this objection Came from the professed advocates of toleration', who called upon the \Vhigs by their historical remi niscences to perform an act of bigotry. The motion was withdrawn and the bill proceeded. The house went into committee on the Towns (Irish) Improvement. Bill. The committal of the Towns Improvement (Ire land) Bill was resumed, and the remaining clauses agreed to. The Convict Prisons (tielaud) till was read a second time. The consideration of the report on the Public Revenue and Consolidated Fund Charges Bill was resumed, but again adjourned after some discussion. In committee of supply the preliminary resolution was agreed to fora grant of 20,000/. to defray the expenses anticipated to arise from the custody and maintenance of prisoners of war. The house was counted out at half-past one o'clock. SATURDAY, Idedjidie order to the otilcers, in gratitude for the noble stand they have made against such odds. THE ARMIES. The Duke of Cambridge, with the first division of 7,000 men, left Constantinople for Varna on the 13th ibst. Ford Raglan, with the entire staff, followed on the Isth. Prince Napoleon's division had arrived at that date in Constantinople at Daciud Paella. Mar shal St. Arnaud had arrived from Varna, where another council of war was held, but &parted thither again on the 12th to meet the admirals. The num ber of English troops that had reached Varna on the 10th was about 9,000, including artillery. The greatest part, if not.the whole, of this force was pushed on to Divna, towardp, Sebumla, under Sir G Brown. Twenty . thousand French have also reached Yarns. The arrival is reporWd of one division of the French force at Demotice, four leagues from Adrianople. The 42nd Highlanders and the Himalaya, with the sth Dragoons, reached Constantinople on the 10th. - The Sultan has presented the Duke of Cambridge with two magnificent orders, set in brilliants. THE FLEETS. In the Black Sea there has been no shot fired lately, but the admirals continue cruising off Sebas topol, the Crimea, and Batoum. The naval rendez vous is at Baltschik. Swo ships and some frigates keep off Varna ready to co-operate in any service. Ships from the Baltic fleet continue to accomplish various enterprises upon the enemy's coasts with general success. One disaster is recorded. The Odin and Vuttii4 landed 150 men at Gumla Karlehy, in West Finland. These were attacked by sharp shooters in ambuscade, and by a masked battery of live guns. Lieutenant Barrington (or Carrington, as another account states), a midshipman, a mate, and three men fell; two officers and fourteen men were wounded. One boat was lost. Twenty-eight men and one mate were taken by the Russians, whose commander was The ,Leopard and Valorous have destroyed the Crown-wharf and small vessels at Keith, in the Gulf of Bothnia. Admiral Plpmridge is stated to have landed 1,500 men at Ulehborg, and taken possession of the me tallic reserve of the Bank of Finland, the directors of ad taken to flight.