The Press. — London, England, 1854-09-23 00:00:00

SEPTEMBER 23, 1854. pert of the allied forces. If this be so, the Kars army may probably be turned to some account, for even under its present management it will at any time be able to give emplo)mant to tap or twelve thousand Itusbians. ARRANGEMENTS OF THE EXPEDITfON AGAINST THE CRIMEA. Lon wdvices have contained most important intent geuce on the arraligettients under which the British part of the allied forces would carry out their great and terrible undertaking. Some points remained to be decided, but the general plan of attack would be as follows :- First will come the little steam-tugs Sharki, Varna, Cir cassian, Danube, Brenda, Pigmy, and another, in a line parallel with the beach, and ip the order indicated : they are to tow the transports and the large boats full of troops. Next will advance the line of the first division parallel to that of the tugs, in thefollowing order, from left to right :- Transport No. 50. the Courier, with the 19th ltegiment on board; transport Nu. 78, the Orient, with the 83th Regi ment on board (horses and men) ; steamer Victoria, with the 7th and 23rd Fusilier Regiments on board. Next, No. 21 transport, Pride of the Ocean, with the reserve ammuni tion; No. 44, the Megera, with 77th Regiment; No. 43, No. 42, the Andes, with 33rd Regiment ; No. 89, with Royal Horse ; No. 98, with the same force; her Majesty's steamer Fury; No. 30 ; No. 60 ; the Emperor steamer, with Brigadier Codrington and staff, Captain Mac done% aide-de-catnp to Sir George Brown, &c. Sir George Brown, attended by Captain Whitmore and Captain Pearson, will proceed to the scene of operations on board her Majesty's ship Agamentnon,Sti E. Lyons Admiral in command. On looking at the above arrangement for the light divi sion, it will be observed that the line of the light division consists of fifteen vessels. Of these five are steamers, the remaining ten are sailing-vessels. In proceeding towards their destination the line will, of course, be at right angles to the beach, each steamer taking two transports in tow. Thus, for example, on leaving ilalischik the Victoria steamer will tow transports 50 and 78, and thus will lead the line; the Megera, following No. 78, will tow the trans ports 21 and 44; following N 0.44, the Andes will drag after her Nos. 43 and 42. After No. 42, the Fury will come towing No. 89 and 98 ; and the Emperor will bring up the rear with No. 30 and No. 60 transports after her. On approaching the shore sufficiently near to land, the steamer on the left flank will stop, and the whole line will gradually sweep round to the right, till it is parallel to the shore, instead of being at right angles to it. After the light division comes the line of the first division, under his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, as follows :- Transports No. 47 ; No. 23, with 79th Highlanders ; the Ease, with 42nd Highlanders on board; No. 19 ; No. 14, the Kangaroo, with Scotch Fusilier Guards; No. 10; No. 7, the Souvenir, with Coldstream Guards • No. 4 ; No. 3 ; No. 65 ; No. 117, the Tonning, with the du ke's staff. Next come the second division, commanded by Lieut. tenant-General Sir D. L. Evaus.-No. St, with reserve ammunition; No. Si, the Vulcan, with Brigadier-General Penuetather and staff and the 30th Regiment on board ; No. 88, No. 32, the Hydaaper, with Brigadier Adams and staff and 49th Regiment; No. 31, No. 91, the Melbourne , with part of 41st Regiment and 47th Regiment on board, snd medical officers ; No. 90, No. n, and the City of London steamer, with Lieutenant:General Evans, Col'onel Wilbraham, Deputy-Adjutant•General, Captain Lane Fox, Deputy-Quartermaster-General, and the rest of the 41st Regiment, &c., on board. Next come the third division, commanded by Sir R. Eugland.-Troop-ship Apollo, with 38th Regiment on board; 11:,r Majesty's ship. Highflyer, No. 0, and No. t 4, with grand reserve of ammunition ; the siege train on board the Medway,kio.97 ; No. 96, the Cambria, 50th Regiment ; No. 93; N0..28, with staff and lot Royals; the Cottingham, the Tynemouth, 44th Regiment; No. 59, 28th Regiment; her Majesty's steamer Cyclops. The line of the foorth division, under Sir George Call cart, will be disposed as follows :-Medical stores on board a transport. The filaurilius, transport, will staff horses, No. 81; the Golden Fleece, with 21st Regiment on board; No. 88 and No. 57, with reserve ammunition on board ; the Aron, with the 63rd Regiment; No. 56 and No. 48, with reserve ammunition; the Columba, with 20th Regiment on board ; No. 58, No. 37; the Orinoco, with the lot battalion of Rifle Brigade. The fift,h, of qFplt7 j eopproanaed by the Earl of Lucau, will be thug dispotO :-Dio 59 and N. 36, *Rh wit engineer stores; the "on, with 14th 'Light Dragoons; Nfii, 2, with engineer stores ; blo.Bb, with Royal Horse Artillery; the Treql, with Heim cavolry, 4th Dragoons, &c.; Boyal Rome Artillery! 'No. 41), with Royal Hors. ; the liimaluod, with the greater pardon of tht 17th Lancers and of the Bth ihtwarg,l oi 4 42-ils ' Major-General Connulnding Brigade RI Li ii i Croaky, iAA staff, on ; No. 34 ; se. 1, with al orm tits wi th 4th 144 0191°1411 on boird. Last of all comes the siege train ? as follows :—No. 49 and NO. 54, the ..i(biry, with battering•guns, (Ste ; No. 5 and No. 45, with the grand reserve magazines ; and the Australia*, with the siege train. A vast number of commissariat vessels and store ships will follow. From all we can hear, it is most probable that the Turks will be placed in the centre, that the English will take the left, and that the French will take the right of the line of sperations. However, even the above programme is not to he received as final and unalterable. The arrangements for the conveyance of the troop to L - THE PRESS. their destination are of the largest and most perfect charac, ter, and when all the transports have united they will dis play to the gaze of the enemy an armada of no less than' 600 vessels, covered and protected on every aide by a fleet with & battery of 3,000 pieces of artillery, and manned by the bravest seamen in the world. What preparations our French allies are making we are not in a position to state, but believe they will not be able, notwithstanding every effort they may pnt forth, to move more than 21,000 men at present. They make the most of theirlimited resources, certainly. They have a complete shore administration for the fleet of transport t, and their Pirechon (14 Port, with its °facers and men inspecting every pier anti regulating the moorings and movements of every little boat, is admirable in its way, but unfortunately there is a want of material to work upon. Their vessels are the sweepings of French and Italian ports, schooners and brigs from Agde, Nou• velle, Cette, Leghorn, Genoa, Hestia, ; and, although they cram them as much as human nature and French soldiers can bear the process, they cannot carry the army. They must return, therefore, after they have landed one cargo to get tin other; on the other hand, we have of fleet of transports of unparalleled magnitude, and the arrangements for their management are of corresponding excellence. So much for the order of sailing of the troops. Next comes the naval disposition The arrangement and distinguishing marks of each division of these transports are as follows First there is the fleet of the Light Division ; distin guishing flag, checkered or rendez polls flag at the fore; commanding, W. Roy', ; in his absence Lieutenant Oke, R.N., on board No. 39 transport. Steam-vessels, the Emperor, the Pieloria, the Andes. Transports, Nos. 21, 39, 42, 43, 44, 8 0 , 00, 78, 89, 98. First piyision, blue triangular flag at the fore, Comman der Rawatorne, R.N.—Steam-vessels, the Teeming, the Kangaroo, the Einem ; transports, Nos. 3, 4, 7, 10, 19, 23, and 47. Second Division, white triangular flag at the fore, Com mander Franklin, R.N., or in his absence Lieutenant Boyce, R.N., in No. 91 transport.—Steam-vessels, the City of London, the Melbourne, the Hydaepes ; transports, Nos. 31, 32, 51, 71, 82, 88, 90, and 91. Third Division, red triangular flag at the fore, Com. mender W. Hoseason, R.N.—Steam-vessels, Apollo, High. flyer Medway, Cambria, Coltingham, Tynemoulh, and Cyclops. Transports, Nos. 6, 20, 07, 96, 9;1, 55. Fourth Division, red flag with white flag at the fore — Steamers Onnoco, Columba, Avon, Gulden Fleece, Trans ports Nos. 9, 20, 37, 48, 56, 58, 59, 81, and 83. Fifth Division, blue, with red triangular flag at the fore, Lieutenant I)icken, R.N„ commanding—Steam-vessels, Himalaya, Simla, Jame, Trent. Transports Nos. 1, 34, 40, 61, 85, 2, 36, and 59. Each of these divisions wiU have a detachment of the Beet to protect it ; but there is but little chance of any attempt being matte against it. The Bombay, a fine Indianian of upwards of 1,300 tons burden, will be use as a hospital ship. There are at pre sent upwards of 40 I patients pn board. It would appear that the place of disembarkation has not pat been fixed on, for the very good reason that they will be landed where there is the least appearance of sup cessful opposition. Lord Raglan is close to a degree. He consults none of his generals, save, perhaps, that he takes into his confidence Sir George Brown, who knows how to keep a secret as well as his chief. When people at home read of councila of war being held at Varna they must not imagine that all the generals of division attend them. In fact, these conferences, at which no doubt large political and strategical considerations are held in view rather than the details of military 6, •!.tions, are usually confined to Lord Raglan, Admiral Sir E. t.:ons, sometimes Admiral Dmidati, if he happens to be at Varna, Sir George Brown now and then, by invitation, Marshal St. Arnaud, Admiral Hamelin or Rear-Admiral Bruat, and General Canrobert. • If the counsels of the generals are not required, and it they are to be regarded merely as executive officers, per haps this is the only plan to be observed in conducting these deliberations; but it is very questionable whether it is a plan which conduces to promote en unison of feeling between the chief and his immediate subordinates, or whether it enables them to enter with alacrity into a campaign as to the object of which they are kept quite in the dark. However, nearly every one looks with confi dence to the result, and places full reliance on Lord Raglan's soundness of head and clearness of judgment. It is probable that the landing will take place at a considera ble distance from Sebastopol, and the patience of people at home who are hungering and thirsting fur " the fall of Sebastopol," will be severely tried, and the chances are a little against the incidents of its capture being ready by Christmas for repetition at Astley's. It is certain the Russians are in force at or near all our pet places of land ing; rind, although Sir Lyup# ipfaratttgro artily ~ 1114 #4.si upp pplg plitsa4, jt ts scarcely to be expected dn, 4( . 41? fittees Infetior to tr garrison of the town, we can be in a t state to invest once such a fortress as Scial44oPQl. A rumour, extensively circtilated at Varna, but far from credible, is that the garrison of bdessa . bas contrived to send a very strong reinforcement to the garrison of Sebastopol. The naval officers assert it is absurd to say so, and that if any reinforcement was sent, it must have been despatched by land round to the neck of the isthmus; but there are many persons who insist on the truth of the story that these men were sent by sea while our fleet was at 13altschik—that they gave the blockading squadron the slip by night, and that they wete conveyed in the large shallow vessels and floats used for loading ships with corn at the l)annbian ports, which, keeping close in shore, managed to evade our cruisers. 893 RUSSIAN DIPLOMACY. THE following interesting article, containing one or two important facts, is from the Journal des Dibats " Baron Meyendorff, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary front the Emperor of Russia to the Emperor of Austria, has just been replaced by Prince Uortschskoff, who previously discharged similar functions at the court of the King of Wurtemberg. The Vienna journula have informed us that M. de Meyendorff was received on the 4th of September itt a private audience by the Emperor Francis Joseph, that he presented to him his letters of recal, and that he is pre paring to return in a very short time to St. Petersburg. This news surprised no one. The recal of M. de DI eyendorff was announced several weeks ago, and it was not doubted but that the mission extraordinary, and apparently temporary, of Prince Gortschakotf was the prelude of his delinttive nomination to the important post which the retreat of M. de Meyendorff rendered vacant. M. tie Meyendorff enjoys among the Russian diplomatic corps an excellent reputation, founded on long and useffil services: he is praised for his profound Acquirements, his intelli- gence, his skill, his devotedness to the interests and glory of his country, and for his deference to the will of his sovereign. M. de Meyendorff was assuredly one of the most dictiuguished agents possessed by the imperial Cour of St. Petersburg. lie has represented his Government at Vienna for nearly four years, having been accredited on the 20th of October, 1850. M. de Meyendorff witnessed the birth and growth of the Eastern question ; it was in some sort under his hand that the very numerous incidents welt developed that have often changed the character of this question. It was he who specially directed the negotia tions the centre of which was in Vienna. The Emperor Nicholas treated hint with peculiar favour. It is, never theless, to one of the recent gyrations of this great affuir that M. de Meyendorff ones his disgrace througk one of those reverses of fortune so common in Russia. " M. de Meyendorff belongs to one of those German families that have only become Russian since the conquests of Peter the Great and the great Catherine, and which families the Emperor Nicholas, imitating in this respect the example of the Emperor Alexander, his predecessor and brother, likes to employ ou missions to foreign Govern ments. To them he also willingly intrusts the carrying out of his policy—of course under his personal superinten dence. Thus M. de Modem is 4 Russian, of German ex traction, and so likewise the Chancellor of the Empire, M. de Nesselrode. who has been for forty years the Minister of Foreign Affairs. When Baron Meyendorff arrived at Vienna towards the end of the year 1860, the remembrance, of the services rendered by Russia to Austria was still vivid, and although Prince Schwartzenberg, the Prime Minister, had partially revealed more than once a desire of embracing the first favourable opportunity in order to withdraw Aus tria from the influence of the St. Petersburg Cabinet, although he had pronounced that expression so often re peated since : ' The moment is not remote when Austria will astonish the world by the greatness of its ingratitude,' the relstions between the two courts were filcile and friendly, because the minister of the Emperor Nicholas knew tha t he could depend on the good wishes of the Emperor Francis Joseph, and on the co-operation of Prince Metter nich, whose feelings were in general not very well disposed towards Prince Schwartzenberg. The death of thie minister strengthened the credit of M. de Meyeudorff, not only because he had no longer to defend himself against a feeling of dislike that was incessant and always dangerous, but still more because he was connected with the new Minister of Foreign Affairs by a close 'family tie, having married Miss Bt,' Schaueninein, the new minister's sister. At that time Fhe conflict that wits shortly to burst out ef Constantinople and drag Europe inte the entanglemeop of war was pot foreseen. As loop as Russia raised these formidable questions by which all Europe has been moved; M. de Meyendorff bent his efforts to rendering more inti mate the alliance of the three Courts, and to securing es all events the neutrality of Austria and Prussia in every possible eventuality. He fancied he had succeeded, and he did not hesitate to give his sovereign the assurance of suc cess on his personal guarantee. The Emperor Nicholas asked for nothing more, and in fact this neutrality sufficed him, because written communications from isnidon had reached him at the same time, declaring ' that there was no reason to be uneasy about an alliance between France snd England, one that was impossible, and which nobody wished to have mooted.' Abont this same period M. de Meyendorff was summoned to St. Petersburg. The Em peror wished to discuss matters directly with him. That was the moment when lie was most in favour. The Ern! peror showed him such great astisfitction and such bound less confidence, that alarm was felt fur M. de Nesaelrode. The old Russian nobility took umbrage at it and a i4e4 with the old Chancellor ! " What were in 1853 die reel designs of the kapperor M Rinisie?‘ That is a point it would he of great iniportauco art ? In iiye more light thrown upon. M. de Meyendorir w certamly acquainted with them, and doubtle g s he w thinning of thew when lie wrote ' to his friends at P i London, and Berlin :—' I have nu pretension to prephesit i but quite simply I think 1 way say that the geuppl poilas of Mnrope will not 'met a year, sud am& hefore a year wp shall see great evens: " M. de Meyendarif had returned to Vienna., where 11 found great changes. He came to en riplanation wit, Prince Mettemich :—' l'aice care,' 'aid to him the o Chancellor ; ' from what I have just heard, I comprehend -veil that your Emperor wishes to go very far againai Turkey ; let him reflect on it, and let him consider that the moment is not seasonable to make a breach by violence in this Government. Be persuaded that if he does not let the East alone, the face of things will change over all Europe, and I should not like to be answerable for anything.' ' I regret to tell you; replied M. Meyendorff, ' that the Et/verve sees things in a very