The Press. — London, England, 1854-11-18 00:00:00

TO CORRESPONDENTS. It is impossible to acknowledge the mass of letters we receive Th insertion is often delayed, owing to a press of matter ; and when omitted, it is frequently from reasons quite inde pendent of the merits of the communication. We cannot undertake to return communications of which we do not avail ourselves. Ccmmunications should always be legibly written, and on one side of the paper only. If long it increases the difficulty of finding space for them. Whatever is intended for insertion must be authenticated by the name and address of the writer, not necessarily for publica tion, but as a guarantee of his good faith. ♦dvertisements sent from the country must be accompanied by a remittance or a reference for payment in town. - vrvgg+ LONDON, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1854. POSTSCRIPT. THE WAR. A gracious message from her Majesty, expressing her approbation of the gallant conduct of the army at the battle of the Alma, was transmitted to Lord Raglan on the 10th of October, and communicated to the troops in general orders upon its receipt in the Crimea. In this despatch the War Minister states : The Queen commands me to convey through your lord ship her Majesty's commendation and thauks to Lieut.- General Sir George Brown, the other generals of divisions, and to all the officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates of the army, who have on this occasion revived the recollection of the ancient glories of British arms, and added fresh lustre to the military fame of England. Her Majesty feels additional pleasure in thus recog nising the noble daring of her soldiers, and sympathising in their victory, when she reflects that that courage has been evinced, and those triumps won, side by side with the troops of a nation whose valour the British army has in former times admired and respected in hostile combat, but which it has now for the first time tested in the gene rous rivalry of an intimate brotherhood in arms. Her Majesty trusts that the blood of the two nations so pro fusely shed on the banks of the Alma—a subject of deep regret to herself and her people—may consecrate an al liance which shall endure for the benefit of future gene rations when the remembrance of this battle-field is hal lowed by gratitude for the consequences, as well as the glories, of victory. Correspondence from the Crimea to the 3rd inst. was received in London last evening. The following despatch from Lord Raglan to the War Minister con veys an official record of the siege operations to that day : Before Sebastopol, November 3, MC Since I wrote on the 2'lth ultimo the enemy have consi derably increased their force in the Valley of the Tschernaya, both in artillery, cavalry, and infantry, and have extended to their left, not only occupying the village of Camara, but the heights beyond it, and pushing forward pickets and even guns towards our extreme right ; sad these yesterday fired a few shots, apparently to try the range, which fell somewhat short. These movements have induced me to place as strong a force as I can dispose of on the precipitous ridge in that direction, in order to prevent any attempt to get round to Balaklava by the sea : and the whole line is strengthened by a breastwork, which has been thrown up by the highland brigade, the royal marines, and the Turkish troops, thus circumscribing that part of the position ; whilst imme- . 1 diately in front of the gorge leading into the town a strong redoubt is in course of being completed, which is to be garrisoned by the 93rd Regiment, and armed by several guns ; and on high ground behind, and to the left, is a bat tery manned by seamen, which terminates the position to be defended by the troops under the command of Major- General Sir Colin Campbell. Further to the left, and in a more elevated position, is the brigade of the Ist French division, commanded by General Vinois, ready to move to the assistance of any of the British force that may be assailed, and maintaining the connection between the troops in the valley and those on the ridge on which the main armies are posted. The harbour of lialaklava is under the charge of Cap tain Decree of the Sampareil, and Rear-Admiral Sir Ed mund Lyons is in the roadstead outside, and is daily in communication with me. Thus every possible step has been taken to secure this important point, but I will not conceal from your Grace, that I should be more satisfied if I could have occupied the p etition in considerably greater strength. With reference to the operations of the combined armies engaged in the attack on Sebastopol, 1 have the honour to state that there is no material diminution in the enemy's fire, and yesterday morning, two hours before daylight, the cannonade from all parts of the south front was heavy in the extreme, both on the French and British lines, and it occasioned, I deeply regret to say, some loss, but less than might have been expected under the circum stances. In the meanwhile the French, who have before them the town and real body of the place, have taken advantage of the more favourable ground, and are can-ring on ap proaches systematically on the most salient and com manding part of the enemy's lines ; and they have eon structed and opened batteries, the precision of the fire horn which has most materially damaged the Russian *Ate, although as yet they have not succeeded in silencing Ma* flits. THE IP'REIBIS. The weather is still fine, but it has become extremely cold, and there was a severe frost last night, I beg to submit to your grace the nominal returns of casualties amongst the non•commissioned officers and rank and file from the 22nd October to the Ist November, bt.th days inclusive, and a list of officers killed and wounded between the 27th October and Ist November. Captain Maude, of the horse artillery, an officer, is, I am assured, doing well. likewise enclose the naval return of casualties. RAG LAN. Letters of the 3rd inst. from the camp state that the assault was then hourly expected to take place. The Russian batteries are described as being nearly destroyed. Long intervals occur between the firing of any shots from them, even when the allies open the fire early in the morning. The French have made a large breach in front of their battery, where the enemy are constantly planting fresh guns. The besieged in this quarter have been compelled to mount some guns on the roofs of the adjoining houses. The French are carrying a mine under the main fortification in their front. If they are able to do this successfully, the town will be entered with excellent ease. The enemy ar3 carrying stores to the north side of the harbour, from which it is hoped that they abandon all hope of retaining possession of the south side of the town. The Russians in the rear continue to annoy the allied forces. They have retired as far back as the river Tschernaya, but retain possession of the redoubt captured from the Turks on the 25th ultimo. The rear of the allied forces has been greatly strengthened, and no apprehensions from this quarter are entertained. Major Nasmyth is ill, and unable to attend to the duties of his new appointment. The weather had become very cold at the date of the mail leaving. In last evening's Globe we find the following an nouncement, which we publish " with all reserve :" We regret to say that intelligence has been received at the War Department of the deaths, in the action of the sth of November, of the following distinguished officers : Lieutenant-General Sir George Cathcart, K.C.11., Briga dier-General Strangways, and Brigadier-General Goldie. The sad intelligence reached his Grace the Duke of New castle by telegraph in cypher yesterday, but was withheld from the public until to-day, in order to afford his grace the necessary time for communicating the painful intel ligence to the widows and relatives of the deceased. The following is an authentic summary, from the best sources, of the allied progress in the siege up to the 3rd instant: — The French are steadily sapping towards the town. Our engineers have been equally active. A large covered way has been constructed, which extends from Gordon's Bat tery towards the Russian reilan fort, and, taming off at a right angle, faces the latter 'formidable defensive work. This will serve to cover our storming party when the de cisive day arrives. The French advanced battery is nearly complete, and their mine is going rapidly forward, though the engineers seem to intimate that the enemy have received notice of their intention in this respect against the Flagstaff Bat tery. The ground occupied by the French is represented as unusually favourable to siege operations. The soil is of considerable depth, firm and -light, and without starlet'. The huge masses of the latter which cover the ground all round our positions offer formidable difficulties to carry ing out any new works. Selecting the officers who had distinguished them selves more especially in the combat of the 25th of October, Lord Lucan, in his official despatch, recom mends the following as having entitled themselves to notice : Major-General the Earl of Cardigan, commanding NIA cavalry -brigade ; Brigadier-General Scarlett, commanding heavy brigade ; Colonel Lord George Paget, commanding 4th Light Dragoons ; Lieutenant-Colonel Shewell, com manding Nth Hussars; Lieutenant-Colonel Hodge, cont• mantling 4th 'Dragoon Guards; Lieutenant-Colonel Grif fifths, commanding 2nd Scots Greys; Lieutenant-Colonel Yorke. commanding Ist Royal Dragoons ; Lieutenant- Colonel White, commanding (kb Enniskillen Dragoons; Lieutenant Colonel Douglas, commanding 11th Hussars ; Captain Jenyna, commanding 13th Light Dragoons; Cap tain Morris, commanding Vith Lancers; Captain Burton, commanding sth Dragoon Guards; Captain Maude, Royal Horse Artillery ; Colonel Lord William Panlet, Assistant Adjutant-General, cavalry division ; Lieutenant -Colonel Mem/. Brigade-Major, light cavalry brigade ; Major Mc- Mahotii, Assistant Quartermaster-General, cavalry dilieion; Captain Conolly, Brigade Major, heavy brigade ; Captain B. Walker, 11th Dtiigoon GuardS, - tity Ist Aide-de Camp ; Captain Fellowee, Nth Lowers, Deputy-Assistant Quarter master-General, ennalry division. Our latest tidings from the seat of sear as usual arrive vitt St. Petersburg. Fortunately they are brief. Prince Menschikoff reports, thatirom the oth to the fith inst. nothing of importance hart occurred at Sebastopol. The allies were fortifying their posi tion on the left bank of the Tsehernayaas strongly as possible. The bombardment continued, but the breaches were always repaired. ~A,telegraitk • dhsligte reeeiired eree' 0- 66titietti thit Loa Issaa*Al,9lPr. • SATURDAY, Letters from Marseilles represent the determina. tion of the French Government to increase the force in the East to 80,000 men. M. Rouher, the Vice-President of the Council of State, is to become President of that body. M. Baroche is to leave the Presidency of the Council of State for a seat in the Cabinet. M. 'Vague, Minister of Public Works, is to become Minister of Finance. Convocation was prorogued yesterday by commis sion from the Primate, to the 15th of December. The proceedings were merely formal. At the Sydertham Crystal Palace, the number of visitors, including season ticket-holders, was 5,87(1 for the six days ending yesterday (Friday) evening. THE CONSERVATIVE LAND SOCIETY.—The twenty third public drawing for rights of choice on the society's estates took place in the offices in Norfolk street on Saturday last. The rev. chairman (Dr. Worthington) afterwards stated that the East Itetford estate in Nottinghamshire would be dis tributed amongst the members on the 11th of January, and that allotments of other estates would speedily follow. The twenty-fourth public drawing would be held at Exeter-hall on Tuesday, the 12th of December, at the annual general meeting of the shareholders. He added that the balance•sheet for the financial year would exhibit satisfactory evidence of the continued prosperity of the society. an Otinttes. A MOST TERRIBLE RAILWAY DISASTER has occurred in Canada. A passenger-train left Niagara Falls on the 26th of October, and suffered several delays in its journey, and passed the Hamilton, London, and Windsor stations. At the last place the convoy was many hours behind time, but proceeded at a rate of twenty miles an hour, when at a point about thirteen miles from Chatham, on the Baptist Creek Flats, it came into collision with a train of gravel cars. The shock is described as being frightful in the extreme. The engine was overturned, the express car thrown over, crushing the first and second class cars into splinters, making a wreck of the third car, and driving in the end of the fourth ; the passengers in the last car escaped unhurt, or with slight bruises; almost the entire load of the second-class cars were killed or wounded, some cut completely in two, others with mangled heads and bodies, and without limbs. The screams and groans of the mingled were awful in the extreme. Every effort was made by the con ductor and passengers to relieve the suffering, but, not withstanding their exertions, all were not extricated until more than four hours after the collision. Heaps of the dead and mangled were found in the ruins, piled together in all mangled shapes. One poor fellow was cut out of the express car, his limbs hanging out of the side, fifteen feet from the ground. One of the strangest features of the accident is, that all the gravel ears were demolished and piled upon each other, with the tender of the engine stove in. The conductor of the gravel train was on the rear car, with his signal light and a negro boy at his side. The conductor saved himself by jumping ; the negro was killed. At the time of the collision there was a dense fog, it being almost impossible to see lights. Where the blame belongs in this awful catastrophe was not known. About fifty of the passengers were killed outright, and many of the wounded, it was believed, must die, of which there were about forty still living When extricated. A Seamits ACCIDENT occurred on Saturday last, by which seven persons met their death, at a mine known by the name of Belifield Colliery, near Roch dale. The mine has been in working about eleven years, and at present 100 men and 120 boys are em plbyed in it by Messrs. Knowles. The depth of the shaft, is seventy-five yards, and the men and coals are wound up and down upon an iron platform, called a cage. Seven men and boys were descending by this cage on Saturday morning, when the props gave way and both the platform and the men were precipitated to the bottom of the pit. Ail of the un fortunate persons were killed on the spot, some having their arms off, others legs broken, and other wise dreadfully bruised. The cause of this fatal Catastrophe is attributed to the fracture of the chain. Much neglect is assigned to the person whose duty it Was to examine the soundness of the whole apparatus. THE GATEKEEPER, nettled Charles Street, at the Fling gates on the Southampton and Dorchester line, waS killed on Tuesday night by the 5.30 p.m. 'down than. He was not quick enough in opening the gate to let the train pass, and the latter caught him, threW him down, and cut him to pieces. He had been Warned several times to be more careful in attending to the gate. The poor m an has left a widow and two children. TOE 'FITE AT Mtntr.T, destroyed 3 churches, 5 schools, public edifices, 2b6 private dwellings, 83 warehouses, 133 stables, CI sasolsbonses, mid 2 mills, valued at 848,000 thalers, exclusive of aierchaadise.