The Press. — London, England, 1854-11-04 00:00:00

gemapien 1038 cases, for it was necessary, above all things, not to attract the attention of the enemy. In his position it was neces sary to avoid a battle, which would have hindered the movements of his column. The prince marched with his train and park of artillery. All these difficulties were surmounted, and our troops had on the morningof the 25th reached a point where the enemy did not suppose them to be. Our adversaries also executed, and almost at the same time. a flank march, but under much more advantageous circumstances. From Belbeck, and the plateau which they occupied on the 24th, they had only to gain Mackenzie's Farm in order to attain the route leading by a uesceut to the Tschernaya. The enemy executed this movement with out being perceived by us, for the point where Mackenzie's Farm is situated is at a distance of sixteen verats from the spot where our forces were stationed; and, besides, it is also covered by woody mountains. If Prince Menschikoff had been desirous of attacking the enemy during the march he could only have done so by one route, which, for a distance of ten versts, is upon an ascent from the Belbeek to Mackenzie's Farm. It would only have been necessary for the enemy to place a few bat teries in a good position upon the heights to enable him to check our attack for so long a time that the movement of the column could not be completed without danger. The enemy had the great advantage of marching without guns and artillery, which, in the meantime, had been quietly transported by sea to Balaklava. Whoever has marched with a troop, whether an army or a battalion, will appre ciate the difference between advancing with and without a train of artillery. It was requisite that Prince Menschikoff should avoid a combat during his movement, because the enemy was placed in an advantageous position for it. Our adversa ries, on the contrary, marched in such a manner that they would not have been inconvenienced by an attack upon their flank, an attack which the prince, from the nature of the territory, could not bring about without engaging in it under unfavourable circumstances. REINFORCEMENTS AND SUPPLIES. Notice was posted on Thursday outside the Horse Guards, by command of Lord Hardinge, that men between 10 and 30, standing five feet four inches and a half, being a reduction of one inch, were now being enlisted for her Majesty's land forces. Notice was also issued that the bounty had been increased from 4/. to 01. per man. The reinforcements sent out to the army in the East this woek, and to be completed in a week to come, amount to 4,000 men. These are to make up for the casualties of the campaign. The Courrier de Marseille of Wednesday says : New contingents for the army of the East are being daily embarked in our port, and departures are not less numerous from Toulon. They are to form a new division of our army (the sixth), and are to assemble at Constanti nople. One brigade of this division is to consist of the 23rd Light Infantry, the 28th Regiment a the line, and the different troops which at present compose the corps of occupation in Greece. This brigade, which is under the orders of General Meyran, mast have already quitted the Piraeus. Another brigade is to consist of the Bth batta lion of Chasseurs de Vincennes, and of two regiments not yet designated, but which will probably be taken from the garrisons of Marseilles and Toulon. The Chasseurs are to leave Lyons on the Ist for this city, where they are to embark. The corps at the Piraeus will soon receive im portant reinforcements, at present stationed in the Camp du Midi, waiting for their turn to embark. All the rein forcements about to be sent out will increase our army in the East to at least 75,000 men. The Marseilles journals of the 28th ult. announce the arrival in that port of Colonels Fraser and Pat terson, and about twenty other English officers, who were to embark in the Vectia for the East. Gene rals Ventura and Galice, Artim Bey, and twenty-four Sisters of Charity, had left for Alexandria in the Lye argue. Constantinople letters of the 24th state that 5,000 French troops from the Pincus had passed through the Bosphorus for the Crimea. One hundred thousand pairs of wooden shoes, and the same number of woollen socks, are about to be sent from Lyons to the French army in the East, in order to protect the feet of the soldiers against damp and cold during the winter. Among the stores of winter clothing sent out to the army are upwards of 70,000 pairs of worsted socks, 90,000 woollen jerseys, 50,000 pairs of flannel drawers, and 50,000 pairs of gloves, and still further supplies of the same articles will be forwarded here after. Arrangements have also been made to send out 25,000 great coats, which will be an addition to the ones already possessed by each man; and the army clothiers have, at the request of the Govern ment, completed 30,000 additional suits of winter clothing, which will all leave this country before the middle of the month. FLOATING BATTERIES. The British War-office has ordered 120 new gun boats, with two heavy guns in each, and forty floating batteries, with seventy guns in each—total 2800 guns—to be ready in the spring for Cronstadt. The French have agreed to send a large force. It is stated that Government has entered into a contract for the manufacture of about 2,000 tons (worth 50,0001.) of enormous slabs or plates made of the best scrap iron, with which powerful floating batteries are to be covered, so as effectually to render them proof against the heaviest shot the Russians THE PRESS. can throw. These plates vary from eight to twelve feet in length, are from twenty-one to thirty-six inches broad, and about four and a half inches thick. Each plate will weigh from about a ton and a half to up wards of three tons; and, after being fitted, they are to be bolted to the outside of the floating batteries. From experiments it appears that iron plates of such scantling not only resist the heaviest shot, but break them in pieces when they strike. So urgent are the authorities to have the batteries ready for active ope rations against Russia in the spring, that the contract has been divided amongst the principal makers in Glasgow, Newcastle, Lowmoor, and other places in the north of England. ANECDOTES AND INCIDENTS. Campaigning under difficulties gives an eminently prac tical turn to men's minds, while it makes them indifferent to the pomps and vanities of this world, and fills them with an utter abhorrence of impedimenta—bulky and useless baggage. A young artillery officer, just come out, died lately of one of the prevailing diseases. As usual in such cases his kit was sold by public auction.. It was very valuable, for he had just gut his outfit, and the things were all of them quite new. After the sale I saw the catalogue with the prices paid, and took the following notes of some which struck me as characteristic :—A. military cloak, Os. ; one pair of worsted socks, 10s. ; a shell-jacket2s. 6d. ; a pair of gold epaulettes (quite new), 3s. ; a clasp knife, 10s. The epaulettes were scarcely worn. The price, I understand, is til., and 3L could always be realised in London for the gold they contain ; out here their value is far below that of a common bone-handled clasp knife or a pair of worsted socks, which in London would be dear at two shillings. What English merchant will relieve our wants and gain a fortune in return P And if we remain in the Crimea, what enterprising tailor will come out with a score or so of German journeymen to rig our winter kits of stout cloth and furs. Here is a new Australia with rich and virgin diggings for men of moderate capital and a good deal of enterprise. About eight days ago a canteen man from Vera came up onboard the Cambria transport. He had some boxes containing sherry, pickles, dried tongues, salt, mustard, pepper, and tobacco. He squatted in one of the empty shops, sold his goods in three days, cleared 37,000 piastres profit, and went back to Pera to fetch a fresh cargo of his wares, which were all of the worst description.—Corres pendent of Daily News. The Russian prisoners at Lewes are making a capital trade with their toys, many of which are very ingenious. Owing to the fine weather during the past week the prison has been completely thronged with visitors from Brighton and the neighbourhood, all anxious to become purchasers of the toys manufactured by the captives, and the demand has become so great as to almost exceed the supply. The pri soners are quite pleased with their trade, and find it far more profitable than serving in the ranks of the Czar, as thl. is the lowest price paid for a toy. The men seem very happy, and their physical appearance has very much improved since their feeding on English rations. The officers, who are on parole, frequently enjoy a ride over the South Downs. THE BALTIC FLEET. The actual departure of the combined fleets from the Baltic has now taken place. The approach of frost, and the presence of heavy weather, bringing fogs and storms, have rendered this movement a mat. ter of necessity. Some vessels still remain, to watch the outlets into the ocean ; but the coast navigation and internal waters of the Baltic are left open to the Russians, until the ice advances sufficiently to seal up the harbours. Letters from Revel, of the 20th, while stating that English men of-war had quitted the Gulf of Finland, report that the merchants of Riga, Revel, and other Russian maritime towns, in tended celebrating their departure by a fete ; the re joicings were to be public. Many of the British vessels were anchored at Kiel at the date of the last advices. Sir C. Napier had been indisposed, but was recovering, and went on the 30th ult. to Hamburg with Captain Munday, en route to Altona, where he purposed visiting the King of Denmark. The Edinburgh, with the flag of Ad miral Chads, arrived at Kiel on Wednesday, making the English squadron complete. Almost all lithe French ships have returned home. The Inflexible, the French admiral's ship, anchored off Deal on Mon day, and proceeded next day to Brest. Other vessels had arrived at Brest by the 26th, and the rest were expected shortly. Admiral Plumridge's squadron was seen by her Majesty's ship Hecla on Saturday last, in long. 3 deg. 30 min., all well, and making its way westward against a strong head wind. An apologetic view of the naval campaign in the Baltic is given by the Paris correspondent of the Times in a letter written on Wednesday last. He says : The Galt of Finland only contains two strong places which it would be necessary to possess ourselves of— Sweaborg, which will render us masters of Finland ; ant' Croustade, which will open to us the road to St. Peters burg. Revel is of little or no use; it is without any stragetical line : its port is completely bare, and does not contain a single vessel, and for several years past it has ceased to serve as a station to the Russian navy. The capture of Sweaborg, with the maritime resources which we shall have at our disposal next year, and with a corps of from 30,001) to 40,01 X) men, is certain. The nature of the coast is such that a landing cannot be prevented, provided it he effected at from five to six miles from Helsingfors, which also can be taken. It is vet,' little fortified, and, situate as it is at the distance of a mile from Sweaborg, completely commands this fortress. Attacked with such SATURDAY, advantages, both by land and sea, Sweaborg will infallibly fall, and, once taken, Finland will belong to us, fur the nature of the ground does nut permit an army to keep the field. By making use of the same means Crenate& cannot hold out. _ _ _ _ The capture of the Aland Isles is much more important than has been supposed. Its main object was to effect a diversion in the Baltic, to completely occupy the attention of the Russians, and to allow of the preparations for the expedition to the Crimea; and that object has been attained. The Russians were led to believe that the grand attack in the Baltic would take place this year. They maintained there am enormous force, and neglected the Crimea, in which they otherwise would have concen. trated all their strength and resources. It was firmly be. lieved at St. Petersburg that Sweaborg and Cronstadt were to be attacked before the close of the campaign, while any attempt on Sebastopol was regarded as impossible. It was that conviction which occasioned the counter orders for the despatch of the troops that Prince Menachikoff had de• mauled so far back as June. Independently of that consideration, the taking of 130. marsuud is important as a military operation. The de. fence made by the Russians was contemptible, and the allies, in fact, encountered nothing like a serious resis- tance ; but Russia has lost in it a military and maritime establishment of immense importance for the future. It is admirably situate, and its bay, Lumpur, is one of the finest of Europe. An equivalent for the loss of Bomarsund can• not be found anywhere. Such as it was, it not only could be defended, but rendered very difficult to be taken it the Russians had defended the passes, and tried to prevent our landing. Of the garrieon there was only the battalion of Finns, amounting to NO men, who really offered resis tanee. CHAPLAINS FOR THE ARMY. THE Society for the Propagation of the Gospel having organised a special fund for sending spiritual aid to the sick and wounded soldiers in the East, a public meeting to assist and further that object was held in Willis's Rooms on Wednesday. The Arch bishop of Canterbury took the chair, and among the numerous assembly were the Bishops of London, Argyle, and Gibraltar, the Rev. R. Gleig, Chaplain- General to the Forces, Sir W. P. Wood, Mr. Ser geant Adams, and many other distinguished per sonages. In opening the proceedings the Primate said : They had a double duty to discharge on the present occasion—a duty as Englishmen and as Christians. As Englishmen they could not but sympathise with those who were maintaining the honour of their country under very unfavourable circumstances, not only in a distant country, but in an unhealthy climate. As Englishmen they par ticipated in the glory, and ought also to participate in the sufferings and trials by which it was achieved. lint the y had a special duty to perform in their character of Ch ris. Liana, on this occasion, which presented a remar kable opportunity for promoting the glory of God and the welfare of man. They knew not how many of their fellow-country men might be suffering at that moment from wounds rt ceived in battle, or from the influence of serious disease ; and these were the times when the consolations of religion were not only most needful, but often, under God's grace, most effective. ( fl ear, hear.) They would, therefore, he was sure, not deny or refuse them the means of obtaining these consolations. Often, too, the bodily health was affected by the state of a man's mind. He might allude to the sentiment uttered thirty years ago by a hero whose name would be always venerated by Englishmen, after his return from a long war. He said that had the army been supplied with a competent number of chaplains it would save him 2,000 men a year. That was a secondary consideration, no doubt. The great point was that those who were now suffering should not have the additional pain of supposing that their countrymen at home were in• different to their spiritual interests, which now, at least, they believed to be the most important. (Hear, hear). A statement, in the nature of a report, VMS after wards made by the Rev. E. Hawkins, who acknow ledged that the whole merit of originating this appeal for more spiritual assistance must be assigned to the army itself, a few military o ffi c ers having been t he first to bring the subject forward. H o then recapitu lated the steps that had been ta ken to accorophsh their object, declaring that the contributions already offered had been most liberal, and the proffers of personal service numerous. Applications to the War-office had also received a reedy and generous reonse, in confirmation of which statement Mr. Hawkins read a letter from Mr. Hawes, written by the direction of the Secretary at War, and anno.uncithnge that a salary of 1001. per annum, together with usual field and other allowa nces, would be granted to every clergyman recommended for the work by the society, and approved by the War Deparunent. The Bishop of London, the Rev. Mr. Wog, Mr. Ser igeant Adams, and other speakers, addressed the meeting, and subscriptions to a considerable amount • were banded in and announced before the assemblage id broke up. THE Nouvelliste Vaudois tells the following story.-" A negro woman, belonging to one of our fellow ofcitizen found, a few months sinc e, an enormous diamond, one the finest in the world. Of course she received her liberty as the price of her treasure trove. The diamond was at once sold for 24,0001. sterling. The purchaser s tarted f, r London and offered his precious barga in to the h Queen o court E ng land for :100,0 001 . The price was not too hig as pared with other precious stones of repute, but the Queen replied that, under existi n g circumstances, she ha tic th ou sands to throw away upon her toilette, and the dia mond still remains for sale."