The Press. — London, England, 1855-10-27 00:00:00

OCTOnTi 27, 1855. defining what amount of necessaries each soldier was to carry with him in case of a sudden order to move. Everything, however, has hitherto remained stationary, and at present all talk of the intended attack has died away. his reason has been named for this change of tactics : it is merely remarked that some fresh instructions must have been received by telegraph from home, where, it is univer sally understood, the movements of the campaign are now regulated.—D.N., Oct. 13. The 13th Light Dragoons had embarked, but the light brigade, though under orders, had not started lip to the 9th. The strong force of artillery men tioned by the Daily News correspondent as under orders is evidently that which we hear by telegraph has accompanied Sir Colin Campbell to Enpato ria The brigade of light cavalry are under orders of embarka tion, and, it is understood, will proceed to Enpatoria, Lord Ge age Paget commanding. The 13th Light Dragoons have been embarking at Balaklava to-day. ♦ force, amount -1114 to 1,500 men, of the siege•train artillery, is also under rders to move, and the supposition among the troops is hat they also are destined for Eupatoria.—lb. The Times correspondent on the 7th speaks of a new expedition from Kertch to Genitchi, and the arrival of the Turkish Contingent at Ker:ch lends some colour to the rumour. From the Constanti nople correspondent of the Daily News it does not appear that the allies are favorably looked upon by the inhabitants of Kertch or its neighbourhood. Alluding to a despatch received from General Cun ningham, in command of the first division of the contingent which has arrived at Kertch, be writes : General Cunningham says in his report that he found at Kertch 5,000 French, 4,000 Turks, and 2,000 English troops. The town is almost entirely in ruins. All that remained of the wool used in the construction of the houses—such as rafters, doors, Etc.—had been used by the allied soldiers for firing. The natives he describes as de cidedly hostile to us, unwilling, though properly recom pensed, to render the smallest service. All the supplies Intended for the contingent must arrive at Kertch before the sth of November, at the very latest, as after that date all communication by sea is impossible. No supplies can be expected from the inhabitants. Horses and carts they refused to hire. The water for some distance from the beach is shallow, and therefore large boats must be pro vided for landing the troops. Such is the substance of General Canningham's report. It coincides exactly, not only with the opinion of all the merchants of Constantinople who were engaged in the corn trade with Kertch) and Taganrog, but also with our own personal experience. MOVEMENTS OF THE RUSSIANS. The real nature of the movements of the enemy does not appear to be known in the allied camps. The Russians are undoubtedly on the move, more or less, from the north aide at least, but whether for better concentration and observation, or for retreat, has yet to be learned : The reports respecting the departure of the Russian army are very contradictory. Certainly the encampments ou the Inkermann heights have diminished in extent during the last few days. There is neither the same num ber of tents, nor, as fat as telescopic observations afford in formation, are there the same evidences of movement and activity. But these troops may have only moved to occupy other positions. On the north side of the road stead the camps have also diminished ►n size and number. Four sheds only remain out of all the numerous rows and str3ets which formerly composed the canvas town, or Ras- Kan Kadtkoi. These sheds are apparently the only sutlers' stores which exist in this situation, and in spite of the risk from the French shells which occasionally ex plode in their neighbourhood, they are generally seen with groups of the long-coated soldiery standing before them. The fire from the batteries continues very active. The enemy must he aware that comparatively little damage can result to the ruined town and suburbs against which their shot and shell are projected, while it is scarcely possi ble that ammunition and ordnance stores can be in such abundance on the north side as to admit of wasteful ex penditure. This, therefore, it is argued, is another proof that the north side will be abandoned before the winter sets in. The shot and shell, which cannot be carried away, are being expended, and the guns worn out ; and, at any rate, the enemy has the satisfaction of keeping us out of what remains of the town for the present. Some few troops are seen working at the new batteries placed to de fea t the sea-face of the north heights, but they are so few m number that they seem almost to be intended to attract our attention, and to act as a blind to other operations. — A News Cor., Oct. Btb. The correspondent of the Times, on the other hand, referring to the camp rumours of retreat, speaks of the movements of the Russians as simply those of observation against Eupatoria, and remarks that the Russian camps on the heights of the •Tschernaya have not been diminished:— Large camps are still seen on the plateaux opposite to -its, and the country up to the head of the Belbeck is still occupied by them. The only news which we hear tending to confirm this rumour, which seems to be so fully credited in Europe, is that the fifth and twelfth divisions have gone from our immediate neighbourhood northward ; but it is more likely that this change took place in consequence of the sign of life which the garrison of Eupatoria showed lately than as a preliminary step for a final retreat. While the Russians were convinced that they had nothing to fear from the activity of the Turkish garrison of Eupa loria, and when the energetic pursuit of the siege opera- tions forced them to bring down ell their available force, a TIIE PRESS. small body of cavalry was the only amps d'oiservation which remained about Eupatoria. and there were scarcely any infantry in the whole country between Perekop and Simferopol. Now that they might apprehend something from that side it is natural that they should make their preparations accordingly.—Times, Oct. 9. General d'Allonville, however, the Daily News cor. respondent writes, had reported that bodies of troops had been observed moving toward Perekop General d'Allonville, commanding the cavalry divi• sion at Eupatoria, is said to have reported that bodies of troops have been moving toward Perekop, by the roads of the interior. Troops can only march in very small bodies at a time from Simferopol to l'erekop, ur, if in considerable force, must be rapidly conveyed, and water carried also. The only water afforded by the country is found in wells, and the supply from these sources is very limited in quantity, and brackish and bad iu quality. It will require great dexterity and caution on the part of the Russian commanders to evacuate the Crimea in the midst of the difficulties by which they are surrounded, without serious losses, if our generals are on the alert. — Corr., Oct. 8. Whether the Russians mean to retreat ultimately or not, it is clear that up to the 13th they carried on their operations on the north side with tolerable vigour : In the last few days the time of the siege seems to be again revived, and the sound of siege guns, which, since the Bth of September, only at long intervals interrupted the silence, is beginning again to tire the ear with its mo notony. The Russians have constructed and armed a Cries of new battenes and have opened a brisk fire from them against the few French batteries which had been thrown up to annoy them while they were working. It is a repetition of what happened last year, when the formi dable line of defence which we hal to besiege for eleven months was thrown up in the face of the allied armies, with the only difference, that at that time we had but a few siege guns landed, whereas now the whole Chersonese is a large artillery park in our possession. Of course it is of comparatively little importance whether the Russian missiles ruin the ruins, whether another roof is knocked in, or another window slab is shattered, especially as we need not break our heads against their earthworks; but the fact is interesting, as it clearly shows that the Russians have used the time allotted to them by the German papers to retire from the Crimea for the strengthening of this side of their position.—Times Cor., Oct. 13. There is no diminution of fire, however, from the forts and batteries on the north side of the roadstead; on the contrary, it has been kept up with much more activity daring the last two or three days, It has been especially directed against the Malakoff, and the part of Sebastopol held by the French on the west side of the south harbour. The English have not constructed any works to act against the north side; the battery commenced on the former site of Fort Paul, but afterwards abandoned, has not again been proceeded with. The French have nearly completed another large work near Fort Alexander, destined more particularly to act against Fort Constantine. It is to con tain an armament of ten mortars.—D. News Cor., Oct. 12. The Russians are still busy throwing up intrenchments on every available spot of the north side of the harbour. The ground is, as all over this neighbourhood, particularly tit for a display of engineering. From Fort Constantine there is a succession of promontories extending towards the head of the harbour, which have been all taken advantage of to construct works upon, notwithstanding our fire ; but this firing seems only intended to impede the construction of those works, and not to prevent it altogether, as the large bat teries commenced some time ago have again been counter ordered, and you can see the Russians working in spite of the occasional shot or shell pitching among them and scattering them for a moment. They are likewise modest enough in replying—an occasional shot from Fort Con stantine, from a little earthwork a flew d'eau, with eight embrasures, between the second casemated fort and some buildings, evidently stores, and some rather more frequent ones from a little redan in front of the Telegraph Battery and an earthwork on the eastern promontory of the Sou khaya creek, being all. Lately, however, they have begun to fire more frequently from the Inkermann batteries towards the French redoubts there. Most of their shots from the harbour are directed against the town, rather than against the French mortars behind Fort Nicholas, and against the head of the Dockyard Creek. The regu larity of the town rather invites this manoeuvre, the streets running parallel down towards the harbour, and thus showing plainly all those who pass through them.—D.N. Corr., Oct. 8. From a story afloat in the camp our look-outs on the Dockyard Quay in the Karabelnia suburb appear to have been anything but wide-awake one night:— A story is afloat that a few nights ago three boats, taking advantage of the darkness, quietly crossed from the north side, and, entering the Karabelnia port, proceeded toward some sheds on the Dockyard quay. Having arrived at the stairs, some Russians landed, and, finding they were unob• served, removed a certain amount of stores, with which they got back safely to their own side of the roadstead. This feat might be accomplished with the greatest ease unless the sentries were on the alert. The guard, which previous to this occurrence was a subaltern's, has been since increased to a captain's guard.—lb. ADVANCE OF THE FRENCH. tip to the 13th we learn that the French were steadily advancing, and had reached Fot•Sala, within nine miles of Baktchi Serai. The Rus sians were gradually falling back upon their main body, and a battle appears to have been expected. The slow advance of the French is probably caused by the necessity of making roads as they go, to get their heavy field artillery into position :• 1017 The French have come close to the Russian positions at Albat and Airgnl---there, if at all, the Russians must make their stand. According to the accounts one hears, the Russians have thirteen infantry divisions opposite to our lines. One which guards the fortifications on the north plateau, and two at the first lnkermann lighthouse, whose camp can be plainly seen with the naked eye ; two others distributed on the Mackenzie ridge ; and eight which guard the series of plateaux from Baktchi•Serai down to Aitodor, and the river-courses of the Belbeck, Katcha, and Alma. As long as we had not advanced to the Upper Belbeck there was a kind of neutral ground between us and the Rus sians, but now we close upon them. Fot-Sala, which is now in the possession of the French, is only about nine miles from liaktchi•Serai.—Times Cur., Oct. 13. The French are still pushing on to the right, and have now reached the upper valley of the Belbeck river. The Russians are retiring before them. From every aide we hear that the enemy is falling back by detachments upon Perekop, and the gradually diminishing extent of the encampments, which can be observed over the lnkermann heights, appears to give support to these stesertioes—D. Netrg, Oct. 12. The French advance has opened so much new ground that great temptations are offered to " Roving Englishmen," whose wandering tastes and curiositt appear now and then to give the French command ants of divisions some little trouble, and entail as much annoyance upon themselves : The other day, when the Sardinians made their recoil• naissance towards Aitodor, an English officer attached to the Turkish arniy,and another gentleman, a civilian, riding up by Upu and Ozembash, fell in with this Sardinian party, and had a look at the cliffs of Mangup Kale, and at the Cossacks down at the river. Not wishing to go back the same road, they turned up towards the French position, which leans now on that of the Piedtuontese. When arrived there a French officer came up and asked them who they were and whence they came ; they told their story, but the officer civilly replied that they were coming from the Russian side, and that therefore be was obliged ki make a report about them to the commandant. It was in vain that they pleaded ignorance about ever having been outside of the lines, as the Sardinian ontposle were beyond them, and they had seen many French soldiers walking about Ozembash, whence they came. The officer looked for the commandant, who coming oat of the hushes, frowned, and bawled out " Deux grewodiers es avant et deer en aerie re," and the gentlemen were conducted in true Brown, Jones, and Robinson style, during their foreign tour, to the general de brigade. They found him seated in awful majesty under a tree; scarcely retnrning their salute, and without inquiring into the ease, he ordered the corporal of the guard to show them how to blind their eyes with a handkerchief, and then march them off to the general de division. The two patients, who were rather amused than otherwise at this proceeding, took out their handkerchiefs, but when they saw them of rather doubtful cleanliness they burst out laughing, which seemed so dis concert the general, and he ordered them to be conducted without being blinded. Amusing were the observations of the soldiers on the route of "C'est pas des Busses pa, e'est des Angiais," exeept a drunken fellow, who, after staring at them, exclaimed " Ceat des es•espions." Thus, amid a eon tintiation of often droll but indescribable observations, they arrived at the general of division's tent. They did not see him, but his aide de•camp, who made out a despatch about them, and giving them a cliaseur u cheval, instead of the guard on foot, had them conducted to the commandant of the plain below. The thing which had hitherto been rather a good joke became now too much of a good thing ; the evening was fast approaching, and they had a long way to ride hack, so they were rather impatient when they arrived at the tent of M. le Commandant de la Plain ; this latter, moreover, began to bully, and told them that they had to remain for the night, so they tried to put an end to the fun in earnest, and expostulated about their treatment, until the commandant came down from his absurd pretensions and let them go in peace and quiet, to the great amusement of a number of soldiers, who had col• lected about to see this scene.—Times Cor., Oct. 13. Private letters from French officers in the Cowrie? de Marseilles state that : Marshal Pellissier continues to advance into the interior, slowly, it is true, for it is necessary to construct roads for the passage of the artillery and heavily-laden waggons. The plan of the generals-in-chief is not known. They appear intent on advancing as far as possible, bat the ex ecution of this plan mast depend on circumstances. Our four divisions, perfectly well organised and amply supplied with provisions, are impatiently awaiting orders to attack the enemy. The Russians are quite close to us, lining all the passes, which are defended by numerous bat teries. But our brave soldiers are not to be stopped by such obstacles. When the marshal deems the moment favorable we will force a passage in spite of them. We are ordered to hold ourselves in readiness to march forward at a moment's notice. The enemy remains on the defensive. Our troops are constantly at work making roads for the artillery. THE 97rn AT THE ASSAULT. A letter dated the 14th inst. from Major-General Lockyer. the colonel of the 07th, to the Deily News, complains of the expressions which the Crimean cor respondent of that paper used with regard to the conduct of the 97th at the assault on the Bth, and incloees a copy of the following letter received by the gallant general, addressed to the commanding officer of the 97th by Lieutenant-General Codrington : Light Division Camp, Bth October, 1855. My dear Sir,---fit tialignani's paper there is a letter from the correspondent of the Daily News in this camp, in which it is stated that, " as a punishment for its recent conduct in the trenches, the 97th has been told off to lead." We ■