The Press. — London, England, 1855-12-01 00:00:00

1140 There were several impressions in the camp on the subject : The first impression—and a very general one—seemed to be, that the train had been laid and the depot blown up by a Russian emissary. When it was discovered that the English magazine was safe—long a conspicuous object— and the difficulties of such an undertaking were considezed, this idea was dispelled. Then it was said that a Zouave, excited at having received punishment, had set fire to the siege ammunition. But even if the supposition of such a mad and fiendish act could be admitted, the well•known caution and strict rules of the French administration prevented it from being entertained. No one at any time was admitted into the French depot without he was en gaged there on duty, or was accompanied by a French edlicer. The more probable story is one that was told by a French artilleryman, that some live Russian shells were being emptied at the depot, and the gunpowder contained in them collected for storage, and that the ignition of one of these must have led to the firing of the principal maga• zine. Smoking was forbidden within the precincts of the depot, but some soldier may have been guilty of the act unobserved and a spark fallen in the gunpowder. A com mission of inquiry will no doubt be appointed to investigate the subject. —lb. The Russians, from the heights of Inkermann, appeared to enjoy the catastrophe:— The explosion and subsequent fire attracted the notice of the Russians encamped on the north heights and along the range overlooking the Tschernaya valley. They ad vanced in considerable numbers towards the edge of the Inkermann cliffs, and stood in evident delight at the spectacle presented to their view. Presently the French opened a fire upon them from the guns of some batteries which, it is said, were previously masked, and of the exist ence of which the enemy was in all probability unaware. The Russians were at once driven back, and they appeared to retire in such haste that little doubt was entertained of the French shot having found their way among them. THE WAR IN ASIA. Some details of the passage of the Ingour by Omer Paella have reached us this week direct from the Turkish camp. The Russian position, although well selected, appears to have been in part cleverly turned by Otner l'acha, who erected batteries facing the main position of the Russians to engage their atten tion, while he passed the river two miles lower down. This flank movement, combined with a gallant front attack at the right moment, decided the fate of the day. Previous to the battle, the swampy nature of the country threatened seriously to impede the operations of the army : I found myself surrounded by a miscellaneous concourse, straggling by devious paths through the tangled underwood, or ploughing their way through the deep mud. There were infantry and cavalry in long lines winding between the magnificent oak and beech trees of which the forest is composed—Abatrians on wiry ponies dodging in and out, and getting past everybody—mules and pack horses, in awkward predicaments, stopping up the road, on whose devoted heads were showered an immense variety of oaths by their drivers, who in their turn were sworn at by the rest of the world. There were some battteries of artillery which looked so hopelessly imbedded that nothing short of British energy, as impersonated in the young English man who commanded, could have extricated them. There were broken-down baggage-waggons and broken down mules, and everything but broken-down men. Here and there a Pacha was squatted by the roadside indulging in his nargilleh, enjoying his " kief," and watching placidly the exertions of his troops.—Times cor., Oct. 29. The banks of the Ingour were at length reached at the point where the fortress of Ruchi was held by a powerful Russian force. Nothing was known of the real strength of the enemy, either in guns or men, but their position was well chosen, and defended by stockades, abattis, and thick brushwood. On the afternoon of the sth, Omer Pacha reached the advanced guard, immediately inspixted the position, and ordered the construction of two batteries to enfi lade the opposite bank, and commenced the passage of the river. The batteries were thrown up, with the loss of one mar, in the course of the night, and the next morning, at eleven, the troops got under arms and advanced to the attack of the Russian position : In the morning the order came for the troops to get under arms immediately, and at eleven o'clock a.m. we crossed one branch of the river about two miles lower down without opposition. We now found ourselves upon an island five or six miles long and about two miles broad, across which the troops marched. Three battalions of rifles, under Colonel Ballard, were put forward to line the woods, through which we advanced by a narrow path. About one o'clock we reached a large field of Indian corn, and heard the rifles hotly engaged with the enemy in a thick wood in our front. The Russians were soon driven from this across the river, and opened fire from behind a battery upon the wood, of which the rifles had now taken possession. Meantime, as the leading columns of the Turkish army showed itself upon the plain, a battery con sisting of five gnus opened upon them, which was speedily replied to by our artillery. A path was formed under cover of a steep bank, under which the infantry advanced to the support of the rifles in the wood, who had been sus taining and replying in the most determined manner to the tremendous fire which the enemy had been concentrating upon them. Sufficient credit cannot be given to the gal lantry of Colonel Ballard, whose steadiness and courage were infused into those under his command, and contri buted largely to the successful issue of the affair. While this was the position of affairs opposite the battery, Omer TILE PRESS. Pacha detached Osman Pacha with six battalions to a ford which had been discovered about a mile and a half lower down the river. Here they found themselves warmly received by the enemy drawn up in force upon the opposite bank. Notwithstanding the velocity of the current and the depth of the water, the Turkish troops, after firing a volley, dashed across the river in the face of a cruel fire, and in splendid style drove the Russians into the woods behind at the point of the bayonet. At almost the same moment Colonel Simmonds, at the head of two battalions of infantry and three companies of rifles, crossed the river in front of the fort, and assaulted it under a murderous fire, Here his aide•de-camp, Captain Dymock, was killed, while gallantly charging at the head of his battalion, while a Russian cclumn which attacked them in flank was promptly met by the column under Colonel Simmonds at the point of the bayonet and completely routed.—Times cor., Nov. 7. This decided the day ; the Russians fled in great haste, leaving five guns, ammunition-waggons, and about fifty prisoners in the hands of the Turks : The ground was strewn with killed and wounded ; their loss must have been very great, though so many escaped into the woods to die that it is difficult to form any just estimate. Upwards of three hundred have already been found, among which were the bodies of eight officers and two colonels. I counted twenty-two horses lying dead in one heap. Our own loss amounts to four hundred killed and wonnded, of whom about 130 were killed. The rifles alone lost twenty-six men killed and seventy-five wounded. —lb. The English officers in the Turkish army appear to have been remarkably prominent throughout the action. The Russians were in full retreat upon Kutais, and Omer Paella expected to follow closely on their heels. THE FRENCH EMPEROR is distinguished for inge nuity of invention ; and observing in July last the inconvenient bulk of flour in sacks, ordered experi ments to be made, with a view of ascertaining whether compression would not render it more port able. The experiment was immediately made with an hydraulic press of 300 tons, effecting a compres sion in volume of upwards of twenty-four per cent. The flour was then packed in zinc cases, and put by. A large quantity of non-compressed flour was simi larly packed, and both samples opened and examined a few days since, when the compressed flour was found to possess manifest advantages over the other PRINCE PASZIEWITCH, according to intelligence. received from Warsaw, is suffering so severely from cancer, which defies all remedy, that there no longer remains much hope of saving him. THE EMPEROR OF RUSSIA has issued an ordre du jour thanking General Todtleben and the officers and men who assisted in constructing and arming so rapidly the fortification of Nicolaieff. One rouble (about 4 fr.) was &wailed to each private soldier. PRINCE GoRTscHAKoFF, Russian ambassador at Vienna, has declared to Count Buol, according to the Augaberg Gazette, that Russia wou;d protest against any decision being taken with respect to the principalities without her consent; neither will she recognise any conditions which may prejudice her rights. THE EMPEROR or AUSTRIA was so pleased at the conclusion of the Concordat that he immediately sent 250,000 francs as a contribution towards the construction of a monument of the Immaculate Con ception at Rome. THE COUNT DE MONTAEEMBERT is about to publish an Panay on St. Bernard, and the eloquence of the middle ages. THE DEPARTMENT OF THE GIRONDE lately raised a subscription for the purpose of presenting a quantity of tobalco to the English army in the East. A cor- respondence on the subject has taken place between M. de Persigny and Lord Clarendon, in which Lord Clarendon expresses the lively satisfaction of the English Government at this public testimony of sympathy on the part of the French people, and promises that the intentions of the subscribers shall be faithfully carried out. THE NUMBER OF FOREIGNERS AND PROVINCIALS who visited Paris during the Exhibition are stated by the official returns to have amounted to 579,549 persons-410,945 French, and 108,004 foreigners. Those visitors, however, who took up their residence at Versailles, St. Germain, and other places in the environs of the capital, as mere daily tourists, are not included in the returns. THE REMAINS OF GENERAL MARKHAM were con veyed 10 Moreland, neer Penrith, the deceased gene. ral's seat, on Saturday last. Although an immense concourse of villagers attended, the funeral was strictly private in other respects,—Captain King, the gallant general's aide-de-camp, and Captain Burns, of Orton-hall, besides the members of the family, being the only strangers present. The gallant general is buried, by reluest, at the root of a tree of his own planting; and it was only a fortnight before that he sent word to have this tree pruned and dressed. It is stated that, two days before his death, General Markham admitted that the command of the army in the East was offered to, and would have been accepted by him, had his health been restored sooner. SATURDAY, lortign gorrtsponblut. FRANKFORT, Nov. 28. CERTAIN republican symptoms have lately trans pired tending to keep in mind the events of 1848, and the Red-Radicals considered the anniversary of the day when Robert Blum, the Paul-Kirche deputy, was shot at Vienna, to be a fitting opportunity for a republican display. A black flag was planted in the plain of Bornheim, having an inscription in red letters, " Robert Blum died for the liberty of (3er• many, November 9, 1848." Underneath, as in in- surgent and Roman Ireland, were the death's head and cross bones, with the appropriate motto," Ligne dela Mort." Universal extermination is preached to be the grand panacea for all governmental evil, the "no, nothing" of the Westminister Radical in sharper practice. But these anarchical aspirations have ceased to have any charm for the people. The utter worthlessness of the Republicans to benefit their fellow-creatures, or to command respect, was fully proved, and none, save the veriest dregs of humanity, the pariahs of diseased mortality, are now to be found amongst the frantic followers of a com munism, one, indivisible and fraternal. If political madness he their apology, then let them be caninely treated. But the reconstruction of the Germanic empire by a reform of the Confederation is depen dent upon the rapidly-increasing party of Gotha. It is an utter mistake to assail the members of that league with the reproach of " republicains doctri naires," for they are joined by the ancient noblesse, the country party, and the middle classes of Ger many. Many of the feudal privileges bore down unfairly upon the people ; these have been ceded and repealed, but the inclination of the agricultu rists, and Germans generally, rests as of yore in favour of their hereditary nobles. The Russian, Aus trian, and "de la Croix" principles find favour chiefly amongst those who are accessible to improper influences, and are content that their covetousness of personal distinction and grosser advantages shall stand them in need of higher motives. Unscrupu lous Courts, an Hebraic noblesse, and a purchased allegiance, cannot long make successful head against persevering energy and acknowledged right. A political pamphlet has been lately published by the Chevalier Bunsen, " La volx du temps," and it will be followed, probably, by a periodical entitled " G. r mania." The coadjutors of M. de Bunsen in this work are said to be M 111. Henri de Gagern, the author Gervinus, the Professors Wangerow and Hisser, the Cntq• Zitter, and MM. Mohl and Me y er. No period could be more propitious for a work of this nature. A second Martin Luther is not re quired--the advantages he fought for and obtained are a public possession ; and it is merely to extend the arena of toleration, and to resist papistic sum- . sion against the rights of conscience, that Ger many is now called upon for national exertion. Man, to be honoured must be true to himself ; and an honour emanating from brave resistance to undue power is immedia'ely productive of that constitu tional and popular suzerainty, in the best sense, that is the sure safeguard against Boman ambition and Jesuit malpractice. Henceforward Transylvania, Lower Hungary, Sclavonia, Croatia, and Gallicia, are made aliens from Austria by her own act. They will be a fruitful source of anxiety to the Govern ment—that is, a purely Austro-Ministerial affair — but it is the duty of Protestant Germany to embody her interests in such potent array as effectually to bar a sudden assault upon those liberties, spiritual and temporal, which pontifical ambition is preparing to invade. J. E. L. BRUSSELS, Thursday. A PERSON of a questionable celebrity lately died here to whom funeral honours were paid of a marked description. Possibly this was without other mean ing than a compliment to his military rank. The person alluded to is the late General Croquembourg, formerly aide-de-camp to the Prince of Orange,—the same who in 1818 was made notorious by being one of the chief agents of the plot to assassinate the Duke of Wellington. According to the evidence pro• duced before Mr. Vanderfosse, the Procureur- General of Brussels in that day, and conveyed officially in a letter from Lord Clancarty to Lord Castlereagh, it was proved that the plot for the murder of the Duke of Wellington was contrived at Brussels (vide " Cor respondence and Despatches of Viscount Castle reagh," vol. ix.). The names of the principal conspirators were :—Count de Croquembourg, aide de-camp of the Prince of Orange; Canchois le Maire, et femme ; Gnyet, Mite. Guyet; Sausset, Brice, Collionon, Alexandre Bastide, Itaumy, Publar, anti