The Press. — London, England, 1855-09-08 00:00:00

850 owing to its near prnimity to the Malakoff. As soon as a gabion was put up a storm of projectiles was hurled against it and the working party. This difficulty has now been sur mounted, and the extremities are connected. I understand that good progress was made last night, and that they are enlarging the trench so as to admit of its containing more men. Opinions are divided as to the plan of attack that will be observed. The distance is now so greatly reduced —is, indeed, so very short—between the French trenches and the Russian defences, that a vigorous assault ought to succeed, unless, indeed, the more desponding anticipations rut I have heard indulged in, as to the impregnability of the internal defences of the Malakoff, should be more than realised. At the same time we must not be misled as to the probable amount of resistance by the fact that, since the first day of the bombardment, the Russian fire from the Malakoff, and, indeed, from all parts of their line, has been weak, as if their guns had been silenced by ours, and that the works appearto have suffered considerable damage. Mute though the Malakoff may be, it would not be sur prising if, were we to assault today, our storming parties should find that every gun-could still speak loud enough. The dearly-bought experience of the 18th of June must not be thrown away. On the other hand our fire has been both severe and well directed. That of the French has been partial, and much less strong; and this has excited a good deal of comment and conjecture, some saying that there had been a misunderstanding, and that the French did not know they were expected to back us with their batteries. It is improbable, however, that there has been any mistake. Persons there may be—perhaps themselves too hasty and impetuous—disposed to tax General Simpson with over great deliberation ; but he is generally admitted to be a safe man, not likely to fall into misunderstandings, and one who would be quite sure of what was to be done before attempting to do it He certainly keeps his own counsel extremely well, and nothing has transpired of the plan which it is presumed he has for serious operations at a very early date. - - - - • Our loss during the bombardment has not been heavy. It was incurred chiefly on Friday, since which day no offi cers have been hit, to the best of my knowledge, and not many men. For hours together the Russian fire has been very slack, an occasional shot here and there. They seem to consider it a point of honour to go off in great style on the first day, after which they run their guns behind the parapets, cover them with sandbags, and allow us to blaze away with little reply. As to other damage, one or two batteries of our left attack suffered a little, our right scarcely anything. As regards the enemy, we may reason ably hope, although we do not too confidently reckon, that we have punished him pretty severely. Although earth works take a deal of hammering before they show its marks, both the Redan and Malakoff have a very battered appearance. We have of course no means of ascertaining the Russian loss of men. It is believed they sustained a very considerable one on Saturday night. At sunset on Saturday evening a party of the naval brigade, commanded by Lieutenant Gough, dragged a 68- pounder up to No. 11 battery left attack. Jack hauled away with his usual goodwill and ala'rity. The Russians fired at him as he went up, but he reached the battery with out casualty, and the gun was put in position. The next morning trial was made of it in the presence of Captain Keppel, and it was found to bear perfectly on the mole-head and on the bridge across the creek. The mole-head is a sort of landing-place at the left-hand corner of the creek, where it enters the main harbour, and is used by the Rus sians to land their stores from the opposite side. They will be obliged to land them elsewhere in future. I understand that the Russians have been observed moving about the heights beyond the valley of the Tscher• nays, and it would not be surprising if another attempt were to be made ere long. They will find us all prepared --the English army full of fight, the French and Sardinians elated with their recent triumph, and the last animated with that additional confidence which the consciousness of having behaved gallantly and proved themselves worthy of their allies cannot fail to give them. The whole of the French Imperial Guard, which was away to the left, where it was of no use, was yesterday marched over to this plateau, and incamped beyond the French semaphore, and all along the slightly elevated ridge that overlooks the valley of the Tschernaya. They form a very large body of men, and fine looking soldiers they are. There are nine rekiments of infantry and some battalions of Chasseurs, which compose a strong force. I walked round the edge of the plateau yesterday afternoon. and they were all snugly established, had got up their kitchens, composed of a few fragments of rock and big stones, and while some strolled about picking up the scanty sticks and roots for fuel, others skimmed the marmites, some of which emitted an extremely savoury odour. The French are certainly famous fellows for settling themselves down in an instant and making them. selves at home wherever they may be placed. The vacancy occasioned by the death of Commander Hammet, of the Albion, is filled up. I understand, by the promotion . of Lieutenant Pasley, of the Royal 4thert, who is thus put over the head of at least five or six lieute• na nts of the naval brigade—lieutenants of ten years' standing. or even more, and who have now passed eight months in the trenches and been in four bombardments. This needs no comment. Lieutenant Pasley may be a most meritorious officer, but one naturally feels curious to become acquainted with the services that entitle him t o walk over his seniors, who for two•thirds of a year have been engaged in actual and severe warfare, who have been decimated by Russian shot, and have taken their full share of hardships probably unparalleled in the his tory of war since the campaign of 1812. Major Henry of the Artillery, who lost his arm the other day, is, I am happy to say, going on very favorably. Majo r Napier, of the Land Transport Corps, is gone home on ,V,k leave. A cargo of ice has arrived for the hos . phalli, and ten tons are to be brought up for each division THE PRESS. of the army. The Simon; has arrived with 420, and the Barrackpore with 300, of the Army Working Corps. These 120 men form the bulk of the corps, and will immediately proceed to work under the direction of the chief superin tendent, I)oyne. They are to repair the railway (" re- make " would be a suitable word as regards a great part of it), and make a road from head-quarters to Balaklava. Sir Harry Jones has also ordered that they should take the direction of the supply of water fur the camp. It is hoped they will find means of increasing it, and also of causing a portion of it to flow to an easier distance than that at which some of us are compelled to seek it. Sir Harry Jones has been suffering severely from sciatica, but is now much bette'. - - Auo. 21.—Yesterday afternoon between five and six o'clock the whole of the French batteries on the left sud denly opened a furious fire, to which the Russians warmly replied. General Pelissier, in his open carriage, with his aide.de-camp and usual Hussar escort, passed through the English camp and went up to Cathcart's-hill. The fire lasted until nightfall, and then diminished. During the night there was not much firing. At midnight it had almost ceased, and one saw but an occasional shell in the air. At two a.m. orders came for our army to turn out. This was rapidly done; the troops moved to the front to their usual position in such cases, and remained there until daylight. It ii now very early in the morning, and I have not been able to ascertain the motives of the alerte. It appears, however, that the French turned out before we had orders to do so, and that then a line of telegraphic lights was observed in the Russian positions, commencing at Sebastopol and running along the Inker mann heights. It is said that the French got under arms in consequence of observing a Russian force in motion on the heights in question. From the present aspect of affairs, and notably from the change of place of the Impe rial Guard, it seems probable that the French will operate particularly on the Tschernaya line, where they the other day achieved so brilliant a success, and that the English will form the main force to be opposed to an attack pro ceeding from the town. The enemy continues to throw shot at our camp, but they fall short or on the outskirts, and the damage they do is so trifling as not to be worth the ammunition expended. Yesterday evening, during the firing on the left, they threw up several to Cathcart's•hill. They are fired from an immense distance (the Garden Battery, it is believed), and of course at a great elevation. The soldiers amuse themselves wiih digging them out of the ground, into which they plunge to a considerable depth. AUG. 24.—Orders were given this morning that no officer or man should quit the camp. An attack is ex pected, and the army is on its guard. Large bodies of Russians have been seen to issue from the town, and it is thought they meditate an onslaught upon the Sardinians. It may possibly prove a false alarm, like many others that we have lately had. On the 214, on returning to camp from sending off my despatch, I found the troops under arms. The enemy had been observed in motion on the heights beyond the Tschernaya. Nothing came of it, nor of other similar recent alarms, but the qui vive is becoming our habitual state. It is to be hoped this vigilance may not be relaxed at the moment when it is most needed. The general opinion seems to be that the Russians will make a second attempt on the Tschernaya line, combined pro- bably with attacks on other points. It is thought they will come on in great force, and it is therefore desirable we should have strong reserves in readiness, in order that the ultimate triumph, on which we confidently reckon, may not be limited to the recapture of positions snatched by the first heavy onset of overwhelming numbers. Such a result would be less than what we have a right to expect should the Russians risk a general attack ; and should no greater be attained the fault will be attributable to the dis positions taken. Such an attack, promptly and vigorously met, ought to end in our wresting from the foe some solid advantage, perhaps even in the capture of the Malakoff itself. Had we that, we should quickly be masters of the Redan and the Little Redan ; it might take a few days to vanquish the resistance offered by the inner line of de fence, but the issue of the contest, as regards the south side of Sebastopol, would no longer be doubtful. lf, as we have some grounds for believing, the Russian troops are already considerably demoralised, the loss of the Ma lakoff might so discourage them as to throw the south side almost immediately into our hands. Its capture, and the destruction of the ships, would render a very large force — in itself a powerful and numerous army—now employed in the trenches disposable for operations elsewhere. A por tion of these troops might then, by the aid of our fleet, be promptly conveyed to Eupatoria, where we already have 20,000 of the best Turks. Suppose we sent off 40,000 men —say, 30,000 English and 10,000 Sardinians—leaving the French to observe the north side of Sebastopol and keep the enemy in check down here ; we should thus form an army of between 50,000 and 60,000 effective soldiers, which would give an excellent account of any Russian army at tempting to retreat northwards. This plan I know to be considered by officers of high rank and great military knowledge and experience as perfectly feasible. We have abundance of transport, plenty of cavalry could be sent, and such a battle might be fought, such a victory obtained, Si would eclipse the glories even of Alma and of lnker mann ; for it is to be observed that even those persons here who take the most desponding view of the prospects of the siege are as confident as men can be of our army driving before it in the field even very superior forces of the Russians. And really when one notes the excellent condition of the troops. and the cheerful, gallant, and loyal spirit that animates them, one cannot doubt that they would fulfil those high expectations; one can imagine no army, though it were twice their number, withstanding their onset, and one reflects with regret on their being kept here all the summer knocking their heads against stone walls, and against earthworks that are worse, expending their energies in the wearisome trench duty, and sighing SATURDAY, in vain for motion and action in the field. We have still two months of good campaigning weather before us, and we can only hope they will be employed in such a way as to atone in some degree for the unprofitable manner in which spring and summer have been suffered to glide by. We are completely in the dark as to the intentions of the commanding generals as regard s offensive operations. All that we can see is that an attack on our lines is ex • pected, and there our knowledge stops. Meanwhile, our artillery and naval brigade are tar from idle. A number of old guns have been sunk in the earth, and make excellent practice on the town, sending shells in all directions and doing considerable damage. I believe it i s intended to use up all our old guns in this way , and to dig up some that have been buried. The solid 68-pounder that was lately taken down to a battery on the left made an excellent shot a day or two ago at the bridge across the creek, over which a number of soldiers were passing at the time. The bullet cut the bridge in two, killing some of the men, precipi tating others into the water, and sinking a barge. On the night of the 22nd the sailors got another 68-pounder into No. 9 battery, left attack. The slings broke on the way, and it took some time and such dexterity and exertion as none but sailors can display in a like degree on such occa sions to get the tackle right again and complete the jour. ney. Unluckily, the accident took place just under fire of the Redan, which opened a heavy fire of shells on the party; but Jack, nothing daunted, persisted in his task, and fortunately accomplished it without casualty. Great numbers of mortars are coming up both for us and for the French, and this gives additional weight to the opinion I before told you was entertained by various per- sons here—notably by some of the French staff—that it is intended to crush the place under a prodigious fire of mortars. There can hardly be a doubt that these are the most effective weapons we can employ against Sebastopol. The vertical fire which Sir Howard Douglas advocated finds partisans among all practical men here. You may convert the huge earthworks of the Russian batteries into masses of iron by a horizontal fire, but for that the enemy will care little. It is quite clear that his inner works, not his outer ones. are what he reckons on, and only by a Ter• tical fire can we hope to destroy the former. A meeting was held yesterday morning of officers of the Highland division to inspect specimens of waterproof winter clothing, which were found excellent, and only slight alterations were suggested. Sir Colin Campbell took the opportunity to read to his officers the copy of a note received by General l'elissier from the Emperor of the French, in which the Emperor informed him that he had positive intelligence that the Russians would not be able to pass the winter here. This would doubtless be by reason of the impossibility of getting up stores and prom sions. Several deserters who have lately come in have agreed in stating that ammunition is plentiful in Sebasto pol, but food hard to obtain. From Kertch we hear that the Spit of Arabat is completely commanded by our ship- ping, and that nothing can pass over it. As regards scar- city in the Russian clump, the latest " shave " current is that Gortschakoff telegraphed to Dolgorouki that he had but six days' rations left, whereupon Dolgorouki telegraphed back to Gortschakoff that there was plenty at Balaklava, and he had better go and take them. The health of the army continues excellent. The wea ther is dry, clear, and not excessively warm. Sir W. Eyre, commanding the third division, reports to the Quarter master-General, under date of the 14th instant, in very high terms concerning the excellent order in which he found the hospitals on a recent inspection. " I cannot conceive," he says, " that soldiers in the field can be more orderly or more comfortably accommodated " He adds that the sick are in possession of every comfort, and gives great credit to the medical men of the division. The weather is decidedly favorable to field-hospitals, permitting doors to be left open and canvas raised so as to ventilate thoroughly and lam often struck, when passing through the camp, by the clean, cool, and comfortable appearance of the hospital huts and marquees, and of their inmates. By a general after-order, published to-night, we learn that Lord Stratford de Radcliffe is to land at Kazatch Bay early to-morrow, and that at eleven a.m. he is to invest, by her Majesty's command, seven generals and two admirals with the insignia of the Bath. The ceremony takes place at head-quarters. Companions of the Order are invited to attend. Auo. 25, Noon.—We have had an agitated night and morning. There was a good deal of firing in the evening, which increased towards one o'clock, about which time a sortie was attempted by the Russians against the Manielon, but promptly repelled. The troops not being yet up from the trenches, lam unable to give you details. The firing was very heavy for a short time—as heavy as any night firing that has heen heard here for a long time past. At two a.m. the Highland division marched to support the Sardinians. The whole army was under arms before day light, an attack being fully expected, and General Simpson and his staff were out and round the lines. At this present time all is quiet, but the troops are ordered to be in readi ness. So strong was the expectation of an action on the Tschernaya, owing to the movement of the Highlanders and other indications, that several amateurs went down to the ground where the battle, it was thought, would occur. The hour compels me to close this letter, but, according to every appearance, my next must take you news of a col lision. It is intensely hot to-day, and the Russians gene rally are very quiet from noon till about one or two o'clock —probably eating or reposing. CRIME IN THE CAMP. Sharp and well-deserved rebukes, prompted by certain malpractices and outrages perpetrated in the camp, have been published in " General Orders" on more than one occasion The following are ape =len R : Head-Quarters before Sebastopol, August 20, 1855. The great want of consideration shown by officers and other persons attached to this army in visiting the scene of a recent action, and plundering the dead, or purehasulli ilib._ 111