The Press. — London, England, 1855-08-25 00:00:00

AUG. 25, 1855; coriginat yitticts front tic grintra. GUARDS' HOSPITAL, Balaklava, Aug. 0. I HAVE little to communicate in the way of intelli gence, as nothing of importance has been done since I wrote to you last. There is to be a change in the disposition of the first division. A Highland division is to be formed, under Sir C. Campbell, of the 42nd, 71st, 72nd, 79th, 92nd, and 03rd Regi ments. Some other regiments will join the Guards, and make that the first division. The lath Regi ment is still suffering dreadfully : they bury now fourteen and fifteen a week, and yesterday had 210 sick. There is a rumour that the Guards are to garrison Kertch this winter. The sun is striking down dreadfully hot now. In the absence of matter of immediate interest, you may like to receive some details of the life of the Russians in the Crimea as it came under our ob servaticn soon after we landed. I was one of the first that entered the village of Camara (or Kamera). Balaklava having fallen to us after a few shots, and before the army got in any way settled, I obtained permission from General Bentmck to visit Kamera to procure some fowls, or anything I could buy, the general giving strict orders that every article should be paid for. Supplying myself with a revolver—for the distance was about three miles, and we were not exactly certain that a few Cossacks might not have been there—l started on my foraging expedition, accompanied by a private. We found the village completely deserted, except by the inmates of the poultry yards and cow-sheds, with a solitary cat or dog here and there. We soon succeeded in pro curing about a dozen ducks, fowls, and geese, some eggs, potatoes, and honey, and might have had many other things could we have carried them. This account of the condition of this village, in respect to its houses aid various other little items, you may read perhaps with some interest, for it is true. On our arrival every inhabitant was gone; they had in many in stances locked their doors with a padlock, which seems a favorite fasts:l;llg with the Tartars. The oily entrance we could effect was through the windows, which we removed. On entering we found everything in disorder—feather beds ripped up and feathers scattered, sheets torn up, mirrors broken, china, crocks, and glasses smashed. All this mis chief we could see had been lately done; but there ware plenty of articles left whole. But what most struck us with amazement was some dough which we found quite warm in one house. The oven had been heated, and some loaves had been put in : the embers were alive beneath on the floor of earth. This fact convinced me that the inhabitants had not learnt of our approach till the morning of our march from the Tschernaya, which showed the state of ignorance they were in. Notwithstanding that we bad been for fourteen days within thirty miles of them, they knew it not, or if they did, they anticipated our advance to the north side ; and it was the flank march round by Mackenzie's Farm that surprised them. The village of Kamera was beautifully situated, and very pleasant. It had its church and clock, which chimed the hours and the quarters. The houses were built chiefly of mud, and thatched. Their outward appearance bore a great contrast to the interior, where everything seemed clean and well furnished. Each house that I entered had its sofas; mahogany tables were plentiful; bedsteads, also, after the English make; boxes I found with linen of all descriptions for woman, man, and child ; silk gowns I saw several. But what I most admired were the splendid mirrors, with their beautifully carved frames of oak. When we crossed the river Belbeck I saw a dispute between a French party and another of English over a large pier-glass they had brought out of a house: neither party would concede it to the other, and it was only decided when one of the party smashed it in pieces, and both parties left it. Every house had one or two of these glasses, which seemed greatly in favour with them. Having passed through several houses I at last discovered where they kept their corn; small square hut places adjoining the main houses were the places generally used to keep corn in, which contained a great quantity of the grain thrown in loosely. Some two hours after I had been there a party of our artilleiy came up, under an officer, for corn for their horses, and I was their guide. The officer wished to pay, but no person was there. I found in a kind of cellar an immense quantity of wheat, very fine to look at, in sacks, tied up. The cellar was so curiously contrived that I with difficulty found it out. A few boards in the centre of a floor being loose, curiosity prompted me to examine be neath them. There 1 found wheat as above, some onions, potatoes, barley, some hundredweights of honey, some curds—or I think they call it sour milk —and a quantity of dried fish, the latter of a similar quality and description to some I saw captured by the French on the morning after our bivouac on the Belbeck, and which, I since learn, was brought in great quantities from the Kertch peninsula. In one house I found a pair of gold earrings, a Russian seal, THE PRESS. and some silver crosses. Night coming on, we began to retire. Here we met the cows returning from the hills above to be milked. We drove one some dis. tance towards the camp, but could not succeed, for darkness came on. The next day, as we were not to march on to Sebastopol, I returned for some forage, and then found that a family had returned to the village, but were in dreadful uncertainty. Some Turks had been there and cut the throats of two of the children; the poor mother was lying on the floor in distraction. They had also set fire to a house and some beehives,;when some French Zouaves coming up, all unslung guns and made them put the fire out, the bees stinging them awfully at the time ; but the Zouaves stood by them with their pieces ready cocked. The Turks were glad to leave the village. And here I must say that the Frenchmen were con• tent with catching fowls only. Having procured corn, J returned, but gent through the gardens, at the time in full beauty. The vineyards were the best here that I saw at all on the march. Some few weeks before Christmas how different did Kamara appear !—every house pulled down, its vineyards and gardens destroyed, not by us, but by the Cossack troops then inhabiting the neighbour hood—for that place was then within the Russian outpost, and had been so since the 25th October. Now it is again in the hands of the allies, and the only vestige remaining is the church, and that i$ turned into a corn store or depot, for the supply of troops occupying the Tschernaya. Our troops are greatly cheered by the generous expressions of sympathy which reach us from borne. We are thankful for all that has been done for us, but would to God help had come earlier. Some thousands perished from the want of necessary com forts. Those few who have gone through the campaign since its commencement will remember the dreadful picture of a camp hospital, with its horrid sights and its many perishing inmates, till the last days of their lives. At the time, so used were we to it that we began to think little of it. The winter past, spring came on, and with it cholera and fever, which threatened to destroy its share also, but happily the calamity has passed over much lighter than expected—that is, up to this time. But enough of this. I must conclude hurriedly. There are no stamps to be had, and I must perforce leave the postige. A CRIMEAN COURT has been established at the Crystal Palace, the stationery court being emptied of what it originally contained, and a series of objects introduced all having reference to the Crimea. A very interesting portion of this series at present con sists of a large number of views of the country now the seat of war. They are painted in body colour by an artist named Bossoli, who lived some time in the country, and was employed by Prince Woronzoff. Under toe patronage of the Prince he visited every part of the Crimea and made numerous sketches, tifty-two of which are now collected and exhibited. It is intended to make the court a receptacle for other objects of interest coming from the Crimea. A LARGE supply of Millie rifles, rifled carbines, and sabres, has been ordered to be forwarded forth with to Constantinople, and in consequence the workmen in the small-arms department in the Tower are kept working overtime until nine o'clock every night, so as to complete the order. Twenty thousand shells of various sizes have been received from the contractor at Newcastle-on-Tyne, and forwarded to the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, to be charged previous to their being forwarded to Con stantinople. THE pleasure-yacht of Lord John Scott has arrived off Berwick direct from the Baltic, where she had been cruising for six weeks, mingling with the combined fleets of the allies, and passing the forts of Sweaborg and Cronstadt. Her passengers consisted of Lord John Scott, the Earl of Dalkeith, the Hon. Mr. Gage, Mr. Wauchope of Niddry, and Dr. Burt. SEVERAL newly-constructed mills, on wheels, with shafts, for the purpose of grinding corn for the army in the Crimea, have been forwarded to the East. ORDERS have been given to prepare, with all dili gence and despatch, her Majesty's ship Hibernia, to be fitted up as an hospital-ship for our wounded, and to be stationed at Malta. GOVERNMENT has decided upon erecting barracks on an extensive scale at the foot of the new bridge at Ranelagh, and the troops will be able to drill in the new park at Battersea. THE ENGLISH GOVERNMENT has caused more than 900 mules to be purchased in Candia for the Crimea, and has enrolled a great number of drivers. The Governor of Candia, in alladience to orders from the Porte, gave every assistaaee in carrying ont these measures. _ _ _ _ THE QUEEN has appointed the Right Hon. Sir A. Pakenham, K.C.8., late her Majesty's Minister Plenipotentiary in Portugal, to proceed to Lisbon on a special mistion, to convey to the King of Portugal the Queen's congratulations on attaining his majority, and entering upon the full exercise of his royal functions. THE WAR. Further details have been received by telegraphic despatch respecting the victory on the Tachernaya. According to General Pelissier, the Russian loss has proved more severe than was at first supposed. An armistice of some hours' duration was conceded, by request of the Russians, on the day after the engage ment, and renewed again on the subsequent morning, in order to give them time to bury the dead. These, it is announced, numbered 3,320, and, in addition, there were a large number of wounded Russians left prisoners in the hands of the allies. A despatch from General de la Marmora state , : that the number of killed and wounded in the Sardinian Contingent, at the battle of the Tschernaya, amounted to 600. Prince Gortschakoff thus reports the affair in a despatch sent on the evening of the 16th :—" To day, part of our troops crossed the Tschernaya, and attacked the heights called Tediouchine. Having encountered very considerable forces, we withdrew to the right bank, after an obstinate fight, and there awaited the advance of the enemy for four hours. As they did not move forward, we returned to our former position. The loss on both sides is con siderable." The Moniteur makes the following observations upon General Pelissier's despatch : The losses of the Russians on the 16th were much more considerable. that the first despatches of General Pelissier hat led us to suppose. They assume a proportion rarely exceeded in regular battles, yet we should not be surprised, to judge from the news from St. Petersburg, if the Rus sians should simply call the affair of the 16th a recon naissance. The number of troops engaged, the materials brought into the field by the Russians, their efforts to take again a position which General Liprandi had occupied during the whole winter, prove the importance they attached to being victorious. Respecting the reported renewal of the bom bardment against Sebastopol the Moniteur states:— An error in a despatch has led to the erroneous supposi tion that the bombardment had reopened against Sebas topol. The fire was only that of our artillery, which powerfully contributed to facilitate the advances against the Malakoff. Prince Gortschakoff telegraphs to St. Peterburg, under date the 22nd, that, since the morning of the 20th, the fire of the allies has slackened, and that it has caused but little damage to the fortifications. The Daily News saye:— According to advices of very high character, the dis tress of the Russian troops at Sebastopol is so severe that the early evacuation of the southern side would not sur prise those who are best acquainted with the real posture of affairs. The Morning Post authoritatively confirms the statement that Omer Pacha will take the command of the Sultan's forces in Asia. The Constitutionnel of yesterday announces that Omer Pacha will return to the Crimea, but only for the purpose of choosing a corps d'ilite, with which to enter on the campaign in Asia. The Turkish Con tingent, under General Vivian, will replace the troops thus removed. The Moniteur contains advices from Rars down to the 24th ult., at which date the town was completely invested, and communication with Erzeroum could only be bad single-handed. Kars, however, was pro visioned for ten weeks ; and, though Russia expected to starve the garrison into submission, it was confi dently hoped dd, relief in troops would be obtained before that time should expire, by which the Turks might be enabled to make a successful sortie, and thus cause the enema to raise the siege. Advices from Trebizond of the B'l state that a Russian corps, commanded by General Susulhoff, is said to have gained an advantage over some Turkish detachments at Kimpnkoi. Information has been received at the Admiralty of the loss of her Majesty's screw gun-boat Jaspar, on the 25th of July, in the Sea of Azoff. No lives were lost. The following official despatches have been pub lished in the Gazette : • Before Sebastopol, August 7. Since the sth instant nothing has occurred to form the subject of a despatch. I have the honour to inclose the list of casualties to the sth instant. I regret to have to inform your lordship of the death of Colonel Cobbe, 4th Regiment, which took place yesterday ; he was an excellent officer, and is a serious loss to her ANjesty's service. Captain Layard, 38th Regiment, Deputy Assistant- Quartermaster. General, died this morning of diarrlura, on board the steamer Failh, in Balaklava harbour, to which ship he had been removed in the hopes of benefiting his health. August 11. I had the honour to acqnaint you that during the putt week the army has been unceasingly employed in strengthening and improving the advanced works, which 801