The Press. — London, England, 1856-08-02 00:00:00

AUGUST 2, 1856. Tx INSURRECHON AT BARCELONA. TuE details of the late struggle at Barcelona bear out all reports of its desperate severity. The troops had every a d v antage of number and unity, the pos session of a commanding citadel, and an unlimited supply of ammunition, yet the scale hung evenly for nearly sixty hours, as it was only at last by the crushing fire of artillery that the barricades were carried, and the insurrection suppressed. A correspondent of the Times (W. P. H.), who was in Barcelona during the time, gives an excellent account of the affair : On Friday, the 18th, about three in the afternoon, the principal promenade, the Rambla, was thronged with riotous groups, crying out " Viva Espartero !" before the civil guardhouse, and nearly opposite to the hotel, the Quartre Nations, in which I was stay ing. While at dinner, about half-past five o'clock, we were startled by a discharge of cannon and a rattle of musketry in the promenade before us. This, with the immediate occupation by a large body of troops, had the effect of directly clearing the prome nade of those disposed to riot, who retired into a narrow street, called the Calle del Union, running out of the promenade on the south side, and also into another street of some length, called the Calle Nueva, about sixty-five yards in an oblique direction from the door of the Quartre Nations. Here barri cades were commenced, and also in a narrow street on the other side of the promenade ; the troops at once opened fire with musketry, with occasional dis charge of cannon. Firing continued, without breath ing-time between the shots, for two hours. We then only had occasional discharges of the musketry till eleven at night, when the firing was tremendous, and we had quite enough of cannon and musketry to deafen one for life. The insurgents returned the fire from the houses in these streets, most of which were in their occupation, but they were more careful of their ammunition stores than the troops. The troops by one o'clock in the morning had quite suc ceeded in stopping the barricades; but each side retained their position, with only occasional dis charges of musketry, till Saturday morning. Early on Saturday morning an order from Zapatero, the Captain-General, was posted about the city, com manding the militia, whose sympathies were said to be on the popular side, to disarm in one hour on pain of death. This had, generally speaking, the desired effect in Barcelona itself, but some joined the dis turbers. Shortly after eleven we were " drifted" from a few hours repose into war. Our hotel and some of the adjoining houses in the Rambla were taken possession of by the troops, who really were most prodigal in the discharge of ammunition from the roofs, without taking particular aim at anything. The troops, from the entrance to the disturbed streets, and also from the roofs of these houses in the Itambla, kept up a tremendous fire throughout that day. The insurgents, from their position of shelter in the houses in the disturbed streets, were enabled to carry on a most fatal tire against the troops at the entrance of those streets, and to single eat the officers, among whom a general officer was severely wounded. About two o'clock a barricade was carried by the pioneers, and several prisoners were captured. Ambulances, carrying dead and wounded troops, kept going backwards and forwards along the Rambla to the citadel throughout the day. Many prisoners were taken by the troops, but no attempt was made to penetrate these streets. On Sunday morning at five o'clock firing com menced at all points, and was carried on without cessation for eleven hours. It was evident that the insurgents were making extraordinary efforts. Out side the walls a force came to relieve the insurgents. Their approach had been anticipated by the troops, and they were put to flight with the loss of twenty killed, and some prisoners fell into the hands of the troops. About half-past twelve foe southern fort and the castle opened fire upon these disturbed quarters. About four o'clock we heard a flourish of trumpets ; the municipal authorities were proceeding down the Rambla to the Captain-General to ask for a truce, and to see if some accommodation could not be effected. A temporary truce was granted. In the meanwhile, the rioters were enabled to re-erect the barricades, and to take also up a considerable part of the pavement of one of these streets. As the troops stationed at the heads of these streets were much exposed, and were really suffering severely from the fire of the insurgents from the houses, who, without wasting their ammunition, were singling out the officers, small ballproof inclosures were placed here, the walls composed of sandbags, forming shelter for the troops. On Monday morning firing commenced at a very early hour. It was now apparent that much more decisive measures were being taken. All random Bring from the houses was nearly stopped, and large _bodies of t roo p s , w ith art ill er y an d b a tt a lions of in rantry and cavalry, were being moved up, and con inued supplies of ammunition and stores. A large THE PRESS. body of the National Guards, who arrived to reinforce the insurgents, were arrested at the gate. The firing of cannon from the forts and batteries became in cessant. One of the disturbed streets above our hotel in the Rambla was carried by the troops, with very great loss on each side. Soon after midday the Calle del Union was also carried, and, shortly after that, after one hour's most vigorous bombardment, the trumpet sounded for a charge, and the troops, with a cheer, jumped over their de fences into the Calle Nueva, immediately opposite the hotel; the first three men were shot down on entering it. The charge was successful, and the street was most bravely carried, with considerable loss. All the town now fell in the hands of the troops. A large body of the insurgents fled to the walls; they were pursued by the Lancers, who overtook them at Gracias, one mile up the Rambla, and speared at least 200 of them, During the night the southern fort continued to fire upon the retreating insurgents. It was, of course, hard to obtain any correct estimate at present of the numbers killed and wounded, but I have good authority for saying that twenty-five officers were killed. The troops behave,' admirably. In one regiment the three senior officers were killed, and the insurgents throughout fought most vigorously. Probably not less than 1,000 on both sides were killed, and an English resident informed me that he saw fifty thrown into one grave on the Tuesday morning. Certainly the killed and wounded must amount to 2,000; the whole of Tuesday was occupied in the burial of the dead. The British Vice-Consul, who had the misfortune to live in the Calle del Union, having been confined to his house without food, escaped over the roofs of the houses, not with out considerable danger of being shot by the fire of the insurgents, and took refuge at an adjoining hotel. Another account in the Daily News, written on the 23rd, by one of the Liberal party, attributes the loss of the day to want of concert among the party, the hesitation of the Junta to pronounce, the premature erection of barricades, and, above all, the astuteness of Zapatero, the Captain-General, who, on the first symptoms, shot all persons arrested, and thus com promised the troops in the eyes of the Liberals, and excited a thirst for revenge. The writer con cludes : This is our present position. The soldiers of liberty, who would have been able for some time longer to continue the struggle at Barcelona, have retreated to the country. Mataro, Manresa, Villa franca, Igualada, almost all the towns of importance, are with us. In all the peublos of the environs— Badaloni, Molins del Rey, San Andrea, &c.—we have none but friends. General —, who re signed at Madrid, is expected every moment to take the direction of the movement in Catalonia, and to open communications with Arragon. We have news from Tarragona, where the instruc tions of the Junta were completely obeyed. After the demonPtration, the troops not having adopted the movement, all struggle ceased, expecting the time when the triumph shall have been organised throughout. EVACUATION OF THE CRIMEA. LORD PANMURE received on the 30th ult. the follow ing despatch from General Sir William Codrington, K.C.B. Constantinople, July 16, 1856. My Lord,—Finding that all arrangements would be completed for evacuating the Crimea on the 12th instant, I wrote, the previous day, to the officer in command of the Russian troops, a colonel of the gendarmerie at Kamiesch, that I should he ready to hand over the dockyard of Sebastopol and the port of Balaklava on that day. Her Majesty's ship Algiers had entered the port of Balaklava on the 7th instant; the 56th Regiment embarked in that ship on the evening of the 11th ; the only troops remaining were one wing of the 50th Regiment, which formed the guard of the town that night. The following day, the 12th, at one p.m., all the remaining stores and establishments having been embarked, a company of the 50th was posted outside of the town to receive the Russian troops, and on their approach marched in with the Russian guard, composed of about fifty mounted Cossacks, and a similar number of infantry Cossacks. The usual form of salutes took place, the Russians placed sentries where they wished, and the four companies of the 50th marched on board the Algiers. I embarked with my personal staff at the same time. Although the weather was unfavorable, we were enabled to quit the harbour of Balaklava that evening. Admiral Sir H. Stewart and Admiral Freemantle were at anchor outside the harbour ; they weighed, and we all sailed for this place, where I arrived to day. elettin ,nttiligtuct. 735 NOTTINGHAM.—The election took place on Wed nesday. Mr. Mills and Mr. Ernest Jones both withdrew from the contest, and Mr. Paget was re turned. DORBETSTURE.-Mr. Henry Gerard Start, late member for Dorchester, was returned laet Saturday as knight of the shire without opposition. Mr. Start, in the course of his speech, said . The time is not far distant when the great Conservative party will again occupy that influential position to which their principles so eminently entitle them. I shall con tinue to fight under that banner. I was born and bred a Conservative, and I hope I shall die a Conservative, be cause in my conscience I believe that the further develop - ment of this policy will conduce to the welfare and pro sperity of all classes of the community. GLAMORGANSHIRE.-Mr. N. E. Vaughan, of Rhevla, has issued an address to the electors of the county of Glamorgan as a Conservative candidate. Mr. H. 11. Vivian, now member for Truro, has also issued an address to the electors of Glamorganshire on the Liberal interest. attb Her Majesty the Queen reviewed the troops at Aldershott on Wednesday. Upwards of 19,000 men were on the ground. The review passed off with great eclat, but the old complaint was repeated against General Knollys for keeping the public off at such a distance that they can literally see nothing of the review. One contemporary very justly ob- Nerves that if the authorities require the whole side of a country to review 20,000 men, what would he their perplexity if they were called upon to handle 50,000 or 100,000 in Hyde-park or the Champ de Mars? It is a great trial of temper and patience, after travelling on an hot day such a distance to see a review, and to see nothing of it after all. Lieutenant- Colonel Mackenzie, 92nd Highlanders ' has been appointed master-general to the first division in Ireland. His Royal Highness the Commanding General-in- Chief will hold a levee at one o'clock on Monday next. Major. General Michel, C. 13., late chief of the staff in the Turkish Contingent, proceeds to the Cape in command of a brigade. The cavalry regiments at home will, it is reported, have two troops each taken off their strength. They were each increased to this extent during the Rus sian war. A cavalry regiment will shortly be added to the forces serving at the Cape. Captain the Right Hon. Lord George Paulet, R.N., C. 8., has attained his flag on the active list by the death of Admiral Glynn, and the removal of Admiral Douglas to the reserved list of flag officers. A detachment of fifty artillerymen, lately returned from the Crimea, have been selected for service at the Cape. Brydell's tractive engine has been tested on several occasions during the week at Woolwich in drawing a heavy gun up and down steep acclivities and over soft ground. The engine proved its superiority over a team of twelve horses. ptlanb. THE Mum. PRISONERS, charged with murder and the intent in the late riot at Nenagh, were tried this week at Dublin. One man, Burns, was sentenced to death, and the remaining five sentenced to diffe rent terms of imprisonment, from fifteen years to ten months. VISCOUNT CASTLEROSSE has addressed the electors of Kerry• on taking office. No opposition is antici pated to his return. HIS EXCELLENCY THE EARL GRANVILLE, Ambas sador Extraordinary to the Imperial Court of Moscow, on the occasion of the coronation of the Emperor Alexander 11. of all the Russias, accompanied by the Countess Granville, took his departure from Carlsbad on Saturday last for Dresden, which capital the noble earl and countess were to leave on Monday for Ham burg, en route to Kiel, where they will embark for Cronstadt, proceeding thence to St. I'etersburg and Moscow. The Marquis and Marchioness of Stafford, the Earl of Dalkeith, Sir Robert and Lady Emily Peel, the Hon. Frederick and Lady Margaret Leveson Gower, Hon. Gerald I'onsonby, Mr. Villiers Lister, and Dr. Sandwith—all attached to the embassy of the noble earl—embarked at Dover on Monday on board her Majesty's screw steamship St. Jean d'ilere ' guns, 101 Captain George St. Vincent King, C. 8., for Cronstadt. THE RIGHT Hos. SIR HENRY BULWER, G.C.8., left London on Sunday for Paris, en route for Vienna and Bucharest. His excellency was attended by Captain Leicester Vernon, M.P.