The Press. — London, England, 1855-09-15 00:00:00

dO/. gb t r t ,f3 + No. 124.—V0L.111. LONDON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1855. STAMPED .-. SIXPENCE. UNSTAMPED..FIVEPENCE. gip Vrtss. fairly vanquished the enemy by superiority of strength. At last, as at first, our army has been miserably inadequate to the work it had to perform. Our soldiers sustained the glory of our arms by Alma and Inkermann, but in the present campaign, when operations on a much larger scale were necessary, the exer tions made by France have completely over shadowed our own. We must accept as a compliment the expression of the French Minister of the Interior, M. FORTOUL, that the efforts of the French army have been " valiantly seconded by their allies." To the scantiness of our force, and to that alone, it must be attributed that our troops were unable to hold the ground they had won on the 18th of June, and again on the Bth of September. The fall of Sebastopol is due to the establishment in force of the French troops in the Malakoff tower. The fame is theirs. We rejoice in the brilliancy and completeness of their success, but can we help wishing that wo were entitled to claim equal participation in it? Is it not, we will not say a humiliating, but surely an unsatisfactory reflection that throughout the East the star of France is believed to be in the ascendant, and that, as a nation, she is viewed as the great and rising power of the West? The impression is natural. From the commencement of the Eastern quarrel, the con duct of her Government has contrasted favorably with that of this country. We have followed it in policy, as we have followed it in arms. Her fleet led the way to the defence of Constanti nople, as her army has opened the gates of Sebastopol. There is nothing in this state ment of fact to cause jealousy, though much to excite emulation. France has done more than her part in bringing one great object of the Crimean expedition to a successful close ; we have done less than ours. While doing jus tice to the generous zeal of our Ally, we may regret that we have lagged so far behind her in exertion. unlikely that any clear-sighted strate gist would determine to hold a position, now rendered worthless by the loss of the town, in face of the superior force which can be brought against it. Most likely the retreat of the enemy will be continued at leisure, the northern forts being held only till they are seriously menaced with attack. When they are evacuated, the sheltered site of the town, with the buildings or ruins which remain, will afford comfortable quarters for a large portion of the allied force. The obstructions to the entrance of the harbour will soon be removed, and the energy and enterprise of the Allies, victorious by land and sea, will give to Sebas topol au aspect of more peaceful activity than it has ever worn under the stern domination of Russia, and make it the chief port of the Black Sea, and the main emporium of com mercial enterprise. Those persons, however, are, we fear, too sanguine who suppose that it will be possible for the allied Commanders to follow up their successful assault on Sebastopol by operations which will totally rout the Russian forces in the Crimea, or reduce them to the necessity of capitulating. The evacuation of Sebastopol had evidently been contemplated by Prince GORTSCHAROFF for some weeks past. Our readers will recollect that, so far back as the 18th of August, we announced the evacuation to be confidently anticipated by our Govern ment. General SIMPSON, in his despatch of the Ist inst., reports : LONDON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1855. Great activity prevails on the part of the garrison in making use of the new raft-bridge across the harbour, and stores of all kinds are daily transported to the north side. THE fall of Sebastopol is a great victory for the Allies. Their success is not to be esti mated by ordinary modes of calculation. More than a pitched battle fought and won, it et-lab fishes the superiority of their arms, and shows that the whole strength of the Russian empire, with ample time for preparation, is unable to resist the forces they can bring into the field. The attack on Sebastopol was more than a siege. It was a great duel, in which the bel ligerents on either side put forth their whole might and their best troops. It was fought in the face of the world ; and, though a noble fleet—a mighty fortress—a magnificent port— a beautiful city—and the command of a sea— were all staked on the issue, yet the contest was for the still higher object of supremacy in military reputation. Russia has been beaten,—though not until after a defence honourable to her troops. She has at last been compelled to yield to superior skill, bravery, intelligence, and resources. The fall of Sebastopol is by far the greatest check her power ever received, since she began to take part in the general policy of Europe. It is mere spiteful slander to allege that this success will be received by any party or men in this country with other feelings than of the highest gratification. The " recreant Englishmen," who are to mourn it in sack cloth and ashes, are a myth. It is stupid malignity of the lowest kind of faction to allege that the eminent statesmen in this country, who have expressed themselves favorable to the restoration of peace as soon as, in their judgment, the objects of the war have been attained, must view with regret the success which has been achieved. Though differing from their views, it is possible to do justice to their motives. There never was a time when all classes of politicians among us could more legitimately unite in an expression of thankfulness for the victory won, as they have all, in one way or other, sanctioned the objects for which the war was undertaken. With a firmer policy, the necessity for it might have been obviated; but, from the instant that it commenced, no obstacle has by any party been opposed to its effective prosecution. The last Government and the present in curred the censure of Opposition only for their imperfect comprehension of the mag nitude of the contest in which they en gaged, and the notorious inadequacy of the means they provided to wage it with vigour and success. Even in this hour of triumph the force of that censure has not abated. There are cir cumstances connected with the fall of Sebas topol which should moderate our exultation. The victory belongs emphatically to France ; it will so be inscribed on her banners, and recorded in her annals. We can claim but small part in it. To the energy of the French Government is primarily due the collection before Sebastopol of that magnificent army, with its immense stores of material, which PROSPECTS OF THE WAR. LET the fall of Sebastopol bo celebrated with all honours befitting so great an event—with boasting, bell-ringing, and bon fires, and, more suitably, with worship and thanksgiving—and then let us inquire into its practical import, and endeavour to ascer tain what are likely to be its effects on the war, firstly as regards the military, and secondly the political condition. It will certainly relieve the toils of the allied armies, diminish their loss of life, animate their spirits, and give them the re pose they so much need from the harassing duties of the siege. The accumulated material which the Russian Commander was forced to abandon in his hasty retreat (described in the brief despatch of PELIBSIER as of great ac count), will be a clear loss to the enemy and gain to us. It is very doubtful whether Prince GORTSCHAICOFF will attempt to hold the northern forts. The position, though of great value for the defence of the town from an attack on the north, can be of little worth for its own sake now that the town is abandoned. To hold it would require a considerable force, which would by so much weaken his strength, while the communication of the garrison with the main army would be in danger of being cut off as soon as the Allies commenced operations against the forts. It appears This shows that preparations for an evacu ation were actively carried on for a week, at least, previous to the successful attack of the French on the Malakoff Tower ; and, read by the light of this knowledge, the movement of the Russians has more the appearance of a preconcerted plan than of a hasty retreat, con sequent on an unexpected success. Goals• CHAKOFF seems to have contemplated the evacuation of the town as soon as he per ceived that the Allies had concentrated against it a decisive superiority of fire and of numbers. On the supposition that the enemy will now concentrate their forces in their Tacher naya position, still holding the northern por tion of the Crimea, it appears extremely pro. blematical whether any active operations will be attempted against them during the present season. The Allies have sustained great losses. Both the French and English armies will require reorganisation. The places of the experienced officers who have fallen can not be easily filled. We know by experience that a force which has sustainei severe loss in action requires time to repair gaps before its efficiency can be restored. Ten weeks elapsed between the unsuccessful assault on the 18th June and the successful attack on the Ist September, though the positions remained the same. Now, the whole plan of operations will have to be reconsidered and rearranged. In the last battle the enemy probe , ' suffer severer loss than wissu In killed and wounded down at from 1,200 to whose attacking colum. heavier, had probably seven men struck down. It sides, that the enemy months engaged in fortifying wobably did not suffer a sustained by the ......* ~ I ed our loss . 4 . 41,:r ,- 1,500; but .. ~, - i ins were dou • f P.: -- -, ..•' seven or eight is to be corpirli Z i t " C (iliii t ch y have bee ;mo d 1 / 4 .° o• 11 , lifying the pei r " 4 ko ° ',,. 441: t..... ..e.N1A1111,24' ...• 1.••• ~. • iir , . ' l / 2 . • . .