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

SAVr. 8, 1855. Original yttttrs from ltt Crimta. THE following description of the hospitals, &c., at Scutari is from the pen of a former correspon dent: Constantinople, Aug. 20, 1855. MY DEM: -, • • • • And now, perhaps, you would not mind reading a little as to how in valids and sick are now treated on arrival at Scu tari. They are landed by steamers (tug) from the sick-ship, with the exception of such cases as are in a very delicate state: these are landed in a fiat bottomed boat made for the purpose. On landing at the wharf a large fatigue-party is there in readiness, to receive and convey the knapsacks and kit of the sick to hospital. At the gates of the latter place a sergeant stops every man, and ascertains his name, number, and regiment, and whether his kit is pre sent. He is then passed on to the bath-room, where the whole are stopped—each man is made to have a bath, those only excepted who are named by sur geon—on coming ouc., the whole of his clothing and linen is taken from him, and packed up with his knapsack and clothing, and stored; and he is then supplied by a sergeant of the Lath-room with flannel drawers, woollen socks, linen or woollen shirt (as the patient may choose), a light jacket, waistcoat, and jacket, and a nightcap. The whole of his kit is thus taken from him, and hospital clothing substituted. After which he is conducted to his ward and allotted a bed, which he finds to be made upon a bedstead with sacking, with flock or hair bed, two blankets and a pair of sheets, and a rug—all clean. His bed separated from his neighbour's by about three feet. His knife and fork, cup, &c., required by him in his ward is placed upon a shelf over his head, where his !tame, number, and disease, also appear very con spicuous. He is also allowed a comb and hair brush, supplied gratuitously ; in the ward is also hung a good-sized mirror, which serves all of the patients. When he gets so far recovered as to be made convalescent he then has the opportunity of strolling where he likes in the square of the hospital, and he then becomes an inmate of the " sheds "—a name given on account of their having been built by the British in the centre of the square of the bar rack hospital, a light building of wood, expressly for that purpose. In this situation he has the privilege of a library, which is in the centre of the square, where he is allowed to read and write, books in plentitude, and also the latest papers, both daily and weekly. The diets of the troops are most excellent. No one who would visit the hospital now could have the least idea of the wants experienced in the latter part of 1854. The name of Miss Nightingale is re vered by every individual of this hospital. Amongst the many I have spoken to, none gives her a name but that of the kindest of women ; every one seems to look upon her as a saviour sent in the midst of their sufferings. DETAIIID ACCOUNTS of the receipt and expenditure for navy, army, commissariat, and ordnance services for the year to the 31st of March, 1854, are given in a return just printed. It shows that the expendi ture for the navy amounted to 7,197,804/., being 77,0991. in excess of the estimates ; for the army, 6,503,7561., being 218,2901. under the estimates ; for the commissariat services, 617,027/. ; and for the ordnance services, 3,053,5671., being 61,5821. less than the sum granted. MR. ABBOTT LAWRENCE, late diplomatic represen tative of the United States at the British Court, died at Burton, on the 18th ult. Mr. Lawrence was born in December, 1792, and realised an ample fortune by his mercantile enterprise, by which he obtained in America a high and influential position, having been twice elected for Boston to Congress. He contested, in 1818, the Vice-presidency with Mr. Fillmore, and lost that office by a comparatively small number of vctes, only ten. Mr. Lawrence's great influence with the old Whig party, and his wealth, prompted the then existing Administration to appoint him Minister Plenipotentiary to the British Court, in succession to Mr. Bancroft, the able historian. He discharged the duties of his diplomatic post with much credit; and the American Legation during his sway was the scene of princely hospitality, a series of brilliant re ceptions and dinner-parties being given in that season of unexampled excitement, at which not only were those engaged in the American department enter tained, but the best American society had the oppor tunity of mixing with the elite of the British literary and scientific community in the saloons of the Ame rican Minister. Shortly afterwards impaired health obliged Mr. Lawrence to seek retirement; and when he was relieved of his duties, he sought that quietude in his native country which, after a too short period, has terminated, much to the regret of an affectionate family and large circle of friends, in his death. As far as English society is concerned, the memory of Mr. Lawrence will be regarded with the warmest esteem. THE PRESS. THE WAR. WE are still without intelligence of any active move ments of importance before Sebastopol. The tele graphic advices received in Paris and London, and published by either Government, bear date only to the 2nd inst., and announce merely that all was well, and the siegeworks progressing rapidly. On the 31st ult. the allied generals reported that the Russians had made a sortie on the works before the Redact on the ptevious night, but were repulsed after destroying some gabions. Prince Gortschakoff is stated in a despatch from Hamburg to have informed the Czar that the forti fications of Sebastopol had suffered severely from the fire of the besiegers. This confession of damage has created much comment in Paris, but the authen ticity of the report that any such despatch was sans mitted appears very questionable. The Prince sent word on the 30th ult. to St. Petersburgh On the night between the 28th and 29th we blew up a large quantity of the enemy's projectiles in the old keine ehatka lunette ( the lifamelon). . . . The fire of the allies is more moderate upon the whole, but is strong at times. On the Ist inst. he reports The fire of the enemy continues as before. There is nothing new. Despatches from the East (coming through Trieste) state that it is expected that the Russians will be compelled to act again on the offensive. According to the latest accounts from Constanti nople, dated the 27th ult., the Russians have con structed two semi-circular lines behind the Malakoff Tower. A great movement is observable amongst the army of the enemy on the Belbeck plateau. New works have been constructed by the allies to protect the line of the Tschernaya. The Russians were actively constructing the bridge which is to unite the north and south of S.-bastopol. All the steamers of the allies have been ordered to return to France for troops. They bring home sick and wounded. The army has lost another of its general officers. Lieutenant General Sir George Brown, G.C.8., has resigned his appointment upon the staff. His re signation has been accepted, and was duly notified in the general orders of the 23rd of August. His Excellency Lord Stratford de Redcliffe, G.C.8., has invested the undermentioned officers of the army and navy, by commission under the sign manual, with the insignia of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath :—Lieutenant-General Sir Colin Campbell, G.C.8.; Rear-Admiral Sir Edmund Lyons, G.C.8.; Lieutenant-General Sir H. Bentinck, K.C.8.; Rear- Admiral Sir Houston Stewart, K.C.B. ; Lieutenant- General Sir W. Codrington, K.C.B. ; biajoraeneral Sir Richard Airey, K.C.8.; Lieutenant General Hon. Sir J. Yorke Scarlett, K.C.B. ; Mikjor•General Sir Harry Jones, K.C.8.; Major-General Sir Wm. Eyre, K.C.B. The Piedmontese general, Monte Vecchio, who was at first reported to have receiveda mortal wound in the battle of Tschernaya, is now stated to be recovering. The Russian army in that engagement was, ac cording to the Presse d'Orient, composed as fol lows :—Corps of General Liprandi, 20,000 ; corps of General Read, 20,000; cavalry, 6,000; engineers, 2,000; riflemen, 1,000; artillery, 2,400 ; in all, 51,400, with 160 pieces of cannon. The cavalry were not engaged. General Goitschakeff remained on the heights with a strong reserve. The Military Gazette of Vienna, a journal not likely to overstate the Russian reverse, says that be sides the three generals killed, the Russian army lost 1,451 killed, including forty-five officers, and 4,875 wounded. General Toddeben, who had almost recovered from his wound, will be prevented from resuming active service through his own impatience. Before he was in a fit state, he persisted in inspecting the fortifica tions and the progress of his mines. This exertion brought on inflammation, and, by the advice of the surgeons, Prince Gortschakoff determined on remov ing him from Sebastopol to prevent the chance of another relapse. He was therefore conveyed to Sim feropol, -•here he still is; but, notwithstanding his absence, nothing important is done without bis ad vice being taken. A letter from Anapa, of July 29, says : The place is now occupied by fifty Frenchmen, one hun dred Turks, and a large body of Circassians, who are coming down from the mountain with their women, chil dren, and flocks. The French are busy haymaking ; that is to say, they are employing the Circassians in fetching and mowing the hay in the valleys, which they are stacking in the principal square in the town, and intend to remove it to the Crimea in a short time. It appears by the last accounts from Constanti nople that Omer Paella intends to go immediately 840 to Batoum to make himself fully acquainted with the requirements of his army ; from thence he will pro ceed to Varna to witness the embarkation of his troops, which he will afterwards land at Batoum, and then advance with them into the interior, where he will take up a fortified position, by which he hopes to cut off the retreat of the enemy. By the latest advices received from Kars, of the 7th ult., the Russians continued to blockade that place with a view of starving the garrison into submission, but there was no appearance of any intention to make an attack upon the fortress, the enemy contenting themselves with occasionally approaching the town; firing a few shots, and then retiring to their former position. On the 4th there was an engagement in which the Turks obtained considerable advantages. The Russians advanced with the whole of their forces against the intrenchments of Kars and made an attack on the battery of Khanly-Tabia. The contest between the artillery commenced, and lasted three hours. The Russians, who lost a great numbet of men, retreated. Besides the dead and wounded they took off, they left on the field more than one hundred men. A Russian general was killed in this affair, and one of their guns was so injured that it had to be abandoned. The Ottoman troops are said to have displayed great bravery, and, owing to the position they occup.ed, lost but few men. The following ofircial despatch has been received and published by Lord Panmure : Before Sebastopol, Aug. 25. Having been engaged since daylight in a careful obsei• vation of the position in front of lialaklava, 1 am unable to address your lordship at any length to-day. The enemy have been concentrating troops at the Mae kenzie, Tasova, and Karales, their left extending as far as the village of Biskoul, and are supposed to have received considerable reinforcements, which probably consist of two divisions of grenadiers, which have been conveyed in carts from Baktclu-Serai and Simferopol. The bridge across the Great Harbinr is nearly com pleted, and large bodies of men are employed in erecting earthworks on the north aide of the harbour. Intrench ments have been thrown dp on the Severnava-hill, extend from the seacoast to the site of the first lighthouse, facing the north. From various sources we learn that the Russians on OS right bank of the Tschernaya are held in perfect readiness for an offensive movement. Our siege operations progress steadily, with, I regret to say, heavy casualties on our side, as your lordship will *es by the accompanying lists. JAMEs Smear:ix, General CAtnmanding. There is no news from the fleets. A Dantsio despatch of Thursday announces that the Vulture had arrived, and is not so seriously injured as was at first supposed by the accident of running aground at Hango Head. The weather was very bad, but the fleets remained healthy. All the English gun-boats which are unfit for ser vice have received orders, by the Basilitk, to proceed home. They have left Helsingfors. The allied fleets sailed from before Cronstadt on the 27th ult. Respecting the results of the late bombardment of Sweaborg, the Moniteur says • It *as not, as supposed, only to withdraw the Russian three decker anchored between tiustafsvard and ltakhol men that the enemy took away that vessel from the passage in which it had been placed. Hit, and perforated by the shells, that vessel was sinking, and the Russians were obliged to tow her into shallow water; she is still there, lying over on one side, and full of water, which explains the inclined position in which she was seen from the sea. Considerable storehouses of corn and flour destined for the troops were consumed by the flames. Great fears were entertained that the allied squadrons would attack and burn the town. Persons who have visited Sweaborg since the bombardment have stated that the principal buildings destroyed in the citadel are—Two powder magazines ; two shell magazines ; one magazine full of flax and ropes; two storehouses, containing corn and flour for the troops; one pitch manufactory; one large house, containing hospital stores for the army ; seventeen private hmses ; the house of the Governor-General and his Chancery ; eighteen vessels hit in the basins ; the gra nite quays are damaged by the shells; finally, the shells which fell on board the man of-war wounded ninety-six men, who were conveyed to the town hospital, but the num ber of killed is nut known. The number of killed acknowledged is 2,000, but it is supposed at lielsingfors that the number is much greater. At the present moment the hospital at Helsingfors is full of wounded from the citadel, and, not being large enough to contain all who have been brought there, it has been found necessary to lodge them with the inhabitants. SIEGE CHRONICLE. Letters from the camp to the 25th ult. have arrived. The following extracts contain the details of chief interest. The Times correspondent writes .- 20.—The fire which opened at daybreak on Friday the 17th continued the whole ofSaturday and yesterday, but was slackened this morning by order I should not wonder if it were to be again increased to night, in order to favour the progress of the French works. This has already been con siderable, and the French seem duly sensible of the service our cannonade has rendered them. It has enabled them to do in four hours what they previously could not have done in fi ft een days, or even what they othe rplls *mild never hare done. Their foreniost peransl, %think bad boon begun albs two sok esold sot be ovagibletil,