The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-11-06 00:00:00

PREVALENCE OF INEBRIETY.

OFFICIAL DESPATCHES.

CAPTURE OF KINBURN.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Nov. 1.

Lord Panmure has this day received a despatch and its
enclosures, of which the following are copies, addressed to his
Lordship by General Sir James Simpson, G.C.8.:7

SEBASTOPOL, Oct.

My Lord,—l am happy to be able to congratulate your
Lordship on the successful termination of the expedition to
Kinburn. I transmit a copy of the report of Brigadier-
General the Hon. A. Spencer. This contains all the informa-
tion I have received on the operations, with the exception
that in a private note Sir E. Lyons mentions that the enemy
have exploded the three forts of Oczakoff, commanding the
northern entrance into the Dnieper.
In consequence of the continued fineness of the weather
great progress has been made in the construction of the road
and railway. The divisions have all got some weeks' supply
of rations in their camp, and I entertain no anxiety of there
being a scarcity of anything during the approaching winter.
•I informed your Lordship in my despatch of the 13th inst.,
that the Highland Division, under Lieutenant-General Sir
Colin Campbell, were to proceed to Enpatoria and co-operate
with the French ; but, upon the receipt of your telegraphic
despatch of the 13th inst., apprising me that the Russians had
resolved to hazard a battle, and attack the allies, I did not
consider myself justified in weakening the force under my
command by so many men, and I
.therefore countermanded
the movement.
I have the honour to enclose the weekly reports of Colonel
M`Murdo and Dr. Hall. _ _

I hare, &c.,
JAMES Signox, General Commanding.

(Enclosure 1.)
CAMP BEFORE KINBURN, Oct. 17.
Sir,—ln reporting, for the information of the General
Commanding the Forces, the fall of the garrison of the fort-
ress of Kinburn this day, I have the honour to state that the
force under my command, as per statement enclosed,* effected
their landing on Monday, the 15th, unopposed.
Owing to a heavy surf, and which continued all day yes-
terday, the landing has been accomplished with some little
difficulty. The troops, however, were all got on shore on the
first day, and have since been employed in intrenching our
position. There are rumours of a force of the enemy collect-
ing at Cherson, about forty miles from here, but our imme-
diate neighbourhood appears to be clear.
The advanced line of the position, flanked on both sides by
the sea, is held by the force under my command, and is about
a mile in extent. —I have, &c.,
.
AUGUSTUS SPENCER,

Brigadier-General Commanding English Land Force.
* Ist Brigade, Fourth Division ; Royal Marines, 12.000 men
rank and file; Royal Engineers, Artillery, and detachment of
cavalry.

ADMIRALTY, Nov. 1.

Despatches, of which the following are copies, have been
received from Rear-Admiral Sir Edmund Lyons, G.C.8., com-
mander-in-chief of her Majesty's ships and vessels in the
Mediterranean and Black Sea :
ROTAS, ALBERT, OFF KIEBURR, Oct. 18.
Sir,—My letter of 6th instant, No. 834, will have informed
the Lords Commissioners -of the Admiralty that an allied
naval and military expedition was to leave the anchorage off
Sebastopol on the following day, for the purpose of taking and
occupying the three Russian forts on Kinbnrn Spit, at the
entrance of Dnieper Bay ; and the telegraphic message which
I forwarded to Varna last night will soon communicate to
their lordships the success which has attended this enterprise..
It is now my duty to give a more detailed account of the
proceedings of the expedition.
I have therefore the honour to state that we arrived at a
rendezvous off Odessa on the Bth instant, but owing to strong
south-west winds, which would have prevented the troops
from landing, it was not until the morning of the 14th instant
that the expedition was enabled to reach the anchorage off
Kinburn.

During the night, the English steam gun-vessels Fancy,
Boxer, Cracker, and Clinker, and four French gun-vessels
forced the entrance into Dnieper Bay, under a heavy but
ineffectual fire from the Spit Fort, and on the following morn-
ing the British troops, under the orders of Brigadier-General
A. A. Spencer, together with the French troops, under the
command of General Bazaine, were landed about three miles
to the southward of the principal fort, and thus, by these
nearly simultaneous operations, the retreat of the garrisons
and the arrival of reinforcements were effectually cut off.
In the evening the English and French mortar-vessels tried
their ranges against the main fort with excellent effect.
The wind having again veered round to the southward, with
a great deal of swell, nothing could be done on the 16th ; but
in the forenoon of the 17th a fine northerly breeze, with smooth
water, enabled the French floating batteries, mortar-vessels,
and gunboats, and the Odin and the mortar-vessels and
gunboats named in the margin* to take up positions off
Fort Kinburn ; and their fire was so effective that before noon
the buildings in the interior of the fort were in flames, and the
eastern face had suffered very considerably.
At noon the Royal Albert, the Algiers, the Agamemnon,
and the Princess Royal, accompanied by Admiral Brnat's four
ships of the line, approached Fort Kinburn in a line abreast,
which the shape of the coast rendered necessary, and the pre-
cision with which they took up their positions in the closest
order, with jib-booms run in and only two feet of water under
their keels, was really admirable. At the same moment the
squadrons under the orders of Rear-Admirals Sir Houston
Stewart and Pellion pushed through the passage between
Oczakoff and the Spit of Kinburn, and took the forts in reverse,
while the St. Jean d'Acre, the Curaeoa, the Tribune, and the
Sphinx undertook the centre battery, and the Hannibal,
Dauntless, and Terrible that on the point of the Spit.
The enemy soon ceased to reply to our overwhelming fire,
and, though he made no sign of surrender, Admiral Bruat
and I felt that a garrison which had bravely defended itself
against so superior a force deserved every consideration, and
we therefore made the signal to cease firing, hoisted a flag of
truce, and sent on shore a summons, which was accepted
by the Governor, Major-General Kokonovitch ; and the garri-
son, consisting of 1,400 men, marched out with the honours
of war, laid down their arms on the glacis, and, having sur-
rendered themselves as prisoners of war, they will be em-
barked in her Majesty's ship Vulcan to-morrow.
The casualties in the allied fleets are very few, amounting
in her Majesty's ships to only two wounded. The loss of the
enemy in killed and wounded is, I fear, very severe.
In the three forts, which have suffered considerably by our
fire, we found 81 guns and mortars mounted, and an ample
supply of ammunition.
This morning the enemy has blown up the forts on Ocza-
koff Point, which mounted 2 guns, and we learnt from a
Polish deserter, who escaped in a boat from them during the
night, that the commandant apprehended an attack from our
mortar-vessels, which would not only have destroyed the forts,
but also the neighbouring dwellings. di
I have abstained from entering infls the particulars of the
proceedings of the squadron under the orders of Rear-Admiral
Sir H. Stewart, as he has so ably described them in the letter
which I have the honour to enclose, from which their lord-
ships will perceive that I have received from him on this oc-
casion—as, indeed, I have on all others since I have had the
good fortune to have him as second in command—that
valuable assistance which might be expected from an officer of
his distinguished and acknowledged merits; and I beg leave to
add my testimony to his in praise of all the officers, and
especially Lieutenant Marryat and Mr. Brooker, whom he
recommends to their lordships' favourable onsideration.
To particularize the merits of the officers under my com-
mand, where all have behaved admirably, ;could be a difficult
task indeed ; but I beg leave to mention tint the same officers'
of the Navy and the Royal Marine Artillery who were in the
mortar-vessels at the fall of Sebastopol are it them now, and that
on this occasion, as before, they have been under the direction
of Captain Willcox, of the Odin, and Cytain Digby, of the
Royal Marine Artillery. Nor can I refra'n from stating what
I believe to be the feeling of the whole feet, that on this ex-
pedition, as on that to Kertch, the talents and indefatigable
exertions of that very valuable officer, Ceptain Spratt, of the
Spitfire, and of those tmder"his co:ninami, entitle them to our
warmest thanks, and deserve to be particularly mentioned.
I need hardly say that my distinguistecl cclleague Admiral
Brant and I have seen with infinite satisfaction our respective
squadrons acting together as one fleet.
I am, &c.,
EDMUND Lyoiss,
Rear-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief.

To the wholesome labour and activity that now prevail, as
well as to the fineness of the weather, the healthy condition of
the army is doubtless due. It certainly is not attributable to
sobriety and abstinence, for I regret to say that drunkenness is
very prevalent among the men. The well-intended kindness of
the " Queen's sixpence" is doing, I fear, much harm, used as it
is by a very large portion of the soldiers as a means of exces-
sive drinking. The consequence of this, and of the insubor-
dination and many offences it leads to, is a large amount of
punishment of various kinds—extra guards, stone-carrying,
and flogging. The cartwheel (here substituted for the
triangle) is frequently rigged, and the Provost-Marshal and
his assistants have plenty on their hands ; but twenty :five
lashes, or even fifty are all insufficient to wean the British
soldier from his favourite vice. I hear of regiments in which
there are literally scores of men under punishment of one
sort or other for intoxication. One regiment was cited to me
refrain from naming it) in which there were 60 offenders of
this sort at one time. In another nine sergeants were broken
for drunkenness. On Saturday there was an issue of back
pay (the extra sixpence), and I never witnessed a more dis-
graceful scene than was presented by the part of the camp in
which I happened to be at about an hour before sunset on
Sunday afternoon. I have no reason to believe that it was
confined to that part of the camp, but I mention only that
which I and a military friend who accompanied me actually
saw, as we leant against a railing enjoying the beauty of the
evening. Half the men who passed along a track a little in
our front were more or less intoxicated. Some were merely
unsteady, others staggered and straggled out of the path.
Some were pugnacious, and we saw two fights begin, which
were only put an end to by the arrival of a patrol. None
more than myself would advocate every reasonable indulgence
to an army which has deserved so well of its country as that
of the Crimea, displaying, as it has done, on repeated occa-
sions, and for long periods, the utmost valour, fortitude, and
patience. But if means are not found of checking the great
drunkenness that at present goes on here, the resalt will be
a grievous scandal to the service.
PROMOTION OF COLONEL WINDHAM.

Last night's general orders contained full confirmation of
news that had reached us a few days previously—namely, the
promotion of Colonel Windham to the rank of Major-General
for distinguished services in the field," and his appointment
to the command of the Fourth Division, with which he served
as Assistant-Quartermaster-General until he w2s named (less
than two months ago) to the command of that brigade of the
Second Division, at the head of which he fought so gallantly
on the Bth of September. The,fiat of the Horse Guards is, in
this instance, stamped and confirmed by the approbation and
applause of the army.
Lord William Paulet has assumed the command of the 2nd
brigade of the Fourth Division, and occupies Gen. Bentinck's
old quarters on Cathcart's-hill, where, unlike their previous
tenant, he may quietly dwell, without risk of a cannon-ball
plumping into his soup-tureen, or tumbling into his bed.
Miss Nightingale is at the Castle Hospital.

SUPPOSED PREPARATIONS FOR EVACUA-
TING THE NORTH SIDE. _ .

The same coreespondent, writing on the 16th, says :—Late
last night a memorandum was issued, to the effect, that from
to-day until further orders, the whole of the army should be
under arms at half-past 5 a.m., and remain so until dismissed
by generals commanding divisions. Working parties, for rail-
ways, roads, &c., will come on duty at 9 instead of 8 a.m. in
order to give the men time to breakfast and refresh themselves
after the turn-out. There seems to be some expectation that
the Russians intend to evacuate the north side. They yester-
day made a great fire on their left of Fort Catharine. It is
supposed they were burning stores. They had a large depot
of coal just about the place were the fire was. On Saturday
night the reflection of a great fire was visible from the camp,
and still more plainly seen from higher points in this neigh-
bourhood. It was in the direction of Bakschiserai. We are
still in ignorance of its cause. The Highlanders have received
counter orders. Some say that the 2nd and 3rd division will
go in their stead ; others that the expedition is entirely given
up, except as regards the cavalry, which have actually gone—
all, or the greater part.
EXPECTED ATTACK BY THE RUSSIANS.
Writing at twelve o'clock on the same day, he continues :
The expedition toEupatorialias been cancelled,in consequence
of a telegraphic message from Lord Panmure, to the effect
that the Russians meditated an attack. Inkerman is the
quarter in which it seems to be expected. It is hard to say
what the Russians think to gain by attacking us now. The
fire seen on Saturday night is believed to have been at a
village about three miles on this side of Backschiserai. Such,
at least, is the result of the calculations made by our engi-
neers, who took an observation at bead-quarters and another
at Balaklava, thus ascertaining the spot with tolerable accu-
racy. Of the expedition to Eupatoria the following are
countermanded, viz., the Highlanders, two batteries of artil-
, and the company of Sappers. The cavalry has sailed.
lery
I have not yet heard whether they are to go still or be brought
back. They were ordered to embarks everal days before there
was any question here of other troopgoing.
Referring to the same subject on the 20th, he says :
Here, at Sebastopol, nothing has been going on, and, in the ab-
sence of events, we are left to reflect on the past and to speculate
on the future. In the hasty lines I added to my last letter, just
before post hour, I mentioned that the projected expedition to
Eupatoria was given up, an attack upon our own lines being
expected. Accordingly, we since then have been turning out
before daybreak every morning, and occasionally at other

* Mortar-vessels—Eaven, Magnet, Camel, Hardy, Flamer,
Firm. Gun-vessels—Lynx, Arrow, Tiger, Snake, Wrangler,
Beagle.

VALOROUS, IN 'DNIEPER BAY, Oct. 18.
Sir,—l have the honour to inform jou that, in pursuance of
your orders, I hoisted my flag in Hel Majesty's steam-frigate
Valorous on the afternoon of the 14tI inst., immediately after
the arrival of the allied fleets off Kinturn Spit, and proceeded,
under the able guidance of Captain S?ratt, of the Spitfire, to
take up positions at the end of Dnieper Bay, where with the
division of steam vessels placed undo my orders (as per mar-
gin),* and in company with those under the orders of my
colleague Rear Admiral Odet Pellion, we remained in readiness
to force an entrance into the Dnieper, for the purpose directed
by you of preventing, as far as possible, any reinforcements
being thrown into the forts on Kinlurn Spit, as well as to cut
off the retreat of the garrison, should either be attempted.
At 9 p.m. I instructed Lieutenant Joseph H. Marryat, of
the Cracker, to take on board Edward W. Brooker,
additional master of the Spitfire, and endeavour with him to
determine the course of the intricate channel through which
we were to pass, and to lay down 'alloys along the south side

hours also. Late on Wednesday night the reserve amrauni- -bf it, the French having undertaken to perform the same
tion was warned to be ready early in the morning, as there -service on the north side.
was every probability of an attack. On Thursday forenoon I likewise directed Mr. Thomas Potter, master of the
the French were formed up in the Valley of Tchernaya, 'Furious (lent to do duty in the Valorous), to proceed with two
awaiting a foe who came not. Yesterday, about noon, there boats of the Tribune, and, protected by the Cracker, to search
were movements of troops, and it was reported that large for the spit on the north hank, and on his return endeavour to
masses of Russians were visible. There is much note of pre- place a buoy on the edge of the shoal off Kinburn Spit, that
paration and clash of arms, but it nevertheless is the opinion the entrance of the channel might be assured.
of many here—some of them persons whose opinion has As soon as the preconcerted signal was given, indicating
weight—that our Muscovite friends have not the remotest that this operation was effected, I despatched the Fancy,
idea of attacking us. Boxer, and Clinker into Dnieper Bay, with orders to anchor in
In Sebastopol itself there is nothing new. The Russians such positions as would best protect the right flank of our
continue firing at the town, with little reply fro:nth:l French. troops upon the disembarcation taking place, and to make that
They fire principally at Sebastopol Proper, but now 'and then their chief care, as long as there was any possibility of the
drop a shot or shell into the Karabelrena, and sometimes take enemy threatening them.
the flagstaff on the Malakboff for their mark. it is difficult During the night Rear-Admiral Odet Pellion also sent in
to say why we spare them so much, unless it be that weeex- the French gunboats for the same purpose.
pect them soon to walk away, and leave us their north side At daylight on the following morning I had the saasata Lem
forts in good order and condition, which would be expecting of observing all the gunboats, French and English, anchored
rather too much. Outside the town the French are hard at safely to the north-east of Kinburn Fort, and without any of
work levelling their siege works, filling up trenches, &c. them having sustained damage, although the enemy had fired
A more curious spectacle is assuredly nowhere to be found shot and shell and musketry at them during their passage in.
than in the space comprised between the lines where our bat- Thus the chief part of the object you had most anxiously in
teries were and the harbour of Sebastopol. The grots.nd in view was accomplished.
parts is literally paved with shot sunk in the earth, above While still in considerable doubt as-to the extent to which
which their upper surface scarcely rises ; there are-ditches, the channel for the larger ships was buoyed, at 10 a.m. Lieut.
and trenches in which they lie as thick as apples in a basket ; Marryat and Mr. Brooker came to inform me that the work
in some places numbers of them have been buried. You see intrusted to them had been completed, and that the latter
them of every size, from the huge 68-pounder down tcrthe di- officer was ready to pilot the ships in. The zealous desire
minutive grape—jolly little fellows, of a pleasant vinous ap- evinced by these officers to furnish me .personally with their
pellation, but very nasty to run against as they are passing report on the difficult navigation of the.Dnieper deserves my
through the air. warmest thanks, and the gallant manner-in which Lieutenant
Twelve o'clock.—The enemy is said to be clearing roads Marryat brought the Cracker out for that purpose, under a
through the brushwood down from Mackenzie's Farm, and to very heavy fire from the whole of the forts and batteries,
have planted four guns to command the causeway across the elicited the admiration of all who witnessed the proceeding.
marsh at the mouth of the Tchernaya. This looks as :if they We were now fully prepared to advance, and, in obedience
contemplated an attack in force along our line, but I persist to your directions, awaited the signal for general attack.
in thinking that their apparent preparations for action are The whole of the proceedings of yesterday must be already
made merely for the purpose of deceiving us. The Russians fully known to you; but it is right that I should state briefly
are the most patient and laborious people in the world for the share taken in them by the division you did me the honour
ruses de guerre of that kind. to place under my orders, which consisted of the ships and
The French have a grand review at two this afternoon, in vessels as already stated, reinforced by those named below.
the plain by Kadikoi. They are now marching down—lmpe- It being necessary to advance in single line, it was arranged
rial Guards, Zonaves, &e., all in fine order, and brilliant in that the ships should do so in the following order
appearance. Valorous—Captain C. H. M. Buckle, C. 8., bearing my flag.
j! Furious—Captain William Loring, C.B.
Asmodee (French), bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Odet
Pellion,
Cacique (French).
Sidon—Captain George Goldsmith.
Leopold—Captain George Giffard, C.B.
Sand (French),
Gladiator—Captain C. F. Hillyar.
Firebrand—Captain E. A. Inglefield,
Stromboli—Commander Cowper Coles.
Spiteful—Commander F. A. Shortt.
At noon, the signal being made from your flagship to weigh,
we proceeded through the channel, each ship engaging the
Spit batteries and Kinburn Fort as they came within range.
To Lieut. Marryat, of the Cracker, is due the merit of pre-
ceding and piloting us through, which he did with great
judgment.
Had the enemy continued his defence of the Spit batteries,
the Sidon, Leopard, Sane; and Gladiator were directed, in
that case, to remain in front of them until their fire was com-
pletely silenced ; but as they were subdued by the accurate
and well-sustained fire which was poured upon them by the
ships which you had placed to the westward of the Spit, and
by those of our own squadron on passing to the eastward,
this became unnecessary ; the whole division, therefore, con-
tinued its course through the channel, and anchored well
inside Fort Nicholaieff and Oczakoff Point.
During this time the four gunboats, Fancy, Grinder, Boxer,
and Clinker, did good service by placing themselves in such
position as to throw a flanking fire on the middle battery
and Kinburn Fort, at the time cur division passed within
short range.
Immediately on anchoring, I transferred my flag to the
Cracker, and, followed by the other gun-boats, proceeded
close off the east front of Kinburn Fort, to be ready to act as
circumstances required, should the enemy's fire, which at that
moment had entirely ceased, be renewed. However, the ne-
cessity for further action did not arise.
As the service intrusted to me was carried out under your
observation, I feel it to be unnecessary to do more than to re-
cord my grateful sense of the very satisfactory manner in
which the whole of the ships under my orders took up their
appointed stations, and of the manner in which all employed
performed their duty.
I think myself fortunate in having for my temporary flag-
ship so efficient and well ordered a man-of-war as the
Valorous, and I feel much indebted to Captain Buckle and
his zealous First Lieutenant, Joseph Edye, for their unre-
mitting attention and assistance.
I am delighted to add that, in concerting with our gallant
allies the arrangements necessary for carrying into effect the
present successful operations, I have received the cordial sup-
port and concurrence of my excellent colleague, Rear-Admiral
Odet Pellion.
The anxiety which you yourself ever feel to do full
justice to merit and exertion must be my excuse for presum-
ing to request your most favourable notice of Lieut. Marryat
and Mr. Brooker. They have had anxious, difficult, and dan-
gerous work to perform,and they have eaell'of them executed
it admirably.—l have, Lc.,
HOUSTON STEWART, Rear-Admiral.
Rear-Admiral Sir Edmund Lyons, G.C.B.

THE EXPEDITION TO TAMAN.

The London Gazette also contains the. copy of a despatch
from Admiral Lyons enclosing the copy of a letter from Capt.
Robert Hall, of the Miranda, senior officer in the Straits of
Kertch, detailing the proceedings of an Anglo-French naval
and military expedition to Taman and Fanagoria on the 24th
of September, for the purpose of depriving the enemy of his
means of sheltering troops in the ensuing winter, and in order
to procurexaterials for housing our troops at Cape St. Paul's
and Yenikale. Also a copy of a letter from Captain Osborn,
of the Vesuvius, detailing the proceedings of an Anglo-French
attack on Temriouk, which, by previous arrangement, was
made simultaneously with that on Taman and Fanagoria.
Both expeditions were conducted in a most satisfactory man-
ner, and were accomplished with the loss of only one man
wounded. Three of the 71st Regiment and three of the
(French) Infantry of the Marine were taken prisoners, in con-
sequence of their own imprudence.

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

has produced great consternation. Their having troops and
engineers on board is thought to prove an intention of making
a permanent lodgment there.

RUSSIAN ARMY OF THE SOUTH.

General. Luders has issued an order of the day to the army of
the south, dated from Nicholaieff, the 9th of October, an-
nouncing the arrival of 23 druschines of the National Militia
of the Governments of Smolensko and Moscow, as a reinforce-
ment to the corps under his command. He states that these
militia battalions have been formed about six months, and,
notwithstanding their long march, are already to some extent
instructed in field manuvres; but, as they are still very infe-
rior in all respects to the old regiments who have completed
their experience in the field, General Luders impresses on the
officers of every rank the necessity of instructing them in all
their military duties, and intimates to the older soldiers that
their young brothers in arms must not be treated with ridicule
or contempt. The recruits of the militiahave been distributed
among the regiments of infantry of the army, the reserve, and
those of the military depot. They are to be taught the most
necessary portions of their duty as quickly as possible. The
General says :—They are not required to possess the excessively
scientific knowledge necessary for the service •de front ;
it will be enough if they are taught the movements of the close
column and the duty of chasseurs and skirmishers,—if they
know how to load their muskets properly and to fire at the
target.