The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-01-22 00:00:00

THE WAR.

FROM the Crimea the intelligence which continues to arrive
is but little varied in character from that which has been
received at intervals during the last two or three months. The
correspondence still speaks of preparations of magnitude, as
if for the opening of the spring campaign. Immense quan-
tities of shell are being daily landed in lighters at Balaklava.
Both the British and French have now splendid batteries con-
structed on the south side of the harbour of Sebastopol ; and
every present appearance gives indication of a vigorous bom-
bardment of the north forts at no distant day. The Russians,
it is believed, are not by any means fully aware of the mag-
nitude of the preparations which have been made for following
up the advantages which the allies, have obtained over them.
In the absence of active military operations, all kinds of spe-
culations are freely indulged in, among the troops. These
generally turn quite as much upon the partialities as on the
knowledge of the speculators. One useful inference, at least,
may be drawn from those frequently wild enough conjectures,
and that is, the degree of favour in which the different leading
officers are held by the soldiers. Taking this as a test, Sir
Colin Campbell appears to stand high in general estimation,
and many stories corroborative of this feeling are current in
the camp. Andong others, the following story shows this
amount of popularity :

Sir Colin Campbell is coming out again; we are all glad of
it, and look on him as a pillar of strength. He first went to
Lord Hardinge, it is said, and told him he had come to give
up his command ; afterwards to Lord Panmure, the same.
Lord Panmure argued ; but it was of no use, the resignation
was given in, and Sir Colin Campbell left, thinking himself a
free man. Then came a command to go to the Palace. There
all was attention, a suite of rooms given up to him, and at
dinner he was directed to hand in the Princess Royal. After-
wards a Highland piper played behind his chair, " The Camp-
bells are coming." The next morning the Queen saw Sir
Colin in Prince Albert's study; and who could resist the
gracious desire which followed ? At any rate, Sir Colin will
have gained court favour, which he never had before.

The absence of an immediate apprehension of danger from
the enemy appears to give zest to anything promising excite-
ment. It is to be hoped it does not also induce habits of care-
lessness. The correspondent of the Morning Herald, writing
on the 28th December, reports as follows, relative to a
FIRE AT BALAICLAVA.

We have just escaped a great danger. About three o'clock
this morning, the sentry stationed near the Ordnance Wharf,
on the east side of the harbour, observed sparks flying from
the chimney of Mr. Young's storehouse. Knowing that is was
usual not to leave any one on the premises at night, and that
all fires ought to be extinguished about sunset, the sentry im-
mediately raised the alarm, and it was then found that a rafter
left by the builders in the chimney, and which must have been
smouldering for days, was in flames. By the great exertions of
the military and blue-jackets, the fire was confined to the roof,
but this was destroyed. The stores were all removed to a
place of safety. Had the fire not been discovered when it was,
the probability is, that some of the immense stocks of fuel and
forage in the immediate vicinity must have caught, and then
many huts and ships would have been inevitably lost. The
rapidity with which the engines were brought to this fire,
proves that the authorities are thoroughly well prepared to
meet any danger from fire that may occur by night or by day.
The same correspondent, writing on the 31st Dec., gives the
following view of