The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-09-04 00:00:00

THE WAR.

1112 -SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL.

MB siege appears still to " drag its slow length along," not
much marked by incidents of importance, although we are
still treated with the comforting assurance that the progress
is satisfactory and in the right direction. Writing from the
Camp, under the date of August 17th, the correspondent of
the Times says:—

At four this morning the English batteries opened a heavy
fire along the whole of their line. The Russians kept silence
for full 20 minutes, when they replied in good style. The
French were slow in co-operating with us. It was fully half-
past five before they opened on the left, and when they did it
was a sort of intermittent fire, their right pausing when
their left was active, and vice versa. A report has been cur-
rent that but for the action on the Tchernaya the long-talked-
of bombardment was to have commenced yesterday at noon,
and when at daybreak to-day the roar of the artillery was
heard, it was supposed the cannonade had commenced in
earnest and would be vigorously sustained. After a short
time, however, it slackened considerably, and it became evi-
dent that no serious bombardment was intended. Its real
object is, I believe, to enable the French to continue their
approaches to the Malakhoff. Many conjectures and reports
are afloat on the subject. It has been said that the fire is to
be succeeded by a feint attack. Then, when it is supposed
that the enemy has brought large bodies of troops to the
front of his defences, a more effective bombardment is to
take place, to be followed by a real attack on a different
point. More authoritative information has reached me,
which, without entering into details, gives me grounds to
believe that something serious will shortly occur, to which
to-day's fire has been merely a prelude. This afternoon,
about six o'clock, one of our mortar batteries on the right
discharged six mortars simultaneously at one spot in the Ma-
lakhoff, and blew up a magazine of shells, which popped off in
succession in beautiful style, while the Russians jumped over
the parapets in mortal terror, and our fellows in Gordon's
battery jumped on theirs and cheered with delight. I
regret to announce the death in the trenches of Captain
and Adjutant Drummond, of the Scotch Fusilier Guards, who
was buried at Cathcart's-hill on Tuesday evening. A very
large number of officers of the brigade of Guards and of other
regiments followed his corpse to the grave. Capt. 31`Govan, of
the 93rd Regiment, was wounded in three places, and taken
prisoner, while visiting his sentries a few nights ago. It is
reported that the Russians really contemplated an attack on
Monday morning, but that two deserters from the 93rd, who
went over to them on Sunday night, informed them that all
was in readiness for their reception, and they accordingly de-
sisted from their intention. The 15th of Aug., the fete day
of the Emperor of the French, was celebrated with due hon-
ours. The French army was reviewed by divisions. The
French soldiers had an extra ration of wine. The salute fired
by the fleet at noon caused a number of persons in the English
camp, who had forgotten the motive of the broadsides, to run
up to elevated points, in the belief that the fleet were attacking
the forts. A review of the British cavalry was to have taken
place at six this morning, but was postponed in consequence
of yesterday's action. There would have been about 3,000
men on the ground, but that is less than the effective strength.
Col. Macmurdo, commanding the Land Transport Corps, and
Major Napier, his second in command, have gone on board ship
in consequence of ill health. The latter proceeds to Malta. It
is reported that Generals Airey and Jones are indisposed, but
this is not yet confirmed. A very large number of carts of
stores entered Sebastopol this evening. The amount of the
reinforcements that had actually reached the fortress was ex-
aggerated. Only two divisions arrived in time for the action
on the Tchernaya, but three others are close at hand.
AuGusT 18.—The fire continued more or less all night, at
times heavy. The Redan has suffered a good deal. Our fire
has been very well directed, and that of the Malakhoff has been
considerably checked.