The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-12-25 00:00:00

MILITARY AND OTHER OPERATIONS.

The Courier of Marseilles says the intelligence from the
Crimea makes no mention of any military operations. It
says :

The Cossacks forming the Russian advanced posts, finding
that our troops have abandoned a portion of the Valley of
Baidar, often descend into it, and occasionally capture officers
and men belonging to the allied army who venture into it on
sporting excursions. A few days ago three of our officers,
having advanced too far in pursuit of a stag, fell in with a
party of the enemy's scouts, and were taken prisoners. The
attention of every one in the Crimea was directed towards the
construction of roads and the establishment of branches of the
Balaklava railway. Excavations lately executed on the line
produced profitable results both for the purse of the labourers
and archxolog:o ' rcienc An ancient temple, in a good state
of preservation, has been discovered, the remains of which are
now enclosed within a strong palisade, to save them from the
pickaxe of the demolishers. A mysterious discovery, worthy
to figure in the novels of Ann Radcliffe, has been the occasion
of many conjectures. Workmen employed in the construction
of a road bad dug up the body of a man who appeared to have
been lately interred. ,The corpse, already in a putrefied state,
was elegantly dressed, and in his boots were found pieces of
gold coin, but particularly English sovereigns. The body
offered no trace of wounds, and was buried near the surface of
the ground.

OFFICIAL DESPATCHES.

WAR DEPA.RTMENT, Dec. 18.

Lord Panmure has this day received a despatch and its en-
closures, of which the following are copies, addressed to his
lordship by Gen. Sir William Codrington, K. C. B.
SEBASTOPOL, Dec. 4.
My Lord,—The enemy continue to fire occasionally, and
sometimes heavily, on parts of the town. They must have ex-
pended a considerable quantity of valuable ammunition, with-
out causing us any loss or inconvenience. The enclosed casualty
return is the first of the sort I have had occasion to report to
your lordship.
It may seem unimportant to refer to the state of roads and
weather here, but their condition affects the essential commu-
nications and well-being of the army. The winter broke upon
us suddenly on the 26th and 27th with snow, and has varied
with gales and rain ; and a very deep state of the ground has
damaged all communications.
Constant presence of labourers and constant attention are
requisite, and are being given to the road, which, from a pecu-
liarity of soil and condition, was worked into holes, but which
is and will continue to be of the greatest service to the army
and its supplies. I have, &c.,
W. J. COnRINGTON, General Commanding.
_ _ _

P.S.—I beg leave also to forward the weekly report of -Dr.
Hall, the principal medical officer, by which your lordship will
perceive that the general state of the health of the army con-
tinues favourable.
The return of casualties is
WOUNDED.

7th Foot.—Captain Lord R. Browne, slightly, by bursting
of a shell in Sebastopol.

TELEGRAPHIC DESPATCHES.

MARSEILLES, Wednesday.
By advices from Constantinople, just received, we learn
that, after a battle, Omar Pasha had taken possession of
Khoni, which is five-and-a half leagues from Kutais.
He found in the place 12,000 furs.
He had pushed on to the banks of the Rion, and had made
preparations to attack Kutais.
The Jourdain has arrived, with advices from Constantinople
of the 10th, and from the Crimea of the Bth inst.
Advices from Erzeroum, of the 27th Nov., had announced
that Kars was to capitulate on the 28th of Nov.
Gen. Mouravieff had sent a portion of his army against
Omar Pasha.