The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-11-20 00:00:00

POSITION OF THE ALLIED AND RUSSIAN

FORCES:

On the greater part of our extended line the most profound
peace prevails. The two belligerent parties scarcely see each
other, separated as they are by a kind of neutral ground which
intervenes between them. A few black spots about the bat-
teries on the Mackenzie ridge, which may be made out with a
good glass as long-coated Russians, a Cossack vidette of a few
men on a hillock above Ozembash, some columns of smoke in
the Belbek villages, and a few squadrons of cavalry in a field
behind Ynritala, are all that can be seen by day of the Rus-
sians, while a small number of camp fires and the unceasing
activity of their numerous telegraphs are the only visible signs
of their close neighbourhood at night. It seems to be the plan
of the Russians to show as little of their forces as they can
possibly help, and even the advance of the French to the
Belbek could not draw them out to make any display of their
strength. They are in this respect more fortunate than we
are, for, all the range of heights which they occupy being con-
siderably higher than that which the allied armies occupy,
they have a panoramic view of our position, and may watch
every movement, and estimate every body of men which they
see moving about. It is probably for this reason as mach as
in order to keep their troops in continual activity that the
French are making so many promenades militaires. The
road over Alan connecting the French position on the Baidar
heights with the rest of the line is now all but complete, and
is already used for traffic. All this part of the Crimea pre-
sents more features approaching to English scenery than per-
haps any other in the East. There is such freshness in the
vegetation, so many familiar plants, that you can nearly fancy
yourself transported to some Scotch glen in passing along the
gorge of the Tchernaya.—On this part of our line as well as
on the others you can already see the beginning of prepara-
tions for the winter, more especially at the place where the re-
serves are encamped. Although, according to the accounts
of the Tartars, there is not much snow on these heights during
the winter, yet, from their exposed position, good shelter for
the troops will be essential, if they intend to keep them.
Fortunately all materials are at hand, brush and other wood
abounding all over the neighbourhood, From what we can
see, the French intend to follow the example of the fiarkUulans
in their huts, both adapting the experience of the natives ti?
their own purposes—a square space dug out about six feet
deep, and a roof of osierwork, plastered over with mud, and
then covered with earth. There seems to be indeed the ob-
jection to this that the heavy showers may soak through the
lister, but, as the natives, who ought to know, use generally
toe same material, there can be no fear of that.

the correspondent of the Daily News, writing from the
Camp before Sebastopol on the 2nd inst., says, there has been
absolutely no occurrence in this part of the field worthy of
record during the past week. He remarks of a
REPORTED EXPEDITION TO KAPPA :

There has been a rumour the last day or two that an expe-
dition was to start for Kaffa, with the intention of securing a
position there during the ensuing winter. A small body of
French troops has left, and proceeded in an easterly direction,
and it has been surmised that there was to be another attack
on Fort Arabat. With Arabat and Kaffa in our possession,
the whole peninsula of Kertch would be secured; the enemy
would be excluded from a district from which he is still said to
draw`many supplies, and Kaffa would form an important basis
for future operations. The movement against Kaffa has been
very generally talked of, and the Fourth Division has been
named as the part of the British force likely to be sent.
Brigadier Spencer's Brigade has returned from Kinburn, but
has not yet received orders for disembarkation ; it has been
supposed, therefore, that these regiments would go on without
landing, and Lord Paulet's Brigade, with General Windham
in command, at once join the expedition u a reinforcement.
What truth there is in the rumour of this undertaking
remains to be seen; no orders on the subject have yet been
Issued.

According to this correspondent the Russians have not
given up for the present all idea of annoying the Allies, by
their fire from the North Forts, which seems to have been re-
sumed with considerable spirit. He says on the subject of