The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-08-14 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY FOOLHARDINESS.

As a proof of the heedless indifference to danger which
some of the men acquire from constantly moving amongst
shot and shell, the following example, which occurred last
evening, may be mentioned. A large shell had been thrown
from the Redan into our right attack, and during its passage
the fuze had accidentally dropped out. The shell fell, there-
fore, like a round shot into part of the approach connected
with the old advanced or third parallel. Some men of the
47th Regiment were near, waiting for the reliefs to arrive,
and ready to return to camp. One of these soldiers, after exa-
mining the unexploded shell, actually had the foolhardiness to
jerk the ashes of the tobacco in his pipe, which he had just
finished smoking, into the fuze-hole. Another of the men
standing by, and observing the action, had only just time to
utter an exclamation, when the shell burst. The reckless
author of the mischief suffered severely—both his legs were
shattered, and he was frightfully scorched about the head and
face. Five other men were wounded, but fortunately none
were dangerously hurt. It is presumed that the man had no
idea of any of the pipe-ash being sufficiently hot to cause
ignition of the powder in the shell. Instances of men expos-
ing themselves to imminent hazard by showing their position
to the enemy occur daily, even in the most advanced works,
and it often requires the greatest watchfulness on the part of
the officers to make them sufficiently thoughtful of their own
safety, and that of others around them.
Another correspondent of the same jonrnal, on the
27th, says, in reference to the
RUSSIAN PREPARATIONS OF DEFENCE :

Although the bombardment has not yet commenced officially,
yet our batteries are far from remaining idle, either by night
or day. The report asserts that an order was delivered from
head-quarters to the effect that no shot from the enemy was
to remain unacknowledged, but in every practicable position
he was to receive, if possible, two for one. We are too near
his stronghold for Johnny Rusky to leave us unnoticed, and
and as soon as the clink of some unlucky pick-axe rings in
his ears, a shower of grape or canister, a light ball, and a
bouquet of shells, give us notice that we are not sufficiently
careful. The French have withstood the brunt of two as-
saults on their position in front of the Malakhoff. Their ad-
vanced trench is now within 100 paces of the counterscarp of
that work, and the Russians evidently calculate on their gain-
ing a footing there, as they are at present occupying themselves
in throwing up a cavalier work in rear of the former parapet.
This may enable them to make a more protracted defence, but it
will also cramp their movements, and prevent them replacing
their guns and repairing their works, as they could more effec-
tually do were their space less confined. It is a more direct
advantage to us, as, in the event of our taking the outer work,
this new parapet will afford us good cover from the fire of the
ships, and prevent us from suffering so severely while endea-
vouring to form inside. Those who have seen the rear works
of the Malakhoff from our shipping outside, say that the form is
somewhat heart-shaped ; the two semi-circular portions are
facing the besiegers, and the sides are formed "en cremaillere,"
so as to secure a flanking fire along the whole front and flanks.
Two entrenchments are drawn within it; but although such
seiges as those of Saragossa and Silistria warn us that a town
must not necessarily fall with its outworks, or regular defences,
yet, if the Allies once succeed in introducing 1,000 men within
the fortifications of either the Redan or Round Tower, the fate
of this Armageddon is sealed.
RUSSIAN LOSSES.

Disease must be raging violently within the walls of the
city, as the burial-ground on the north side is assuming a
wonderful magnitude. We can plainly see the Russian
fatigue parties arriving every morning on the ground, and
having piled their arms and hung their accoutrements on
them, proceeded to dig a series of pits for the reception of
their dead. The burying ground is rapidly filling all the
plain lying on the north side between the cliffs and the sea
where none existed (visibly) before the month of April last.
As far as we can see, there are at present very few troops on
the plateau of the north side ; they seem to have all been
drawn towards Sebastopol, and there is, consequently, a large
display of canvas in its vicinity. Many are of opinion that
the greater part of the camp is required as an hospital.
THE NEW COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.

Many reforms have taken place in the interior economy of
our routine since the change at our head-quarters ; they give
universal satisfaction. The trench duties are now taken by
divisions, which prevents a deal of trouble ; in the event of
casualties, the senior officers can be discovered without diffi-
culty, and the command handed over to the proper person
without requiring the aid of an army list. The whole of the
attack is placed under the command of the general of the
attack, who delivers his orders to all employed. Formerly
the artillery was only under the control of its own chief, and
received the orders from him alone. The inconvenience from
this arrangement has only now been rectified. Our new com-
mander-in-chief seems determined to view all things for him-
self, and will take nothing on hearsay. He was nearly taken
as a spy by some soldier ignorant of his rank not long since,
as the latter could not understand what business an officer in
a very shabby uniform, and without any attendants, had in
promenading through the most advanced and exposed
trenches, looking into the magazines, taking the directions of
the mortar batteries, and making himself master of the whole
plan of our attack.

•
The correspondent of the Times, writing from the camp of
the Fourth Division before Sebastopol, on July 30, says :
Since the sortie of the 23rd inst. nothing of importance or
even of interest has occurred here. The desultory fire to
which we are accustomed continues by day, usually swelling
into a roar of artillery for a portion of every night. Last
night, for instance, the din began at half-past 10, and lasted
with intervals about three hours. The casualties continue
much as before, not very heavy, although some days are un-
lucky, and on the night of the 28th the Guards had 25 to 30
men killed and wounded. But, however unimportant, in a
siege of ordinary duration, would be the usual daily loss here
experienced, in one so prolonged as that of Sebastopol it be-
comes a serious consideration, especially when taken in con-
junction with the loss from disease. This, lam glad to say,
diminishes. Cholera cases have become very rare. Fever
and diarrhoea are what most prevail, but not by any means
to an alarming extent. Upon the whole, the sanitary condi-
tion of our army must be deemed satisfactory.
It seems a pretty general opinion that no very long
period will elapse before another attack is made upon the
Malakhoff. As regards an expedition into the interior of the
Crimea, that is highly improbable. In fact, I believe nothing
of the kind is in contemplation—at any rate, for the present.
The month of September would be a favourable season at
which to commence such a movement.

Colonel Norcott's (Rifles) ieivaTand charger were await-
ing, yesterday mooning, his return from the trenches in what
was considered a perfectly sheltered situation, when a round
shot, bounding over an eminence, killed both horse and man.
Four Russian deserters came in yesterday.
The Duke of Newcastle has arrived at Balaklava, and has
been up to the front.
July 31.—Soon after five o'clock this morning a most
violent storm of wind and rain commenced, and continues as
I write. It will cause, I fear, much discomfort, if not actual
damage, in the camp, over which it rages with a combined
fury and duration which I do not remember to have seen sur-
passed. The considerable portion of the camp of which I
command a view from my hut is converted into a lake, the
rain descending faster than it can sink into the earth. Even
the furious war of the elements does not wholly suspend the
strife of man, and from time to time, above the roar of the
wind and the plash of the rain, the boom of a gun reaches us.
As I write, however, the tempest passes over, the clouds fly
seaward, the rain ceases, and already the camp resumes its
stir.

Another correspondent of the same paper, writes as follows,
on July 31:—
The firing during the last few days has been on our side far
more lively than it had been for some time ; this increased
firing has, however, a defensive rather than an offensive
character. The Russians, seeing our works daily approach
closer to theirs, are trying by their single gun practice to
annoy us. The orders have accordingly been given to return
the fire from our batteries whenever it becomes too annoying.
Once already this was tried before, and it moderated some-
what the ardour of the Russian gunners. This is the second
trial, which I hope will be not less successful in insuring us a
little respite, for, somehow or other, the less we fire the better
is the Russian gun practice, and vice vend.
But no firing of the Russians, be it good or bad, slight or
heavy, is able to impede the progress of the works. The sur-
face of the ground in the neighbourhood of the Malakhoff
works and the Redan is presenting every day a more checkered
appearance. It is one mass of trenches, traverses, rifle pits,
and batteries—a perfect maze, so that it requires a strongly
developed organ of locality, or else many days of trench duties,
to find one's way. The railway is perhaps the best test of the
gigantic activity which is prevailing ; numbers of mortars and
large quantities of ammunition come up daily by it, and van-
ish again silently, to be replaced next day by others. It is as
if the trenches were an unfathomable abyss, snch an incredible
mass of mortars, guns, shells, and shot do they seem to swal- I
low lip.

When they will be satiated, and when the word " enough"