The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-08-28 00:00:00

THE TCHERNAYA.

The Times' correspondent, -writing from the allied
camp on the Tchernaya on the 11th August, says :
The allied army occupying the Tchernaya line has gradually
changed its character and become, from an offensive, a defen-
sive army. Intrenchments have been thrown up on the most
exposed points, roads made, and models of huts tried for the
winter,—all of which circumstances clearly indicate this
change, while the continual reports of spies and deserters all
agree in attributing to the Russians aggressive intentions
against the allied army on the Tchernaya line. Scarcely has
the last report of a meditated attack by the Russians died
away when it is again revived. They are said to be only ex-
pecting reinforcements, which most of the deserters call the
militia, evidently meaning troops from the military colonies
with which Russia abounds. Already, some time ago, a list of
volunteers was opened for the passage of the Tchernaya, but it
seems not to have met with great favour in the eyes of the
troops. One of the deserters says that in his regiment, which
was the most enthusiastic, only 320 men offered themselves;
in other regiments even fewer, so that on the whole the num-
ber of volunteers did not amount to more than 10,000 men.
This number would not be very formidable, but, of course,
they will be, in case of an attack, supported by those who have
not volunteered.

The Sardinians are hard at work. They are still continuing
to fortify their position on the river, which is certainly a rather
exposed one, being just on the hills between the two points
where the Russians should cross the river. They have, be-
sides, lately begun to make roads through their camp, both at
Kamara and on the Marine heights. But road-making is not
the only symptom of thoughts about the winter. Lately Gen.
Della Marinora has given orders to construct several models of
underground huts, in order to see which will answer best. If
well made, such huts are, I think, the least expensive and best
shelter for winter, provided that there are men enough to dig.
The Sardinians, having no trench work, are able to spare men
for this purpose, which, moreover, has the advantage of giving
the men some occupation. But, notwithstanding these various
occupations, to which, moreover, gabion-making must be added,
I am sorry to say sickness is still continuing, as it were, in fits,
increasing and decreasing without any apparent reason. There
are at present about 700 men in hospital. Part of them are
still in tents, but numbers of huts are constructing on the
Marine heights, intended for hospitals. Nothing more is
heard about the concentration of Russian troops about Eupa-
toria; it seems to have been one of the usual imaginary con-
centrations which have kept Eupatoria so often in alarm during
the winter. The order, however, has gone to make a recon-
naissance.

SEA OF AZOFF.-LOSS OF THE JASPER
GUN-BOAT.

Information has been received at the Admiralty of the loss
of Her Majesty's screw gunboat Jasper, on the 25th of July,
in the Sea of Azoff. No lives were lost. She was last em-
ployed off Taganrog. The Russians make out a consequential
relation between her loss and a shot from one of her guns,
which a few hours before struck the wall of a minster where
the faithful were engaged in holy offices. As the boat was on
her way to rejoin the squadron, she ran aground about 100
yards from the shore. One of those sudden falls to which
inland seas are liable upon a change of wind, soon
left her more and more aground, and she settled firmly
in the sand. In this situation she was exposed to a fire of
musketry from a party of Cossacks of the Don, who had been
attracted to the scene. The crew, finding it impossible to
save the vessel, left her, whereupon the Cossacks approached
and set the wreck on fire. The Hetman of these Cossacks
produces a flag, which he affirms was taken from the Jasper.
A letter received at Marseilles, reports that by the capture of
the English gun-boat, Jasper, the Russians have possessed
themseves of the complete eode of signals between the Eng-
lish and French, and have already shown that they can use
them.