The Press.
London, England, 1855-09-01 00:00:00

THE WEEK.

THE telegraph has been almost silent this week. The War-office has
only communicated a brief message from General SIMPSON that the
allied works continue to make satisfactory progress—a proof that up
to so late a date as Thursday last nothing material had occurred
worthy of publication. Probably Lord PANMURE has not yet been
able to decide on a plan of operations for General SIMPSON to carry
out. His Lordship is at his post with his map; but to decide on
military movements at a distance of three thousand miles from the
field of action is an enterprise requiring caution, even from so able a
commander as Lord PANMURE. Perhaps he thinks that in the present
position of the allied forces the safest course is to do nothing. As TEE
PRESS stated a fortnight back, our Government expects that the
Russians will be compelled to evacuate Sebastopol from failure of
supplies. Why not, then, play the Fabian game, and allow them to
starve at leisure, or retreat in quiet?
In the absence of new facts from the scenes of war, we must be
content with the details of those events previously announced by the
telegraph. The despatches of General SIMPSON and of General
PELISSIER, describing the battle of the Tschernaya, have been re-
ceived, with the letters of private correspondents. It would appear
that, notwithstanding the warnings received of the intended attack of
the Russians, they succeeded in surprising the French and Sardinians,
and at one moment were near establishing themselves on the ground.
For days previously the blockading ships had telegraphed the collec-
tion of large masses of troops behind the hills of Inkermann, and on
the 15th General IYALLANVILLE, commanding the French cavalry in
advance, telegraphed to the camp that large bodies of men were
collecting within sight and evidently preparing fur attack, but no
precautions appear to have been taken by General PELISSIER to pre-
pare for the enemy. Before break of day a few shadowy figures were
seen in advance of the Piedmontese pickets, and they had scarcely
time to fire the alarm when the Russians burst upon them with
tremendous force, driving them in upon all points, and crossing the
Tschernaya, and then made a dash upon the French position with great
courage ; but here, after a desperate struggle, they were checked, and
never once during the morning made much head beyond the fatal
embankment of the river ; the front lines were only pushed on by the
hinder ranks to be mowed down rank and file as they crested that
fatal height, for the Sardinian guns caught them in the flank, and,
with the range to a hair, swept off every man who advanced a pace in
front from the river.
This battle, though eminently disastrous to the Russian arms,
places in a favorable light the active courage of their troops. They
rushed through the river with the water breast-high, and did not
cease cheering till they fell. After their terrible losses, they still
retired in good order, though this may be in part referred to the
prudent policy of General PELISSIER, who declined to give any order
for their pursuit. His caution seems to have excited some dissatis-
faction in Paris ; and his want of prevision before the battle, and
energy while it was in progress, are criticised with equal severity. In
that capital an opinion prevails that he will not long be continued in
his present command.
If the bravery of the Russian soldiers is to be extolled, nothing
can be said for the skill of their commanders. The attack was made
at an immense disadvantage, and, unless the surprise had been com-
plete in the first instance, there was a moral certainty that it must be
repulsed. The recklessness of Prince GORTSCHAKOFF supplies a
presumption that he has plenty of men to spare. The announcement
in this journal, of the 14th of July, that large reinforcements were on
their way to the Russian camp has been borne out by this battle.
The men killed, it is remarked by more than one correspondent on
the spot, were mostly fine men, in the prime of life ; many of them
vieux grognards, with decorations for good service or gallant conduct.
and, on their own confession, had only very lately arrived in the
Crimea from Poland and Bessarabia. They belonged, principally, to
the regiments of grenadiers.
Beyond the details of this action the intelligence from the camp
is scanty. The siegeworks are progressing; but whether we are to
expect a fresh bombardment and an assault, or to look for more peace-
able possession of Sebastopol, it is difficult to say. The letter of the
Emperor of the FRENCH to General PELISSIER, and that of Admiral
BRUAT, commanding in the Black Sea, to the Minister of Marine,
would point to the latter conclusion. The Emperor declares that "he
" knows, from sources which he believes to be sure, that the Russian
" army cannot maintain the struggle in the Crimea during the winter:"
while Admiral BRUAT, in his reflections upon the battle of Tschernaya,
declares that the situation of the Russian army is most critical. These
two letters appearing almost simultaneously have excited much com
went. Time alone can decide how far their conclusions are well
founded. There is one other remarkable paragraph in the Emperor
NAPOLEON'S letter. He announces his intention of sending to the
Crimea those regiments which have not yet participated in the war,
that the regiments which have been engaged there from the commence-
ment may return to France, and enjoy a period of repose. Hence it
would seem probable that, while the constitution of the French army
in the Crimea is to be gradually changed, it is not to be materially
augmented. Incredible quantities of stores and ammunition continue,
however, to be forwarded from Marseilles.

Th. llifonis# Poet this week has informed us that we need not
illtintst try further o_psrations from the Baltic. :feet this year, The
MO o
*tto, so 6 tehrehei to the letter of our Baltic correspondent

iii.