The Press.
London, England, 1855-10-13 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

THE WEEK.

WE believe we may confidently state that General SIMPSON will very
shortly return home, and that, as General MARKHAM has retired, the
command in the first instance will be offered to General EYRE.

As the Minister of War does not now favour the public with any
telegraphic despatches, we have to be content, so far as official
intelligence from the English camp is concerned, with those written
despatches of General SIMPSON which occasionally appear in the
columns of the Gazette. By the latest this week, that of the 29th, we
learn two important facts—first, that the view which Sir HOWARD
DOUGLAS long since expressed, that we should not be able to make use
of Sebastopol whenever we got it, has been verified ; and, secondly,
that our army this year runs the same chance it did last, of being
left for the winter upon the bleak heights of Balaklava sheltered by
canvas. So few huts have arrived, that fatigue parties are daily busy
in the town, breaking up the houses for the planks and wood which
they contain, and conveying materials to the camp :

Large fatigue parties (writes General Simpson) are daily employed in the town,
dismantling and conveying timber and other materials from the ruins of the buildings ;
and I hope, by this means, to get aconsiderable portion of the troops under cover previous
to the commencement of the bad weather.
General SIMPSON, it will be seen, only "hopes," so that it is clear from
this paragraph that the home authorities either calculated upon the
capture of Sebastopol to afford quarters for the army, or contemplated a
retreat from the Crimea, or were supremely indifferent to the whole
matter, and, blind to all experience, neglected those very preparations
which the calamities of last year pointed out as necessary with painful
distinctness. A week or two more, and heavy rains, with storms of sleet
and snow, will sweep those bare bleak heights again ; and it will be past
endurance to find that any of our brave troops have been left to suffer
in summer clothing, or under the canvas tents.
From the camp there is but little news. The army appears prin-
cipally to be employed in making roads. The active operations which
were so eagerly anticipated a few weeks since seem to have dwindled
down to the faintest rumour. The hutting interest has won the day,
and, from present appearances, it does not appear probable that any
divisions of the English army will be moved into the field this year.
The change of life from one of painful anxiety, hope, and anticipation,
to one now of mere routine and nothing to do, is very much felt. The
trenches are broken up, the gabions burnt, the guns removed : every-
thing looks dreary, and even Sebastopol itself fails to attract often a
few visits. So great is the tedium of camp life that the Times corre-
spondent, sick at heart at the prospect before him, conceived the idea
that, if we have any intention of seriously crippling Russia, it would
not be preferable to withdraw from the Crimea altogether (winter, of
course, at Constantinople), and in the spring commence a campaign in
some other portion of the Russian empire.

The French army, after making several ineffectual demonstrations
against the Russian position, has settled down for the present in the
plain of Baidar, where they are constructing good roads for the passage
of artillery. It is conceived that this is a proof of PELISSIER'S inten-
tion of making a move shortly, and in force. On the other hand, it
may be regarded simply as a necessary precaution for the defence of
his position, during the wet months of winter, when the plain becomes
a swamp, and not a road is to be trusted. The Russians, upon their
side, appear to look on, and strengthen their positions. A strong
corps of 30,000 men, it was reported in the English camp, had been
despatched from the Belbeck to observe Eupatoria, but beyond this no
signs of retreat were visible in the Russian lines. The " eternal
Cossack" was perched on the inaccessible heights, as usual. The fire
of the northern batteries had increased, and fresh defences were being
daily thrown up by the Russians. On the whole, the week's intelli-
gence from the seat of war does not admit of any interpretation of
field operations being contemplated by the allied Generals before the
winter.

The appearance of the allied fleets off Odessa and Ockschakov is
at length a symptom that something decisive is about to be done on
the coasts of the Black Sea. We have waited for this a long time, and
believe that it might have been undertaken with much greater effect
twelve months ago. The defences of the Russians since then have
been trebled. It is impossible to predict the result. Little as yet
is known of the plan of the Admirals, and it is by no means certain
whether or not a strong military force is on board the fleet. Letters
from Kamiesch last week stated the activity and preparation which
reigned at that port for the embarkation of some 30,000 French troops.
The ruse which was practised by the fleet suddenly steaming away
on the 26th ult., with their crews dressed in red coats and crowded on
deck, led Prince GORTSCHAXOI7 to imagine that a strong force had
started for and been landed at Eupatoria, while, in fact, only a single
division of French cavalry had been landed there; and if any large
force were really embarked on board the allied steamers it was kept
carefully concealed, as it is remarkable that none of " Our Correspon-
dents" allude to the matter at all, except as regards the English
divisions not being employed at Eupatoria. Hence it seems probable
that a strong military force is on board the fleet, and in that case it
would be intended not merely to bombard, but to sack, burn, and
destroy the military positions held by Russia on the coast.

SATURDAY,

The reception of the Duke of CAMBRIDGE at Liverpool has done
honour to the town. The enthusiasm with which the Duke was met
was a tribute to the Army and a mark of respect to the Royal
Family. The Duke of CAMBRIDGE may well be proud of the
honour paid to him. lie nobly won it, by his affectionate
care of his soldiers and by his distinguished bravery in the field. The
House of Hanover has always been distinguished for personal
courage, and in the Duke it is united with the highest qualities of
English character. Au instance of his kindness of heart is worth
relating. During his visit at Knowsley he heard that a toll-keeper in
the neighbourhood, named KERR, had had two sons in the Duke's
regiment, and that both had perished in the Crimea. On Monday, as
the Duke was proceeding to Liverpool, accompanied by Lord DERBY,
he ordered the carriage to stop at this gate, and addressed the be-
reaved father in terms of sorrow for his heavy loss, adding words of
consolation, sympathy, and praise of the dead, well calculated to cheer
the old man's heart. His gratitude and pleasure may be imagined,
when he learnt that his comforter was the beloved colonel of his sons,
and the cousin of the Queen.

As matter of record, we must notice the sensation excited in
political circles by recent articles in Tax Pans favourable to a con-
clusion of the war, now that Sebastopol, formerly a great obstacle to
terms of pacification, has fallen. Those, articles have been ma-
lignantly interpreted to mean that there is a party in this
country eager to effect any kind of combination to defeat the
existing Ministry. They may well be left to speak for them-
selves. They appeal solely to the good sense of the nation.
It is true that public sentiment in this country cannot enforce peace—
it can only smooth the way for it. There must be two parties to a
pacification, as there must be two parties to a quarrel. It is not for
our Government to offer terms to Russia ; but it is desirable
she should understand that, if she be heartily disposed
for peace, and willing to remove all cause for apprehend-
ing that she would disturb the South by her aggressions, she will
not be met by other than temperate counsels and moderate
demands. We cannot expect her to make advances which it is
morally certain will be rejected with contumely. Let her understand
that we take no pleasure in a war of extremity to issue in spoliation
and dismemberment, that she may perceive tho choice of the olive
branch or the sword is yet open to her. A terrible respon-
sibility will rest on that party which, whether by the insult-
ing taunts on one side, or by haughtiness of spirit on the other,
loses the hour for accommodation, and pursues the struggle to that
point when it must become mortal. It is impossible that we can reply
in these columns to the observations which our views have called
forth. Of all our critics, the Economist is, perhaps, the most candid;
but its references to history are so unfortunate as to suggest a suspi-
cion that its studies in that department have been very recently com-
menced. The Treaty of Utrecht and the Treaty of Paris are de-
nounced as the achievement of faction :

Twice before has a British Ministry surrendered by an ignominious peace the con-
quests and advantages which their rivals had won by a brilliant and successful war.
This is novel language, in the mouth of an economical advocate.
How, if the war with France had in either case been carried to extre-
mity ? Is it likely that the state of Europe would be more satisfactory
at the present time? Ought we to have insisted, say, on the
possession of Calais, that we might always keep continental France
in check. Yet, what is Sebastopol but the Calais of Russia?
Nearer historic instances may he more valuable. How, if there
had been no Russia at the period of the Egyptian revolt, when
France was so angry, and M. TRIERS was so eager for a contest
with England ? Can we say that no such contingency will occur
again? The attention which the articles in THE PRESS have excited,
will certainly direct the mind of the public to important considerations
too long neglected.