The Press.
London, England, 1855-11-17 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

squadrons of cavalry in a field behind Yuritala, are all that
can be seen by day of the Russians, while a small number
of camp fires and the unceasing activity of their numerous
telegraphs are the only visible signs of their close neigh.
hourhood at night. It seems to be the plan of the Rua.
sians to show as little of their forces as they can possibly
help, and even the advance of the French to the Belbeck
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 considerably 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 much as in order to keep their troops in con-
tinual activity, that the French are making so many pro.
menades oar., Oct. 24.
THE KINBURN EXPEDITION.

With the exception of a small force left for the
honour of guarding the English flag at the fort, the
whole of our force under General Spencer had left
Kinburn for head. quarters. The fort was considered
secure against any attack :

Kinburn is quite secured against any forces the enemy
can bring against it, covered completely as it is by the
guns of the formidable flotilla we have left behind to pro-
tect it. The garrison is strong; it is well to keep the
exact force secret, but the Russians must know as well as
we can how many men the fort will contain with con-
venience. The French troops will occupy the fort, but a
small body of English will be left to guard the flag which
waves along with the tricolour from its ramparts, and the
task of its defence will be shared by a powerful English
squadron with our allies. They have worked with extra-
ordinary energy to repair the place. All the curtains are
rebuilt, the ruins cleared away, the damaged guns removed,
and fine ships' guns put in their place ; the fosse cleared
out and deepened, the palisades repaired, the south-
eastern' gateway filled up, and its approaches covered by a
strong ravelin ; the crest of the parapets repaired solidly
and well with fascines and earthwork, the Russian guns
rendered efficient, the casemates cleared out and filled
with stores or adapted as barracks, and the interior build-
ings in course of reconstruction and renovation.—Times
cor., Nov. 3.

The batteries on the Spit were to be destroyed.
The two expeditions which took place while the
whole force was at Kinburn did not achieve much
beyond burning villages and capturing poultry :

The reconnaissance which started the week before last
did very little, except burn all the stores and houses which
could render service to the enemy for seven or eight miles
towards Kherson, and therefore I the less regret being in
the mouth of the Bug at the time it started, and being
unable to accompany it. The total strength of the expedi-
tion was 4,541 men and 979 horses. On the first day they
only marched to a village two miles beyond the place of
disembarkation on the Spit, the French being in another
village a mile in advance. On the second day the men
remained inactive. On the third day the force marched to
another village three miles further down the Spit, which
was completely deserted, except by an old man and his
wife, and by a peasant, who was found up a chitnney. Two
of the Cossack douaniera came in and surrendered them-
selves t, the troops. On the fourth day the force returned,
having still another day's supplies, and having laid waste
the country and captured and slain immense quantities of
poultry, geese, pigs, &T. The French were about '2,200
strong. One drummer was shot in the leg by an unskilful
pig-shooter, and bullets were flying in all directions in
search of geese, pigs, or cocks and hens, whenever the
force came to a halt. None of the enemy molested them,
but a body of 200 horse watched them closely, retreating
before them as they advanced, and following them up on
their return, not without some shots from a French gun-
boat, which accompanied the expedition as closely as
possible, but was still a long way from the shore.—lb.