The Press.
London, England, 1855-09-08 00:00:00

850

owing to its near prnimity to the Malakoff. As soon as a
gabion was put up a storm of projectiles was hurled against
it and the working party. This difficulty has now been sur-
mounted, and the extremities are connected. I understand
that good progress was made last night, and that they are
enlarging the trench so as to admit of its containing more
men. Opinions are divided as to the plan of attack that
will be observed. The distance is now so greatly reduced
—is, indeed, so very short—between the French trenches
and the Russian defences, that a vigorous assault ought to
succeed, unless, indeed, the more desponding anticipations
rut I have heard indulged in, as to the impregnability of
the internal defences of the Malakoff, should be more than
realised. At the same time we must not be misled as to
the probable amount of resistance by the fact that, since
the first day of the bombardment, the Russian fire from
the Malakoff, and, indeed, from all parts of their line, has
been weak, as if their guns had been silenced by ours, and
that the works appearto have suffered considerable damage.
Mute though the Malakoff may be, it would not be sur-
prising if, were we to assault today, our storming parties
should find that every gun-could still speak loud enough.
The dearly-bought experience of the 18th of June must not
be thrown away. On the other hand our fire has been both
severe and well directed. That of the French has been
partial, and much less strong; and this has excited a good
deal of comment and conjecture, some saying that there
had been a misunderstanding, and that the French did not
know they were expected to back us with their batteries.
It is improbable, however, that there has been any mistake.
Persons there may be—perhaps themselves too hasty and
impetuous—disposed to tax General Simpson with over-
great deliberation ; but he is generally admitted to be a
safe man, not likely to fall into misunderstandings, and one
who would be quite sure of what was to be done before
attempting to do it He certainly keeps his own counsel
extremely well, and nothing has transpired of the plan
which it is presumed he has for serious operations at a very
early date.
- - - - •

Our loss during the bombardment has not been heavy.
It was incurred chiefly on Friday, since which day no offi-
cers have been hit, to the best of my knowledge, and not
many men. For hours together the Russian fire has
been very slack, an occasional shot here and there.
They seem to consider it a point of honour to go off in
great style on the first day, after which they run their guns
behind the parapets, cover them with sandbags, and allow
us to blaze away with little reply. As to other damage, one
or two batteries of our left attack suffered a little, our right
scarcely anything. As regards the enemy, we may reason-
ably hope, although we do not too confidently reckon, that
we have punished him pretty severely. Although earth-
works take a deal of hammering before they show its
marks, both the Redan and Malakoff have a very battered
appearance. We have of course no means of ascertaining
the Russian loss of men. It is believed they sustained a
very considerable one on Saturday night.
At sunset on Saturday evening a party of the naval
brigade, commanded by Lieutenant Gough, dragged a 68-
pounder up to No. 11 battery left attack. Jack hauled
away with his usual goodwill and ala'rity. The Russians
fired at him as he went up, but he reached the battery with-
out casualty, and the gun was put in position. The next
morning trial was made of it in the presence of Captain
Keppel, and it was found to bear perfectly on the mole-head
and on the bridge across the creek. The mole-head is a
sort of landing-place at the left-hand corner of the creek,
where it enters the main harbour, and is used by the Rus-
sians to land their stores from the opposite side. They
will be obliged to land them elsewhere in future.

I understand that the Russians have been observed
moving about the heights beyond the valley of the Tscher•
nays, and it would not be surprising if another attempt
were to be made ere long. They will find us all prepared
--the English army full of fight, the French and Sardinians
elated with their recent triumph, and the last animated
with that additional confidence which the consciousness of
having behaved gallantly and proved themselves worthy of
their allies cannot fail to give them.
The whole of the French Imperial Guard, which was
away to the left, where it was of no use, was yesterday
marched over to this plateau, and incamped beyond the
French semaphore, and all along the slightly elevated
ridge that overlooks the valley of the Tschernaya. They
form a very large body of men, and fine looking soldiers
they are. There are nine rekiments of infantry and some
battalions of Chasseurs, which compose a strong force. I
walked round the edge of the plateau yesterday afternoon.
and they were all snugly established, had got up their
kitchens, composed of a few fragments of rock and big
stones, and while some strolled about picking up the
scanty sticks and roots for fuel, others skimmed the
marmites, some of which emitted an extremely savoury
odour. The French are certainly famous fellows for
settling themselves down in an instant and making them.
selves at home wherever they may be placed.

The vacancy occasioned by the death of Commander
Hammet, of the Albion, is filled up. I understand, by the
promotion. of Lieutenant Pasley, of the Royal 4thert, who
is thus put over the head of at least five or six lieute•
na nts of the naval brigade—lieutenants of ten years'
standing. or even more, and who have now passed eight
months in the trenches and been in four bombardments.
This needs no comment. Lieutenant Pasley may be a
most meritorious officer, but one naturally feels curious
to become acquainted with the services that entitle him
t o walk over his seniors, who for two•thirds of a year
have been engaged in actual and severe warfare, who have
been decimated by Russian shot, and have taken their
full share of hardships probably unparalleled in the his-
tory of war since the campaign of 1812.
Major Henry of the Artillery, who lost his arm the other
day, is, I am happy to say, going on very favorably.
Majo r Napier, of the Land Transport Corps, is gone home
on ,V,k leave. A cargo of ice has arrived for the hos.
phalli, and ten tons are to be brought up for each division

THE PRESS.

of the army. The Simon; has arrived with 420, and the
Barrackpore with 300, of the Army Working Corps. These
120 men form the bulk of the corps, and will immediately
proceed to work under the direction of the chief superin-
tendent, I)oyne. They are to repair the railway (" re-
make " would be a suitable word as regards a great part of
it), and make a road from head-quarters to Balaklava.
Sir Harry Jones has also ordered that they should take
the direction of the supply of water fur the camp. It is
hoped they will find means of increasing it, and also of
causing a portion of it to flow to an easier distance than
that at which some of us are compelled to seek it. Sir
Harry Jones has been suffering severely from sciatica, but
is now much bette'.
- -

Auo. 21.—Yesterday afternoon between five and six
o'clock the whole of the French batteries on the left sud-
denly opened a furious fire, to which the Russians warmly
replied. General Pelissier, in his open carriage, with his
aide.de-camp and usual Hussar escort, passed through the
English camp and went up to Cathcart's-hill. The fire
lasted until nightfall, and then diminished. During the
night there was not much firing. At midnight it had
almost ceased, and one saw but an occasional shell in the
air. At two a.m. orders came for our army to turn out.
This was rapidly done; the troops moved to the front to
their usual position in such cases, and remained there
until daylight. It ii now very early in the morning, and
I have not been able to ascertain the motives of the
alerte. It appears, however, that the French turned out
before we had orders to do so, and that then a line of
telegraphic lights was observed in the Russian positions,
commencing at Sebastopol and running along the Inker-
mann heights. It is said that the French got under arms
in consequence of observing a Russian force in motion on
the heights in question. From the present aspect of
affairs, and notably from the change of place of the Impe-
rial Guard, it seems probable that the French will operate
particularly on the Tschernaya line, where they the other
day achieved so brilliant a success, and that the English
will form the main force to be opposed to an attack pro-
ceeding from the town.

The enemy continues to throw shot at our camp, but
they fall short or on the outskirts, and the damage they do
is so trifling as not to be worth the ammunition expended.
Yesterday evening, during the firing on the left, they threw
up several to Cathcart's•hill. They are fired from an
immense distance (the Garden Battery, it is believed),
and of course at a great elevation. The soldiers amuse
themselves wiih digging them out of the ground, into
which they plunge to a considerable depth.
AUG. 24.—Orders were given this morning that no
officer or man should quit the camp. An attack is ex-
pected, and the army is on its guard. Large bodies of
Russians have been seen to issue from the town, and it is
thought they meditate an onslaught upon the Sardinians.
It may possibly prove a false alarm, like many others that
we have lately had. On the 214, on returning to camp
from sending off my despatch, I found the troops under
arms. The enemy had been observed in motion on the
heights beyond the Tschernaya. Nothing came of it, nor
of other similar recent alarms, but the qui vive is becoming
our habitual state. It is to be hoped this vigilance may
not be relaxed at the moment when it is most needed. The
general opinion seems to be that the Russians will make
a second attempt on the Tschernaya line, combined pro-
bably with attacks on other points. It is thought they
will come on in great force, and it is therefore desirable we
should have strong reserves in readiness, in order that the
ultimate triumph, on which we confidently reckon, may
not be limited to the recapture of positions snatched by
the first heavy onset of overwhelming numbers. Such a
result would be less than what we have a right to expect
should the Russians risk a general attack ; and should no
greater be attained the fault will be attributable to the dis-
positions taken. Such an attack, promptly and vigorously
met, ought to end in our wresting from the foe some solid
advantage, perhaps even in the capture of the Malakoff
itself. Had we that, we should quickly be masters of the

Redan and the Little Redan ; it might take a few days to
vanquish the resistance offered by the inner line of de-
fence, but the issue of the contest, as regards the south
side of Sebastopol, would no longer be doubtful. lf, as
we have some grounds for believing, the Russian troops
are already considerably demoralised, the loss of the Ma-
lakoff might so discourage them as to throw the south side
almost immediately into our hands. Its capture, and the
destruction of the ships, would render a very large force—
in itself a powerful and numerous army—now employed in
the trenches disposable for operations elsewhere. A por-
tion of these troops might then, by the aid of our fleet, be
promptly conveyed to Eupatoria, where we already have
20,000 of the best Turks. Suppose we sent off 40,000 men
—say, 30,000 English and 10,000 Sardinians—leaving the
French to observe the north side of Sebastopol and keep
the enemy in check down here ; we should thus form an
army of between 50,000 and 60,000 effective soldiers, which
would give an excellent account of any Russian army at-
tempting to retreat northwards. This plan I know to be
considered by officers of high rank and great military
knowledge and experience as perfectly feasible. We have
abundance of transport, plenty of cavalry could be sent,
and such a battle might be fought, such a victory obtained,
Si would eclipse the glories even of Alma and of lnker-
mann ; for it is to be observed that even those persons
here who take the most desponding view of the prospects
of the siege are as confident as men can be of our army
driving before it in the field even very superior forces of
the Russians. And really when one notes the excellent
condition of the troops. and the cheerful, gallant, and loyal
spirit that animates them, one cannot doubt that they
would fulfil those high expectations; one can imagine no
army, though it were twice their number, withstanding
their onset, and one reflects with regret on their being kept
here all the summer knocking their heads against stone
walls, and against earthworks that are worse, expending
their energies in the wearisome trench duty, and sighing

SATURDAY,

in vain for motion and action in the field. We have still
two months of good campaigning weather before us, and
we can only hope they will be employed in such a way as
to atone in some degree for the unprofitable manner in
which spring and summer have been suffered to glide by.
We are completely in the dark as to the intentions of
the commanding generals as regards offensive operations.
All that we can see is that an attack on our lines is ex •
pected, and there our knowledge stops. Meanwhile, our
artillery and naval brigade are tar from idle. A number of
old guns have been sunk in the earth, and make excellent
practice on the town, sending shells in all directions and
doing considerable damage. I believe it is intended to use
up all our old guns in this way, and to dig up some that
have been buried. The solid 68-pounder that was lately
taken down to a battery on the left made an excellent shot
a day or two ago at the bridge across the creek, over which
a number of soldiers were passing at the time. The bullet
cut the bridge in two, killing some of the men, precipi-
tating others into the water, and sinking a barge. On the
night of the 22nd the sailors got another 68-pounder into
No. 9 battery, left attack. The slings broke on the way,
and it took some time and such dexterity and exertion as
none but sailors can display in a like degree on such occa-
sions to get the tackle right again and complete the jour.
ney. Unluckily, the accident took place just under fire of
the Redan, which opened a heavy fire of shells on the
party; but Jack, nothing daunted, persisted in his task,
and fortunately accomplished it without casualty.
Great numbers of mortars are coming up both for us
and for the French, and this gives additional weight to the
opinion I before told you was entertained by various per-
sons here—notably by some of the French staff—that it is
intended to crush the place under a prodigious fire of
mortars. There can hardly be a doubt that these are the
most effective weapons we can employ against Sebastopol.
The vertical fire which Sir Howard Douglas advocated
finds partisans among all practical men here. You may
convert the huge earthworks of the Russian batteries into
masses of iron by a horizontal fire, but for that the enemy
will care little. It is quite clear that his inner works, not
his outer ones. are what he reckons on, and only by a Ter•
tical fire can we hope to destroy the former.
A meeting was held yesterday morning of officers of the
Highland division to inspect specimens of waterproof
winter clothing, which were found excellent, and only
slight alterations were suggested. Sir Colin Campbell
took the opportunity to read to his officers the copy of a
note received by General l'elissier from the Emperor of
the French, in which the Emperor informed him that he
had positive intelligence that the Russians would not be
able to pass the winter here. This would doubtless be by
reason of the impossibility of getting up stores and prom
sions. Several deserters who have lately come in have
agreed in stating that ammunition is plentiful in Sebasto-
pol, but food hard to obtain. From Kertch we hear that
the Spit of Arabat is completely commanded by our ship-
ping, and that nothing can pass over it. As regards scar-
city in the Russian clump, the latest " shave " current is
that Gortschakoff telegraphed to Dolgorouki that he had
but six days' rations left, whereupon Dolgorouki telegraphed
back to Gortschakoff that there was plenty at Balaklava,
and he had better go and take them.
The health of the army continues excellent. The wea-
ther is dry, clear, and not excessively warm. Sir W. Eyre,
commanding the third division, reports to the Quarter-
master-General, under date of the 14th instant, in very
high terms concerning the excellent order in which he
found the hospitals on a recent inspection. " I cannot
conceive," he says, " that soldiers in the field can be more
orderly or more comfortably accommodated " He adds
that the sick are in possession of every comfort, and gives
great credit to the medical men of the division. The
weather is decidedly favorable to field-hospitals, permitting
doors to be left open and canvas raised so as to ventilate
thoroughly and lam often struck, when passing through
the camp, by the clean, cool, and comfortable appearance
of the hospital huts and marquees, and of their inmates.
By a general after-order, published to-night, we learn
that Lord Stratford de Radcliffe is to land at Kazatch Bay
early to-morrow, and that at eleven a.m. he is to invest, by
her Majesty's command, seven generals and two admirals
with the insignia of the Bath. The ceremony takes place
at head-quarters. Companions of the Order are invited to
attend.
Auo. 25, Noon.—We have had an agitated night and
morning. There was a good deal of firing in the evening,
which increased towards one o'clock, about which time a
sortie was attempted by the Russians against the Manielon,
but promptly repelled. The troops not being yet up from
the trenches, lam unable to give you details. The firing
was very heavy for a short time—as heavy as any night-
firing that has heen heard here for a long time past. At
two a.m. the Highland division marched to support the
Sardinians. The whole army was under arms before day-
light, an attack being fully expected, and General Simpson
and his staff were out and round the lines. At this present
time all is quiet, but the troops are ordered to be in readi-
ness. So strong was the expectation of an action on the
Tschernaya, owing to the movement of the Highlanders
and other indications, that several amateurs went down to
the ground where the battle, it was thought, would occur.
The hour compels me to close this letter, but, according
to every appearance, my next must take you news of a col-
lision. It is intensely hot to-day, and the Russians gene-
rally are very quiet from noon till about one or two o'clock
—probably eating or reposing.
CRIME IN THE CAMP.
Sharp and well-deserved rebukes, prompted by
certain malpractices and outrages perpetrated in the
camp, have been published in " General Orders" on
more than one occasion The following are ape-
=len R :
Head-Quarters before Sebastopol, August 20, 1855.
The great want of consideration shown by officers and
other persons attached to this army in visiting the scene
of a recent action, and plundering the dead, or purehasulli

ilib._