The Press.
London, England, 1855-07-21 00:00:00

THE WAR.

The latest telegraphic advices from the Crimea are
of the 18th inst. They report the occurrence of
frequent sorties by the Russians upon the advanced
work of the allies. Those attempts have been inva-
riably repulsed with triding loss. The most serious
of these affairs took place on the night of the 15th,
and is thus related by General Peßuler:

The night has been a successful one on the side of the
Malakoff rower. About one o'clock the Russians made a
sortie with three or four battalions, and made 1111111 efforts
to carry an ambuscade on the glacis of the hlalakotf
Tower. Received by a brisk tire at close quarters, and by
the fire of batteries 15 and 16, they retreated, carrying
away a number of killed and wounded
The ground in front of the ambuscade was found
covered with muskets in the morning; there were also
five dead bodies on the ground, one of which was that of
an officer.

The combat was obstinate, and does honour to General
Ulrich, who was on duty in the trenches, and to the
Lieutenant-Colonel of the 81ith.

Our loss was nine killed and eleven wounded. Among
the latter is Captain Catel, of the Zouavea of the Guard.
On the 18th the general reports another attack.
He says:—
The Russians made a small sortie last night against the
lnkermann line of attack. It it; needless to say they were
repulsed.
To-day I visited our works at Kamiesch; they are pro-
greasing towards completion.

The despatches published by the English Govern-
ment relate to the same days, but contain very brief
and unimportant announcements. The message of

the 19th was :

Nothing of importance has occurred in our lines. The
army is in good health.
And, on the lmth :
Sortie on left attack repulsed with only three casualties
on our side.

Prince Liortscbakoff writes from Sebastopol under
date of the 12th :

The fire of the allies continues to be feeble. During
the night of the I Ith many shells were thruwu into the
city. From the other parts of the Crimea nothing uew.

The last written despatches from the Crimea re-
ceived in l'aris state that the great works against the
Malakoff rower advance but slowly, but the opinion
is that, when completed, they will be irresistible.
Every gun in the batteries is provided with ammuni-
tion for 500 shots.

A place darner capable of holding 4,0(X) men had
been constructed by the allies in trout of the Malakoff
Tower.

The sanitary condition of the allied armies had
improved. Ihe population of Kamiesch had been
weeded, and a municipality organised. There was no
case of cholera in the town.

General Caurobert had returned to the Tschernaya,
and bad taken up his old encampment.
The Russians nave received la►ge reinforce-
ments. An expedition against l'erekop and Odessa
was talked of.

A severe casualty has occurred among some men
belonging to the 2nd battalion of the Hide Brigade.
By the discharge of a single gun from the enemy (at
a part of a trench which ler • short distance is ex-
posed to an enfilading fire) no less than sixteen men
were killed and wounded.
Since their anival in the Crimea the Sardinians
have buried 53 officers and upwards of 1,100 men,
and they have had 1,500 soldiers laid up in hospital
with disease. It was rapidly on the decline at the
last dates.
THE WAR IN ASIA.
Intelligence from Kars of the 23rd ult. informs us
that the Russians were besieging that town, and also
threatening to shut up the Turkish contingent in
Batoum.

General Mouravieff, who is considered by the
Russians as one of their best generals, directs the
operations on Kars, and has from 60,000 to 70,000
troops under his orders. The attacking force is
stated to be 27,000 infantry, 5,000 cavalry, and 70
guns. The Turks, well provided, awaited the enemy
with resolution, orders being given to hold out to the
last, and, if necessary, to retire upon Erzeroum.
The Moniteur of Thursday says :

Kan is not invested ; bat the Russan army, having an
effective strength of about 30,000 men, is encamped about
two leagues from the town. The Russian general, who has
selected Zaim as the basis of his operations, appears di.-
termined on using all the means at his disposal for taking
Kars. The very heavy torrents of rain, that have been in-
cessantly falling for some days past, have as yet retarded
the attack, and greatly impeded the nianouvres of the
enemy, who has been obliged to pitch his ►ents in the mud.
The Russians have sent to Aleastiiiropol for eight large siege
guns, but these have got imbedded in the track near the
Arpa Tchai. General 31ounivieff has consequently been
obliged to send several men and oxen to get them out Main,
and bring them on to his head-quarters as soon as possible.
There can be no doubt of the great important* the Russian

684

Government attaches to the capture of Kars, nor will Gene"
ral Mouravieffspare any effort that may enable him to take
place. The strength of the Russian troops is great, and
far surpasses what the Turks can oppose to it. Never-
theless, thanks to the skill and courage of the generals who
protect the city now being attacked, thanks also to the
firmess of its inhabitants, we venture to hope that the be-
sieged at Kars will show themselves worthy brethren in
arms and race of those who defended Silistria.

SIEGE CHRONICLE.
The letters from the camp bring down the detailed
intelligence of siege operations to the 7th instant.
Their Information is however scanty, and the writers
are occupied chiefly with descriptions of the ceremo-
nies observed when the body of the late commander-
in-chief was brought down to Balaklava for embarka-
tion to England. The following brief extracts are
from the correspondence of the Herald and Daily
News :
JULY 6 —The 'sale of the late Lord Raglan's horses, the
search after navvies who have abandoned their work, and
the excesses of British sailors in tne French naval station
t Kamiesch, form the chief intelligence of the day. As
for the cannonade, it has been difficult during the last few
days to detect the report of a single gun.
The muster of British officers at the sale referred to was
tolerably large, but it was remarsed that. only a very few
French were present. Numerous horses were put up for
sale, and, on the whole, good prices were given ; between
701. and 801. for chargers, and 301. or 401. for smaller
animals.
With regard to the navvies, more than a dozen have
contrived to escape from Kamiesch in English vessels. As
there is a scarcity of hinds on board the transports, facili-
ties for escaping were willingly afforded them, and all the
efforts of Mr. Hart, of the Railway Police, and of Sergeant
Reidy, of the Army Police, to find them proved unavailing.
There have beeh several cases of illness amongst the
navvies, and it is probable that that circumstance, as well
ai the dread of the next three months—the most trying
period in the Crimea—made the deserters desirous of re-
turning home. I do not think that in other respects the
navvies have any good ground of complaint.
JULY .—The usual firing against the working parties,
and shelling on both sides, occurred during the night. The
fire has been Chiefly directed against the works of our allies
in progress on the east side of Careening Bay. The
12-gun battery on the north side has kept up a persevering
fire in this direction. Fort Constantine has also fired
frequently from some mortars placed on the roof. The
charge given must be very heavy, as the shells have to pass
across the mouth of the harbour, and over the Alexander
Fort and other works, to reach the French approaches
against which the missiles are directed.
The transport of gabions, the arrival and departure of
working parties near the outworks of the Star Fort, the
frequent burials, and other movements on the north side,
still continue. A body of troops was observed to march
from the intrenched camp on the heights north of Inker-
mann this morning ; they moved in an easterly direction.
No change in position is said to have occurred among the
Sardinian troops in advance of Tchorgoum, or in the force
occupying Raider.
Major-General Codrington, who has been absent on
account of ill-health, has sufficiently recovered to return to
camp, and resume the duties of the command of the light
division.
JULY 6.—fra sharp musketry fire occurred on the left
about half past eleven o'clock last night, but was of brief
duration. Captain Alexander Gordon, of the Royal Artil-
lery, was killed yesterday evening in an advanced battery
of the right attack. He came out from England in charge
of troop horses, and, after his arrival in the Crimea, asked
permission tO remain for a short time to do duty in the
batteries. His request was acceded to • but his services
being required at Woolwich, he was about to return in a
few days. When his death occurred he was just leaving
the works. The enemy had been annoying one of our
working parties, and a message was sent to Capt. Gordon
to request him to open some guns upon the Russians for
tike purpose of directing their fire towards his own battery.
This was successfully accomplished. Suddenly Captain
Gordon observed a large shell coming towards the spot
where he and some of his men were, and had barely time
sufficient to warn the men to shelter themselves. He
himself appears to have felt a momentary hesitation u to
the side of the traverse on which the missile was falling,
and thus lost the opportunity of obtaining protection.
While he was still standing up the shell struck the side of
the head, and he was killed instantaneously. The shell
lodged near him and burst. No one else was injured; the
men had thrown themselves on the ground, and were safely
under cover of the traverse immediately after receiving
Warning of their danger.
JULY 7.—No change has occurred in the general dispo-
sition of the troops, nor has any incident of peculiar inte-
- since the last

mg their
_dan, parti-
engaged with
their de-
seen to
. are also
,alakoff was to
As been named.
would appear that
weeks—before all
be brought against
here has also
to take the
British force
does not ap-
defend this stip-

already in Po.B'

11.,--

rest in the siege operations taken place since
mail. The allies are busily occupied in perfectii
approaches against the Malakoff Tower and Redai
cularly the former position. The enemy is engin
equal activity in strengthening and adding to t
fences. From the enormous number of gabions
be brought over, it is suspected that the Russians
constructing some inner works of large size.
Rumours have been prevailing that the Malakof
be attacked again shortly,—even the date has beet
prom the state of our works, however, it would ap
some time Must elapse—two or three weeks—b
the proposed batteries and approaches to be brougt
it, and the shipping, can be completed. There I
been a talk that the French were to ti
trench duties wholly, so as to set the Briti:
r*e for taking the field, but this does
fiat protatble. The tirguintiit Hied to defend t
posed imengernent has been that, being great