The Press.
London, England, 1855-04-21 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

following transports are under preparation :—Orient, Sir
George Pollock ; St. Hiller, William Jackson; and Poic-
tiers; and it is calculated that they hold hold 100 to 150
men each.

April 7.
My Lord,—Some interchange of troops has taken place
since I addressed your lordship on the 31st ultimo.
Battalions and considerable convoys have entered the
town, and other bodies of troops have been seen to leave
the north side. The garrison has been constantly engaged
in adding to the works, and particularly in connecting the
rifle-pits in the immediate front of our right attack; and,
as we have pushed forward, the fire upon our advance has
occasioned more loss, I deeply regret to say, than we have
sustained since the sortie of the 2:3rd of March.
Lieutenant Bainbridge, of the Royal Engineers, was, I
lament to have to add, killed on the morning of the 4th of
April, whilst in the execution of his duty, by the bursting
of a shell. He was a young officer of much promise, and
though he had not long been here he had acquired the
esteem and good opinion of his brother ofiloers, and his
*loss is greatly deplored by all.
RaGlaN.

SIEGE CHRONICLE.

- - - -
The following extracts contain the principal •
details communicated in the latest letters from the
camp. The dates reach to the 7th, six days before
the recommencement of the bombardment, as an-
nounced by the telegraphic despatches
MARCH 2g.—lt would seem that during this eventful
time when every one is looking forward with so much
anxiety to a speedy exit from the Crimea, or a decided re-
newel of hostilities, the army is quite determined to avail
itself of the little means available for amusement.
Another day's racing above the cavalry camp, close to the
village of Karani, came off with the same spirit as on
former occasions, and all hands, French and English,
seem equally to enjoy themselves. Several despatches are
reported to have arrived at headquarters from Vienna, but
the army is none the wiser at present, and there is the
usual talk about opening fire in a few days. The captain
of a gun in the naval battery has been sent back to his
ship, and, it is said, will be flogged for taking a shot, con-
trary to orders, at the houses instead of the works of the
enemy ; but Jack, like every one else, is getting tired of
the present state of things.
MARCH 29.—The second division has this week com-
menced moving to its new ground, between the fourth and
light divisions. The whole of the 41st and part of the
17tli Regiment having taken possession of the huts
erected for them, it was supposed that the men would
only be sent over to occupy the nuts as they became
ready, but this morning an order was sent for the 30th and
2nd Regiments to move over with their tents tomorrow.
The fine weather is probably the cause of the change ; hut
remaritably fine as it is, the nights are generally extremely
windy, which will try the old canvas and ropes when once
otoved from the old ground where they had become as
much fixtures as it was possible fur such material to be.
As soon as the men's huts are completed, those for the
'fficers will be brought up, but the men are to be all pro-
vided for in the first instance. Some heavy firing is going
ea to-night as usual.
MARCH 30.—The weather has leen much colder this
afternoon than we have had it of late ; to-night it is clear,
but very windy, and some rain seems at hand; for April to
commence with a few showers, however, will give the coun-
try, as tar as it is possible in the vicinity of our camps, the
real appearance of spring.
MARCH 31.—The general bombardment of Sebastopo
has nut yet been renewed. Its probable date is still a sub-
ject of rumour and speculation, but, judging from the vast
stores of ammunition which have been accumulated, and
are still being carried to the batteries, both of the French
and English attacks, it is intended to be undertaken very
speedily. In the meantime the Russians continue to
strengthen heir position, especially in the neighbourhood
of the Malakoff Tower, and their new advanced works.
They have completed an intrenchment from the Mamelon
Redoubt down to the valley near Careening Hay on one
side, on the other to the middle or Otchakoff ravine. This
line nearly bisects the Mamelon-hill. The rifle-pith close
to the French line have been connected and formed into
a deep trench, and seven or eight other large ambuscades
have been thrown up on either side, stretching back in a
direction towards the new line of intrenchment across the
hill. A new line of work has also been commenced inter•
mediate between these two intrenchments. The new
rifle-pits on the right of the Russian position extend in a
line nearly parallel with the direction of the middle ravine,
and are close to the verge of the hill above it. They
nearly correspond in direction with our new line on the
opposite side of the ravine connected with the advanced
work on Frenchman's-hill. A constant rifle fire is kept up
between these two positions. Much execution must have
been done against the enemy's riflemen by the fire of two
field-pieces which have been taken down to the advanced
work and directed against the ambuscades. There have
been scarcely any casualties on our side.
The new batteries on the Malakoff Tower-hill are
making progress. The enemy has lately constructed a
twoonartar battery to the right of the Malakoff works, the
fire of which has been chiefly directed against the twenty-
one-gun battery on Frenchman's-hill. On our side, and
on that of the allies, great advance has been lately made;
and when the general attack is renewed, the enemy will,
in all probability, be as much surprised by the position as
by the power of the new batteries. The fire from the
Russian batteries has been much more active during the
last few days than it had been for a week or ten days
previously. Theo eis now communication by electric tele-
graph between the right of the British attack and the
head-quarters of the commander-in-chief, and any impor-
tant movement of the enemy is instantly announced by
officers specially appointed to exercise constant observa-
tion over the works around Sebastopol and the army on

SATURDAY,

the northern heights. Semaphores have also been erected
along the whole line of the French and English position,
so that the speedy transmission of intelligence is insured

on all sides.
The health and condition of the troops in camp are now
very favorable. Cases of fever are not uutrequent in the
field hospitals, but they are net of a serious nature. Orders
have been given to facilitate the observation and proceed-
ings of the gentlemen sent from England on the sanitary
commission. The state of the camp is everywhere much
improved, especially in respect to all the minuter details.
Limekilns have been made, and a supply of quicklime thus

insured for sanitary purposes.
The railway will now begin to play a part in connection
with the siege not at all unimportant. To-day, for the
first time, shot has been conveyed up to the top of the hill
near tile first division of the French, and out far from
head-quarters, and the arrangement the artillery officer in
cuerge of the transport of allot wishes to make is, to shot
a few hours one morning only to the taking andnuniuun
up, and to form a depot near the Briusu newt-quarters;
from thence to th 3 trenches nu difficulty would ut expe-
rienced, and any amount of shut, shell, and powder, might
be carried to the front with ease. The railway will even
save the lives of hundreds—it puts an end to all the
laborious work at which the troops toiled and died of over-
work last winter, and it allows us to have more men avail-
able. The thirty-two-pounder field-battery, lately lauded
at Scutari, is to be brought up immediately, and that, as
well as all other butteries, are to be placed immediately in
a moveable state ready to advance into the country. This
leads one to suppose that it is anticipated that the fortress
will soon be in our possession, for we shall not move till
that is taken, one is well assured.
APRIL I.—ln Balaklays last night at eleven o'clock the
whole harbour was suddenly alarmed by the ringing of the
ships' fire-bells. The cause was soon apparent—a fire had
broken out in the engine-room of one of our small tug-
steamers named the Pigeon, and stationed that night at the
mouth of the harbour, close to where the powder-ships are
moored. Dense masses of smoke from the lower part of
the ship guided all to the spot, and within a minute after
the alarm had been given, upwards of one hundred boats
were round her, and nearly a dozen small hand-engines
playing upon her from all directions. All the naval officers
in the harbour were there, and by their directions the boats
which had come to assist were got. into something like
order, ropes passed to them, and in a few minutes the tug
was towed out of the harbour. Fortunately, the night was
clear and very calm, or this would have been impossible,
even though she was anchored in the very entrance. Wht n
outside, energetic measures were adopted—the engines set
to work, and water enough to sink the vessel poured into
her from the ships' buckets uhich each boat had brought.
By these means the fire was soon got under and elfin-
gitished. though the vessel of coma.- was not allowed to retuin
to the harbour. Nothing could exceed the rapidity with which
the transports manned their boats, got out their engines,
and had them in full work before the bel s were ham done
ringing. Yet in case of fire really seizing a slip their
efforts would be of small avail, and their engines, like
watering-pots, utterly useless to subdue any mass of confla-
gratiou. It is not WO much to say that in case of a real
conflagration in one of our large ships hardly a sessel
in
the harbour could be saved, as they are literally lying on
one another, and could not possibly move a toot.
The rumour of the Rwssiaus round the neighbourhood t f
Tehourgotim hiving received reinforcement* is, it appeata,
strictly true, and our troops on the heights round lialitklm‘ a
were edified all last night by the sight of t.,eir watch-Meal
This morning, from the heights in our possession on
the extreme right, these troops were plainly visible. A
number of their officers were on the Wonnizow road, and
appeared to be surveying our position with much care.
Apparently about 5,000 men occupy haulers, and are
watching our right.
To-day two more ten-inch mortars were sent tothe front,
with about fifty or sixty tons of powder, three hundred
rounds of filled shell, and two hundred rounds of empty
ten-inch. To-day, also, the greater part of the officers and
crew of the Leander, 150, came on shore and joined the
naval brigade, near head-quarters. These men will be
distributed at the heavy guns in the different new works.
Their appearance as they landed was uncommonly smart
and neat; each man dressed in blue, with his cutlass and
revolver at his side, and in the centre one of the quarter-
masters with the " Union." To add still further to the
imposing nature of the procession, two sailors—one
with a fife and the other with a fiddle—marched at
its head, enlivening the way with " Jack's alive;'
" Cheer, boys, cheer," &c., and, accompanied by
such tunes, and joking and laughing with themselves
and all they met, the blue jackets rolled off in high
glee. Wherever they go they will do their work well, for
in the management of our large siege-guns the artillery-
men are not to be compared to them. At the same time
that the sailors landed 5,000 Turks were sent to head-
quarters, each man carrying a long fascine. There are
not less than 10,000 or 12,000 of these fascines already
piled near Lord Raglan's house, and a ship now in harbour
has about 1,500 more from Sinope, and other ships are
expected. We have no new works either in course of con-
struction, or contemplated, for which such enormous
numbers would be required, and I am therefore led to the
conclusion that they are wanted for the storming of the
Russian batteries. Each of these batteries is surrounded
by a deep fosse, which the storming party fill with fascines
provided for the purpose, and are thus enabled to cross
without the hindrance and delay which scaling-ladders
always occasion. If the fascines are really meant for
such a purpose it indeed shows clearly that the final
moment of this great contest is fast approaching, and that
England must. again prepare to hear the chequered tidings
of a desperate campaign.
APRIL 2.—The belief that our batteries will open on
Wednesday or Thursday next is vet), general. It is
evident that with unlimited means of renewing their bat,

APRIL 21, 1855.

teries and guns the Russians will always be able to main-
Lain the present relative position with respect to the allied
armies, unless our artillerymen are able on every occasion
to eatablish a sulsenority of lire. Our approaches almost
lead us to the advanced Ruasian works. On Sunday the
the a ngiiah engineers threw up a trench within 55 yards
of the Garden Battery. 'fhe sentries posted along its
front entered into that kind of rough joking with the Rus-
sians which is popularly called " chading," and the pickets
were not more than sixty yards from each other. Although
the Russians had a hie of double sentries in front of this
work. numbering at least two hundred men, they did nut
attempt to disturb our operations. This indifference arose
either from confidence in their own strength and contempt
of the enemy or from negligence and want of military en-
terprise. Their principal efforts for the last two days have
been directed to the French works on tile right, which they
shell incessantly. Our sillies do not care to return the fire.
Trey are busied in making their approaches ant preparing
their batteries. The itussisns sometimes use very heavy
charges of powder, and peupel their shot with extraordinary
force. As an instance of this I may mention that the day before
yesterday atid-pouud snot from tue Ream' passed right
through the parapet of our battery, where it was from
eighteen to twenty feet thick, and struck down, but did not
kill, a gunner inside the work. They have some excellent
artillerymen, and their practice with different charges of
powder is very good ; but their shell firing is indifferent,
principally owing to their bad fuses. It might be sup-
posed that, with all our advanced mechanical skill, we
should have the best fuses in the world; but the fact is that
great complaints have been made respecting some of the
articles of that kind supplied to our gunners. We have,
I am told, fuses made in 1798 and 1801; but, old as these
are, they are better than the fuses of 1853 and 1851.
To-day the greatest activity was displayed in lialaklava.
The quays swarmed with labourers engaged in piling up
shot and shell and loading the railway carriages with am-
munition, of which immense quantities were sent up to
the front. The first human cargo—one of sickness and
suffering—was sent down to Balaklava to-day. Four
waggons, filled with sick and wounded soldiers, ran from
head-quarters to the town in less than half an hour. The
men were propped up on their knapsacks, and seemed very
comfortable. What a change from the ghastly processions
one met with some weeks ago, formed of dead or dying
men, hanging from half-starved horses, or dangling about
on French mule-litters ! _

The usual immense quantity of ammunition of different
kinds reached camp to-day. Scarcely a shell of any de•
scription is left at the ordnance wharf, and the vessels con-
taining them now in harbour have been ordered to land
theta with all speed. To-day one of the new French
batteries near Inkerinann, which has been carefully masked
since its c.mstruction, nearly three months since, tired a
few ahote upon the ships in the harbour, to try its range.
Hardly had it done so when one of the line-of-battle ships
swung and opened a tire of shot and shell upon the work,
which in the course of a couple of hours did wort serious
damage. The injury to the work, however, will no uoubt
be repaired in the course of to-night and precautions
adopted to guard as much as possible against any further
da nage.
The inqu ry by General Simpson into the state of the
army during the winter is still proceeding on board the
Goitenburgh at Balaklava, and several most important wit-
nesses have been examined. This inquiry, made on the
spot, will in one day collect more real facts against our
military administration than the House of Commons com-
mittee in the course of a month.
Provision device are in course of being established along
the coast of Asia Minor, for the regular supply of fresh
meat and vegetables, and General Folder is also about to
establish most extensive depUts in Wallachia, on the banks
of the Danube. The arrangement of the latter plan re-
quires the utmost ability and experience, and Mr. Crook-
shank, one of the ablest of our commissariat officers, has
been selected for the duty.
APRIL 3.—Laat night we had some heavy firing between
the allied and Russian batteries—the French advanced

work against the Flagstaff, and our right attack against
the blame Lon batteries. No particular results followed,
except that each day it becomes more and more apparent
that the hlamelon will prove a thorn in our side unless
speedily stormed. Two new guns have lately been placed
in it, but are not yet opened.

From the advanced work in the middle ravine continued
skirmishing went forward between our men, the French,
and the Russian rifle•pits. The Russians maintained their
ground; and, indeed, beyond sharpshooting, there was no
attempt to drive them from it. The enemy are evidently
on the qui vive, as large numbers of troops crowd their
batteries now each night, so as to be ready on the instant.
The Zouaves, it is said, with a party of Tirailleurs d'Atrique
and Chasseurs de Vincennes, are to storm the Malakoff
the night after opening fire ; and to the English has been
allotted the Mamelon. These may be mere rumours, but
they are universally believed here, and will very likely
prove true. The plan of the assault is, no doubt, to con-
centrate the fire of our batteries upon the Malakoff works
and Mamelon, and storm directly a sufficient number of
their guns are disabled to enable us to do it with smallest
loss. From the Mainelon the town cm be com•oanded at
every point ; and, with the Malakoff towers in our posses-
sion, the Redan would be untenable to the enemy, and the
dockyard at our mercy. Yet from the specimen of their
ships fire which the French battery got yesterday, it will
evi lently not all be couleur de rose—a mere walk over the
course.

Last night the Russian pickets were observed in the
plain of lialaklava much advanced from their mual posi-
tion, apparently regarding our lines, which now by the full
moon can be seen at night as clearly as in the day time.
The camp of the enemy still continues about the Woronzow
road. Both parties are evidently anxious to bring the
affair to as quick a termination as possible, and both seem
sonident of sumac