The Press.
London, England, 1855-03-03 00:00:00

204

quiet time in the hospital is most valuable for our
work, and many will, I hope, leave these walls better
men for time and for eternity.
Miss Nightingale and Mrs. Bracebridge continue
their labours, and with the same success. England's
army will ever bless them, and the kindhearted band
who are with them ; and we cannot feel sufficiently
thankful to Almighty God that He has put into their
hearts not only to will but to do. We are extremely
pained by the attacks made upon them in some of
the newspapers; but no good work was ever yet
begun without Satan stirring up some to hinder.
Miss Nightingale never reads a newspaper, and these
attacks never reach her. If they did her work and
labour of love might be hindered, and herself greatly
harassed. They are not more bitter than untrue.
Miss Nightingale has ever shown herself a good and
faithful member of the Church of England. Her
great effort here has been to do the work of nursing
she came out to do, and to bind, as far as possible,
every one of her band to do that same work, and no
other. The chaplains find her most anxious to help
them in their work, and she allow; no book to be
given out without our direct sanction. Those who
fear any attempt at converting on either side here,
may rest assured that the hospital is a most unpro•
raising field for such work; and also that were it
attempted, Lord Wm. Paulett, as commandant, would
prevent a second attempt.
We hear that her Majesty is about to have the
graveyard here planted, and closed in by a wall.
This will be a great consolation to us all, and those
who have friends or comrades there will deeply feel
this kind care for the bodies of those who are gone
and for the feelings of those who remain. Four
thousand of our poor fellows lie there. The spot is
most beautiful, and the graves now stretch far along
the shore. When I came here only thirty-four
were there. May the Almighty in mercy spare me
such another scene of death.
I hope my letter is not too tedious to interest you,
and believe me, &c.

(From an Officer of the Guards.)
Crimea, Feb. 9th, 1855.
I am sure you will be glad to have a few lines from
me, although you have so many letters from other
quarters which must enter more fully into details
which are interesting to you. I arrived here about a
month ago in the Robert Lowe, in command of about
700 raw and undisciplined recruits of various regi-
ments, and, as youpay imagine, my command was by
no means an agreeable one. You may believe that
I was much shocked to see our poor fellows—the
battalion which I saw parade 870 rank and file in
February, 1854, and which has since received 330
recruits, is now reduced below 200 men fit for duty.
During the last few days the weather has been milder,
and there have been fewer fresh cases of sickness,
but when a man once gets into the hospital-marquees
he never comes out again. The men have no stamina
to resist disease; they are fairly worn out. To within
the last few days our deaths have averaged two a day,
but we have got a number of men away, and latterly
so many have not died here, but I do not think a day
ever passes without one funeral. We have two hos-
pital-marquees quite full, and plenty of men waiting
for room. I generally go into them for a few minutes
every day, but I can do nothing except just ask some
of the men how they are. On Sundays I read the
epistle and gospel in one marquee, and the second
lesson in the other, and say a few words to the men
upon them, and conclude with some prayers from the
*Prayer Book. This is of course much better than
nothing, and I believe if one's intention is good, how-
ever unskilful, the attempt is not made in vain.
There is a current report that we are to go to
Bblaklava. One scarcely knows whether to rejoice
or mourn over this contemplated change. It will be
a great chance for the men to get oft* the severe duty in
the trenches, and to be so near their supplies, but it is
most miserable that we should be considered so com-
pletely hors de combat. We have not yet been able to
spare man to get up one of the wooden huts from Bala-
klays.,although most regiments have got two or three,
but if we are to move, why should we give the men this
extra work? and it can only be done by the men and
t te officers' horses : no one can help us over this
indescribable road. I hope for peace, but do not
expect it. This campaign will have taught the
English people a lesson which I hope they may not
soon forget, viz., that if they will be parsimonious in
time of peace, they must learn patience in time of
war. But I trust it will lead to an entire change of
our military system, and that wo shall have a regu-
larly educated staff and a Commissariat, to a certain
degree at least, prepared for duties in the field; then
there will be no occasion to charge on individuals
the failures which arise from our want of system.

Wita,inm BURNETr, LH., after serving thirty-
three years as phief of the naval medical department,
has placed bis resignation in the hands of Govern-
ment. Hie eneeessor has not yet been named.

I'HE PRESS.

THE WAR.

The accounts of the defeat of the Russians at
Eupatoria on the 17th ult., given in our latest edition
last week, have been fully confirmed. Lord Panmure
claused on Monday an official notification of the event
to be published, but the details were much more
fully given by the Moniteur in the following
despatch :
The Russians had eighty pieces of artillery, six regi-
ments of cavalry, and twelve regiments of infantry. The
combat lasted five hours and a half. The loss of the Rus-
sians was 500 killed, with wounded in proportion. The
Turks had eighty-eight killed and 2.50 wounded. They
lost seventy horses. Selim Pacha and Ruston 13ey were
killed.
On the night following the Russians bivouacked without
fires or tents daring intense cold. On the following morn-
ing they withdrew towards Simferopol. Four vessels of
war took part in the action. Omer Paella commanded the
Turkish forces.
- -

Despatches from Eupatoria of the 21st of February
state that the Russians had made no fresh attempts.
The town was in an excellent state of defence.
Prince Menschikoff, reporting the affair to St.
Petersburg, represents it as very trifling, a mere
skirmish during the course of a reconnaissance.
From Malta on the 24th ult. intelligence has been
transmitted, said to have been received there by the
Arabic frigate from Constantinople, to the effect that
45,000 Russians had marched for Sebastopol, under
the command of the Grand Duke Michael, but had
lost 20,000 by the ice thawing, and consequently de-
taining them on the road. The remainder had
reached Sebastop,ll in a pitiable condition.
The Vienna papers have published the following
intelligence, from a Russian source, dated Sebas-
topol, Feb. 18:
-

A thaw has begun in the Crimea. Omer Pacha has his
headquarters on board a steamer off Eupatoria. The
garrison of Sebastopol made a sortie towards the coast,
but was repulsed. Numerous desertions had taken place
from the French Foreign Legion. English deserters de-
sire to enter the Russian service, and demanded to be
treated as prisoners of war.
General Niel returned to Constantinople on the
20th ult. from the Crimea. He is said to express
great confidence as to the success of the siege.
The following changes are to be made in the
British army :—Sir Colin Campbell to have the First
Division ; Sir John Campbell the Highland Brigade;
and General Bentinck to command the Fourth Divi-
sion. The Brigade of Guards are to join the High
land Brigade under Sir John Campbell. Sir George
Brown commands the Light Division.
The following official despatches from Lord Raglan
have been published in the Gazette during the
week:—

Before Sebastopol, Feb. 10, 1855.
I have nothing material or important to report since I
addressed you on the oth.
There was rain yesterday and the day before, and in the
course of last night there was a considerable fall of snow,
which remains on the ground; but it does not freeze, and
the country is again saturated with wet.
It is reported from the front that great activity prevails
in the town and harbour of Sebastopol.
February 13.
I mentioned in my despatch of the 10th inst. that there
had been a return of bad weather, and that the country was
again saturated with wet.
On Sunday it rained or snowed from morning till night,
and the wind was very high, and though it was line yester-
day, still the ground was in a worse state than I had seen
it for some time.
The enemy has made no movement.
Major-General Jones, Royal Engineers, arrived a few
days ago, and is busily engaged in making himself ac-
quainted with the position occupied by both armies.
Lieutenant• General Sir George Brown has also returned,
and, I have great satisfaction in adding, in excellent health.
His wound is healed, and, with the exception of not having
entirely regained the full use of his elbow, he no longer
suffers any inconvenience from it. He will resume the
command of his division without loss of time.
RAGLAN.

THE SIEGE.
Letters from the camp bring intelligence of the
siege operations to the 12th ult. We subjoin the
most interesting details, as given by the able corre-
spondent of the Morning Herald :
Tile CAMP, FEB, 10. —A miserable change for the worse
has taken place in the weather. All last night was stormy
and cold, and accompanied by heavy falls of rain and snow.
Owing to the extreme keenness of the wind, the latter
eventually predominated over the rain, and early this morn-
ing the ground was covered to the depth of several inches
with half-thawed slush, which, if it continues, will give us
a repetition of all our past miseries. During the early
part of to-day the temperature again changed, and the air
became close, warm, and heavy. Such sudden and re-
peated alternations of hot and cold weather produce the
very worst effects upon our debilitated soldiers, who are
now in such a sickly condition that the least atmospheric
change nearly doubles the daily average of hospital patients.
It is not too much to say that our men just now are
I scarcely fit to bear anything in the way of fatigue or varia-

SATURDAY,

Lion of temperature, and apparently the most trivial causes
serve to swell our heavy sick-list still higher and higher.
This morning Lord Raglan, accompanied by the princi-
pal members of his staff, rode into Balaklava to inspect
the progress which the new tramway is making from that
place. All the materiel has been disembarked, the railway
yard formed, workshops for the engineers erected, and the
stationary engines landed and tried. The ground over
which the line is intended to pass has been surveyed, and
a considerable number of the sleepers and rails already
laid down. Of course, as fast as one part is completed,
even if only a quarter of a mile in length, it will be used
for traffic as far as it goes. The present very unfavorable
weather may doubtless tend to delay the progress of the
works, by rendering the ground extremely heavy; but still,
taking all delays into account, I have little doubt but that
the greater part of the line will be completed by the middle
of next month, and the whole extended to the camp before
the end of March.
The movements of the enemy in the neighbourhood of
Balaklava continue with the same activity, though from
their apparently contradictory nature it is almost impossible
to divine their precise object. At one time it would seem
as if a considerable force was in the neighbourhood daring
the night, but during the day there are sometimes double
the number of pickets and outposts, and sometimes these
are reduced to such a few as three or four Cossacks. From
these and other contrarieties of au equally perplexing na•
ture, our whole force at Balaklava is kept continually on
the alert ; for, though none can foresee the enemy's inten-
tions, it is still evident that something of importance is
going forward, against which it behoves us to be on our
guard at all times.
There is one step, however, which would save us a
multitude of anxieties on the subject of the strength of
our position at Balaklava, and that is, the mounting in
battery of a few long heavy guns on the summit of the
steep hill, or rather mountain, which forms the right of
our position, and which is now occupied by the marines
and Rifles. It is said that this headland is too steep to
permit heavy guns being got to the top ; but surely in these
days of mechanical perfection the means of raising theta
could be easily found if only diligently sought for. For
instance, what is there to prevent a gun being so lashed
round with pieces of timber as to make it quite circular, and
like a large roller? If this was done, and two cables pro-
perly secured at the summit of the hill and passed down
under the gun thus covered round, and the ends brought
back to the top of the steep, by hauling upon the ends, ord.
nance of any weight could be safely and easily rolled up
any eminence, especially the one in question, which is
smooth and turfy. There is no doubt that by this means
the gun could be raised, and a very few horses, or a simple
windlass, would suffice to draw up the carriage after it.
Two short howitzers are, and have been for some time
past, in position at the Rifle camp ; but these have, at
furthest, only a range of fifteen hundred yards, and the
kind of ordnance wanted is long thirty-twos, of fifteen cwt.,
and having a range of thirty-five hundred yards. With one
or two pieces of this description we might laugh at all the
Russian generals in Europe, and hold lialaklava until—
until Sebastopol is taken.
It is said that a Highland division is to be formed and
placed under the command of Sir Colin Campbell. If so,
the 93rd, 42nd, and 79th, now here, will all require large
reinforcements before spring. Though these regiments
—stationed at Balaklava—have suffered none of the terrible
privations which fell to the lot of those here in camp, they
are still much reduced in effective strength, and united
barely muster twelve hundred effective soldiers.
A man of the 9th was found barbarously murdered three
days since in front of the Turkish camp. The crime is
generally ascribed to the Ottoman troops, but I doubt it,
from the fact of his body being discovered in front of their
line of tents. Had they merely carried it a few yards and
thrown it into the mud of the highway, the chances are it
would never have been seen. A bill has been issued from
head-quarters, announcing the fact of the murder, and
ordering the proper authorities to use every endeavour to
discover its perpetrators.
11.—Nothing of importance is going forward in our
camp at present. During yesterday and to-day the French
have not fired ten rounds from their mortars, and the
enemy has been equally pacific. All our guns, lam happy
to say (with the exception of those to be mounted on the
new battery at Inkermann), are now in position. All ord-
nance which had been used to any extent has been removed,
and new pieces substituted. It is most fortunate that this
labour has been completed, as the rain and snow since
yesterday night have been incessant, and the aspect of the
clouds threaten a long continuance. We are now only
waiting for sufficient supplies of shot and shell to reach
the camp to recommence the siege ; but I still remain
confident in the opinion that it will at least be the end of
the month before we are in a condition to open fire. Should
the present unfavorable weather continue 1 fear it may
be even longer. Already the roads are almost in as bad a
state as in December last, and this must most seriously
affect the transit of such heavy traffic as shot and shell.
The Russians in the town have been extremely quiet. of
late, and no longer show in the same numbers, promenading
in and round their works, as formerly.
The condition of our camp ground after the heavy rains
we have had during the last forty-eight hours is unfortu-
nately very bad, and still more unfortunately this wet must
add heavily to our sick-list. There are only a few huts up ;
and these, as I have before said, are entirely filled wi'.h
sick, and devoted to hospital purposes. if the wet should
continue mach longer the roads will again be in such a
state as to render the chance of getting up rations or pro-
imp of any kind almost as difficult as ever ; and it
.11Inow
ossible to deny what the consequences must be if our
troops are exposed to further privations. Scurvy and
scorbutic dysentery are more or less rife in every regiment,
yet the men still continue to get salt rations ; and salt is
hardly a term by which to convey the extreme saltness of
both beef and pork. Are there no such things as vegetables,

NIP