The Press.
London, England, 1855-11-10 00:00:00

1072

THE WEEK.

LORD MAYORS' DAYS, from time immemorial, have furnished rheto-
rical Prime Ministers with an opportunity to let off their official
fireworks. Yesterday Lord PALMERSTON improved the occasion with
his wonted adroitness. Rising beside the new King of the City, with
Sir G. GREY and FRED. PEEL (or, according to a Liberal contemporary,
the "thin Blue-Book in Breeches ") for his stalwart supporters, he
commenced his advertised display of pyrotechnics. His first sparkles
were somewhat damaged by smoke, in which nothing but some hazy
coruscations about " commercial enterprise," " hospitable boards,"
and " our splendid metropolis," were visible. Afterwards the war
furnished its proper quantum of " golden rain." Allusions to our
gallant Allies, our heroic soldiers, and our brilliant victories, supplied
each a flash, and elicited a round of applause. In conclusion, the
Noble Viscount, waxing valiant, courageously proclaimed that
England, France, Sardinia, and Turkey, were not afraid to
encounter Russia, without seeking further auxiliaries. Other
speakers followed, and others, again, who only attempted a speech.
Among the latter was Lord Jon RUSSELL, who endeavoured to address
his constituents, but was literally stunned into silence by the storm of
disapprobation which broke round him, and made his exit from
Guildhall in a manner scarcely more triumphant than from Vienna
tself.

Among the more prominent changes connected with the army in
the East, we may mention the retirement of Sir COLIN CAMPBELL from
his command in the Crimea as a severe loss to the army. The
" urgency " of the private affairs which is stated as the cause of the
Gallant General's return to England has a. questionable appearance at
the present moment. We believe that this gallant and distinguished
General, much hurt at the appointment of his junior officer to the
the command-in-chief, has preferred retirement to service under those
conditions. General AIREY, as we previously announced, will also
certainly return home very shortly. Colonel LEEROY has been com-
missioned to proceed to Smyrna for the purpose of breaking up
the Civil Hospital Establishment at that station. The Hospital, we
understand, is to be converted into barracks for the accommoda-
tion during the winter months of various drafts of the army in the
Crimea.
Lady CRANWORTH has been appointed to succeed Lady CANNING as
the Directress•in•Chief of the establishment for supplying the army in
the East with nurses.

Mr. MoNsELL's friends state that he is for certain to have charge of
the Army Estimates in the House of Commons—a change which will
much diminish the importance and utility of the Under-Secretary
for War.
It has at length been decided that a Polish Legion shall be
organised.

T he campaign is undeniably over for the year. Marshal PELISSIER
has withdrawn his divisions from their advanced positions on the
heights of the Belbeck into the valley of Baidar, and relinquished his
ground to the Russians, who, following closely on his heels, have
taken such precautions as will effectually prevent him from re-
gaining tho position without a struggle. That " slow," but " sure,'
advance of the French Marshal—which we have been told for weeks
was but!the prelude to the attack, capture, and destruction of the Rus-
sian army—has ended precisely as we anticipated—in failure. A central
position like that held by the Russians is not easily to be forced. A
line of country full of ravines and gorges, and penetrable only by the
merest mountain-paths, is not the country through which heavy
artillery can be moved with ease. Tho French Marshal lost
a month in Sebastopol, and the few weeks he had left t
him then for a rapid advance were scarcely sufficient for him
to make roads for his artillery. Like a prudent general, he has retired
from an impossibility, and wisely contents himself with the shelter of
the Valley of Baidar and the banks of the Tschernaya, to the bleak
heights of the Belbeck. His operations, as far as the Allies were
concerned, failed, but they were successful in exposing to the Russians
the weak points of their line of defence. Bals.klava, as the basis of opera-
tions against the Russian position, is clearly of no avail. The position
of the Russians upon that side is impregnable, or at least so far so
that any decided advantage can only be gained by the most patient
labour, the most untiring effort, and the most unequal contest at every
point If a third campaign be commenced in the Crimea, it is clear
that Eupatoria must be the basis of the allied operations. Balaklava
and Kamiesch, in that case, would be probably garrisoned by a power-
ful division of the army, and the main body opei ate from Eupatoria as
its basis.
The operations of General D'ALLONVILLE from that point can at
present scarcely be regarded of much importance. As yet they bear
the character of mere reconnaissances en force. He appears to be
feeling his way, but, after the cavalry affair, he will not again easily
entice the Russians into action. As ho advances, they retire to some
strong position which ho is unable to force. If ever a country was
adapted solely for defence, the Crimea appears to be the one. Im-
pregnable positions abound on every rJad, and we imagine that