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

THE PRESS.

rected against Sebastopol and the Karabelnaia. The guns
also on the cliffs overlooking the Tschernaya valley have
not been idle, but, with little effect, have been frequently
seeking to annoy the French in the right flank, or troops
from the encampments in the plain going to water at the
river. The Russians have a line of sharpshooters in
ambuscades at gunshot distance from the stream, which
passes along the aqueduct to the reservoir.—D. News car.,
Oct. 22.
It was still a matter of the purest speculation
whether or not they could hold their position on the
north side during winter :
Many think that it is just possible the enemy might on
the day of their attack in the Tschernaya also attempt to
cross the harbour of Sebastopol by means of the boats they
still possess up the creeks to the north. Others, again,
think that they are making a safe retreat, and that
Christmas will see them all gone.—lb.
-• •

Up to the 28th there had been no indication of
any serious intention on the part of the Russians
to attack the allied positions :

The talked-of attack against our position has not taken
place, nor have there been any indications of movement
on the part of that portion of the Russian army which can
be observed from the heights above Sebastopol and from
those overlooking Inkermann. The working parties on
the north side of the roadstead, immediately opposite to
the town and suburbs of Sebastopol, have continued to be
actively employed in strengthening the defences, and the
number of guns mounted in the cliff earthwork batteries
and shore forts would appear to be increased, if we may
judge from the greater frequency and weight of fire di-
rected against the south aide during the last few days. The
enemy have added rockets to the list of projectiles with
which they have favored us; they have fallen chiefly in
the neighbourhood of the white public buildings in the
Karabelnaia, and have been sent with the object of burning
those portions which have escaped fire hitherto.—D.
News cor., Oct. 20.

Their troops, as far as can be seen, appear to be
well hutted and cared for, and no symptoms of moving
from the north side were yet apparent :

All the tents which were sprinkled on the sloping side
of the height on the north side have disappeared. The
pyramids of sacks, and the greater part of the hay, have
been moved further to the eastward toward Inkermann
heights, most probably to insure their safety from the
effects of our fire. Excepting the parties working at the
batteries, scarcely any one is to be seen moving about.
The moving to and fro of arabas is almost entirely
stopped. Further away, to the north-eastward, there are
encampments of white tents, but they appear considerably
diminished in numbers compared with what they used to
be during the siege. This appearance, however, is decep-
tive—for on examining the position through a glass, it can
be distinguished that the greater part of the troops are
hutted. As these huts, which are partly underground, are
of the same colour as the ground around them, being
apparently constructed of wading and mud, with thatched
roofs of the same materials, they are not readily distill.
guished. As to the troops themselves, like our men, they
seem to be having the advantage of a little excercise in
battalion movements, and it is asserted that they have
been seen also engaged at target practice—lb.

The old story that the Russians were really on the
point of retiring, was very general in our camp, but
arose probably from the despatch by tiortschakof
of a strong force towards Eupatoria

The augurs who predicted the Russian attack warned us
of the days from the 15th to the 20th of this month.
These are now passed, and some days more, without
bringing any Russians, so the apprehensions of an attack
are growing fainter every day. But, as if we could never
keep out of extremes, the old story of the Russians retiring
from the Crimea has been again revived. The foundation
of it lies in the report of deserters that several Russian
divisions have gone northward, where, none of them could
tell; whether merely to watch Eupatoria, or to guard
Perekop or Nicolaieff. The '2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th divi-
sions are mentioned as having gone. We know of the two
latter being in the Crimea since the battle of the Tscher-
naya, hut we have not yet come across the two former, so
there may be some confusion as to numbers.—Times cor.,
Oct. 22.
Some persons profess to know that the Russians are
gradually withdrawing two divisions only of their forces
from the Crimea, and that the remainder are to hold the
north heights, and other positions between them and Sim-
feropol, during the winter. There seems to be great un-
certainty on the subject ; as on many other occasions, the
movements of the enemy are involved in an obscurity
which is r.ot easily penetrable. Some, and these are not a
few, cling to the belief that the Emperor Napoleon would
not have expressed himself so strongly as he did, in his
celebrated letter to Marshal Pelissier, which was published
to the troops, respecting the inability of the Russians to
maintain themselves during the winter in the Crimea, had
he not had some very positive and well-grounded assurance
of their suffering from a deficiency of supplies and means
of transport, such as would compel them to leave.—D.
News cor., Oct. 26.

A Vienna paper, the Fremden Blatt, states on
authority that:—
The Russian army in the Crimea has now a strength of
200,000 men. The Grenadier corps which lately arrived
at Simferopol was accompanied, says this authority, by
" 8,000 waggons drawn by oxen, so that the Russian army
is provisioned for six months." Prince Gortschakoff will
not expect convoys after November, its ty that time the
steppes will be covered with snow.
A private letter published in the Vienna Military
Gazette, dated Simferopol, Oct. 23, gives the fol.

SATURDAY,

lowing flourishing account of the state and position
of the Russian army :

The position of our army in the Crimea is a very firm
one, and Prince Gortschakoff has made every arrangement
which can the better enable him to offer effectual oppoei.
tion to any operations undertaken by the enemy. He
occupies at present a commanding position, extending
from the northern forts up to Simferopol, while our out-
posts extend on the one side as fur as the river Argyl to
tributary at the Upper 13elbeck), and on the other to the
Alma and the Belbeek themselves, a third line being
thrown out on the road from Simferopol to Eupatoria.

From foreign sources we know that strong rein-
forcements were being sent into the Crimea to take
the place of some divisions which had been des-
patched to Prince Gortschakoff for the defence of
Kherson and Nicolaieff. According to the Czar of
the 27th ult., eight regiments of grenadiers have en-
tered the Crimea, under the Generals Plautin, Scher.
koff, and Kryloff
When the Russians (adds the Czali) received the first
hint that an expedition was about to be sent to the liman
of the Dnieper, Prince Gortschakoff did not send the gre.
nadiers who were posted at Perekop to protect Cherson end
Nicolaieff. Some reserve brigades which were on their
march to the army in the Crimea were ordered to proceed
to the places menaced, and the prime troops were coin.
mantled to join the army in the field. The grenadiers
have their artillery division, which is commanded by tie.
neral Kornileff, with them.

•
-----
In the valley of the Belbeck, as the French re-
treated from their advanced position the ltussians
pushed forward strong bodies of cavalry, and occu-
pied the ground. Letters in the German papers
down to the 20th ult. state that the convoys conti-
nually sent from the North Forts to Baktchi Serai
contain articles belonging to the Crown which were
saved from the destruction of Sebastopol, and are not now
considered safe in the northern forts. The main body of
the Russian army Is still encamped on the plateau of the
Belbeok. General Liprandi occupies the sources of that
river with his division, forming the Russian left wing, and
General Wrangel the upper part of the valley of Radar,
facing the right wing of the allies.
A letter from Odessa of the 23rd ult., in the Post.
Ampt Gazette, speaking of the intentions and dis•
position of the Russian army, says
The Russian army, having been encouraged by the at.
rival of fresh reinforcements, dues not think of quitting
the Crimea. On the IHth General Gortschakoff reviewed
all the cavalry and infantry at Simferopol. Among them
were the Grenadiers of the Guard, recently arrived. Tfe
general has received an intimation that the Emperor and
the Grand Duke had renounced their intention of visiting
the Crimea. The Grand Duke Constantine felt averse to
quit the threatened coasts of the linen, and prevailed on
the Emperor to remain at Nicoisieff. General thruleff
has taken the command of the troops concentrated at
Perekop, and in the upper Crimea. General Luders has
distributed his forces, amounting to about Cio,ooo men,
between Nioolaieff and Aleschki, and is in direct comment.
cation with the troops at Perekop.

ADDRESS OF PRINCE GORTSCHAXOFF TO HIS TROOPS.
The following is the text of the order of the day,
dated " Heights of Mackenzie, Oct. 15," by which
Prince Gortschakoff announces to his troops his in-
tention not to evacuate the Crimea:—

- -
His Imperial Majesty, our master, having charged me
to thank, in his name and in the name of Russia, the
valiant warriors who have defended the south side of
Sebastopol with so much abnegation, courage, and per-
severance, is persuaded that the army, after having am
quired liberty of operations in the field, will continue by
all possible efforts to defend the soil of holy Russia against
the invasion of the enemy. But, as formerly it pleased
the solicitude of the father of the great family (the army)
to order, in his lofty foresight, the construction of a Lridge
at Sebastopol, in order to spare at the last moment as
much Russian blood as possible, so now the Emperor has
also invested me with full powers to continue or cease the
defence of our positions in the Crimea, according to cir-
cumstances. Valiant warriors ! you know what our duty
is. We will not voluntarily abandon this country, in
which St. Vladimir received the water of grace, after having
been converted to the Christianity we adore. But there
are conditions which sometimes render the firmest reso•
lutions impracticable, and the greatest sacrifices useless.
The Emperor has deigned to leave me the sole judge of
the moment at which we must change our line of defence,
if such be the will of God. It is for us to prove that
we know how to justify the confidence of the Czar, who
has coma into our neighbourhood to provide for the de-
fence of his country and the wants of his army. Have
confidence in me, as you have hitherto had during all the
hours of trial which the decrees of Providence have
sent us.