The Press.
London, England, 1854-06-03 00:00:00

THE WAR.

ANOTHER week has gone by, and we are still without
news of the war. From the Baltic fleet, which lies
nearest, and whence we expect most, and moat
speedily, to hear that something has been done, there
is nothing, not even a rumour. Ditto from the
Black Sea. From the armies in the East our tidings
are limited only to the report that certain of the
chiefs—viz., Marshal St. Arnaud, Lord Raglan, and
Riza Pacha—had gone to Varna to hold a council of
war with Omer Pacha. At this council, it was ru-
moured in Constantinople on the 22nd ult., a decision
had been come to that the allied forces were to ad
vance upon Adrianople—a determination which we
had fancied to base been reached long ago. After
the council it is said that the three leaders went on
with Omer Pacha to Sebumla, to make further obser-
vations.
In anticipation of the speedy advance of the troops,
30,000 packhorses and 4,000 teams of oxen have been
demanded from the Porte for the march from Galli-
poli to Adrianople.
Marshal St. Arnaud has been declared generalis-
simo of the combined armies, French, English, and
Turkish, during We progress of the war. He thus
supersedes Omer l'acha, upon whom hitherto the
sole brunt of hoatilities has fallen, and who seems to
have supported it with consummate ability.
The division of the French army under the com-
mand of Prince Napoleon will, it is generally be-
lieved, occupy Constantinople. It was expected iu
that capital by the 2nd of June.

Generals hose and Narvik Pacha have arrived at
Constantinople in the French steamer Osiris. General
Yusuf, commanding the Zcuavea, has also arrived
there. He has made offers to the Porte to take the
command of the bashi-bazouks (irregular horsemen),
and will engage to bring them to a proper state of
discipline. .

Atiother ally has come to the assistance of the
Porte. After several interviews between the Minister
of Foreign Affairs for France and Count Ratio, Mi.
nister of the Bey of Tunis, the Tunisian Government
has undertaken to send an auxiliary corps to Con-
stantinople. This force will consist of four regiments
of infantry and two batteries of artillery. Each
regiment will comprise three battalions of about 800
men. The entire force will number about 10,000
men, 400 horses, and 12 pieces of artillery. The
command of the corps will be confided to General
Rechid, who was last year sent to Paris on a mission.
The British troops at Scutari are raid to be practi-
cally immovable on account, of their want of baggage
horses. The artillery horses are so knocked up and
out of condition by their long sea voyage as to be
unfit for service for some time to come. Few horses
are to be obtained on the spot, and those are weak
and worthless animals, for which, moreover, extra-
vagant prices are demanded. It is stated to be
difficult to get even the commonest baggage hack for
anything under 201. or 251., and a respectable saddle
horse, equal to an English cab horse, is not to be had
under 401. or 451. But it is not alone to the equine
productions of Turkey that the rise of price has been
confined. Everything which an European wants is
at least 50 per cent. dearer and 50 per cent. worse
than the same things in England. Californian and
Constantinople prices mean much about the same
just now :
" The Journal de Constantinople of the 19th gives an ac-
count of a dinner given by the Sultan to his Royal High-
ness the Duke of Cambridge. After the arrival of the
duke at the Palace of Biberley the Sultan entered the
saloon into which the prince had been shown, and entered
into conversation with him. He also conversed with Mar-
shal St. Arnaud, and with M. Benedetti, Chargé d'Affaires
of France, who were likewise present. The Sultan then,
after the usual compliments, retired to his apartments, and
the dinner was announced. An immense table was spread
with great magnificence in the principal saloon of the palace,
which was brilliantly lighted. The members of the corps
diplomatique and a namber of officers of the allied armies
were present at the dinner. When the repast was nearly
concluded the Grand Vizir proposed the health of Queen
Victoria. His royal highness replied, and in a neat speech
proposed a toast to the Sultan. Marshal St. Arnaud then
made a speech, in which he spoke of the English and
French alliance for the defence of the sacred rights of the
Sultan. Redscdid Puha, Minister of Foreign Affairs, pro-
ised the health of the Duke of Cambridge. The Sultan's
band played ' God save the Queen' and some military
marches. The duke and the other guests afterwards took
coffee and pipes in an adjacent saloon."
Peremptory orders have been issued for the ex-
pulsion of all remaining Russian subjects from the
territories of the Porte. Hitherto many of the
wealthier Russian merchants had obtained permis.
sion to remain, under the protection of the Austrian
Internuncio, who became responsible for their good
behaviour. It was found, however, that, with few
exceptions, they became spies of their own Govern-
ment, sending to St. Petersburg early information of
everything which happened in Turkey, and facih-

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tating the correspondence between Russia and the
insurgent Greek population.
On the arrival of Lord Raglan in Turkey, General
Brown addressed to him a letter, containing an espe
cial expression of thanks to General Canrobert and
Admiral Bruat for the assistance they had given him
in disembarking the troops. In this letter General
Brown says:—
" Finding myself without any other means of establish-
ing a communication with the steamers or transports but
the very defective aid of boats furnished by the commissa-
riat, it would have been impossible for me to effect that
embarkation without a considerable loss of time, had it nut
been for the aid of our allies. In such circumstances, I
did not hesitate to apply to the French admiral and gene-
ral. General Canrobert at once placed at my orders all the
fiat-bottomed boats which he could dispose of, and Admiral
Bruat was kind enough to employ all the boats of his
squadron, both in towing the others and in carrying troops,
wail all the men were placed on board. The result of
this prompt and friendly co-operation was that the two
regiments, which had already marched eight miles from
their lines at Gallipoli, of which the embarkation did not,
in consequence, commence until one in the afternoon,
were all on board, with upwards of one hundred horses,
by sunset, so that it was possible to weigh anchor before
nightfall."
The letter, being forwarded to Marshal St. Arnaud,
produced a complimentary reply, in which the polite
generalissimo felicitated himself on " the frank ac-
cord which subsisted between the two armies."
Being reported at home, however, the circumstance
has occasioned some remarks, both in and out of
Parliament, very much the reverse of complimentary
to the negligent authorities who left the troops un
provided with the means of transport to or from the
shore. Lord Ellenborough, having alluded to the
subject on Thursday in the Peers, elicited from the
Colonial Secretary the usual excuse, that the lapse
was accidental, caused by the hurry of business, and
would not occur again.
& sad accident occurred at Scutari on the 19th of
May. There had been a terrible storm of lightning
and rain. Assistant-Surgeon Sinclair and Mr.
Macnish, an officer of the 93rd, were walking over
from the barracks to their tents close by, when they
had to cross a small rivulet, not generally enough to
wet the toe of a boot. It was swollen, and the men
held each other's hands to spring over. The flood
being wide and high, they were separated. Sinclair
was stopped by bushes, stones, &e., much bruised ;
but his companion was swept into the Bosphorus.
The body was sought for, but could not be
recovered.
THE BALTIC FLEET. _

The frequent reports that the fleet had bom-
barded Hango fort, Gustafors, or even Revel itself,
have dwindled down to the statement of a trifling
affair between three small steamers on some de-
tached forts off Haago Point. The steamers were
the hfagicienne, 16, flecla, 6, and Dragon, 6. They
exchanged some shot with the forts, committing
much damage, and receiving a little, one man being
killed and another wounded ou board the Dragon.

The Hecla, aided by the Arrogant, afterwards cut
a Russian barque out from under the batteries. The
Hecla lost three men, and the Arrogant was riddled
with shot and lost several, but they knocked the fort
to pieces. A Russian version of the affair seems to
have appeared in the Petersburg Journal, which says
that "on the 111th two frigates cannonaded the
batteries at Wittsland, and on the 20th approached
Ekenks, but were repulsed."
The French fleet left Kiel harbour on the 31st
ult. for the Gulf of Finland. The following account
of a visit paid to the squadron while in that harbour
contains some interesting details :
"On arrival at Bellevue we had a magnificent view of
the fleet. It was formed into three lines, four ships-of-
the-line forming the first, the like number the second, and
four frigates the rear line. The steamers were lying in
Kiel. As there was an ample number of boats, most of
the visitors, including all the fair sex, took heart, and
selected the different ships as fancy guided them. The
party I was with steered for the Hercule, officially given as
carry go guns, but which we were told actually mounted
100. On arriving at the ship's side we found a very con-
venient set of steps, or rather stairs, so that ladies could
ascend without inconvenience. On gaining the upper
deck the scene was a most animated one. The sailors and
marines who had the watch and deck were busy whipping
up provisions ; the lieutenant in charge of the watch on
the poop; lieutenants, midshipmen, and under officers, in
their splendid uniforms, in various parts of the ship, busily
occupied in receiving and carrying out the orders of the
lieutenant. On descending to the main deck a new
scene presented itself. Officers and men who had the
watch below amusing themselves, or wileing away their
time as beet they could. In the after-part of the deck were
two or three lieutenants, the chaplain in his canonicals,
the surgeons, and other officers, walking up and down ;
the petty or under officers generally reading or wilting;
the men, a few reading, a few lounging or lying
about, and a great number playing at cards. A part
of the after•part of this deck is occupied as the
o fficers' mess-room, cabins, etc.; but on the lower deck
there is no bulk-heading wh-'tever, so that from the stern•
posts to the bows there is an uninterrupted view. We
found the men on this deck occupied pretty much as on
the main-deck, except that there were no officers. Every