The Press.
London, England, 1854-11-04 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

following announcement:—" We learn from Varna
that the French steamer which left the Crimea on
the 21st confirms the news of the destruction of two
of the outer forts of Sebastopol. Moreover, the
batteries had made a breach. The allied armies
were only waiting for a second breach to be made to
give the assault.
Yesterday (Friday) the Moniteur contained a
despatch from General Canrobert, dated before
Sebastopol, 23rd of October, and stating that the
siege works continued in due course, without any
remarkable event worth reporting. The general and
the army had perfect confidence in the result.
Another telegraphic message received in Paris ran
as follows :—" We have news from Sebasto-
pol to the 24th of October. The bombardment of
four forts is vigorously continued. The besieged
reply with energy. Different vessels of the allied
fleets have been damaged. The Russians have re-
ceived reinforcements to the number of 30,000 men.
General Bosquet observes the reinforcements."
From the Russian hide a perfect shower of
despatches has arrived, giving a widely different
aspect of the progress of events, and reporting some
serious advantages obtained by the besieged over the
allies. Detailed reports of the operations on the
17th and 18th ult., as transmitted to the Emperor
from Prince Menschikoff, were published in the St.
Petersburg Journal. The first report of the 17th

says that—
At nightfall on the first day of the bombardment the
English had only two guns able to return the Russian fire,
while the Russians had a few dismounted. At noon on
the same day fourteen vessels of the allied fleet attacked
Sebastopol by sea, directing their fire against Fort Con-
stantine, and battery No. 10. The shortness of the time
and the smoke rendered it impossible for Prince Menschi
koff to furnish complete details of the loss on either side ;
but the Russian cause had sustained a severe loss in the
death of Admiral Korniloff, whose leg had been carried off
by a round shot, and who died on the spot.
The second report, dated the 18th ult., states that,
though the allied fire was astonishing by its power and
noise, it had not done so much harm as might have been
expected. The Alexander battery, and battery• No. 10, had
not suffered much, but the Constantine battery had been
greatly injured On the land side none of the Russian
batteries had suffered except No. 3, in which nearly all the
pieces (thirty-three in all) had been dismounted. The
Russian loss was estimated at 500 killed and wounded,
among the latter Admiral Nachimoff, very slightly. During
the night of the 18th the Russians were busily employed
in repairing the damage done to their defences. On the
18th the English fire was less active than on the day be-
fore, and the French had hardly fired at all. Prince
Menschikoff attributes this to a diversion made without
the walls by General Semiakine, who appeared in the
enemy's rear, and thus diverted their attention from Sebas-
topoL The vessels which had taken part in the bombard-
ment on the 17th, and which Prince Menschikoff believed
to be all French, had gone away in the direction of Cape
Chersonese. The smoke on the 17th, and a thick fog on
the 18th, had rendered it impossible for Prince Menschikoff
to state the enemy's loss, but he says it would seem that
one ship•of--the-line had been seriously damaged, and two
steamers set on fire by red-hot shot.
Later intelligence was forwarded by the Prince in
telegraphic advices. On the 23rd ult. he re-
ports that the siege continued uninterruptedly,
but the fortifications had suffered but little. The
attack on the sea side had not been renewed. The
Russians had made a successful sortie, and a Freneh
battery of eleven guns and eight mortars had been
destroyed. Lord Clanricarde's son, Lord Dunkellin,
had been taken prisoner.
Next day (24th), the prince repeats the announce •
ment that the bombardment continued vigorously,
but the besieged responded with energy. Several
ships of the allied fleets had been much damaged.
On this day, also, the arrival of General Liprandi,
bringing a reinforcement to the Russians of 30,000
men, is reported to the Emperor.
On the 25th another despatch is sent off, stating
that General Liprandi had attacked on that. day a de-
tached camp of the English, and also that he cap-
tured four redoubts which defended the camp. The
despatch further stated that at the same time the
Russian cavalry attacked the light cavalry of the
English and inflicted on them much loss.
On the following day the prince transmits a con-
firmation of this intelligence, adding that the Eng-
lish lost 600 horses and eleven guns, and the French
had a second battery rased. Various versions of the
same statement were also received through Warsaw
and other route!. Some of them stated that more
than half of the English cavalry had been destroyed,
and that Lord Cardigan had escaped with great diffi-
culty. Different localities were assigned for the
catastrophe. In some accounts it is said to have
happened in the valley of the Inkennan on the
Tschernaya, in others near Balaklava, and in a third
series at Eupatoria.
The latest dates which have arrived are of the
27th, when Prince Menschikoff telegraphed a brief
intimation that "nothing important had occurred in
Sebastopol" on that day.
Prince Menschikoff, in his official report, states
the Russian loss at the battle of the Alma to have
been 4,500 killed and wounded.

SATURDAY,

f infantry
Accounts
assembledfrom
a
Odessa r et p
p o re!rtehkaot the Russian
lh o
t corpsof
October, and immediately after Pon the 5
commenced its march
with sixty pieces of artillery for Simferopol by the
Steppes, and would there join the forces of Prince
Menschikoff. The total force in the Crime2w4;olllbse.;
as follows :—Garrison of Sebastopol, including the
crews of the fleet, 34,000; corps of Prince
Mens-
chikoff, 20,000; corps of General Liprandi
total, 94,000.
bad
84,000.
T
Constantinople,w Yarns,eather hasancdomthmeenccrie.dmeina, tmheorßeladcikt.
Sea, which render communications henceforth with
ficult.
We read in the Pattie :—" It is positively stated
that Admiral Bruat, having renewed the attempt to
establish a marine battery on the ground of which
he had taken a plan at the time he made his late re-
connaissance in Quarantine Bay, Sebastopol. has at.
tained that important result. A work mounted with
I'aixhan guns, loaded from the French vessels, playa
with advantage on the Quarantine battery."
A letter from Constantinople of the 20th ult. , in
the Wanderer of Vienna, says :—" Wounded men are
arriving here continually, proving that some sharp
fighting must have been going on at the advance
posts before Sebastopol."
Adv.ces from the seat of war in Asia state that the
Russians occupy Toprach Kale, and threaten Kars.
We learn from Malta that the chief dragoman
(a Greek) to Lord Raglan had been apprehended,
charged with betraying secrets to the Russians.
Last week we published letters from the British
camp before Sebastopol up to the 13th of October.
None later have since come to hand, but the follow
ing official despatch from General Canrobert, written
on that day, has been published in the Moniteur:—
Head-quarters, before Sebastopol, 13th.
Monsieur le Ministre—As I have already informed you,
by the telegraphic despatch of this day, we opened the
trenches in the night of the 9th. We had reason to expect
that this work, the preparation of which could not be en-
tirely concealed from the enemy, would be warmly Ms.
puted. Such was not the case. Favoured by a very
violent gale of wind from the north-east, the opening of
the trench was made on the first night to the extent of
1,000 metres without our workmen being at all disturbed.
We, besides, contented ourselves with uniting to this work
the extended parallel to our right, which is hereafter to
connect our works with those of the English army. We
concentrate all our efforts to theconstructionof a It.rge
hastionned front, which is to serve as a support to our
left, and where, in order to profit by the marked advan-
tages of the position, we have placed fifty-six pieces of
cannon divided into five batteries. Paring the whole of
the 10th and the following night the fire of the enemy ass
very sharp. At first it was badly directly directed, but
afterwards became more precise, but our workmen were
already covered, and our communications were not in
direct sight of the fortress. The works went on during
the 11th and 12th without any incident worth mentionivg•
Our losses were only thirty men killed and wounded. Elio
weak sorties were attempted by the garrison without any
welldetermined object, but they were repulsed. The worts
of sapping as well as the construction of the batteries fre-
quently met with serious difficulties from the nature of tie
ground, which on many points is very rocky. 1 nevertlie-
testa hope that by the 15th our batteries will be mounted,
and that we shall be able to open our fire immediately
after. The navy have materially contributed to their al.
mament with their heavy guns, which Lord Raglan ard
myself thought it advisable to oppose to those which the
enemy had all round the rtress. Last evenidirect iong anothn
of
er
battery of ten guns was commenced, under
the officers of the engineers, behind the Quarantine Fort,
and very near the shore. Although these guns will fire tit
a long range, I hope that they will usefully play on the
batteries which the enemy have in front of the Quarantincomplete
Prince. Menschikoff, with his army, remains in
repose. He is awaiting reinforcements.
Describing the progress and impedirn
intrenching works, the Times correspondent writes,
on the 13th ult. :—" The Russians have a very tall
rots of the
mast, with a scout on the top, whom our sharp-
shooters call the Green Ape. From that height the
eye can look down into the trenches, and the spots
can thus be pointed out for firing at. Fortunately,
it is very difficult to make a shell fall and burst in a
trench when well defended. Not more than twenty
have been killed in this way, and most of the
them mrestay
have exposed themselves imprudently. For ,
day, get on
the works, which advance slowly by
very fast by night. The aim is more uncertain in
the dark, and the pickaxe can then be better pli .
The Russians have, however, contrived artificial
aims ; during the day they stick up small pennons
and fire over them, so that the balls are sent nearly
in the right direction. On our side,
night is in our
favour. Our boats, with muffled oars, take soundings
in all the channels.
THE SIEGE MATERIAL
tt eTeh nll Coortsf
steibtiatstitoonpritoi,/,pionbalicschoesunatinfgolflordetsheeri dr
such
tieloayo to
of
:
feaeormous labour necessarily attendant
an operation ri~9e em
on an
pioTyhede fboyllothweinalgliiessthbeefowrstie gshetbasoftotph,ltic total
gmounts
avordu-
to 4,521,234. kilogrammes, equal to 10,04'2,750
w.s
pals. This enormous matiriel is divided as folio
•