The Press.
London, England, 1854-11-25 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

fleets in the Pacific made an attack on the Russian
town and fort of Petropolopski, Kamschatka, on the
Ist and 4th of September, and destroyed two Russian
batteries. No official accounts have as yet arrived, and
the details given in the transatlantic journals are not
only evidently tinged with Russian prejudice, but
differ materially among themselves. They represent
the result to have been that the allies lost sixty-four
men. The loss of the Russians is reported to be
very heavy, but the number not ascertained. The
allies retired, having captured two Russian vessels.
Rear-Admiral Price was accidentally killed. Captain
Frederick, of the Amphitrite, succeeds him. Petro-
polopski, the place assailed, was, it is reported, very
strongly fortified with above 100 guns, whilst the fri-
gates were dismantled and put into a position of
advantageous defence, 2,000 men manned the bat-
teries and lined the woods ; nevertheless, our gallant
seamen and marines, with their characteristic im-
petuosity, effected, if not all that was desirable, at
least more than could have been expected of them,
against such odds as those to which they were
exposed.
The San Francisco Times, of Oct. 11, publishes
the following account of the engagement, which,
however, must be taken with much reserve:—

We have stirring news from the first scene of conflict
between the allied powers and the Russians in the Pacific.
On the Ist and 4th of September an attack was made by
the combined fleet upon the fortress of Petropolopski.
The English vessels-of-war comprised the President, the
Pique, ani the Virago ; and the French, the Forte, Fury
dice, and the Obligado. The action was a very severe one,
the English vessels firing 3,000 balls. Two of the Russian
batteries were destroyed, and two crippled. The loss on the
side of the latter was very heavy, but is not ascertained.
Of the English and French forces, 64 men fell during the
assault. The Russian frigate Aurora, of 44 guns, and the
Diana, of 20 guns, were moored inside, and protected by
sandbanks, behind which they operated as batteries, be-
yond the reach of the French and English.
When leaving the port, and a short distance outside, the
Russian merchantman Sitka was captured by the allied
forces, and sent to Vancouver. 4 Russian supply vessel
was also taken and burnt. Throughout the siege we learn
that the Russians fought with great courage. The Sitka
was captured on the Nth of September. She carried 10
guns, a crew of 35 men, and had 25 passengers. The
Seiko was loaded with provisions for the Russian settle-
ments.
The Times correspondent at San Francisco gives
some additional particulars respecting the fortress
and the attack upon it. He says :

Petropolopski is a place of considerable importance, is
the residence of a military commandant, with a large
garrison, which was considerably increased about a month
before the declaration of war reached the Pacific by rein-
forcements from Siberia, under the command of an expe-
rienced Russian general. These reinforcements were con-
veyed down the river Amoor to the Bay of Saghalian, and
thence across the Okhotsk Sea to the garrison. The
troops were conveyed by steamers, for which the Amoor is
navigable. The town and garrison of Petropolopski are
situated on a sort of inner bay, across which a long sand-
bank runs parallel with the town, leaving a narrow en-
trance from the outer to the inner bay. The allies found
two Russian men of-war, the Aurora, of 44 guns, and the
Diana, of 20 guns, dismantled and moored broadsides on
as a battery, defending the entrance of the harbour. They
were sheltered behind the sandbank and only became
visible when they opened a galling fire.
The French officers describe the havoc of the Russians
during the bombardment as awful in the extreme. Many
of them were cut in two by the balls from the ships, and
fragments of bodies were seen flying about in the air over
their batteries, and it is admitted that they fought through-
out with the utmost bravery and determination. As un
example of the unflinching courage displayed by them, an
anecdote is related of a Russian sentinel at whom sixty
rifle shots were aimed, but nothing could overcome his
stoicism, and he continued to pace up and down the ram-
parts of the fort on which he was stationed, without turn-
ing his head either to the left or to the right. He escaped,
as he deserved, Russian though he was.
The land engagement was a most desperate one. The
men landed under the direction of an American pilot, who
represented the environs of the town as quite easy of ac-
cess. But, whether by mistake or treachery, in advancing
upon the principal redoubt the forces of the allies found
themselves entangled in a " chapartil"—a thick hush of
underwood and brambles, which arrested their progress at
every step, but which afforded the Russian sharpshooters,
who lay in ambuscade in the bushes, a secure and almost
impenetrable shelter, when they shot dead every msn of
whom they caught a glance. Notwithstanding the galling
hidden fire to which they were exposed, and to which they
could not reply with effect, the troops pressed on with the
greatest intrepidity, until the similarity of the uniforms of
the English and the Russians caused confusion in the
ranks of the French, who feared to fire upon the red uni-
forms (of the marines), thinking they might be those of
their brethren-in arms. When retracing their steps they
lost their way, and fonnd themselves suddenly brought up
by a precipice seventy feet deep. Deadly volleys were pouring
in upon them from the rear, and they bad no alternative
bnt to jump down the precipice or i.e shot; several did
jump, and some of them were killed and others maimed.
Authentic intelligence, according to the Herald,
has reached official quarters, which leaves no doubt
that the death of Rear-Admiral Price was not acci-
dental; he fell by his own hand in his cabin at the
moment before going into action.

1118

THE REINFORCEMENTS.
Recruiting for both services is progressing with great
activity and success. The greatest enthusiasm prevails
among the militia regiments, and large numbers of the
men are eagerly volunteering into the line.
The 90th Regiment, 860 strong, sailed from Kingstown
for the Crimea on Sunday in the Europa. Yesterday
(Friday) 1,349 troops of the Guards, 77th Regiment, and
Royal Engineers, proceeded to Portsmouth, whence they
will embark in the Royal Albert to-day or on Sunday.
From Constantinople and Malta troops are incessantly de-
parting for the seat of war. Among other vessels, the
Napoleon left Constantinople on the 7th with 2,000 men
on board, and the Sass with 1,100 troops on board. A
despatch from Marseilles of Tuesday announces the arrival
of divisions of the French army and their generals at
Toulon, where they are about to be embarked on board a
flotilla of steamers.
Instructions have been sent to the depot, Newbridge, to
give over immediately twenty•eight young three-year olds
from each regiment on service, and take over from the
cavalry at home the same number of seasoned troopers.
The British Government have hired a large Bremen
steam-ship of about 1,1100 tons fur the conveyance of some
of the reinforcements.

Another 90-gun screw-ship has been added to the list of
the fleet in commission—via., I.:rawer!, ( Albion class),
converted into a screw, with 400-horse power engines.
Captain the Hon. F. T. Pelham (1810) has been appointed
to the command of this ship. The E.rmouth is fitting at
lkvonport.
Four millions Minie rifle-ball cartridges were forwarded
from the Royal Arsenal yesterday week for use in the
Crimea. A manufacturer at West Bromwich has received
an tinier for 480 tons-weight of shot and shell, the former
to be 3,9, 42, and Elf pounders, and the shells to be 4i and
8 inches. They are to be forwarded as fast as possible to
Woolwich, where they are to be filled up by the Govern-
ment officers.
Two waggons, each containing twelve mile* of tele.
graphic wire covered with gutta percha, and with ploughs
and the necessary arrangements for laying down the wires,
were put on board the Prince, screw steam-transport, at the
Royal Arsenal, previous to her proceeding to Greenhithe to
embark the 40th Regiment; and there can be no .loubt the
valuable invention is now in full operation to prevent
surprises, or be made available for concentrating the
British and French troops in any required locality to check
the Russian force in any future attacks on the position of
the allies.
VOLUNTEERING FROM THE MILITIA.
The following important circular has been issued
from the War-office to the several colonels of militia
regiments throughout the kingdom :
War.oftice, November 20, 1804.
The rapid augmentation of the regular army being at
this moment of urgent importance, it bas become neces-
sary to call upon all embodied as well as disembodied
militia regiments to give as many volunteers as possible
to the regiments of Guards and line, and to the royal
marines.
In taking this step the Government is aware that the
efficiency of your regiment will for a time be considerably
impaired by the sudden loss of a large proportion of highly.
trained men, whom you will have to replace by raw recruits;
but, at this moment, the maintenance of the efficiency, for
immediate service, of regiments raised especially for home
duty, important as it is, must yield to the necessity of
strengthening to the utmost that portion of her Majesty's
forces which are engaged in the operations of war abroad;
and upon an occiuolion like the present I am confident
that the same spirit which has induced you to devote your-
self so successfully to the formation of the regiment under
your command will secure to the Government your amis.
tance and co-operation in strengthening her Majesty's
regular forces by drafts from your regiment.
It is intended to limit the demand thus to be made on
militia regiments to 25 per cent. on their strength.
Recruiting parties will be forthwith directed to pro-
ceed to your head-quarters in order to recruit volunteers.
It is proposed to give a priority to the recruiting parties
from those regiments which have a county connection with
your regiment. provided such regiments form a part of the
force under Lord Raglan's orders, but men will be at
liberty to join other regiments or the marines, if they
prefer it.
The Guards will be allowed to send parties to regiments
generally, their standard not enabling them to obtain
enough recruits from any corresponding number of militia
regiments.
The marines will likewise send parties.
All these parties will be recalled immediately the num-
ber to be raised shall have volunteered.
The men will lie offered a bounty exceeding by 11. the
augmented bounty authorised for ordinary recruits—
namely, 11. in addition to 01, or 71. in all.
Though the limit of 25 per cent. is placed on the number
of men ulioni the recruiting parties will be empowered to
raise, any larger number of men will be accepted, provided
you are willing, with a view to further the public service in
this emergency, to consent to their discharge.
The General Commanding-in-Chief, sensible of the
great exertions which have been made by militia officers to
bring their regiments to their present high state of effi-
ciency, arid of the sacrifice which they are now tidied upon
to make, has authorised me to state that be is prepared
place at your disposal, fur any officer in your regiment
whom you may wish to name, an ensigncy in the line,
without purchase, for the first seventy-five men who shall
volunteer from your regiment, and have been and
accepted in the regulars or marines, and enuresr the
second seventy-five, and a third ensigncy for a third
seventy-five, if the strength of your regiment enables you
to give them.

1114

You will take the necessary measures in your county to
recruit your regiment again to its numbers after it shall
have been reduced by volunteering to the line.
SIDNEY HERBERT.
The Government have determined to give an en-
signcy, without purchase, for every seventy-five men
who volunteer into the army from the militia.

PATRIOTIC FUND.
IN a letter from Captain Webb, assistant secretary to
the Patriotic Fund, the subscribers are assured that
"there is no distinction made in the royal commis-
sion between soldiers married with or without leave ;
it being only requisite that satisfactory evidence be
produced to establish the claim of widow or orphsu,
and that the husband or father shall have fallen in
action, or by the calamities of war during the present
hostilities."

The sum realised by the military fetes given at the
Crystal Palace on the 28th October and 4th Novem-
ber amounted to 3,5981. Bs. 4d., after deducting the
expenses attendant upon the fetes, and on the recep-
tion and maintenance or the " Guides " during their
stay in London. 'Phis sum has been paid over to the
three principal funds in the following proportions :
The Royal Patriotic Fund, 2,5001.; the Central Asso-
ciation in Aid of the Wives and Families, Widows
and Orphans of Soldiers ordered to the East, 7481.
Ss. 4d. ; the Association for the Relief of Widows and
Orphans of Seamen and Marines in cases arising out
of the War, 3501. The conveyance of the " Guides "
to and from Folkestone, and of the various regimental
bands who assisted at the first fete from their barracks
at Hounslow, Chatham, &c., was gratuitously given
by the South-Eastern, South-Western, and London
and Brighton Railways; the last•mentioned company
having also yielded a proportion of the receipts from
v►sitors on the 29th of October.
Major Powys, the hon. secretary to the " Central
Association" Fund, has announced that the commit-
tee have summoned for next week a special meeting
to take into consideration their rule No. 14, which ex-
cludes certain cases from benefiting by the fund, and
which has lately excited so much public attention.
This rule is as follows:

Rule 14.—‘No woman married before her husband enlisted, un.
lees afterwards placed on the strength of the regiment, and
recognised as a married women in the regiment, can be allowed
relief.
Major Powys adds that the association makes no
distinction whatever between women with leave and
without leave, and that, out of the 11,000 persons
who have applied for relief, not twenty have been
refused.
The Guildhall ball in aid of the Patriotic Fund
took place on Wednesday night. The attendance
was exceedingly numerous, the company being esti
mated at over two thousand. An excellent quadrille
band was provided under the leadership of Herr
Koenig ; and a concert, led by Mr. Lindsay Sloper,
in which Madame Anna Thillon assisted, was impro-
vised in the Aldermanic Chamber. The pecuniary
result will, there can be no doubt, prove very satis-
factory.
Mr. Thomas Graves, the proprietor of the Green
Dragon Tavern and licensed concert-room, in High-
street, Poplar, applied to Mr. Yardley, at the Thames-
street I'olice Court, to take charge of five guineas,
the proceeds of a concert of vocal and instrumental
music nt his establishment on Monday evening the
10th inst., in aid of the Patriotic Fund. Mr. Graves
remarked that his establishment was small, and the
amount raised was trifling, but if the same course
was adopted at every place of amusement in the
United Kingdom, he ventured to say 100,0001. might
be raised. Mr. Yardley said the suggestion was a
very good one.