The Press.
London, England, 1854-12-16 00:00:00

DECEMBER 16, 1854.

made a sortie, which was repulsed with a loss of 200
men on their side and twenty six on that of the
allies. During the whole night, however, isolated
shots were heard. Towards morning the wind
suddenly rose, and threatened us with another hurri •
cane. Most providentially its violence was confined
to a few gusts, and then it ceased.
With this exception nothing of any great interest
has occurred. The severe blow sustained by the
commissariat department from the disastrous effects
of the hurricane has been overcome by the energy
displayed in that department. The injury, which
at the time appeared irretrievable, is already for-
gotten, and, although the seamen who strove success-
Lilly against this fearful gale will ever remember its
awful ravages, on the expedition itself the effects
are nil.

The Russian forces, both in the rear of Balaklava
and at Inkermann, have remained perfectly inactive
since their late defeat at Inkermann. Truly, to
recover from so terrible a rout, both physical and
moral, would demand a longer period than the
interval which has elapsed. The enemy has occu-
pied his time in digging huts—an example which
has been diligently followed by the allies. The
French display much ingenuity in the construction
of their winter quarters, having uprooted the vine-
yards in forming a species of high wickerwork to
protect their tents and sheds from the violent
Crimean wind. Decidedly, the next vintage will be
a poor one. The Turks, who are certainly patient,
if not valorous, have successfully employed their
time in digging deep underground huts, with a
winding passage to defy the wind, and chimnies
constructed of clay, to permit the inmates to enjoy a
fire. The British soldier, without any experience in
such matters, has done his best to make himself as
much at home as possible. The infantry are un
fortunately so much engaged in trench-duty that
little time can be spared to shelter themselves against
tie winter. The artillery and cavalry, with more
liisure on their hands, have displayed both patience
an 1 ingenuity in the construction of their huts,
a 'me of which are most extensive and complicated.
I. is really marvellous how the venerable proverb,
'• Necessity is the mother of invention," has
been proved. The British soldier, who, at the time
he quitted his native shore, was the most dependent
of mortals, has now learnt to contrive and invent
comforts in a manner most surprising—even to him-
self. In the culinary arts he has made wonderful
progress ; and, besides making soups apparently out
of nothing at all, he succeeds in disguising ration
pork or beef into a palatable form.
The cannonade between the siege batteries and
the redoubts has been carried on very languidly on
kith sides. The French are more active than our-
selves, but have still many rounds to fire before
they attain the number discharged by us. We are
awaiting, I believe, the arrival of several immense
m irtars, said to be on their way to the Crimea. As
it is, we return shot for shot, and nothing more.
According to camp reports, or camp " shaves," as
they are more expressively termed, considerable
R issian reinforcements have arrived within the last
fey days. This I very much doubt. If I were to
give you all the camp "shaves " in circulation, they
would form a very extensive, if not a veracious, folio
volume.
In the last few days we have had ten deserters,
nine privates and one officer. The officer has given
detailed and very satisfactory information, and if he
is a bona fide deserter, and not a spy sent over to
mislead us, we have reason to hope that the Crimean
campaign will much sooner be ended than we had a
right to expect. He states that the Russian army
stiffen dreadfully. That from two to three hundred
die every night; that cold and hunger kills them ;
that the battle of the sth demoralised them, and
caused them utterly to despond; that the generals
have in vain tried to persuade the men and officers
to fight another battle ; that they frequently march
them out in the plain, but that the temper of the
troops is not of a kind to justify the commanders in
bringing them "up to the scratch." This last part
of the officer's story is certainly correct. The Rus-
sians are continually turning us out, by showing
large columns in the plain, and they do as regularly
withdraw those columns after an hour or two.
The sum total of our reinforcements in the last
week has been 10,000 French, 3,500 English, and
1,500 Turks-15,000 men.