The Express.
London, England, 1855-08-06 00:00:00

EXTRACT FROM AN OFFICER'S LETTER.

"Heights before Sebastopol. July 20, 1855.
" • • • We ars still in the old place, and will
soon, I hope, shut up the Huskies. We have a
fifth parallel, and the third, which used to be our ad-
vanced we, is now a large battery. You can hardly
imagine how close we are to the enemy—l should
think not more than sixty or seventy yards distant.
• • • The trenches are fearfully hot ; we go in
for 24 hours—a long time to be smite; in the day it
is too hot to sleep, and in the night we dare not do
so; the flies annoy us not a little in the morning.
• • • The incessant whistling of rifle balls, with
shells and grape, continues as usual—the latter they
throw right into the trench from mortars. I wish I
could say we had no sickness, which must in fact
always exist, more or less, amoog a body of men col-
lected together; there is indeed a good deal of fever
and dysentery, but u yet there is not a single phy-
sician attached to the Crimean hospitals! Lord Pan-
mure is to blame for this. Surgeons are sent out to
us--especially acting assistants—mere inexperienced
boys; but the great want of experienced physicians,
whose muscle for years have been medical; in contra-
distinction to 'surgical,' has not been met by his
lordship. The soldier desires the same advantages
in hospital as possessed by his sick civilian brother
in every hospital at home. Humanity and public
interest demand the best advice for him, regardless
of routine. • • •"

FRANCE.

(f ox OUR OWN CORRITTONDRITT4
PARIS, SATURDAY BURNING.

I believe the tale about General L'Etang's new mis-
sion to Vienna to be unadulterated fudge. He is in
Paris at this moment, and it is within my knowledge
that he said yesterday to a friend, " Not only do I
know nothing of the fresh negotiations in which I
am made to play a part, but I have not yet had an
audience of the Emperor to announce my return."
There is not a word of truth in a story which has
been current here all the week, and which I see re-
peated in several London papers, about a duel
having been fought between M. de Morny and Ge-
neral Cbangarnier, at Ems. The manufacturers of
the news were at first content with returning M. de
Manly wounded, but, encouraged by the success of
their invention, they have latterly killed him. A
telegraphic despatch his been received from M. de
34gray himself, to say that he is not dead, and that
MI Warty IA the duet is "pore invention." He is
expected in Paris to-morrow.
The Bourse opened somewhat heavily, but towards
the close of business there wee a very confident feel-
ing. The Rente for cash, after having been at 66.95,
aimed at 67.05, with a fall of 25c., bat for time the
last price was the same as that of yesterday, 67.25.
Credit Mobilier rose 30f. Railways closed firm, and
generally at higher prices.
A trial of American, French, and English machines
for cutting and gathering up corn, hay, &c., and
which are now to he seen at the Exhibi-
tion, took place the day before yesterday at
Trappe*, Count de Gasparin presiding. A
large number of persons were present. M.
Dully, on whose property the experiments took
plan, had a special tent erected, under which he
hospitably entertained the members of the jury and
other invited guests. There were nine machines on
the ground—two French, four American, and three
English. At a given signal they commenced their
trial, which was to cut down 1,733 square yards of
oats. The American machine of M'Cormiek com-
pleted its task in a masterly manner in 17 minutes;
the second American machine took 23 minutes, and
the third 24 minutes. The other machines took from
34 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes to perform their
work. The next trial was to cut down and gather
up a given quantity of lucerne, when the palm of
victory again fell to the machine of M'Cormick.