The Press.
London, England, 1856-03-29 00:00:00

CAMP OCCURRENCES.

Athough no stragglers_ are allowed across Tractir-
bridge, the Tschernaya in parts is so narrow as to
permit easy converse:—
Before reaching the Tractirdwidge you fall upon some
French batteries, commanding the approaches upon the
Sardinian and French positions, but these batteries it is
as well not further to allude to, for there is now much talk
iu camp of war, and not peace, on and after the Ist of
April. A sentry is stationed on the Tractir bridge, which
is of stone, and has but two arches ; and the allies are
not allowed to pass over it. The stream is here but a
dozen yards acrosa, and thence winding through the
valley, it falls into Sebastopol harbour, and in some parts
of its course narrows to five or six yards from bank to
bank. It abounds with reeds and rushes. At the narrow-
est parts groups of Russians are now daily found on the
right bank; and groups of English, French, and Sar-
dinians on the left bank. Lively conversations are main-
tamed, and even a little trade carried on, as well as an
•exchange of donations. Most of the Russian officers
speak French, and, from the study of their own difficult
'tongue, positively setts accent. Yon could not distinguish
them from Frenchmen, save by their appearance. There
were some splendid fellows aniGng them on Sunday, both
officers and men. The first group I fell iu with was com-
posed only of Cossacks, one of whom spoke a little Italian,
so that we ru triaged to communicate tolerably well. They
had nothing to sell, so we ihrew them a bundle of tobacco,
and passed on. The next group consisted of three privates
of the line. We threw them some money—a few
shillings, and they untied the crosses on their necks, and
pitched them over the stream. At this point of the
Tschernaya, the celebrated Mrs. Seacole was seen on
horseback. The Russians lifted their hats to her as she

THE PRESS.

rode up, and she received from them a medallion (which is
to be set in a bracelet, at Malta), with the Virgin Mary
painted on one side, and Christ on the reverse. Other
parties obtained some Russian coins, and I got one of the
crosses. The supply did not equal the demand. Four
Russian officers now came np, and, seeing Mrs. Seacole,
asked an individual standing near her whether he were
her husband, and, if so, would he sell his wife? " You
ask us to sell our crosses and decorations," said one of
them, "we may as well ask you to sell your wife." This
raised a hearty laugh, and, at this moment, as some of the
English wished to visit Sebastopol, I pushed on with them
for that place, and I can't say that the ride by the south
side of the harbour, till you reach the English side of the
city, is one a man would travel often from choice; but,
" pending the armistice," everyone is anxious to see the
lions everywhere. Near the tunnel, close to the aqueduct,
opposite the caves of Inkerrnann, many Russian bodies
yet laid unburied; and English soldiers were busy, as we
rode by, in cutting off buttons as trop}:ies from the rotten
uniforms of the slain. Skulls and bones were seen on all
sides; and one of our party picked up a Russian rifle.—
Herald cor.

There appears to have been some difficulties upon
the settlement of the exact terms of the armistice :
It seems as if the armistice were likely to expire before
its terms are settled. The first difficulty arose upon the
demand of the allies to embark things in boats from the
south side of the harbour, the object being to ship the
cannon, anchors', fix., captured in Sebastopol. But to
this the Russians demurred, saying that the seaboard was
not ours, and that we could not use it. This is perfectly
true, and is a striking commentary upon the oft-repeated
vaunt, that Sebastopol is captured. We have certainly got
the town, but the north forts command it, and not a cock-
boat can put off from shore without imminent danger of
being sunk. However, the allies agreed to waive the sti-
pulation, and the delay now arises from certain questions
relating to the blockade of the Black Sea and the Sea of
Azoff. This I know to be the case, although I cannot
state what those questions are, but I am assured that they
are not of grave importance. Nevertheless, they retard
the formal conclusion of the armistice, but meanwhile the
suspension of tire (after all, the chief point) coniinues.
We are not quite so intimate with our Muscovite friends;
our enthusiasm or curiosity has a little subsided, and,
moreover, general orders and sentries are there to check
it; but we may be said to be on terms of distant civility.
It is probable that there will be another meeting of generals
this week at Tractir-bridge.—Tiraes car., March 10.

An amusing instance is given in a private letter
from the Crimea of the sharpness of a Piedmontese
soldier at the late conference, between the chiefs of
the staff:—

During the interview of the chiefs of the staff some
Zouaves were seen upon the banks of the Tschernaya with
bottles in their hands, making signs to the Russians invit•
ing them to cotne and partake. But how was it to be done?
The Tractir-bridge was reserved for the passage of the
generals ; possibly because it was wished to prevent a
crowd at the place where the conference was being held ;
a multitude of officers and soldiers. nevertheless, ardently
wished to cross the river to the Russians ; a boatman
would have made his fortune that day. Every one com-
plained of the fate which kept him on the bank. All of
a sudden a strong, healthy Sarctinian soldier entered the
stream and offered, fur a suu per head, to pass to the other
side of the Tschernaya any one who would mount his
shoulders.

He was instantly overwhelmed with orders, and for two
whole hours he remained in the water, transporting to the
enemy's bank every amateur who presented himself. One
sou! Every one cried out how cheap it was, and vied with
each other in embarking upon the shoulders of the intrepid
and generous trooper. On touching the opposite bank they
tendered him their warmest thanks, rallying him a little
upon doing so much for so little money. He replied with
a malicious smile, which no one understood, but which
nevertheless had its significance, as they very soon dis
covered.

After the interview all who had passed the river upon
the soldier's back wished to return to the left side by the
same road. They called to the aquatic warrior, and made
signs to him to approach, but he replied, laughing in a
most provoking manner, that the water was cold, and
that he was afraid of the rheumatism. "But how are we
to return to the camp?" they cried in an excited manner.
" As you have done part of the work, you must finish it."
" I am ready to consent," replied the cunning Piedn3on•
tese, "but if I catch a cough, I wish to have the means
of making broth as I like it. In place of a sou, you must
pay me a franc." A universal cry was raised against this
increase of price, but he would not swerve from it. "If
you find it too dear," said he with resistless argument,
" ford the stream yourself. After all, you are not so sen•
sitive to the cold as I am, and you will find the water good

enough." In brief, it was necessary to pay him what he
asked. They treated the matter as pleasantly as they
could, and in a few minutes the soldier found himself
in possession of a good round sum. " Gentlemen," snit,
he, in withdrawing, "I have had so much water out-
side, that you'll not think ill of me if I now put a little
wine in."

THE SICKNESS OF THE FRENCH ARMY.
The amount of sickness still prevailing in the
French army is really terrible. That fine army,
writes the Times correspondent, is dwindling
sadly :
Scurvy and fever are playing havoc in its ranks. I
recently stated its daily loss at 170 men, but reserving •
doubt, although my information was pretty trustworthy, for
I hoped and be'ieved that the number was exaggerated. 1
can now tell you positively that the French admit tbe
present mortality in their army to be 120 a day, and on
me days considerable more. The right of the army, in

the Baidar Valley, suffers the most. I am assured that
the deaths there have reached 100 per diem. Our brave
allies must not for an instant doubt that their sufferings
are deplored and warmly sympathised with by this army.
Last winter's trials are far from forgotten by the limited
number who endured them and still survive, and we
might have been justified in hoping that the sad experience
was not lost upon the e'rench. Then we heard nothing of
their sufferings; the English army was decimated, but the
French were supposed to be healthy and well supplied.
But last winter was far severer and more trying than this
one, so that the natural deduction is, either that the
French suffered far more than was known during the
trying five months from the beginning of November, 1854,
to the end of March, 1855, or that the preparations for this
winter and the sanitary precautions taken have been very
inadequate. Ido not hesitate to say that the French army
.s being expended at least as rapidly as it was by shell and
shut during the severest part of the siege. A sanitary
commission's investigation of the French camp would
reveal a startling amount of suffering. Insufficient shelter
and covering, and a deficiency of vegetable food, readily
account fur the sickness that prevails
During the last week the French, I regret to say, have
suffered terribly from the cold, especially those who are
encamped on the hills between Balaklava and the Tscher-
naya. At head-quarters it is stated that they have been
losing, on an average, for some time back, 145 a day. One
can scarcely credit this; but I am informed that Colonel
Mackenzie, Assistant-Quartennaster General, stated that
they had lost this winter nearly 19,000 men. If these
figures at all approach the truth, they show what bad cloth.
ing, had feeding, and bad housing will bring about. Last
winter we suffered in the same way, but this winter we
have lost fewer in numbers, with the exception of the
Land Transport Corps, than the usual per centage amongst
troops in England, clearly showing that the Crimea is one
of the healthiest military stations in our possession.—
Daily News cur., March 11.