The Express.
London, England, 1855-09-12 00:00:00

OUR ARMY IN THE CRIMEA.

(FROM 017 R

IIINT.)

CAMP ABOVE BIBASTOPOL. am. 1.

There is very little general news to communicate
by this mail, but the details of the gradual and sure
progress made in the siege operatioas are highly in-
teresting. There is a general belief that the assault
must take plane very shortly, for the approaches of
the French against the Malakheff and associated line
of works are now actually in contact, and the more
prominent points of the enemy'. liae of defence are
nearly silenced. Our casualties are numerous, but
happily the general health of the army continues
good, notwithstanding that the greater put of it is
exposed to the severe and harassing exposure and
duties of the trenches at very frequent intervals.
The destruction of the great magazine and its con-
tents in the Mamelon Vert might have led to very
serious results as regarded the progress of the siege
operations ; fortunately, not a battery was injured,
and already the mischief has been fully repaired. I
coatings my journal :
Aug. 29.—A terrific explosion occurred last night,
about twelve o'clock, which, unfortunately, is found
to have taken place in the works of our
allies. No catastrophe of a like kind, pro-
duciog so powerful and widely spread an agita-
tion of the earth and atmosphere, has happened
since the commencement of the siege. Happily,
though sufficiently fatal in its immediate effects to
the brave troops both in its neighbourhood and at a
distance, the accident has caused but little detriment
to the batteries, and will not for one hour interrupt
the progress of the siege operations.
It took place in the Mamelon Vert. All the gun-
powder in the large magazine formed by the Russians
when the Kamchatka Itedoubt was in their pos-
eision, and in the construction of which a natural
cave was taken advantage of, was exploded. The
contents of two smaller magazine. near at
hand were also destroyed in a similar manner.
The position of this magazine was on the north-
east aspect of the hill, and it is said that, at
the time the disaster occurred, mortar powder, packed
in casks, was being conveyed in an artillery waggon
to be deposited in this store. The door of the
magazine was therefore open. The particular cause
of the explosion is not known, and, in all proba-
bility, never will be known. Every thing and per-
son near the place were destroyed, and no evidence
on the subject can be obtained. Whether some pow-
der escaped, and an accidental spark from a pipe
or other source, set fire to the explosive material, or
whether a shell from the enemy bursting among the
contents of the waggon, caused the fearful mischief,
must remain a mystery. Both causes are mentioned.
Altogether the quantity of powder exploded is said
to be 7,000 kilogrammes, or about 15,000 pounds
avoirdupois. The casualties amount to four French
officers killed, and two wounded, thirty-three men
killed and 140 wounded. To theme must be added
fourteen men in the British right attack killed and
wounded by falling timbers and stones.

The effect which followed the sudden destruction of
this vast mass of gunpowder, was very similar to that
of an ordinary earthquake in a volcanic region. Be-
fore the explosive report was heard, those who were
awake in the trenches felt the agitation and trembling
of the earth. In the camp the undulation of the
ground was equally felt by those who were awake.
The sleepers, though used to the constant reports of
the gene, were startled from their sleep by the sound
of the explosion and the concussion of the air. The
general impression seems to have been that a shell had
been thrown into camp and had burst, close at hand.
The conclusion was equally felt at Baleklava, and the
sound there was so startling and forcible, that many
persons turned out to discover the cause of the distur-
bance. It was hoped by many that a large mine had
I been sprung beneath the Malakhof4 and that a great
part of its works had been destroyed. Large beams
of wood, which had been employed by the Russian en-
gineers in strengthening the principal magazine,
and hags stooge were hurled to amazing distances.
An immense log of wood fell in the advanced 13-inch
mortar battery of the right attack. A man was
killed, as far to the left as the approach in front of the
Quarry Battery, near the Woronzoff ravine, by a
falling fragment of stone. The piles of shot, arranged
in pyramids, in various parts of the Mamelon Vert,
were thrown down, and the shot rolled about in all
directions. It is not improbable that many of the
enemy in the left flank and curtain of the Korniioff
Bastion, and the works beyond, were injured by the
shower of stones and heavy materials which must
have fallen in that direction. After the immediate
effect explosion of the had pawed away, the Russians
from Careening Bay to the Redan set ups loud cheer.
It is strange that so little mischief should have been
done to the guns and batteries near the powder maga-
zine; perhaps their very propinquity saved
them, from the chief man of the materials,
forced up in the air being carried so high as to'
fall beyond them.
The French loon in wounded would sot have been
so great, had not increased provision been made the
night before against au attack by the enemy. (Tir-
onmetaness had led to the expectation that the Rus-
sians contemplated making a sortie from the Malak-
hoff nab* the French works, and large insures had
been posted behind the Mamelon Vert. It was among
these reserves that the falling stones and timber
caused so many essualties. The voltigeure of the
Imperial Guard particularly suffered. The guards of
the trombonist tb English right attack had also been