The Express.
London, England, 1855-01-09 00:00:00

JANUARY 9,

wre isey might the
.ae batty UM."
BELT IN, JAS. 6.
Our has refused to entartahi any terms
aesommodation except on the consi!&* that
Prussia be admitted to the conferences at Vienna.
This was so palpably an offer to take Prussia.under
bls protestioc, that its rejection was immediate, and
ft is said that M. Muteaffel has written to St.
PeAssebarg that Prussia is quite able to vindicate her
position ea a European Power.

bed, even in
their trial on

ITHE SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL.

(*sox las spicua,

O THZ DAILY

news.)
Dee. 17.—N0 change of importance has occurred
since I last wrote, In the relative position of the
hostile forces. The preparations for a vigorous
demonstration are advancing, though slowly, on
account of the continued unpropitious weather. The
13-inch mortars have been brought up, and are now
lying in the left artillery park, ready to be placed in
position as soon as a favourable opportunity shall
occur. By their aide are also the long 32-pounders,
from which, on account of the accuracy of their fire,
good execution is expected.
During the last two days and nights heavy rain has
fallen incessantly. The weather is a matter of very
serious importance in many respects. The roads
become so impassable after a fall of rain of any
duration, that not only the progress of the siege
operations is interrupted, from the difficulty of
transporting guns or ammunition, but even the troops
suffer in their supply of rations. When I speak
of roads I use a wrong term, for literally there
is now no road between the camp before Sebastopol
and Balaklava, excepting the road now in course of
construction, and which as yet only extends as far as
the cavalry camp. Over the remaining part of the
way each vehicle and passenger takes its own direo-
tion across the undulating hills which constitute the
surface of the plateau occupied by the allied armies.
Tie labour of bringing up the guns and mortars has
been very great, and it has required a great number
of our weakened horses to perform the task. The
salient from the low ground near Balaklava, the
snecemive undulations of the plateau, and the pecu-
liarly tenacious and adhesive character of the mud
have been severe obstacles to overcome. Our French
allies are now lending us assistance in bringing up
the heavy ammunition. Many of the regiments in
camp are living truly. " from hand to mouth,"
and have to send in large parties daily to
carry out the provisions of salt pork and
biscuit. The condition of these men after their seven
miles' march into the town, frequently drenched
through, aad many of them having been up the night
before in the trenches, is lamentable in the extreme;
and it is difficult to understand how they contrive to
accomplish the journey back with their loads. No
wonder that the hospitals are full. There has been
great absence of forethought in not having stored up
depots of provisions in camp, and in not having pro-
vided better means for the care and protection of the
very limited number of bat animals attached to the
army. The officers' private bat animals have never
been brought up yet, and no one seems to know
where they are. There seems to be no doubt they
have left Varna. Were they with their owners they
might be turned to very valuable account now. An
arrangement has at last been made for shoe-
ing the public horses in the possession of regi-
ments, but the way in which it is to be done affords
a curious illustration of the manner in which things
intended for one branch of the service are appro-
priated by other departments. In addition to the
ambulance waggons sent out to the army in thoElst
for the conveyance of the wounded, were several
store waggons, store carts, and one or two forge carts.
These were organised to form part of the ambu-
lance establishment, and a pamphlet was published
under the superintendence of Mr. Guthrie and
others to explain their coatents and uses. One
only of these store waggons and one of the forge
carts found their way to the Crimea, and they have
remained at head quarter.. Now that, driven to
extremity, it is found that the bat animals abso-
lutely require more attention than they have
hitherto had, a public nee is discovered for the
forge cart. By general order the commissariat are
desired to issue Turkish shoes and nails to the regi-
ments requiring them for their bat horses. The
shoeing is to be done at the ambulance forge at
head-quarters. Fuel is also to be issued to the troops,
and we hear of wooden houses, and warm greatcoats
and other clothing coming; but how they are all to
be taken up to the camp remains to be seen.
The 90th and 34th regiments marched up to the
°amp on the 13th instant. They have been attached
for the present to the Light Division, whose numbers
have been greatly diminished by sickness. The 89th
has also arrived, and is to bo attached to the Third
Division.
The Russians have been using of late a 13-inch
shell against Frenchman's Hill. Considering the
enormous weight of the metal, and the amount of the
exploding powder, together with the accuracy of
range the artillerymen have obtained, it is weuderful
that the discharge should have done so little mis-
chief. I have only heard of two cases of injury
inflicted by it, and yet the ground where it
falls is torn up into deep pits. In one case, it
exploded near a sailor, and the poor fellow was
literally blown away, for scarcely any portion of
him remained on the spot where he had been stand-
ing. The Russians for a long timo abstained from
the use of this mortar, and by some it has been sup-
posed that the notice by the correspondent of the
Times of the execution done by "Whistling Dick"
has been the cause of his services being returned. I
know not what foundation there is for the supposition.
The last few days the Russians have been directing a
very heavy fire against a redoubt which is being
made on Frenchman's Hill, in front of the camp of
the Light Division. This positiou has been frequently
spoken of sabring the weakest part of the camp, now
that that of the extreme right has been covered.
There, indeed, assurance has been made doubly
sere, both by entrenchments and armed re-
doubts in front, as well as by strong re-
inforcements from the French being placed
in rear of the tad Division. When the redoubt in
front of the Light Division is completed, and con-
nected with the breastworks lately made across the
left and middle ravines, that position will also be
secured, but hitherto it has been open to attack. It
can only have been from the supposition that there
were protecting works which could not be seen that
the Russians have not hitherto made some attempt in
this direction, especially at the same time that the
engagement f the sth November was fought at In-
kerman, as there was nothing in the nature of the
ground to prevent them from bringing up a strong
body of troops with artillery. They appear to have
discovered the weakness of this part of the line now,
and there have been frequent alarms in the Light
Division camp in consequence. On the 15th a very
strong force was observed approaching towards the
middle ravine, for the purpose apparently of recon-
noitring. The Light Division was quickly under
arms, end some of the regiments advanced,
but no result ensued beyond a slight skirmishing
with some of the enemy's riflemen and our advanced
pickets. There has been an inquiry into an alleged
want of medical care and treatment—especially in
respect to the number of orderlies employed—
afforded to a large number of sick troops placed on
board the Avon. The result has been a very severe
reprimand in general orders by the commander of
the forces directed against First-Class Staff Surgeon
Dr. Lawson, who is ordered to be removed from the
position he previously held of principal medical officer
at Balaklava. Dr. Hall, the chief of the medical
staff of the army, is also strongly animadverted ,
upon in the same orders, and it is difficult to under-
stand how he can continue to hold such a position
with the reflections east upon him of inatteutieo, to
the duties of his offtese
50,,.
m last

AT ST. PEZEREIBIIRG, Lord John Russell's declara-
tion in Pull' moot that the allies were contest to leave
Rues a, resat sad powerful state has been adopted as the
rointia of a popular political song, the inscription of whish
11..." I) how soar are the grapes."