The Press.
London, England, 1854-10-21 00:00:00

THE CIVILIAN ELEMENT.

Of what may be called the civilian element, unfortu-
nately truth hardly allows much to be said iu its praise.
The commissariat has shown itself sadly out of joint.
The least unforeseen difficulty has brought them to a
stand-still. Ample stores have been sent out, but, owing
to the bungling of those upon whom devolves their distri-
bution, the soldiers have at times been half-starved in the
midst of abundance. This is a serious matter. The pre-
serving the health of an army in the field is of secondary
importance to no other consideration. And nothing so
endangers the health of a rather thoughtless multitude as
a sudden change in their dietetics. On the qu.rslio rezatil
of surgical and medical accommodation it is premature to
speak. A prima facie case has been made out by the heads
of home departments, by publishing the invoices of medi-
caments sent out, and the roll-call of those entrusted with
their application. Still the question will obtrude itself—
how have these supplies been turned to account on the
scene of action? But the climax of inefficiency is the
Post-office department. A more irritating spectacle of
helpless inefficiency cannot be imagined than is presented
in the Post-office transport : its cabins, between-decks and
tipper deck, strewed with newspapers and letters, and un-
opened bags containing both; a few lubberly officials, with
their hands in their pockets, eyeing with grim despair the
piles before them ; and a few impatient officers diving for
letters amid the chaotic mass. The shortcomings of the
civilian element of the expeditionary army have their
origin in a cause so broadly staring us in the face that no
one can fail to detect it. The departments are manned by
junior members of the upper class of clerks; juveniles who
can go through the routine duties of superintendence when
they have plenty of labourers under them, but who lose
their heads when placed in unaccustomed positions, and
called upon to lay hand to work themselves. It would
have been better to send out some shrewd and active men,
without any knowledge of office duty, with a strong corps
of mere workers under them. Such men could have in-
vented a system for themselves, and set it a-working. I he
helpless pupils of routine can do neither.
CAMPAIGNING INCIDENTS.
The colours of the 7th Regiment were, for a short time,
left upon the field under the batteries. This was by no
means the fault of the gallant 7th. Literally there was no
one to bring them off. Every one who advanced for that
purpose fell either dead or mortally wounded beside them.
The 7th, having lost half its strength from the fire of the
battery on its flank, was compelled to fall back to re-form.
There for a time the colours remained upon the field until
the arrival of the Guards made a diversion, when Captain
Pearson, Sir George Brown's aide-de-camp, rode in and
took the standard from the hands of a sergeant who was
mortally wounded. No enemy's hand had touched them,
though they had a very narrow escape.
The French suffered severely as they climbed the hilchedl
to turn the enemy's flank. As the Zouaves approa.
the Russians, misled by their red fezzes and peculiar dress,
rushed down upon them, shouting " Turco ! Turco! ex-
pecting an easy victory. They were Miserably deceived.
The Zouaves halted, deployed into line, gave one tremen-
dous volley, and then charged with the bayonet, driving
the enemy back with fearful slaughter.
Colonel Lagondie, a French officer attached to Lord
Raglan's general staff, being short-sighted, made a strange
mistake. He bad been reconnoitring, and on his return
rode headlong into a red-uniformed Cossack regiment,
supposing it to be English, and was of course taken
prisoner, but afterwards managed to escape.
By a farmhouse near the Belbeck a beehive was disco-
' vered, and, after a little hesitation, one heroic individual
dashed at it, and completely knocked it to pieces. Rut,
• like many other great men, this praiseworthy gentlemsi!
failed to reap the advantage of his energy, for the insulted

OCTOBER 21, 1854.

bees attacked him with such fury that, abandoning his
prey, he rushed from the spot, pathetically exclaiming
M Luther ! =Miler ! " The hive was, however, SOOII,
emptied of its store by the baggage gu irds, who miracu-
lously contrived to hold in each hand an immense block of
honeycomb, without letting fall their firelocks, or dropping
the dignity of the British soldier. The savage bees, in-
stead of attacking the proper criminals, very absurdly
darted at the inoffensive pack-horses, who certainly exhi-
bited an energy for which they had hitherto received no
credit.
l'rince Menschikoff 's carriage captured at the Alma
was found full of boxes, containing most magnificent
hussar uniforms, and also portmanteaus of valuable articles.
These were quickly ransacked. Watches and jewellery,
arms, and fine clothing of every kind were extracted,
which soon exchanged possessors in the persona of our
men. The officers came in but for a very small portion.
Among the various articles found was a pair of white satin
slippers, which made one suspect that the gallant chief was
most agreeably attended in his campaign sujournings.
Dennis Corbett, of the 55th Regiment, was sent by his
master to a garden, in front of the lines, but occupied by a
French outpost. While gathering vegetables the French
gave the alarm of " Cossacks!" and fled. I tennis Corbett,
who had,a broomstick in his hand, was making off likewise,
but, finding a Cossack gaining ground on him, turned and
faced his pursuer. He parried two lance-thrusts with his
stick, rushed in and tore the lance from the Cossack, who
then fired his carbine without effect, and made off, while
Dennis returned to camp with his trophy.
In the outposts skirting Sebastopol we were amused by
a new occupation on the part of the enemy. they had
placed a large frigate so that it could send torth shot and
shell at a great elevation, so much so that some fell in the
midst of us. The men rushed to the stipountiers to secure
them for grinding their coffee, and have found them most
useful ; and now every shot is carefully watched as to its
pitch, that the prize may be secured. The coffee is issued
raw, and the difficulty is to reduce it, when roasted, to any•
thing like powder.
The natives have begun to supply the troops at Balaklava
with comforts. A soldier bought sixty•three eggs for 25.,
and an officer shortly after sent to say, that if he could
have twenty of the eggs he had just seen he would readily
pay halla-sovereign for them. Down at Balaldava prices
are enormous: tobacco, which sells in Malta at Id. astick,
there sells at lid. and Is. ; brandy ranges from t4s. to 12s.
the bi.ttle, and other things comparatively dear. The want
of tobacco is severely felt by the men, and pipes are in
great demand. A sapper offered 2s. (id. for a common clay
pipe, and when an officer loses his meerschaum he bewails
as one who has lost a brother. Government
should have supplied the men with tobacco as a part of
their rations. On a cold morning, when the dew is as
heavy as rain, a pipe is as good as a breakfast to a soldier.
Only just now I heard a man say, " What shall I do? all
my tobacco is gone, and I miss it more than my food." We
had a quiet night on the 2nd. These Russians are poor
warriors as far as tormenting besiegers goes. Were we
workinglagainst the French (may such never again be !), we
should have small bodies hovering about our picquets, and
calling us to arms two or three times every night; but here
we are just over Sebastopol, and yet left to sleep at ease.

THE RUSSIAN STORY.
The St. Petersburg Journal of the fithicontains the
following notification as to the war in the Crimea :
Prince Menachikoff, in a report made to the Emperor,
and dated the 30th of September, states that, after having
executed his flank movement from Sebastopol to Bakshi-
semi, he was ready to take the offensive on the first fa-
vourable opportunity. This plan promised to be still
more successful, because the allies had divided their forces.
While the French approached the fortifications on the
north of the Bay of Sebastopol, the English troops betook
themselves to Balaklava by sea, where they effected a
landing. Prince Menschikoff, Wormed of what was taking
place, made a movement in advance, but the French, de-
clining the combat, also abandoned the north of Sebas-
topol, and effected a junction with their allies on the south.
On the 30th Prince Menachikoff had arrived, with the
greater part of his troops, at the fortifications on the north,
and established himself there, waiting until the intentions
of the allies were more plainly manifested.
Troops leave Ocessa daily for the Crimea. The
time required to join Prince Menschikoff is calculated
at fifteen days. On the 30th a victory of the Russian
army in the Crimea was celebrated in all the churches
at Odessa, which " victory," it appears, was the
"relief" of Fort Constantine, at first threatened by
the allies. This glorious victory was announced to
the troops in a general order, tothe effect that Prince
Menschikoff had forced the enemy to withdraw from
Fort Constantine to the south, and to give up their
intention of attacking this fort.
According to the Soldaten Freund, Prince Menschi-
koff left 20,000 men in Sebastopol, and entrusted the
command of the army there to General Chomutoff.
He left on the Ist for Perekop, where three infantry
divisions, three cavalry divisions, and eight Cossack
regiments had been concentrated. On the 7th Prince
Menschikoff left Perekop with reinforcements, and
it was expected that, with the reinforcements ad-
vancing from Kherson, the Russian army would, on
the 20th, be 76,000 strong. 'The northern forts of
Sebastopol, and not Bakchi-Sarai, now form the base
of the Russian operations.
STORM IN THE BLACK SEA.

The transports which carried the heavy cavalry to
the Crimea have met. with a succession of gales which
fully justify the fears of those who recommend cau-
tion in navigating the Black Sea at the period of the
equinox. One, which carried a portion of the Royals

and 130 horses, and was towed by the Simla, put in
at Bujukdere Bay, after receiving much damage. A
gale came on when she was about halfway on her
journey. The hawsers parted immediately, and the
unfortunate vessel was thrown about for more than
an hour without being able to set a sail to steady her.
So violent wet the motion that the upper deck gave
way, and the horses above were precipitated on those
below. A scene followed such as has been seldom
witnessed. The horses are described as actually
screaming with pain and terror. Of course no one
dared to go near them, and the end of it was that of
130 only twelve remained alive at the conclusion of
the day.
In the Sea of Marmora the Ganges ran into the
screw steam-ship Persian, which left port for Smyrna
on the 3rd inst. The Persian has returned to Malta
with very considerable damage. The accident oc-
curred about midnight, and is accounted for by the
state of the weather. Seve► al passengers on board
the Persian were much hurt; and Lieutenant N. C.
Singer, Royal Artillery, asleep iu his berth, was
crushed to death by the collision.

THE BALTIC FLEET.
Winter storms are commencing in the Baltic : ice
even has begun to form in the recesses of creeks and
harbours; and the vessels which heretofore composed
the allied Baltic fleet are one by one returning home.
The Leopard, Captain Giffard, with the flag of Rear•
Admiral B. Martin, passed through the Downs on
Tuesday. Two French line•of-battle ships and three
French frigt\tes passed Nyborg on Sunday on their
way to Prance. On Monday the Austerlitz, accom-
panied by twO French frigates, passed in the same
direction. TO Inflexible, the flag-ship of Admiral
Parseval Deschenes, has also sailed homewards; and
so have the Neptune and Prince Regent. The St.
George was at Kiel early in the present week. Sufficient
vessels will of course be left to preserve the blockade
of the Gulf of Finland until the Russian ports are
fairly sealed up with ice.

THE REINFORCEMENTS.
Some detachments of Guards are to be sent out on
Tuesday next. The regiments will supply about 340
men ; the Scots Fusiliers, who lost so severely at the
Alma, supplying the larger number. All the other
regiments of the light division are prepared to send
out a considerable number, but the augmentation
will be confined to supplying the want oceasioned by
the loss in the late engagement.
Since the news of the late victory has arrived, ap-
plications for admissions into the army have increased
nearly tenfold.
A letter from Marseilles to the Salut Public of
Lyons says :

The reinforcements intended for the army of the East
amount to 25,000 men, of whom only 12,(XX) are to be sent
out at once, 6,000 being taken from the camp in the south.
The rest are to be furnished by the nearest garrisons. All
our maritime agents are occupied in engaging transports.
All the cavalry regiments in the East are to be increased to
their full complement.
Five thousand French cavalry have left Constanti-
nople for the army, and were expected to arrive in the
Crimea in a few days.
The Wrangler, screw gun-boat, arrived at Spithead
on Thursday from the Baltic. She will probably sail
at once for the Black Sea, where her services will be
brought into requisition more readily than they were
in the Baltic.
The new iron screw•steamer Jura, belonging to the
Cunard Company, is being fitted at Liverpool for the con-
veyance of troops to Constantinople. She is a magnificent
vessel, and admirably adapted for a transport•ship, as
regards accommodation, speed, and security. It is not yet
known what regiment she will take out, but there is no
doubt that she will ere long wail from one of the British
ports for the East, with 1,200 troops and ordnance stores
on board.

SYMPATHY AND ASSISTANCE FROM HOME,
The Patriotic Fund, under its governmental
organisation, has hardly as yet commenced opera-
tions for raising the intended fund by way of provi-
sion for the widows and orphans of soldiers killed
during the present war. Large preparations are,
however, already making, and channels opened
through which streams of contributions will flow
immediately and abundantly into the fund. A pro-
position for contributing one day's pay or revenue
has become widely accepted among various classes
and groups of our population. Ships' crews, the
staff of railway companies, the employes of large
manufacturing or mercantile firms, and the managers
of several theatres have eagerly proffered their sub-
scriptions or their houses. The Crystal Palace
Company will devote the entire receipts on Saturday
next, the 28th inst., to the same purpose, and the
day is made a " shilling " day, with considerable
additions to the usual attractions, in the shape of
musical performances, &c.,with the view of enhancing
the attendance. The corporations of London and
other towns, the universities and other large aggre•
gated bodies, will also furnish their liberal quotas ;
and, besides these associated efforts, the sympathies
of private individuals are strongly awakened, and will
result in a full and general response to the appeal now

THE PRESS.

991

made upon their just benevolence. From abroad,
and in our colonies also, Englishmen all over the
world will hasten to share in the good work. Alto•
gether the fund promises, as it deserves, to be the
largest ever raised by voluntary contributions iu any
time or country.
There are at this present time twenty houses in
the course of erection at Pinner, Middlesex, for the
benefit of the widows of the army and navy, at the
sole cost of Miss Howard, of Pinner, and York-place,
Portman-square.
On Sunday last a sermon was preached at the
British church iu Hamburg on behalf of the fund
" fur the widows and orphans of the soldiers and
sailors in cases arising out of the present war." The
appeal was liberally responded to, and the collection
amounted to 1,263 marks.
Mrs. Nightingale, who has been for some time
acting as superintendent of the Ladies' Hospital, at
No. 1, Upper Harley-street, has undertaken to or-
ganise a staff of female nurses, who will at once pro-
ceed with her to Scutari at the cost of the Govern-
ment, there to act under her directions in the
English military hospital, subject, of course, to the
authority of the chief medical officer of the estab-
lishment- Mrs. Nightingale will herself select the
persons who will accompany her, and will recommend
them to the War-office for certificates, without which
certificates, of course, no one will be admitted to the
hospitals. After her departure, arrangements will
be made for the granting of certificates, upon the re-
commendation of persons to whom Mrs. Nightingale
will have delegated the duty, to such additional
number as may, from time to time, be forwarded to
Scutari upon her requisition. By this arrangement
it it hoped that much confusion and disappointment
may be prevented, it being obviously impossible in
any hospital, but especially in a military hospital, to
admit as nurses any persons offering themselves,
without any proof or evidence of their possessing the
knowledge, experience, and general capacity requisite
for duties so difficult and so responsible, and the wil-
lingness to submit implicitly to the regulations of
one central authority.

THE MEDICAL SERVICE.
Replying to various complaints urged by certain
London papers, and supported by divers reports from
correspondents at Scutari, that the supply of medical
stares for the army had been wretchedly insufficient,
and the staff of medical attendants much too few to
take proper care of the wounded soldiers brought to
the hospital there from the Alma, Dr. Smith, Di-
rector-General of the Army and Ordnance Medical
Department, has published an official return on the
subject. He says :
As much misapprehension seems to exist as to the suf.
ficiency of medical attendants, and of medical stores and
supplies with the army and in the hospitals in the East,
and as great anxiety has thereby been caused to the Fels.
tives of the sick and wounded, Dr. Smith sends the
accompanying papers, showing the number of medical
officers, and the quantity of medicine and hospital stores,
which have been forwarded from this country at different
times since the 24th February last.

The list of stores and articles supplied is exceed-
ingly long and copious. They were forwarded from
this country at three separate cargoes, in April, June,
and September last. The catalogue contains, among
innumerable other articles, more than H,OOO lbs. of
lint, enough to cover several acres ; 3,000 beds ; 1,200
dozen of wine; 600 gallons of brandy ; and 2,600 lbs.
of tea. Further supplies were also despatched yes •
terday (20th) of every description of necessary or
comfort which could be available for the wounded
soldiers. On Monday also a vast quantity of medical
stores and comforts were taken out of the Tower
stores and forwarded to Liverpool for immediate con-
veyance to the head-quarters of the medical depart-
ment. Among the articles sent cut are a number of
woollen serge gowns and and trousers for the use of
the convalescent.
As regards the personnel of the medical service,
Dr. Smith states that
the number of medical officers with the British forces
in the East, at the time of the battle of the Alma, was
276—being one to every ninety seven of strength. In the
Peninsula the number of medical officers was only one to
every 154 of strength.
At the present moment there are thirty more medical
officers on their way to Constantinople, and fifteen more
are waiting embarkation.
Dr. Smith is happy in being able to state confidently
that the medical officers at Scutari (he believes twenty-
one in number) have at their command everything neces-
sary to the treatment of the wounded soldier; hence there
is no necessity whatever for any effort being made by the
public to send out to Constantinople lint, old linen, Sm.
In addition to the supplies sent. from England, the
head of the medical staff at Scutari has an absolute
carte Manche, an unlimited discretion, to purchase
stores of any kind, and to any extent, which in his
judgment might appear expedient : and, if the markets
of the country have been unable to supply him with
all that he required, he has only to apply to the
Turkish authorities, who have most liberally plead
their atoms at the disposal of the allies.