The Express.
London, England, 1855-08-31 00:00:00

A SKIRMISH NEAR RIGA.

The Invalids Russe publishes a report from Gen.
Sievers, of the cavalry, relative to an engagement
that took place on August 5, between Riga and
Windan :

;'iletseral Sievers, of the cavalry, commanding the
Baltic corps, announces, under date of August 11 in
the evening, that on the bth two of the enemy's
screw steamers cast anchor near Domesness (between
Riga and Windau).
' The following day, at seven in the morning, the
enemy opened fire notelet an unrigged lotka, which
was being caulked on the coast, and having hoisted
out his boats, sounded in setting this vessel on fire,
u also the house of the coast guard not far from that
place. After that his boats, which kept at half a
vent from the shore, landed 200 men armed with
rises. One part of this band wu left u a reserve
on the shore while the remainder proceeded to the
farm.

NAt this moment, the horse reserve of that part of
the coast troops of the line arrived from Dondangen,
under the command of Colonel Von Stackelberg, of
the regiment of lancers, of A. D. C. General
Prince Tcheroyscheff, who concealed his detachment
behind a mound, and awaited the approach of the
enemy. The English, on reaching the three
edifices nearest the coast, began to set them on fire.
At this sight, our Cossacks and our Baschkirs dashed
at the mound and rushed like a torrent at the enemy.
His advanced chain, thrown into disorder by this
attack, no lees bold than unexpected, took to flight
in all haste towards his reserve, who, after firing a
volley, did not wait for the attack, but re• embarked
hurriedly into his boats, which began firing grape.
Then Colonel Von Stackelberg, causing one part of
his detachment to dismount, placed it in ambuscade
behind some hedges, and ordered it to fire on the
boats. This compelled them to make for their
steamers. These latter then approached the coast,
and cannonaded it sharply for four boars.
" It is difficult to estimate the loos of the enemy,
bat it must have been considerable, judging by the
disorder with which the glen regained their boats.
These passed afterwards at 60 Sig00(11 front the
hedge behind which .*ere planted our dismounted
Cossacks. Thanks to the good arrangements of
Colonel von fitufteaberf, and to the rapidity of our
attack, all our lilts coateeted of one Cossack wounded."

ADMIRAL BRUAT ON AFFAIRS IN THE

CRIMEA.

(Frog the Moniteur )
ON BOARD THE MONTEBELLO, Aro. 18.

M. le Ministre,—Yesterday morning I visited the
headquarters of the army, from which the cora-
masder-in- chief was good enough to conduct me to
I the battle-field of the Tchernaya. The number of the
enemy's losers was not then exactly known, but it
was ascertained by the time that we returned to
headquarters that 1,700 wounded Russians had
been found and taken care of, and that 400
prisoners had fallen into our power. To relieve
our ambulances, the general requested me to have
transferred to the Bosphorus all the Russian wounded
who might with safety be removed to Kamiesch.
Besides the Montezuma, which carried 250 of our
own wounded, I am this day sending to Constanti-
nople the ships Wagram, Charlemagne, and the fri-
gate Labrador, which will carry 1,200 wounded,
900 prisoners, and 600 gendarmes of the guard. On
the return voyage three vessels will bring to
Kamiesch the Sol brigade, composed of about 3,200
men.

I can to-day give your Excellency some informa-
tion respecting the general impression which the
victory OR the Tchernaya appears to have produced
in our army. No engagement has hitherto exhibited
in a manner so striking the superiority and moral
ascendancy of our troops over the enemy. The
arrangements made by the Russians indicate a well-
conceived and well-studied plan. No error was this
time committed like that of General Soimonoff at the
battle of Inkermann. The Russian divisions attacked
our positions at the appointed hour, and with a per-
fect knowledge of the ground ; they carried the bridge
of Traktir, and forced the Sardinian advanced posts
to fall back. When Failly's brigade resumed the
offensive, 1,500 or 2,000 Frenchmen hurled 8,000
IRussians across the Tchernaya. An hour later,
45,000 Russians retreated before 10,000 or 12,000 of
the allied troops.
The engsgement of August 10 was less a battle
than an immense sortie, repelled with incredible
vigour. The enemy did not advance out of range of
his batteries of position : he withdrew under the
protection of the works which crown the Mackenzie
plateau as soon as he saw that our troops were not
intimidated by the considerable masses which be had
deployed in the plain. Perhaps he bad hoped to
draw us under the fire of his batteries of position,
and engage us between the heights, where his artil-
lery might have crushed us. The general-in-chief
would not allow himself to be drawn into this impru-
dent pursuit. By sending forward his cavalry he
might have seized a few fugitives, but he would have
had to march his squadrons over the Traktir bridge,
commanded by the projectiles of the enemy ; be must
have sent them into the plain under a cross fire of
artillery and musketry.
Thanks to the wisdom of the general, our success
remains intact and complete; the enemy has returned
to his lines and the army of relief remains paralysed ;
the siege can be pursued in full security. Its diffi-
culties, doubtless, are diminished very little by our
victory ; it is still a work demanding perseverance
and system ; but its issue call no longer be doubted.
Russia will have no cause to rejoice over the pro-
longed resistance of Sebastopol. Her armies and her
finances will be exhausted in the attempt to sustain, at
theextremity of theempire,astrnggle all theconditions
of which are in our favour. If Sebastopol had fallen
after the battle of the Alma, it might have been said
that it was but a surprise ; Russia would have lost
a fleet and a naval arsenal, but the prestige of her
power would not have been seriously weakened.
To-day, on the contrary, her forces are consumed in
long and futile efforts ; her veterans have disap-
peared from the battle-field: she sends forth more
recruits than tried men ; the wounded we collect, the
prisoners we bring in, seem to be borne down with
fatigue and insufficient nourishment.
The Russian government, deprived of its sup-
plies from the Sea of Azoff, is unable to replenish its
magazines; bread, salt, and water now constitute
the entire diet of its soldiery; spirits are only dis-
tributed on days of battle, and meat hardly ever.
When the autumn rains shall have broken up the
roads, Ido not see how the enemy can victual his
numerous army. To me his situation appears most
critical ' • and in the attack of August 16, so languidly
pursued, I see a symptom of discouragement rather
than of audacity. A glance at the future taught the
Russians the necessity of a vigorous effort; to us, on
the contrary, it counselled prudence.
Yesterday morning the Commander-in-Chief gave
orders to open the fire of our siege batteries. Should
we succeed in extinguishing the fire of the enemy,
our approaches will be pushed forward with activity;
if we have to await the arrival of mortars to obtain
this result, the delay will be less inconvenient to us
than at any former time. We know by the admis-
sion of the Russian generals themselves what
losses our fire inflicts upaa them; their losses
cannot but augment, while their means of re-
pairing them diminish every day. During this
time oar army receives reinforcements and
lives in great plenty. Notwithstanding the
daily sacrifices it is called to make, its heroism is
sustained, and the facility with which the new loan
has just been covered, suffices to show it that France
will never cease to stand by it. The victory of the
Tchernaya appears to me, then, an event fitted to
reassure the least confident; it is a great and fine
work, the first effect of which will be to restore con-
fidence to those whom the check on the 18th of June
may have unsettled.
I receive excellent news from the Sea of Azoff.
The allied flotillas continue to range the coast, and
spread alarm and terror everywhere.
The Descartes left yesterday for the straits of
Kertch, whither she takes 400 marines. The English
are sending 800 men there.
At fax reqeest the General Commending-in-Chief
has directed Calonel Osmont to concert with Com-
mander Belief, of the Pomona, to occupy Taman and
Fanegoria, daring the time requisite for the com-
plete destruction of the edifices which the Russians
have kept in those two establishments. The materials
will be made use of in constructing barracks on Cape
St. Paul. By taking timely precaution the garrisons
of the Straits of Kertch will be able to pass the winter
there without suffering.
I am, &c., BRUAT,
Vice-Admiral Commanding-in-Chief.

ADMIRAL PENAUD'S REPORT.

_.1.--

The Minister of Marine and Colonies has received
a report from Rear-Admiral Penand, commander of
the French division in the Baltic, but it adds little to
the information already given.