The Express.
London, England, 1855-09-29 00:00:00

ASPECT OF SEBASTOPOL

The Semaphore of Marseilles publishes the fol-
lowing letter, giving an account of the state of
Sebastopol when occupied by the allies:
After erossiag the cemetery, where there is still a chapel
riddled with halls and bullets, I entered Sebastopol through
ea enormous bread. made in the central bastion. A large
fortified wall protests all this side of the town; within it
lies a suburb composed of small houses, which were no
doubt occupied by various small tredremen. This suburb
gradaally descends towards the water; four strew con-
verge to • sort of platform, connected with a little bridge,
which enabled the inhabitants to cross a street below when
violent rains transformed it into a torrent. In this
small speedo I counted sixty-eight shells that bad not
burst, and balls. We then proceeded to the street end
boulevard which bear the name of Catherine; it is the
elegant quarter of the town ; all the Mates have but
one story, are very nest, and are surrounded with gardens.
There is not one that has not received at lout a ball ; they
are completely gutted ; all the furniture, such as mahogany
bedsteads, chests of drawers, writing desks, *a., was lying
about the street. I remarked • considerable number of
pianos, many prints (most of them rather licentious), sod,
what is very extraordinary, portraits of the Emperor Napo-
leas sad the Empress Eugenie. The whole of this quar-
ter rises in an amphitheatre just opposite Fort Constan-
tine ; the theatre is untouched; it is a pretty white build-
ing. When I passed by, the scenes were lying ou'side
against the wall. The church called St. Catherine'', a
Doric temple, with a gilt pediment, has also suffered very
little. In this quarter net • soul was to be seen ; the streets
were deserted, the house" completely abandoned ; and it
made one melancholy to see these vast solitudes. The whole
' towa is now peopled with only 2,000 French soldiers, who
are encamped in the streets. General Bossing, who has been
appointed governor of the place, occupies a pretty house,
pierced like the others with three or four balls. In
Catherine-street is a house which was occupied es a
t , the doors have been tore down, and the soldiers
have written on a bout, o Eau's sans trapper." The sol-
diers amuse themselves with playing at pitch and toes, and
_ _

shooting at eats, which are the only inhabitants of the town.
Most of the houses have a story underground, where artisans
had their shops. From this quarter we went down to the
quay.. The nearer one gets to the port the greater is the
number of barricades. The Russians evidently intended to
have defended Sebastopol street by street, for at the top of
every street is a wall of large stones, two metres in height,
b- hind which small pieces of artillery were placed. On the
quays, which are wide, and planted with trees, it was more
difficult to enjoy one's walk, as the Hessians still occupy
Fort Constantine opposite, end every three miautes
they threw either a shell or • bell at the people
who were walking about; at Englishman was killed
in that way ten steps off from where I was stand-
ing. From this quay, and as far as the docks, we
may distinguish the mast-tops of the Rouian fleet
rising above the water; it has all been burnt and sank,
with the exception of a small steamer on her bum-ends at
the corner of the military port. The streets are actually
covered with projectiles of every description. The decks
have suffered considerably from oar fire; skirting them was
a quarter of the town, set apart most likely for workmen
and invalids ; it is now a shapeless mass of mine. Nothing
in the Lawn has been destroyed by us ; our artillery has
only ruined what was indispensable ; it was the Russians
who, during their retreat, sprung an enormous number of
mines, and we are finding more daily. Even on Monday
and Tuesday, the 10th and 11th, there were explosions
every moment, and many fell victims to their curiosity. A
Russian colonel, they tell me, was killed at the moment
that ►e was stooping down to fire a new mine while hur-
riedly retreating. Stain then our firemen have thrown
water over all the suspected spots, and pot out all the fires.
Our soldiers behaved well dnrirg the first hours of the as
cupation ; they did not then pillage to any very
great extent, sad allowed inoffensive men, women, and
children to retire unmolested. Afterwards they spread over
the towu, and, you may be sure, took very exact inns-
. toriee of all that could be tamed to say use. Thus, I met
a soldier carrying oil an enormous mahogany bedstead for
firewood. To conclude, the general aspect of Sebastopol fa
heart-tending: nothing but ruins, blackened wail., and
I gutted houses; the ground strewed with projectiles sad
broken or spoiled furniture. But few visitors in the streets;
not a cry, not the slightest noise denoting • living city—sß
, is mournful and silent. The Hessians are shut up in Fort
Constantine; their camp extends beyond Fort Sivernaia.
There is a rumour that they ate about to evuuate the
north ; but, in order to make them do so sooner, General
' d'Herbillon is to attack them on the side of the Tchernays
wish 70,000 men. Our fleets are still opposite the Quinn-
, tine Harbour, and, as soon as the entrance into the great
harbour is cleared, they will enter it, and then, if the Mus-
eums have not yet evacuated the north, the fleets will ma-
nmade Fort Constantine on one side and harass them on
the other, and that part of Sebastopol will then soon be in
oar power.

LETTERS FROM OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS
IN THE CRIMEA.

The following are extracts from letters of a young
Cavalry Offieer at Sebastopol.
September 7, 1865.
Ogee yesterday evening, at 6 p.m., till within the last
Seeseata, • most terrific fire has been opened on Sebes-
amp& Mose who were here before say that the former
bembsedwitints were nothing equal to the firmest. To give
you an idea of what it must be, I as almost say, even at
the distance of the Cavalry Camp, it is deafening, or nearly
se. I trust this time, if an attack be made on the Malakhoff
by the French, it will prove successful, and then all mast
fall into oar hands. Bat here we know nothing, and until
the fire opened we had not the remotest idea such was to
Impose. Bet it is as it ought to he : sothieg like seamy.
The firing has suddenly stopped ; I suppose it is to allow
the guns too Al. The night before last, as I was going to
sleep, I hoard a cry," By Jove, Sebastopol is oar fire, Jack !"
addressed to my groom by one of the men. I helloed out,
"What is that ?" and John replied, "A large fire is the
town, air." Up I jumped, and peeped out of the tent, and
sure encinglt a large firs was certainly raging somewhere in
tbeeity. Nest morning, arta parade, or rather " tura
our —which we do every morning at half-put o'eloek,only
now we do not go down to the battle plain of Balaklava, but
mount, tell off the squadrons, and dismount and stand by the
horses' heads—l mounted my pony, and galloped to Catb-
cart's Hill, and some soldiers told me the fire was from one
of the ships in the harbour ; on my way back I learnt it was
• frigate, and set on fire by our rocket battery. It would
have been well had the other ships shared the same fate—for
commanding as they do the Malakhoff and the Redan, they
will do fearful damage whea these defences are attacked.
I joined • party. the other day, and went to Kamiesch,
which is the French Bslaklava. It is in far better
order than we have our port. They have regularly built •
town of wood, with wide streets, and there ars a great many
restaurants. We went to one called Restaurant de Lusein-
burgh. There were two large rooms and a smaller one,
with tables covered with table cloths, like • dining room
in an hotel ; each table had four chairs covered with chime,
some white china plates, tumblers, wins gleam, and German
silver knives and forks ; the ceiling likewise was lined with
chime, and the windows had curtains of a different pattern;
in fact the whole was well famished, and looked remarkably
comfortable—nor tests, with • camp stool, pewter ware,
and • block of wood for a table. offering a droll contrast.
The waiter Game immediately, and dinner was ordered, and
before we bad time to tie up oar horses the soap was coi the
table, and very good it was ; then turbot, which was ex-
cellent; then some capital patties, mutton and fried pota-
toes; in fact • first-rate dinner, as hot as het could he, and
not having to wait or order it. The rooms were very full,
chiefly French officers, and two or three parties of English.
The wine was very good; but no beer to be had. They know
how to charge English officer', as we had to pay lls. each,
with only two bottles of wine—rather expensive for a sub.
Row well the French manage all these things ! It is very
extraordiaary, but • fact, that we cannot do these things
like the Freneh, nor Sardinians either, and yet no one is
fonder of his grub than en Englishman. A British soldier
is sadly helpless. Put him in • jungle, and be must have
wood and water, meat, tetiscoo, coffee, tea, Re., supplied to
him, and the chances are he grumbles. Now • French sol-
dier manages famously for himself. He will build his hut,
bake his bread, get his sticks and water, dc., and march
with • greater weight upon his bask than an English sol-
dier attics. In fart, it should be pars of the routine of
discipline of an English soldier to teach him to be handy
and ladependent in these matters, particularly in camp.
Sept. 10.
Long, long before this letter can reach you, you will have
heard of the glorious news of the taking of Sebastopol, com-
prising the town and dockyards. Liy letter of the ith told
you of the tremendous cannonade, which had stopped just
as I finished. In the eveninJ I rode to the front, and toutd
the left French attack just opening again. It was getting
late, and being very cloudy, gloomy, and rainy looking, the
firing was uncommonly pretty; anither Russian ship, teo,
bad been set on fire, and this of course, added to flights of
rockets, isarewi the effect of the scene. I observed that
the Realm were hardly firing a shot—the Malakboff en-
tirely anent, gad the Radon sending a shot nay every quar-
ter of an hour. An officer told me in confidence that
"to morrow" the assault was to take place. "To-morrow"
cams, and with it the order to rentals in our lines—horses
saddled. A furious cannonade occamenosd in the morning
sad "satirised math 4 o'clock. Not one word had we
heard up to this time. About 4 I got • note from one of
the aldee.de-camp of • general officer, saying the Malekbeff
was takes, and probably the Redan. Also l before night
vi'e feud this last was not the ease, and that oar loss had
boss issittil; but sums Nos is sad obi if the llAlskioff

were held the Redan must fall in the morning. I went ts
bed and slept uncomfortably. At 2in the morning me
awful explosion woke me up, followed by rolls of muse
kitty, end then other exploaione. At 3.30 a.m. we yenned.,
arms as liana, but not one soul could tell what bed Meg
place. At 6 a.m. the dismissal *minded, and I galloped to
the front ; and what a magnificent sight presented itself!
Clouds 01 black smoke, flaming buildings, flashes of gee,
esplosions, shells, and rockets, combined to illuminate tho
dark earl dialed looking dawn; and now I heard a cry
" The Haden is in the hands of the Highland Brigade-44
the Rnuians retreating." With a glees I sew the flow,"
win g the bridge in thousands, aided by steamer,. We
e doing our best to shell the bridge; but the shells (ail
wide. Yon may suppose with what a light heart 1 geilsoeg
back to my tent to tell all my news. We have had It bite
terly cold, with the thermometer at 41 deg , sal a tim
cutting through you.—[The writer then enter into lists*
of the storm, which are abundantly before the public.]
I have not been able to go and see the town; Int to.
morrow, if not on duty, I will try.
September 14.
I had arranged with some brother officers to go sal
inspect the Malakhoff, Redan, end town ; but as one dim
per troop mast remain always in the lines, and my Koko
being in sick quarters, I cannot go yet. The red 'amebas
are minions hands at the apprupriatim of moveables, sod
oar men are very bitter that they are not snored to de
the same. I see the Zouaves are constantly pea.
log out of the town encumbered with goods and elan*
They are understood to be rather difficult to amp, 4.
though excellent troops—indeed the best in the Free&
army. They have such a haughty and iedepeedent look,
one cannot help admiring them. They are also larger 'al
more powerful men than those of the line, or even the
Imperial Guard, and come nearest to our red.coats. Tbak
' dress is very picturesque.
There are very contradictory reports of what is going to
be done. The Beet ought to silence Fun Constattine, forty
is annoying us a good deal, by firing into the town at
, down tee streets. We can scarcely hope to ii eco the
lassie heights, which are very formidable. I can see the
i flatteries from my tent, which frequently open upon the
I French, when they go down to the ischernsys to water the
I, cavalry horses.

The following, says the SlamArd Mercury, is a
latter received from a sergeant of the 62nd Regiment, a
native of Stamford, a portion of whose company formed one
of the leading parties in the attack cn the Sedan:
•

"Behastopol, &pt 12,1855.
" My (tele Sister—You will doubtless be sinned sad is
an extent rejoiced to see from what quarter this lanai I
written, for although you are ell aware at home that Bent
topol has &Ilea into our hands at last, yet it may be a esatne
of curiosity to say that this letter is written in the mod*
military ohapel of that once floe garrison, on the side of a
large bell, which is partly smashed into pieces by the hem
cannonade from our people. The garrison itself, as wall as
the surrounding batteries, which have given us so meek
trouble, had its doom fixed on Saturday the 8:h Innate
For three or four days previous thereto both English Oa
French opened and kept up an incessant terrific fin al
heavy metal upon them, and which proved very attend
in reducing the strength of their boasted stronsibolea da
twelve noon on the Bth the Allies were all aesenahlee reedy
!or action, which was commeaced by the French attacking
the Malakboff or Round Tower, and which they carried it
twenty minutes, with a very little lots; fa it weed
appear that the enemy, being aware that the Round Town
was considered by us to be their strongest position, we
should accordingly not attack it until we had first Uhl
the Radon, and bed therefore concentrated nearly silted
strength at the Radon. No wonder, then, that the Freed
took it so easily. But mark the difference on our side.
The attack upon the Round Tower by the French was totes
the signal for our people storming the Redact ; and and
half-put 12 at it our lads went. mounting the loaders which
bad been placed by the sappers for the purpose of staling
the parapets ; but as may be euppi sed, they test with a
terrible resistance from the Russians. My own poor litsle
regiment, lam proud to say, did their duty on that day,
together with the 41st and 3rd Buffo, having to ben di
the brunt of the hard fight themselves. Thousands of on
troops were in rear of them, but were so appalled that they
could not be got to support our poor few lade, who fought
aid died whilst a drop of blood remained in their veins.
My own corps was the very first that entered the Reds;
and by it many a brave fellow fell. We went into the field
less than 300, and when all was over we found our lose to
consist of 1 colonel wounded, 2 captains lane, 5 Insinuate
wounded, 2 killed, and 1 a priooaer in the hands of the
Run lane. 4 sergeants killed, and 57 killed and missies
rank and file, and 91 sergeants and rank and file wounded,
some of whom have sirioe died, and friend others bevel
recovery at this time. However, et 5 o'clock the UM
evening the Roden was ours, and during the night the
enemy evacuated the town altogether, sod took to the hills
and to the interior of the country, leaving the place is
flames, and sinking and burning all their ships before len-
ling. Oa the 9th the town and harbour presented a curios
spectacle; nothing to be seen but smoke and Bons, and
occasionally a mine would explode, for the place was full of
them, and the fire taking effect upon them noon blew then
up, bat luckily no one was hurt, for the comanuden it,
chief lad taken the precaution no to let the victotitme
army into the town until the flames had subsided. On the
11th and 12th (yesterday and to-day) we were permitted le
enter, but not to take away any plunder, as the
French;
claim the. It is different, however, with the French;
they fight for booty, and must have it, but regardless of the
strict orders that had been issued, and the numerous guards
which had been planted to prevent anything being taker
away ; nevertheless, county all that was portable, and mad
be easily concealed beneath one's clothes, was carried of.
The place Is one mass of ruins: some of our general sad
steffofficen have gone to take up quarters there, and it le
expected that in a few days some of our troops will be sed
in to garrison the place during the winter. It is also re.
, snouted that some of the weakest of the regiments will be
sent home. GM grant that it may turn out so, for the/
will certainly take rears. Amongst the little things which'
brought out of the Redan and Round Tower I can flail
nothing that I could put in a letter to send you, so I mod
keep them until I come to England. Tne little branch ole
tree which I here insert I Dave just now plucked off a tres
in front of the chapel in which I am writing the, merely le
dyable you to say that you have something out of &MP
topol. It Is time I returned to my camp, and, as themes
are all turning out to go home for the night, I must lolled
their example and close uri."

MARRIAGE OP A CRIMEAN HERO.—Yesterday.
writes a correepondent, the neighbourhood of Memo*
Surrey, was the scene of unusual gaiety, in coneequeace of
arrangements which had been made for the merrier of
Major Sbakeepear, of the Royal Artillery, a Crimean hsr%
to Louisa Caroline, second daughter of Robert Sayer, E'q.,
of the Menor.bouse, Richmond. The nuptial ceremony
was performed at Richmond Church, is the presence of a
vest number of the military and civil friends of the bride
and bridegroom, after which a splendid dejeener, supplied
by Gunter, to upwards of on. hundred guests, was laid out
in an elegant marquee, erected on the lawn in the mar of
the Manor-house, by B. Edgiogton. Subeequestly OS
happy pair proceeded by the South Western Railway est
road. to Corfu, from whence the bridegroom, Major Shake-
spear, will proceed to join his corps in the Crimea. The
entertainments at the Manor house were kept up Pilate:l
late hour, and produced general hilarity in the locality.
AN INTERESTING BALANCE-SHEET.—We have
before alluded to the unpretending but very useful educe
dotal institute established twelve months ago by the work.
men of Wearmouth Colliery, and we have now before as •
printed copy of their second call-year', balance. diem up le
the 251,11 ult. The Dr. side is almost wholly coca potd of tha
I'm., "Subscriptions by Underground Workmen, "Salt-
*captions by Workmen at Bank ;" and the total income
amounts to 1581.3.. ltd. The Cr. side is varied enough,
and the second item shows that the workmen hare not Ist
such a low value up in the office of teac'ter as many of theis
betters do, and as indeed parliament itself has done la MSS
instances. Here we have two male teachers' salary " for 26
weeks at 28s. 10d. each per week," and two female teechem
at as average of 129. 6d. each ler week. A clean school-
room is looked to, and the sweeping and washing at
it is paid for at the rate of five shil;iugs a week. That
is the Caucus newspaper, with its Argus eyes, takes
in for four weeks, and the Wesleyan Times, with
its strong popular sympathies, is paid for to the
extent of 11. Ss. 6d. The Daily News's masculine
sense and unadorned eloquence is welcomed both by andel
and above-ground workmen, and 1/ 6s. Bd. falls to the
share of our London contemporary. The only other mug
taken in appears to be the Bunderlund Herald, but we bad
the item " b00k.," " books," occurring every now and thals
so that literature of one sort or another is tolerably well re•
Presented. They give the girl who brings up their MN".
7.. 6d. for the halt-rear, and they've get hemispheres, tee,
and for mounting one of them there is a payment of 31. 9d.
Euclid has his disciples, and for " computes and parallel
rulers to the school" lls. is set down. The children were
sent to the Local Esbibition—that cost a sovereign ; bet
after paying all these and many other little odds and ends,
there is the welcome item, " Belacce in treasurer's band,
111. 18s. 80." With this sum over, and the hooeor of mt.
sing on foot, unaided, as institution which is bent Snag both
them and their children, the men of Wearmouth Colliery
have good reason to be proud of their leading position Wel
the workmen of all the otter collieries in the North of Ear

nen d Herald.
THE LONDON AND WESTERN DISTRICTS CE.i4l'
TEST COXPANT.—A meeting of the adjourned vestry of
the township of New Brentford was held on Thereby
evening; the senior churchwarden in the chair. Mr.
Huston. clerk to the Bit-int Board, stated that he bad
received a letter from the Home Secretary, alloodol_."
extension of time for closing their push burial-grenome •
sod intinis'ing that this would be final end pirempeOlf;
that the board had inquired into the coat of various ONO' •
twin, and hod come to the resolution to momenta ihe 4
township to Contract with some *listing cemetery ago
limy rather then incur the rest espense of annals'',
parish cemetery; and that Mr. Garstin and Mr. Oa.'"
health, representing the Sinn-bill Cemetery, had attosikil
and were now ready to ezplaia the poeitinn and propeit,
of the London and Wistern Di:erica Cemetery Coy
The meeting having bears there gentles a wallies° I
resolved to postpone the consideration of the purchase of
ground fora parish cemetery, and authorised the Burial
Beard to conclude an arrangement with the company.
The Hurst Castle telegraph station has been done
away with, cad intelligence of ships sad mail packets
pricing the Needles can be no looger communicated to
Southampton sad Loudon. The station did not psi
ip
expenses.

Emmi•EmiglNali