The Press.
London, England, 1854-11-04 00:00:00

DR. RAE'S ARCTIC DISCOVERIES.

FURTHER discussion on the fate of FRANKLIN fails
to bring any new circumstances to light. Dr. RAE
has been attacked, we think most unjustly, for re-
turning at once with the tidings he had gathered.
The blot in his narrative is the mention of can-
nibalism, which it is most improbable that the party
ever resorted to. Two land expeditions are to be
organised,—one to descend Fish River, the other
Mackensie River. We have a strong suspicion that
these expeditions alone may fail to clear up the
FRANKLIN tragedy, or to gain tidings of Commisom.
We strongly recommend that a maritime expedition
be sent forth as well, under a skilful commander
like M'Currorx, with directions to rendevous at
some point between Cape Walker and Melville
Island. We think it most likely that FRANKLIN'S
ships will still be found somewhere between Om-
money Bay and the American continent. At all

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1035

events, if parties from the ships met the land parties,
the whole region might probably be explored. With-
out such co-operation, it is doubtful whether the land
parties would be able to leave the continent, from
the sea being often choked by gloating ice, and
though some bodies might be found, no clue what.
ever might be afforded to the proceedings of the
expedition between the summer of 1840 and the
spring of 1850.

CHAPLAINS FOR THE ARMY IN THE &tn.—The
Rev. E. G. Parker, the Rev. G. B. Eade, and the
Rev. Robert Freeman, have been appointed assistant
officiating chaplains to the army in the East under
the auspices of the Society for Propagating tho
Gospel, and are under orders to embark on Wednes-
day next on board the Ottawa at Portsmouth. The
Rev. Hugh Irwin has been appointed officiating
chaplain to the army in the East, vice the Rev. Geo.
Mockler, deceased, and will embark on Wednesday at
Cork on board the Cleopatra. The Rev. Edward
Owen and the Rev. C. E. Hadow sailed in the Queen
of the South for Scutari, being the first clergyman
sent out by the Gospel Propagation Society. The
Rev. Sidney Clarke has been appointed officiating
chaplain to the forces at Corfu, vice the Rev. J. St.
Leger, invalided, and is under orders to embark on
board the Edwin Fox in the course of the ensuing
week.

ARMY CLOTHING.—We have reason to believe that
an additional suit of clothing is to be given to every
soldier now serving in the East, and that 120 tons
out of the 400 tons which will have to be transported
to the seat of war are to be conveyed by the Ottawa.
The additional expenses of the new uniform, since
the clothing has been under the control of the
Government., will be something like 160,0001. per
annum.

THE EXTENSION OF THE PARIS AND LYONS RAILWAY
is so far advanced that there is official information that
it may be opened for the State by next February, and
that this direct route to the Mediterranean, and there-
fore to the East, will be available for the military
purposes which are to be renewed at the spring of
next year with increased vigour. The number of
workmen have been raised from 5,000 to 10,0(X); the
works are everywhere progressed with between Lyons
and Valence, which is the only part unfinished.

CENTRAL SCHOOLS FOR THE MINING DISTRICTS OF
CORNWALL are to be established at Truro under the
control of the Department of Science and Art. There
will be three teachers—one for mineralogy and che-
mistry, another for mathematics and mechanics, and
a third for practical mining. Sir Henry de la Beche
proposes that the teachers, on their appointment,
shall attend the Geological School in Jertnyn.street
previously to their tour through the mining districts
of Cornwall and Devon. Exhibitions at this depart-
ment are suggested, and it is believed that the Prince
of Wales, as Duke of Cornwall, through his royal
father, will aid in their establishment.

THE complaint respecting the COAL Surrrx FOR THE
BALTIC FLEET discloses another of the blunders of
our astute Admiralty. The screw-steamers could not
obtain fuel at Kiel, which was their appointed ran-
dezvous, because the store-ships lay at Elsinore,
where some of the coals have actually been ware-
housed. Thus a large fleet was detained because the
supply was deposited at a place where it has never
been required ; and there was incurred, not only the
cost of pay and provisions for 10,04:X) or 15,000 men
for a fortnight or more, with the demurrage and other
charges, but the increased risk to these large and
costly vessels at an unfavourable season which is far
advanced.

ONE of the most eminent engineers in Manchester
has offered to the Admiralty to build a steamer for
the WAR-DEST%TCH SERVICE Which shall be gua-
ranteed to accomplish twenty-four miles an hour, a
speed exceeding even that promised by Mr. Scott
Russell's leviathan steam ship being built at Milwall.

A Wonwie MAN'S COLLEGE has been established
in Red Lion-square, and was opened on Tuesday
last. The Rev. F. D. Maurice, Chaplain of Lincoln's-
inn, delivered an inaugural lecture on the subject at
St. Martin's-ball on the previous evening before a
numerous audience, a large proportion of whom were
working men. The object of the promoters of the
college, as developed in the programme, appears to
be to provide a regular course of studies on topics of
a scientific, historical, and social nature, calculated to
elevate the taste and enlighten the minds of the
working classes, each subject to be illustrated by
lectures or lessons, delivered on successive eveninrs,
by a number of gentlemen who have con• t Mad
themselves a " council of teachers." The Rev. Mr.
Maurice is the principal of this institution.

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1036

THE WAR.

SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL.
No official or even newspaper correspondence has
arrived during the past week from the Crimea. All
postal communication seems to be mysteriously cut
off; and even iu Paris there are no letters or Go-
vernment advices from the seat of war. Under these
circumstances, we are compelled to make shift with
the telegraphic despatches which arrive in rapid suc-
cession daily, and even hourly, from different quar-
ters, but continue, as heretofore, to furnish reports
always brief, often exceedingly unsatisfactory, and
not seldom utterly irreconcilable with one another.
These despatches reach us through two channels,
which it is very necessary to keep distinct. One set
travels from Constantinople, by way chiefly of
Bucharest, and transmits intelligence from friendly
or authentic sources ; the other comes from Berlin or
Vienna, and merely repeats such tidings as the Czar
may think it expedient to publish in St. Petersburg,
or which Prince Menschikoff may please to tele-
graph from the Crimea. From this latter source,
however, we still derive news of several days' later
date than are attainable through other routes, al-
though forced to accept the statements so conveyed
with considerable reserve.
The authentic despatches that have arrived convey
the following summary of each day's progress :
(From Constantinople, vid Marseilles.)
BII.LKLLVA, OCT. 17.—We opened fire this morning
with 71 English and 40 French guns against 130
Russian. At 8.40 a French magazine exploded. At
10.45 the fire was renewed. At 12.45 the French
ships engaged the sea forts, with the Agamemnon,
the Retribution, ana the Britannia. At 1.25 another
French magazine blew up. At 1.40 a tremendous
explosion took place in Sebastopol. At 2.55 the
magazine of the Russian redoubt blew up. The
Russians, however, returned to their guns. At 5.30
the ships fired on Fort Constantine at short range.
The fire was kept up until six o'clock, and did great
damage to the Russians.
OCT. 18.—The Russians have remounted their
guns, which are much heavier than ours. Our loss
yesterday amounted to 96. The Retribution and
London (query Agamemnon 1) both caught fire, and
have had their mainmasts carried away. The redoubt
and the round tower keep up a brisk fire. We get
our munitions up with difficulty.
(Vid Bucharest.)
OCT. 24.—0 n the afternoon of the 17th October the
land batteries opened fire upon Sebastopol. The
allied fleets at the same time attacked the flirts at
the entrance of' the harbour. The English fleet at-
tacked the forts on the left side of the entrance to
tha harbour, and the French those on the right.

The English fire blew up the left outer fortification ;
the French silenced the Quarantine Fort. The Aga-
memnon is reported to have suffered most. The
Retribution had a mast carried away by a shot. A
shell burst on board the French admiral's ship, La
Ville de Paris, killing one aide-de-camp and wound-
ing another. The loss iu both fleets is reported to
be 90 killed and 200 wounded. It was expected that
Sebastopol would fall about the 25th October.
(Vitt Vienna.)
OCT. 30.—Advices from Varna, of the 23rd October,
state that the English made a breach at Sebastopol
on the 21st. The French had not yet completed
theirs. The Russians say that the French succors-
fully stormed the churchyard on the 19th.
Nov. I.—News has been received from Sebastopol,
of the 23u1, that the cannonade bad continued inces-
santly for seven days. The fire of the Russians was
said to be slackening, but the French works were not
strong enough, and had been much injured. The
British are said to be within three hundred yards of
the Russian works. A deserter says that the loss of
the Russians has been very great. Nachimoff is said
to be killed. A fire broke out in the town on the
morning of the 23rd, and was burning when the
steamer left.
Nov. 2.—The Trent brings news from Balaklava
to 25th October. She reports that the upper batte
ries of Fort Constantine were demolished. The
allies had sunk two Russian line-of battle ships in the
southern harbour. Frequent conflicts occurred between
the enemy and the English covering the troops at
Inkerman. Some guns were directed against the
gates of the city. The number of dead was so great
as to infect the town.
Brno (evening).—Official despatches, dated the
25th of October, for the English, French, and Aus-
trian Governments, which have been received here,
show that the siege of Sebastopol is progressing
favourably. They mention frequent rencontres, but
say nothing of Liprandi's alleged victory.
The Paris .3fOniteUr on Monday published the