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

Respecting the provision made by the French for
their wounded men the Moniteur publishes the
following interesting details in a letter from Con-
stantinople:—
The exact number of sick and wounded who arrived
here on the 24t11,25th, and Nth September
FRENCH HOSPITALS.
Wounded, French
Wounded, Russians
Sick

1,920

ENGLISH lloarrrits.
Wounded, English , 2,060
Wounded, Russians
2,180
Our hospitals were prepared for the reception of this
great number, 1,910 of sick and wounded. Their removal
was effected without the slightest accident, and in perfect
order, on stretchers, carts, or carriages, according to the
nature of the wounds. All the patients found on their
arrival their beds ready, with the medical and surgical
service completely organised. The large and magnificent
hospital of Pera received at the same time 000 wounded
French and 220 Russians. Among our wounded we have
31 officers—one general officer, Thomas, slightly wounded
in the abdomen ; a commissariat officer, M. Leblanc, who
suffered amputation of the left thigh ; Lieutenant-Colonel
Merinet, wounded in the leg; and M. Cone, whose right
arm was amputated : the remainder were captains, lieu-
tenants, and ensigns. The Turkish War Minister and
several pachas have been to visit the hospital. They can
scarcely understand bow such efficient arrangements could
have been organised in so short a time ; and they praise
highly our generosity, which prompts us to treat our
prisoners like our own soldiers. This act of humanity
will not be thrown away. The wounded Russians were at
first greatly afraid of falling into our hands, bat at present
they are full of admiration and gratitude at being so well
treated. They were perfectly amazed when our hospital
orderlies placed them in good beds, and changed their
filthy clothing for clean linen. With respect to our
soldiers, they exchanged with their enemies of the day
before as many " bonos" as with the Arabs or Kabyles of
Algeria. I saw a Zouave with a fracture of the foot fill
and light the pipe of a Russian whose arm was in a sling.
The hospitals of Constantinople are capable of containing
at this moment about 4,000 men, and it is expected that in
a very short time there will be accommodation for 10,000.
They are to be furnished with iron bedsteads as soon as
possible.
The following enumeration of the " means pro-
vided for the conveyance of troops from the field" is
appended by Dr. Smith to his letter :
Bearers or stretchers, 780.
Spring carts on two wheels, built according to the direc-
tion of Mr. Guthrie, 20.
Spring waggons on four wheels, 20.
Flanders waggons, 9.
In addition to thebefore-mentioned supply, each corps is
provided with a regimental and with a detachment medi-
cine chest, each chest amply furnished with medicines and
surgical materials, according to the regulations of the ser-
vice, also with a box of apparatus for fractures and disloca-
tions.
The surgeon of the corps has a full set of capital instru-
ments; the senior assistant a portable set, the surgeon and
three assistants each a case of pocket instruments and a
case of lancets. There are likewise,for general use, asetof
cupping intruments and a stomach-pump.
The slightly wounded are accommodated towards the
front of the carriage, placed back to back, separated from
each other by wooden partitions, and prevented from falling
outwards by each compartment being provided with a
chain covered with a leather, to be passed across the chest,
when the seat is occupied, with a view as well to safety as
support. The badly wounded, extended on elastic stretchers,
six feet six inches long and two wide, are placed behind,
and, as already stated, in separate compartments, into or
out of which the stretchers glide with facility, from their
being provided with rollers. Each of the compartments is
fitted with a ventilator from end to end, which can be
closed or opened by the person lying on the stretcher.
A waterproof roof, supported on wood hoops, covers the
body of the carriage, and under it is a depository for fire-
locks, knapsacks, caps, accoutrements, etc. There is also
under the seats for the slightly-wounded men a large capa-
cious locker, in which may be placed water-sacks—for
barrels soon become useless, especially if exposed to wea-
ther and sun—bedding, and other articles, which the
medical officers of the army may consider as likely to be
useful ; and under the hinder part of the waggon is a con-
venient box, in which medicines, instruments, (Lc., can be
carried if required.
At the hack part of each vehicle there are two iron
brackets, which fold down to support a stretcher, and so
afford the means of forming a convenient table. This plan
I from the first preferred to one which was strongly urged
on me—namely, to form a table by placing a stretche r
across two panniers.
The testimony of an eyewitness, and sharer to the
sufficiency of the provision made for the wounded at
Scutari, is supplied by a letter from Lieutenant
Henry Foster, of the 95th Regiment. He says :
Having just returned from Scutari, on sick leave, I learn
with astonishment and regret that reports have been pro.
minently put forward in certain newspapers to the effect
that the sick and wounded of our expeditionary army have
been grossly neglected, and that there was a great want of
lint, bandages, and dressings for the wounded, ns well as of
wine and other comforts for the use of the sick.
These reports, to my certain knowledge, are utterly false
and groundless. I was myself under treatment for some
time at the military hospital at Scutari, and can speak
confidently and truly in praise of that establishment and
of its staff. I saw the wounded arrive from the Crimea. I