The Press.
London, England, 1854-05-27 00:00:00

a bill-hook, hatchet, or cooking-tin fastened over all. In
the rear, mounted on a packhorse. follows the firma/ere,
in the uniform of the regiment, with nasty little panniers
and neatly-polished barrels of diminutive size dangling
over the saddle ; and then comes • sumpter mule, with
two wooden boxes fastened to the pack, which contains
small creature comforts for the officers. The word is given
to halt, stand at ease, pile arms. In a moment the whole
regiment seems disorganised. The men scatter far and
wide over the fields collecting sticks and brushwood, and
it seems incredible that they have gathered all those piles
of brambles and dried wood and leaves which they deposit
in the rear of the lines in such quantity from the country
that looked so bare. The officers gather in groups, light
cigars, chat and laugh, or sit on the ground, while their
coffee is being boiled. From the moment the halt takes
place, off come the boxes from the mule, a little portable
table is set up, knives, forks, glasses, and cups are laid
out, a capacious coffee-tin is set upon three stones over a
heap of bramble, and in three minutes ( I timed the whole
operation) each officer could take a cup of this refreshing
drink after his hot march, with a biscuit and morsel of

cheese, and a chas#e of brandy afterwards. The men were
equally alert in providing themselves with their favourite
beverage. In a very short space of time two or three hun-
dred little camp fires are lighted and send up tiny columns
of smoke, and coffee-tinware boiling, and the busy, brisk
rivandit're, with a smile fur every one, and a joke or box
on the ear for a favourite virax tautestadir, passes along
through the haze, and fills out tiny cups of cognac to the
thirsty soldiers. Pipes of every conceivable variety of
shape are lighted, and a hum and bustle rise up from the
animated scene, so rich in ever•shifting combinations of
form and colour that Maclise might look on it with wonder
and despair. There was a dashing, serviceable look about
the melt that justified the remark of one of the captains—
' We are ready as we stand to go on to St. Petersburg this
instant.' "

Lord Raglan on arriving in Turkey intimated his
wish that the troops should shave.
The interpreting part of the army is in Turkey
being organised by Major Collingwood Dickson, of
the Artillery, who himself speaks Turkish fluently.
Numbers of young men offer their services daily, so
that the department will soon be in first-rate working
order.
Carbines on the principle of the Minie rifle are
being prepared for the cavalry. Every regiment will
have them, excepting the lancers.
Eighty pieces of artillery, of large calibre and of
tremendous power, have been embarked at Toulon
and Marseilles. They are said to be intended for
Sebastopol.
The plan of the campaign, as drawn up by Mar-
shal St. Arnaud at Constantinople, was received on
Monday in Paris by the Minister at War.
Admiral Hamelin has written to his Government,
it is said, demanding that a body of troops for
landing shall be sent with as little delay as possible
to the East. His request will be complied with.
The 46th, 63rd, 21st, 20th, and 34th Regiments,
and let battalion of Rifles, now forming the reserved
divisions, are under orders for Greece.
The 42nd Royal Highlanders embarked on Satur-
day afternoon at Portsmouth on board the Hydaspcs,
and the 97th on the same day at Southampton on
board the Orinoco, for conveyance to the East..
The great steam-packet companies connected with
Southampton have received an intimation from
the Government, requesting them to hold at its dis-
posal, from time to time, all the large steam-ships
that can be made available for the conveyance of
troops. Every vessel, therefore, not urgently re-
quired for the mail service will be offered to the
Admiralty.

The Government pay 5,0001. a month for the hire
of the large steamers for the transport of troops.
The Government supply coals ; the owners merely

find working expenses. -
The Himalaya arrived at Queenstown on Thurs-
day to embark the sth Dragoon Guards for the East.
Government officials are in the north and midland
counties inspecting the prisons and barracks, with a
view to finding accommodation in the interior of the
country for the prisoners of war that may be taken.
The blockade of Riga, Libau, and Windau ports
was established on the 12th inst.
While steaming eastward from the Swedish coast
in a dense fog, the Cumberland, 70, Captain Seymour,
ran into a merchant-vessel, supposed to be a Swedish
brigantine. The Cumberland sustained little injury,
but the brigantine, being struck amidships, sunk
instantly, all her crew perishing.

THE FRENCH FLEETS.
The Baltic squadron, commanded by Vice-Admiral
Parceval Deschenes, consists of thirty one ships, of
which eight are new steamers. In the Black Sea
Admirals Hamelin and Bruat have thirty sail, and
Admiral Barbier de Tinan commands a subdivision,
now in the waters of Greece, of fourteen sail more,
of which nine are steamers. In addition to these
squadrons, seventeen steam-frigates and corvettes
will remain armed in the port of Toulon, ready to go
to sea, and shall be ready at the first orderto embark
12,000 men of expeditionary troops. Finally, the
Minister of Marine is ordered immediately to arm
another squadron, called reserve, of fourteen ships of
the line, quite new, seven of which are screws re •
cently launched, and will shortly be ready.

THE PRESS.

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489

The Monittur announces that, now that the
steamers have accomplished their transport service,
by carrying troops from France and Algeria to the
seat of war, the fleets will receive important reinforce-
ments.

Official confirmation is still wanting with regard to
the fate of the Tiger. So many statements substan-
tially alike have, however, reached England from
different quarters announcing the catastrophe that
there is little hope the story will prove unfounded.
It is said that the steamer was not taken, but burnt,
as she lay on the sandbank. Two steamers are
said to have come too late to her assistance, and,
after sending a fruitless message respecting the
liberation of her commander and crew, commenced
bombarding the town and forts of Odessa.