The Express.
London, England, 1855-04-19 00:00:00

(MON AN OCCASIONAL COI

N IMO.)

OP THE DAILY

MALTA, APRIL 11.
On the night of Friday, the 30th March, a
government steam tug caught flee at Balaklava ; in
half-an-hour she was towed out of the harbour, and
the flre extinguished.
On Sunday, April 1, at 11 p.m., a fire broke out on
shore in Balaklava. All the ships lent assistance,
and, after some trouble, it was extinguished : it was
in the engineers' department. 'the next day, Com-
modore Christie, having been superseded by Captain
L. Heath, took hie departure from Balaklava with
his secretary, Mr. Pritchard. Brigadier-General the
lion. Yorke Scarlett, who, with his aide-de-camp,
Captain Elliott, is going home on leave, and a num-
bee of other military 4. fficers, also left. Major James
(/molly and some other cavalry officers are forming
[a tlepUt at Scutari for the reparation of everything
belooging to that department. Major Conully re-
[ turned to the Crimea on the 3rd.
I visited Scutari hospital on the 4'h; thank God,
lit looks almost deserted of patients as compared with
what it was in January aid the early part of
Fe bruary,and everything *ems wonderfully improved.
Thanks toe which, I believe ate mainly due to Miss
Nightingale and Mr. Brecebridge.
Mr. Ludlow staff assistant-surgeon, died in the
morning.Ths deaths are still trtqueot, though the air
'around appears sweet and pure, the hedges in full
atom, and the birds singing most awes fully. I
noticed that oar people have named the streets in
Beglish, and all the neighbourhood is putting on an
&Klub character.
H.M.S. Himalaya sailed on the 4th to Alexandria
ler the 10th Hussars, to be followed by the Trent. on
the 6th, for their conveyance to Balaklava. A French
tbsee-decker, a large steamer, and an English
wastes, with French troops on board, left for
Link 'ch.
Previous to Commodore Christie giving up the
esenmsed of the transports, four hundred of the cap-
tains presented him with a very handsome address
for his uniform skill and kindness; they have also
eellected 3004 to present him with a piece of plate.
To his Secretary, Mr. Pritchard, an equally gratify-
ing address was also presented; Sul. has been
subscribed to purchase a piece of plate for
him. This day they were ordered to remain
to answer certain question., and quitted the City of
London just as she was etwtiog. They are to fol-
low is a day or two in the Emperor. Addresses
have poured in upon them from all directions, and
all are of the most flattering description. Captain
Heath wished Mr. Pntchard to remain as his secre-
tary ; he declined, on the ground that most probably
there would be questions in England for him to an-
swer; and Mr. Arlidge, of the Caradoc, is at present
'skiing the duty.
On Sunday, the Ist of April. 300 sailors belonging
flu the Leander were landed at Balaklava, for the pur-
pose of joining the naval brigade. They went ashore
headed by a band and a silk ensign, and were cheered
from all the ships as they passed ;in tact, it was
mere the appearance of a wedding party than any-
thing else. Nothing could exceed the happiness and
gaiety of the whole of them. The day was floe,
though cold, and the roads quits hard, so they would
rather enjoy their walk to the camp.
From a highly respectable and influential source, I
learn that there is scarcely a doubt but that the
whole of our batteries will open upon Sebastopol.
The French are quite ready, and so are we. Our
useeensents will in a great measure depend on the
success of the bombardment, and what tff:ct it will
have on the works the Russians have thrown up, the
nista of which we do not appear to know. It is to
be hoped that this bombardment will not be a mock
we but that the troops will be allowed to fire upon
and destroy everything of the enemy's, as they
do ours.
The day we open fire from the trenches it is fully
[believed we shall have an attack on Balaklava,
which in reality is attacking oar rear; and if the
Russians could get possession for half an hour they
could do as great injury. Set but one ship oe fire,
and it would spread through the whole, they are so
closely packed ; and oast powder ship blowing op
would matter the whole. Then, any damage to the
railroad would seriously iejorei us.
Military men, who abould know, say we are quite
safe, and, from our preparations, have nothing to fear.
I had the whole clearly pointed out to me by a mili-
[tary man; bull, knowing nothing of military matters,
[ could nut feel our safety—on the contrary, I thought
that the Rut hens could d.) no great iejury, though it
is impossible to pick out braver men than the French
and English appointed to defend Balaklava, bat they
are too few.

TURKEY.

CONSTANTINOPLE, Alma 6.
The Sardinian etat-major is beginning to arrive.
Some officers reached this by the steam-packet Car-
mel, amoopt them the Chevalier de Carew, the in•
tendant-general, with hie aides-de-amp; M. Diets-
sail, lieutenant du genie; the Chevalier Angiono,
military intendant; sad I.pr. Camisetti, the chief of
the medical sniff. The Sardinian Minister,' Baron
Teem, presented these officers, shortly after their
arrival;, to the °rand Visir, the Minister for Foreign
Affairs, and to the fisreakier, from whom they met, I
used ■ot say, with a warm welcome and mat
ruins reception. They are ledgbd at the spacious
mansion, at Zeni-Xiey, of the Enmities hanker
Diesairli, which, *ith his other 'gents, has now be-

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posteOfo.ll property.
Tke representations of the Conseil of Health, in