The Express.
London, England, 1855-02-24 00:00:00

THE ARMY IN THE CRIMEA.

(MN TUB SPIICIAL CORILISPOIIDWIT OF VII DAILY
11111f11.)
CAMP BEFORE SEBASTOPOL, Fes. 9.
We have been favoured with mild weather since I
lut wrote. On the 6th instant heavy gales from the
south and south-west prevailed ell day tut subsided
at night. On the 7th and Bth the wind blew from
the some direction, bringing with it a thick sea fog.
This day the wind has veered round to the northward,
but the atmosphere is bright nod clear, tu.d there is

no sign of frost.
Our sew works are not yet sufficiently advanced
to open their fire, and, judging from appearances,
some days must elapse before they will be in a condi-
tion to undertake the renewed bombardment, which
has been anxiously expected for the last month or
six weeks. A rumour has been prevailing, Mace the
arrival of the Princes at Sebastopol, that another
Russian attack on our position was intended. Addi-
tional precautions have been taken, certain posts
have been strengthened, the advanced sentries
have bees put on the alert to observe every move-
ment on the part of the enemy, to watch for
increase in the number or change of position of
vedettes and sentries, and it has been notified to the
officers in command of advanced posts that such cir-
cumstances, although seemingly trivial, are to be at
once reported to the proper authorities. There has
been a general desire that the enemy would make the
attempt, for every one has felt confident of his meeting
with a defeat, and at less cost to ourselves than on
the :eh of November. We are better prepared than
we were then, and there is a lurking hope that such
an encounter may hasten the siege towards its con-
clusion. Every possible contrivance seems to have
been adopted in aid around the town to guard
against the assault. On looking from any one of
the commanding points of view, so many batteries
are visible, such lines of ebeveux-de-(rise, ditches,
and embrasures—lino within line, and tier upon tier
—that I know nothing to compare it with—so com-
pletely is it armed at all points—better than the
provision made by nature for the " fretful porcupine."
From the vast number of its works, from the irregu-
larity of their connexion, from the great extent of
Kround covered, the defences and fortifications of
bebastopol present altogether an appearance which
no one has ever had the opportunity of seeing else-
where. A deserter, who gave himself up at the
advanced work of the 21-gun battery, on the evening
of the 7th instant, and who called himself a Pole,
stated that every street was dyked and enfiladed by
guns, and nearly every large building loopholed and
fitted for defence. He said moreover that the town
was mined in all directions He mentioned among
ether things that a large number of planks had been
prepared with long iron spikes, ready to be placed in
any position for the purpose of interrupting either
the passage of troops or progress of cavalry. Provi-
sions, he reported to be very scarce, and the rations:of
the soldiers very limited in quantity and indifferent.
A very general suspicion respecting the honesty and
intentions of these Polish deserters exists among the
troops. Yesterday afternoon, between three and
four o'clock p.m., considerable excitement was
caused in both] the French and English camps
in front of Sebastopol, by loud beating of
drums in the arsenal and town. So loud
was this drumming that it was plainly audible in the
tents of the several divisions, and officers and soldiers '
were on the qt i rice as to what was to follow. No
unusual movement was observable, but the roll of
the drums continued for nearly an hour. A heavy
fire was going on at the time trom the Garden Bat-
tery, and works in rear of the Flagstaff battery,
against the French advanced works, and also the,
works in front of Greenhill. For some time it was
supposed that perhaps an attack in this direction
might be intended, or that the artillery fire against
them was a feint to divert attention from some other
point in the lines, but the time and daylight ren•
dered this improbable. No movement on the part of
the enemy followed, and the roll of drums was there-
fore supposed to be simply intended for honours paid
to some distinguished personage—perhaps the Crown
Princes—visiting the works.
Our troops have been very busy repairing batteries
esd the advanced works, which, from various causes,
have become much dilapidated and out of repair.
The damage done by the fire of the enemy has net
been repaired from time to time as it occurred;
but almost a worse injury than this to the works has
been caused by provision not being made for drainage,
and from the men taking the wood of the famines for
the purpose of using it as fuel. Every artifice has
been adopted to steal away from the batteries with
some sticker of the gabiona and famines, and it affords
a proof of the extreme difficulty in obtaining the
necessary fuel for cooking and otlier purposes when
men, to secure a small portion, would thus sacri-
fice the means instituted for the protection of their
lives. But the want of drainage, so easily effected by
taking advantage of the slope of the hill, has not
only been injurious in loosening the parapets, but it
his caused serious mischief to the health of the
troops. Unable to move for boors, worn out by
fatigue and loss of rest, they have been in the habit
of lying down, literally, in pools of water,
and have doubtless thus imbibed the seeds of
disease which has subsequently rendered them
ineffective or been productive of fatal results.
These deficiences are now being remedied,
and working parties are engaged in these opera-
tions every night. Other parties are continuing
to assist in arming the new batteries on the right.
The French are rapidly advancing with their new
redoubt in front of the Ist brigade of our Light Divi-
sion, and in their other works on the right. TY,.
have also undertaken a new battery on French
Bill, in advance of our 21-gun battery. It will an
completed before this reaches England.
There was a very heavy fire of musketry 11,11
heavy guns on the left about 9 p.m. yesterday, tn•
lith inst., apparently caused by a sortie against tin/
?loch. It lasted about an hour.
The hots are increasing in number in camp. The
comment:jog dame are using every effort to bring the
housesup Room Balaklava. The Spanish mules
lately arrived is,7 also assisting in the work; but
either from the Spe,:lah saddles not being fitted for
the work, or from the pinks being ill-placed, these
gni Inlimels are beftfing *417 Piled. The arrival