The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-01-22 00:00:00

/I.I§TMIMMIO

that Ferdinand Flocon, member of the
Provisional Government, an exile in Switzerland,
has been prohibited by the Swiss Government, on,
of course, the demand of France, from residing in
the Swiss Cantons.

The Moniteur publishes an official report of the
salutes, &e., exchanged between the French and
American authorities at San Francisco, on the
rehoisting of the flag of the French Consul, hauled
down some time ago for an insult given to him•
Everything went off satisfactorily, and the best
feeling was manifested on both sides.

THE CRIMEA

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Camp at Sebastopol, Jan. 4,185 G.
We are now fairly settled down for the winter, and
the few events that checquer this hybernating state of
existence, leave but little of interest to communicate.
Now that any chance of active service is at an end, the
minds of all are directed to making themselves as com-
fortable as the Crimean climate will admit. The wide
expanse of tented fields, stretching their enow—white
canvas on every side, is now changed, for what seem to
be, little villages of wooden huts dotting the surface of
the ground. The men are, to a great extent, all butted;
but the question naturally arises, why should there be
any still unprovided for? In many divisions there is yet
a sat! deficiency in this respect; and I have seen the
sick, on these bitter cold days, crowded together in
marquees with nothing but the damp earth beneath.
their camp beds. Surely sufficient hospital accommo-
dation at least might have been, by a little foresight,
given by those at home.

In Sebastopol nothing new has occurred, with the
exception of the destruction of the docks. These splen-
did works, that cost Russia so many years' expenditure
of labour and money, have been blown up, and rendered
for the future entirely useless. Their destruction was
exceedingly well managed, and does great credit to the
French, and our own, engineers. There was hardy any'
explosion ; a slight rumbling noise was heard, and the
sides of the docks slowly fell inwards. To the philoso-
pher it seems a bitter sarcasm on the wanton mischief
of war, that a set of men should come 3,000 miles from
their own country, to destroy in a few hours what had
cost another set of men years to complete—what was a
proud achievement of man's genius, and what, in the
time of peace, would have been of the greatest advantage
to commerce and the common interests of mankind.
, is true that these docks (like the town of which Owl
were so great an ornament) were intended by Russia for
her own aggrandisement, and the injury of other nations,
and therefore have been rightly destroyed ; but, never.
theless, one cannot ride through the dismantled streets
of that once splendid city, and survey her wondrous
beauty, both of natural position as well as human work-
manship, without a sigh for the grandeur that has passe'
away from her like a dream.
The rumours of peace that agitate us by every fresh
mail—a peace that is to put an end to all the evils and
all the miseries of war—are likely to be better known to
you than to us. The last report was, that Austria had
consented to deliver the ultimatum to Russia; and, 00
its not being accepted, to join us in compelling. the
Czar to come to terms. The general opinion in the cawp
is, that a peace will be concluded before the spring'
which opinion old grizzly-bearded veterans, pining after,
old England's firesides, are stout in maintaining;
and
young downy-moustached subalterns, longing for Erlori
and promotion, are equally stubborn in denying. Beti
to use the language of our Turkish allies, "it is ai',,
written on the folded leaves of the dark book of destinP.
Since my last letter we have had one continuation 01.,
the same hard frost ; the frost has now lasted a fort;
night. Last night here was a heavy fall of snow, ea:
today it lies three feet thick, and looks as if there '4O: much more to come. The men keep in splendid bealt!"
and in lieu of more real work employ themselves II)
grand snowballing fights. One detachment makes I
Malakoff of the snow, with defences and bastions complete, while another advances to the assault under,:
shower of snowballs, and as I write, the shouts gr°: stronger and stronger. While the soldiers thus end
&c.your to keep up their spirits the officers are basil
employed in getting up theatricals, club-rooms,
c. la large hut in the 4th division, formerly used as a French
restaurant. is almost in a state of readiness, and has
been rigged up in first-rate theatrical style, Talking °
restaurants—why is it that everything of the kind, filo
the humblest canteen, to the new gorgeous French ca,.,
in the 3rd divisiOn, should be left so entirely to 0,
enterprising spirit of the Greeks and French ? Why bas
no Englishman come out here, and provided at a tno°6; rate cost the requirements of our army ? Such is speculation could not help being most proCtsebb, •.1 is, the Greeks are enriching themselves at our expeel
Some few English keep storehouses at Kadikoi, but the
charges are so exorbitant as to make them but lit
preferable to the rapacious Greek.
A general order was read to each regiment to day, 0110
the subject of the Nightingale fund, exhorting the nteB ,
to contribute in honour of her, who has indeed been
soldiers' friend.

Camp before Sebastopol, Jan. 5.
Yesterday and this morning, the troops have bed
0
amusing themselves by snowballing each other,
really, without exaggeration, military tactics are °lc,
played by the contending parties that would not 113 ,
disgraced our greatest generals. Before a battle CO1:30
mences, it is usual to construct a redoubt, or two or Or batteries, on each side, about 100 yards apart. In tij open piece of ground between the works the fight j 9
most curious. No distinction is made or shown dur:l-is
the contest between the officer and the private. Snr"
are made, rifle-pits established, and sometimes flags 0
-f
truce arc hoisted, all for the purpose of taking ea:o
other's works, on which generally are fixed two or tl!r0 flags of different colours. Some of these flags are °lt',
captured ; but the chief standard on each side is alvvs‘e
a make-shift union-jack. This is never fixed into t.O
snow, but always waved over the works by a soldier
long as it is tenable. The principal challenges gives
are are one company against another, or the right wing °OO
regiment against the left; but yesterday evening, in to light division, there was a most hot contest between `„,t Ist and 2nd brigade. The middle ravine was the gr,710
point in dispute. As one brigade charged down,
other retired ; and then, as the former came almost 10
stand-still, through being blown while ascending tea
enemy's side of the ravine, it was sure to be eharg,d down upon, losing, in all probability, several men tak:ii
prisoners. Amongst the prisoners taken by the 2",0
brigade, who were in most cases dragged by their,
,171
down the sides of the ravine, I noticed Colonel we
lesley, 7th Fusiliers, Captain Thynne, Rifle Brigade,3
several other officers.tog
In consequence of the distance g,
for buts, the transport corps having failed, I hear that t'W
Ist and 4th divisions have given up the idea entirelY..4
hutting themselves. In the camp, for the last tb,1:10
days, the great topic of conversation has been war 4
Peace. Drunkenness is decidedly on the decrease,.. tl
the troops never were in better health. Part of 'Log
three Karabelnaia docks, the destruction of which
Poi
been entrusted to the British engineers, has been blO up. They have not been destroyed simultaneously, 9:at was anticipatedithey would be. It is understood lu,, the entrance of the water into the shafts and gallet'vto
has prevented this intention from being carried Ohs
effect. One of the three docks remains entire, and keill
sides of the other two have yet to be destroyed,—SPeel Correspondence of the Daily News.

~ iii BERLIN, JAN, 18.—The participation of Prussiaoies
fe nacse st
hfeo
pr
Ipaecaec
we
hi is
ruentdheerya r e discussion.to be
elDa
.r es uo
eorSuNßAy.—The Debra, has leading artieles„d
crisis. It is less sanguine than on the two prerwea
it sh thee p Ae talkedno ni
sf,
days, and quoting the English journals agrees with tll,O
that caution is more than ever necessary against '"
wiles of Russian diplomacy.
~; „e
BERLIN. SUNDAY.—It is rumoured that for the r.,01
pose of admitting Prussia to the conferences, the Vires:;ir
Powers require from the Berlin cabinet certain gtos,ci,
tees in case the negotiations should not produce Ind It is also rumoured on 'Change that the Dore Napoleon bas consented to an armistice.
tb.
The Daily News observes that, according to ,i 0
language of Count &tors circular to Count Valeol'ed
Esterhazy, the Austrian proposals are not Wel od
a basis of negotiation but preliminaries of peace, 601
hence the conclusion of a peace can only be preve,iit of
by equivocal indications of insincerity on the Ptifs,
Russia in her acceptance of them. The prodlf,"
industry of France and England is at present pars, AS
by that uncertainty which can only be terminated 1100
immediate peace, or a speedy rupture of negociait!tots
and no abatement oan be made in the war expenult sti
of either country, until it is certain that war is 3" end.
tve
The London Post says :--The Western Powers 0 -,40.,°
oto the world that peace be not made without s",,P tangible evidence that Russia was restrained, iillaii:
time to come, from persevering in her aggressions. eciP
is the origin of the stipulation, for power to make sPits,i
conditions which at first caused Russia so much beviti,
tion. The conditions themselves are perfectly tif
known to Austria, and, probably, in an indirect ~4
unofficial way, to Prussia also. These special couocit
are now the hinge of the whole question. England f itl;
France will not avail themselves of their miliisv
naval successes to claim cessions inconsistent with..tor, •
high and unselfish purpose with which they undcei'l,o
the war. But if proper conditions be demandfot 17 granted, the most ardent advocates of the war 03.4 Of
satisfied, and every excuse for its further prosecutluo to
taken away. If the Emperor Alexander be earilecoceg:, peace he u ill only be too glad to be let off' with c p,l
sions so reasonable. In the meantime all
goes o
fled'
before, until Russia shall have accepted
our 'p Ol'
il,
conditions, when an armistice may be proclaimed,
time for the preliminary arrangements, to be al"
into final terms of agreement,