The Sun.
London, England, 1855-06-28 00:00:00

THE SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL

CAMP BEFORE SEBASTOPOL, JUNE 12.
We have again for the moment relapsed into a i
state of comparative silence and repose, but it s
not that kind of pause which proceeds from ex-
haustion, and which leaves it uncertain when ope-
rations can be again renewed ; it is only the time
necessary to turn to the best advantage the ground
obtained by the successes of last week.
The'advantages which may be gained from the
new positions occupied by the besieging armies
seemed to be great enough to justify this short
interval, in the opinion of the commaiders, and
induced them rather to allow the enemy time to re-
pair and increase his works than not to employ
every means given into their power to obtain a surer
and less bloody, although, perhaps, a little de-
ferred, success. And, indeed, through the position
gained last week the position of the besieging armies
is considerably improved. Leaving aside the moral
influence which the capture of the Mamelon and
the Quarries right in the teeth of the enemy must
naturally exercise, the capture of them as well as
of the White Batteries, greatly facilitates further
operations.

Through the occupation and arming of the White
Batteries, situated on the edge of the ridge of
Mount Sapoune, the head of the harbour is more
or less in our power. The Russians themselves
seem to acknowledge this by taking outside the
boom the vessels which hitherto had been
lying in that direction, and would have been
commanded from the works which the French are
constructing on the site of the White Batteries of
the Russians. But this is not all. These new works
will likewise be able to act against the two strand
batteries which the Russians have behind the Ma-
melon, and which, not being much commanded by
any of our works, could hitherto do a great deal of
harm without being expo3ed to much danger. The
construction of French works on the Mamelon brings
us to about 500 yards from the Malakhoff works ;
it gives us a footing on the plateau on which these
works lie; it furnishes us with the means of ap-
proaching the rear of them, and at the same time of
operating successfully on the annoying batteries in
the rear of the Mamelon, which, taken thus iu a
cross fire, cannot long resist. The Quarry is scarcely
more than 200 yards from the Redan. The battery
which it contains already will work successfully on
the 6-gun battery in the rear between the Redan
and the Malakhoff Tower works ; and from the ad-
vanced posts our riflemen will be able to prevent a
good number of the guns in the Redan from work-
ing. Several of them seem already abandoned ; at
least no shot is fired from them. Besides, in other
embrasures the guns cannot be sufficiently depressed
to do much harm in the Quarry.
But, for all this, the kceping of the Quarry was,
especially in the beginning, not at all an easy thing.
The Garden Battery on our flank, the 6-gun bat-
tery in the rear, and the Malakhoff works could
touch it on nearly all sides.
Our position on the Tchernaya is still the same,
except that two regiments of French cavalry and
some infantry have pushed forward in the direc-
tion of Baidar, which is occupied.
There are rumours of a large Russian cavalry
force having come down from Eupatoria, and being
in the south now, but hitherto no trace of it has
been seen, except some distant watchfires. On the
other hand, it is confidently asserted that Lip-
randi's corps has.gone from this neighbourhood to
the north in the direction of Simpheropol.

JUNE 13.
To-day a boat with a flag of truce came out of
harbour ; its object was to request the Allied
commanders not to fire on some of the vessels in
the harbour, as they had been converted into hos-
pitals. The impression is, that the Russians would
not scruple at all to employ a little ruse to save
their ships. Immediately after the affair of the
7th a great activity seized all the ships in the
harbour. The steamers approached by night the
Careening-creek, and fired on the French working
parties in the White Batteries. The line-of-battle
ships have all moved and, are now distributed
about the harbour with their broadsides looking
towards us, so that it strikes one rather as
if they were preparing to take an active part
lin the defences of the Redan and the Mala-
khoff works, and to try to make them un-
tenable in case we should take then, than as if
they were inoffensive hospital ships, removed from
a feeling of humanity out of reach of our guns.
Several of the Lancaster guns in the right attack
have been shelling them in their new position, but
without being able to do them much harm, as they
are about 4,500 yards off. There is a strong sus-
picion that several of the houses in the town on
which the,yellow flag has been hoisted during the,
bombardments are nothing less than powder ma-
gazines protected in this manner,. so that any con-
cession made in respect to supposed hospital ships
would not be very palatable to our gunners;
hitherto, however, no order has been given-in this
respect.
If possible, the fire on both sides was even slacker
to-day than yesterday, principally in the forenoon.
The capture of the Mamelon, and the diversion
which the French batteries constructed there will
make on the part of the Malakhoff works facing
them, will put the right attack into an even more
favourable position at the re-opening of the fire,
for it will be freed from the annoying cross fire
which it had to endure hitherto from the Mamelon,
and will be able to turn the guns formerly neces-
sary to face this entirely against the Malakhoff
works.
A large quantity 'of ammunition fell into, the
hands of the French in the White Batteries. Seve-
ral large -exceedingly well-constructed powder-
magazines were found after the capture of these
batteries, in which about 500 rounds of shot, and
shell remained after a 24 hours' bombardment.

JUNE 14.

To-day the Turkish troops, who have been since
the attack of the 7th in front, have been withdrawn,
and, with the exception of some battalions which
as before remain about Omer Pacha's bead-quarters,
all the rest have taken up their old position on the
heights towards the Tchernaya.
There is nothing new in front ; the fire is as slack
as yesterday, and the activity in the works greater
than ever. The Russians, as you may easily ima-
gine, are by no means behind us in strengthening
their position. Our late successes seem not to
have discouraged them, and everything shows their
determination not to give way except step by step,
and to, sell every advantage as dearly as possible.
They are very busy just now in strengthening the
rear of the Malakhoff works, which, as long as the
Mamelon was in their power, was safe enough,
but for which they must naturally entertain appre-
hensions now that this outwork is taken. Besides
these new works they have entirely repaired all
the old ones, which look as if they had been con-
structed yesterday.
This afternoon a large body of Russians, about
10,000 men, were observed from the Mamelon
going into the Redan. Whether they intend "them=
selves to make an attempt to retake the Quarry,
or whether they apprehend an attack on our side,
or whether they .were simply reliefs, is, of course,
impossible to say. At any rate precautions have
been taken to receive them should they attempt
anything.

Most of the English and French troops have
returned from Kertch.

JUNE 15.
No change has taken place ; the same stillness
prevailed during the whole day. The order for the
reopening of the fire is every.raoment expected.
A council of war was held to-day at Lord Rag-
lan's quarters, in which Omer Pasha took part.
In consequence, the Turkis'i army received the
order to be ready to march at a moment's notice.
This looks like a movement in advance on the
Tch ern aya, line.
The two light cavalry regiments arrived lately
from India have been thrown into rather an un-
settled state through the imminent reduction of
the re,,,,iments from their Indian to the. Crimean
strength. The 10th Hussars have already received
orders from the War Department in this respect.
The custom is, when the regiments return from
India, and are reduced to the strength of the regi-
ments serving in England, that the surplus officers
go on half-pay, free to look out for a place in some

other regiment. Instead of following these prece-
dents, the War Department has sent orders to the
10th, that all the officers who would have had to
go out on half-pay, had the regiments been reduced
in England, shall remain in the regiment as super-
numeraries. By this order, both those who remain
in the regiment, and the supernumeraries too, lose
a good deal, while the regiment itself gains nothing.
Juan 16, MORNING.—The night passed silently,'
and the morning too, at least up to 10 o'clock.

THE KERTCH EXPEDITION.

OFF YENIKALE, June 11.—Had I been aware
that this expedition would have been so barren
in everything but ,considerable strategical and
great political results I certainly would have he-
sitated before I abandoned the camp before Se-
bastopol. The mode of defence adopted by the
Russians has left one nothing to write about. Corn
ricks blazing, batteries and forts blown up, and
stores and magazines gutted and burnt offer but
little variety of detail. We have inflicted great
ruin on the enemy, but they have emulated our
best efforts in destroying their own settlements.
Our haste to attack has not exceeded their precipi-
tation to retreat. The reduction of every place in
the Sea of Azoff, except Arabat and Temrouk,
without the loss of a single life, has been an extra-
ordinary and gratifying success. It is understood
that there are difficulties in the making a success-
ful demonstration against Perekop, but difficulties
are not insuperable, and the Allies have bad leaders
who knew not the word impossible. Of the road
to the west of Perekop we know nothing, but it is
said to exist and to be in fine order for military
purposes. However, the approaches to this road
from east to west are not of the easiest or best.

Already the Tartars have, as far as they dared,
evinced their hatred of the oppressors whose final
conquest of the Crimea does not outrun the me-
mory of men still living. They have seized on
Russians and brought them in as prisoners. The
other night a party of Tartars carried a Russian
captain and an officer of the Commissariat, or a
paymaster of a regiment, bound fast into the Allied
lines at Yeuikale. They ,reported that the Cos-
sacks, in parties of 30 and 40 strong, were ranging
through the villages and driving away all•the cattle
at the distance of 30 versts from Yenikale.

MONDAY MORNING,

The intelligence of the destruction of Anapa has
had rather a perplexing effect on the authorities,
who do not seem well prepared for the enemy anti-
cipating their intentions, and for such eccentric
operations of war as those of the Russians, who
delight to do the work of hostile fleets and armies,
and to burn and blow up their own forts and set-
tlements. However, the embarkation of the troops
goes on as usual. All the English forces are now
embarked, except the 79th Re„g,iment, who aro in
garrison in and about the Quarantine station, near
Kertch, and the 93d Regiment, which still remains
at Yenikale. The Tarks have b3en reinforced by
2,000 men, who were landed yesterd ty. Lie
French force is all embarked, except about 2,500
men.

KERTCH, WEDNESDAY, JUNE. V.

The mission of the fleet and army having been
accomplished, the force is on its way homewards.
Sir George Brown and his staff are embarked. The
Admirals are at Ambalaki. It has been decided to
occupy Pavlovskaia, because it is in a fine position
to command the entrance to Kertch and Yenikale,
at a place where the channel is narrowed by one of
the sandbanks from Taman to the breadth of a mile
and a half. The lines which have been thrown up
around Yenikale are extremely strong. In fact,
the place is lost to Russia so long as we like to
keep it.
The point or bank of Tchechka, opposite Yenikale,
is one of the many extraordinary spits of land
which abound in this part of the world, and
which are, as far as I know, without example in
any other country. The enemy relied considerably,
on the shallow water to save him from attack, but
ho was also prepared with heavy metal for gun-
' boats, such as they were in the old war, and he
was no doubt astonished when the large shot from
the Lancaster guns began to fall upon their works
from the small hulls of our despatch gun-boats. The
Russians fired badly, fought badly, and retreated.
The Lancaster guns are more highly spoken of
than they were, because they are better under-
stood. They require great care in loading and aim-
ing, and are, in fact, delicate cannon, but their
range and power astonished the enemy. One part
of his defence completely failed him; the knowledge
that he was surprised, and that the submarine
batteries on which he relied were not in readi-
ness, had a deprossing effect on his courage. Rarely,
if ever, were the agencies of electricity more exten-
sively adapted to the purposes of war than at Yeni-
kale. One of the gun-boats which lay off the fort—
a mere hulk, without masts or cordage, of 150
tons burden, with embrasures through her sid is
on the deck for nine small guns—was found to
be filled below with the most complete series
of galvanic apparatus, attached to vessels full
of powder, which would explode on contact with
the keel of a vessel. The shock, no matter how
slight, would create a contact which would have
the effect of completing the electric current, and
discharging the submarine battery. I have not
seen the whole of the apparatus, and I am not
aware that there was any officer on Sir George
Brown's staff who understood rudimentary physics
sufficiently well to explain the action of the ma-
chine. . There were enormous coils of insulated
wire, and jars of sulphuric and nitric acids, plates
of zinc and copper, and some electrodes of platina.
The submarine machines with their strange cups
and exploding apparatus have been recognised, I
understand, by Mr. Deane, the diver, as portions of
the instruments he employs in submarine opera-
tions. They were all regularly numbered, and, so
there is a break in the series, there is reason for be-
lieving that some of them are actually sunk, but
the wires connecting them with the battery on
board the ship were cut the night we forced the
Straits, and the vessel itself foundered subse-
quently. There were many miles of wire, and the
number of cells indicated a very powerful battery.
To-day, the 13th, the only English vessels lefi
at Yenikale are the Sphinx and the Wrangler.
We do not interfere with French or Turks, and
our measures against our own men are harsh, ridi-
culous, and impotent. It was resolved not to give
our friends a chance of getting hold of any stores,
and all the corn that could be found was burnt.
The Austrian Consul was found to have a large
stare, which he concealed in magazines painted and
decorated to pass as part of his dwelling-house. It
was all destroyed.
In the whole lengthened front facing the sea, and
the wide quay which borders it, there is not an
edifice untouched' but one. This is a fine store-
house, with a grand semicircular front, ornamented
with rich entablatures and a few Grecian pillars.
The windows permit one to see massive mirrors
and the framework of pictures and the glitter of
brasswork. Inside the open door au old man in
an arm-chair receives everybody. How deferen-
tial he is ! how he bows ! how grhceful, depreca-
tory, and soothing the modulation of his trunk
and arms ! But these are nothing to his smile.
His face seems a kind of laughing clock, wound up
to act for so many hours. When the machinery is
feeble, towards evenine, the laugh degenerates into
a grin, but he has managed hitherto with nods,
and cheeks wreathed in smiles, and a little bad Ger-
man and French, which enable him to inform all
comers that this house is specially under English
and French protection, to save it from. plunder
and pillage. The house belongs, on dit, to P. iceWoronzoif, and the guardian angel is an aged
servitor of the Princes who, being paralytic, was
left behind ; and has done good service in his
arm chair. Prince Woronzoff's house is said to be
under the protection of the English and French.
Is he protected because he is a Prince, or merely
because he is supposed to be friendly to English-
men, and is known to be connected with some
English families ? Sir George Brown assuredly has
no natural sympathies with pure aristocracy or
with anything but pure democratic soldiery and
military good fortune. It may be—nay,:it is—
right to save Prince Woronzoff's house, but would
it not be equally proper to protect the stock in
trade of some miserable Russian mechanic who re-
mained in the town trusting to our^clemency, and
who was ruined by a few brutal soldiers ? How-
ever, the house is so far safe, and if we are sorry
that the museum is sacked we may be proud that
the palace is spared.

CAPTURE OF.A BURGLAR,—Yesterday morning police
constable No. 321 V captured a man for stealing some
leather at Mortlake. A desperate encounter ensued
tween the officer and the prisoner. The latter escaped,
be-
and attempted self-destruction by jumpint into the
Thames. In leaping, his foot caught some oats, and
both his thighs were broken. He was retaken,
remains
and con-
veyed to St. George's Hospital, where he now
in a precarious state.
THE ABERDEEN Ammo CODITA.Iff•—DEPARTURE OF
ning, at seven
CAPTAIN PENNY.—On Saturdayday
O'clock, Capt. Penny left Aberdeen harbour, on
board
eve
the Lady Franklin, along with the Sophia, Martin, and
a crew of 45 men bound for flogarth's Sound, Arctic
Regions, where, if necessary, they will winter.
SUICIDE THROUGH DISTRESS.—Yesterday the neigh-
bourhood of Castle-street, Holborn, was the scene of
some excitement, in wnsequence of the suicide of a
tradesman bamed Page. It appeared that the deceased
a'as by trade a watchmaker, with two children and wife.
Latterly the poor fellow had been short of work and
much 'educed in circumstances. yesterday morning
Mrs. Page, with her two children left, and on
her return
the deceased was found oo the moor with hie throat cut
from ear to ear.

AUSTRIAN CIRCULAR ON THE

CONFARENCES.

The following circular has been sent to the diplo-
matic agents of Austria at the various courts of
Germany :

VIENNA, May 25.
Your Excellency will have become aware, by an arti-
cle in the Oaten.. Corresp , that the Imperial (Austrian)
Government does not consider closed the negotiations
with the Governments of France and England respecting
the plans which it proposed for giving execution to the
third point of the guarantee. We have considered it
advisable to inform your Excellency of the true state of
affairs as a guide to the language you will hold. If,
since the breaking out of hostilities, there -was nay one
moment when more than at another the restoration
of peace might be considered probable it was the
moment when Lord John Russell and M. Drouyn de
rfluys left our capital. The Conferences, it is
true, hsd only led to the rejection of the proposi-
tions made by the belligerent powers, but upon both
sides it appeared to be admitted that those propositions
offered the elements of peace, and we were not only
able to declare without opposition that we believed our-
selves especially called to occupy ourselves in seeking
out the means of an approximation, but we also put
forward a draught of an ultimatum which was to be sent
to St. Petersburg, and which we considered not inad-
missible by Russia, since an immediate limitation of
Russia's sovereign rights in the Black Sea was avoided,
but which at the same time seemed so completely to
satisfy the object of the, third stipulation, and' put an
end to Russian preponderance in the Black Sea, that
the before-named 'Ministers of France and Englad,
in confidential interviews, showed themselves decidedly
inclined towards our proposal, and undertook to re-
commend the same to their Governments with all
their influence. This plan of an ultimatum, the re-
jection of which by Russia we declared ourselves ready
to make a casus belli, consisted of two distinct proposi-
tions, of which the Russian Government was to take its
choice. The first of these rested upon the principle of a
reciprocal limitation of their forces to be agreed on by,
Russia and Turkey, and established by treaty, originate"
with France. The second alternative, offered by Aus‘
tria, consisted of a progressive system of guarantees
against the development of Russian power in the EuxiDee
which were to be incorporated with the •general body or
European international law, partly by the treaty to be
concluded between Russia and Turkey, and partly by a
treaty between Austria France, England, and Turkey.
made
Lord J ohn Russell, before leaving Vienna, was
acquainted by verbal communication with these proposals-
who left
The French Minister, M. Drouyn de r ENS's,
plan. and undertook to submit it to the
Vienna some days later, received a written cc:W.of our-u
the Brli
of his Savere-gn, and also to bring it before
here
tish Government. It is unnecessary to speak•
the regret with which very soon after we received inter,
licence, not of the hoped-for acceptance of Ettgland
France, but, instead, the opposition of the English
nisters to theeviews of their colleague, and of the re-
solation of the Emperor Napoleon t. relinquish the ser-
vices of the M nisters whet had ust won the admiration
and the confidence of the Austrian court. This, h
o h
ever, is certain, that both the circumstances under
wh
and the
the rejection of our proposition took place,
exaiinatio.
grounds on which the Cabinets of London and Paris
contested their value, could only confirm tie in the con-
viction that those pr positions deserved to be admitted,
and that each of the two Western Cabinets would du
very wrong indeed to allow a solution of an
question, so honourable as that we offered, to escape
th ern.
We are not at liberty to speak more fully of the lan-
guage held by Lord Clarendon and Count Walewskie
which is only confidentially before us. It is enoug:
that, according to our conviction neither Cabinet ha,
sufficiently considered the meaning and importance 01
our pier), whether regarded as supplying, the Wages':
possible and most effectual guarantees against the over
reaching policy of Russia in the East, or in relation to
preponderance
of
the special object of terminating of the
Reseia in the Black Sea. eventful.
His Majesty the Emperor has felt no doubt concern-
urt
ing the position marked out for the Itnperial Co till'
der these circumstances. It appeared at once to his
Majesty that it was his duty to furnish the Cabinets or
Paris and London with an opportunity of again heal;
mining our propositions and the consequences to es ie.
the unexpected rejection of them would expose Europe&
The assurances of peaceful sentiments, cornmunicat.e
to us by Count Walewski, the evident impression of be"
ing undeceived that has taken possession of moderate
men's minds in France and England ; the reserve
with which the English ministers have spoken in upevra-
liament respecting the state of the question, and 'lll. --
even appealed to the duration of the negotiations ; er.
P
haps too the seemingly intentional stress, with wbicb.
the despatch of the Earl of Clarendon dwells on the eom
sense of all official and direct communication fr
.Austria—all these circumstances have necessarily beiethn
an inducement for us to address to the powers If
which we are in alliance, a full explanation of our Pier!.
together with its motives, as well as the completehoe: re?.
tation of the ohjections raised against it. S
this step not be attended with the success desired,
cannot dispute the right of the belligerent
insist on more ample conditions in their interest,
we must leave it to them to procure theniselre'
receg;
for their demands that title which is expressly
nised by the protocol of December 28, which deelariee.
that the details of the bases to be obtained will 71;
pend on the progress of military events. We'deees
our part, would simply rely on the basis that We -beau
to be obtained by the engagements that have "ea
entered into. We should firmly abide by the bases re7ci
nised by us in the conferences, and continue to Pr°,'ee.
powers_ tu..
the integrity of the Turkish empire against a fres° -;t
tack. In this attitude we -should know how to ll'r
the moment, when on the resumption of negotiations bit,
peace, we might be able to render our influence sense we
for the adoption of the four guarantees in the sense 0,
attribute to them. Should on the other hand our proPes,e
for an ultimatum meet with the approval of the Cabineee
of Paris and London, the final success of the workof poeaceee
would then solely depend on the last resolution of the e e':
of St. Petersburg. Your excellency perceives. that thene
communications from Paris and London will have to decide
on our further course of proceedings. Not till thenosboee
we be in a condition to make a definitive proposal t
Germal confederates with respect to the futur acion::
ointo
the Diet. Convinced that the line of policy which .
have invariably pursued since the bases of the four p_
were first established deserves the entire conficle,n ceot
tps
the German Governments, we indulge in the hope
the overtures we shall have to make to our federal hetsi
in either of the cases specified will meet with their resell'
assent, and that the opportunity for securing active
unanimity on the part of Germany. will not be lost 00,..
this occasion. The, correct appreciation which most t
the German courts have formed respectinc, the step
lately taken at Frankfort for the Cabinet of St. Peters-
burg is well calculated to confirm us in this conviction.
Receive, &C.,
COITNT 131:10D.