The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-21 00:00:00

(Enclosure.).

, .
EXTRACT FROM A HEi'ORT FROM DR. HALL, INSPECTOR-GENERAL
OF HOSPITALS, TO FIELD-MARSIIAL LORD RAGLAN, DATED
MARCH 2, 1555.
I will offer a few observations on the weakly state up to the
24th of February; and, in doing so, I may premise that the
result of the sanitary condition of the army up to that period
is by no means so satisfactory as the previous improvement,
during the week of fine weather that we had, had led me to
anticipate; but though the unfavourable change in the wea-
ther, from the genial warmth of spring to the bitter cold of
winter, which took place oL the 20th, had an injurious effect
on certain classes of disease in weakly subjects, still there is
sufficient improvement remaining to enable us to look for-
ward with confident hope to the future ; and I am the more
inclined to indulge this hope from the favourable change
which has taken place in the type of fever prevailing in the
General Hospital at Balaklava, in the 93d Highlanders and
some other regiments, from low typhoid to that of a remit-
tent, and even intermittent, form.
This afternoon 100 patients were to be removed from the
General Hospital at Balaklava to the convalescent establish-
ment on the plateau of the old castle overlooking the sea ;
and when the remainder of the huts aro erected, which I
expect they will soon be now, I look for the happiest results
to follow, from being able to place from 400 to 500 convales-
, cents there, in place of sending them down to the crowded
i establishments at Scutari. In case of our having wounded
men, I should wish, of all things, to keep them in so desirable
a locality ; and, by a very little labour tho road up to the
huts from the town could easily be made practicable for am-
bulance mules ; and this, I am informed, the Commanding
Royal Engineer has been ordered to carry into immediate
effect.

TI • r.sition of the huts, I think, promises every advantage
they are placed on a dry ridge overlooking the sea, suffi•
ciently r4moved from the wise and stench of the town, and
not too far from our stores rind resources.

There is a running stream in a ravine close at hand, of easy
access, and fed by a spring higher up in the hills, which could
easily be led to the huts ttems3lves by means of gutta percha
tubing.
Out of 442 patients, treated in the general hospital at Bala-
klava, between the 18th and 24th of February, only three
casualties have occurred, which, I think, may fairly be termed
a low rate of mortality, considering the class of patients that
are generally sent in there for treatment—men brought down
from camp, and found too ill to embark when they arrive at
Balaklava.

The huts in the vineyard in front of the hospital have re-
lieved the hospital, and prevented the necessity of crowding
it so much as we were former y occasionally compelled to do.
The ventilation, too, d the main building has been im-
proved, by boring two rows of large auger holes through the
wooden ceiling. of the wards. Mr. Hanbury and the medical
officers doing duty under him are very attentive to their
patients. The sick have also the benefit of the care of Miss
Langston and the nurses under her, who are a groat comfort
to them; and I am glad to be able to assure your lordship
that the state of the purveyor's store is such as to insure
every comfort the sick can require.
The Cavalry Division, encamped; in a sheltered valley near
Kadikoi, has enjoyed better health of late, and the mortality
this week, though high as compared with service at home,
still it cannot be considered excessive ; but with the increased
comforts the men now enjoy, and their exemption from night
duty, further improvement may be expected. The Artillery
has also enjoyed good health, so has the Highland Brigade,
which occupies the lines in front of Balaklava, part of which
are elevated and much exposed. But, being near Balaklava,
they have exerted themselves, and got wooden huts up for
the accommodation of both the sick and a portion of the men
in health. They have had the advantage of house shelter for
their sick iu the village of Kadikoi, daring the whole winter.
The men aro warmly clad, and have the additional benefit of
being nearer their resources than the men in front. •
The 2d, 4th, and Lir;lit Divisions have improved in health,
but the 3d and the Brigade of Guards still continue sickly.
The Guards have just been removed to Balaklava, where
rest and better shelter will, I have no doubt, soon have a
beneficial effect on their health.
The 31 Division, too, will be relieved in some degree by
the 39th Regiment, just sent up to join it. The 39th has
lately arrived, and is quite efficient. Huts have been erected
for them on an eligible site, and they have a fair chance of
escaping any serious outbreak of disease.
Bowel complaints continue to be the most prevalent class
of diseases ; but I think they are not so serious as they were
a short time ago, nor is scurvy so manifest as it was since the
issue of lime juice daily as a portion of the men's ration.
Lately T have instructed the medical officers of regiments to
inspect the men, for the purpose of detecting this complaint
—skin diseases—and seeing that the men are clean iu their
persons, and change their shirts and flannels at stated periods.
The last weekly report is favourable. In the 4th Division,
which is the only report I have at hand in my hut, only 138
out of 2,596 men inspected, bore any traces of scurvy ; and
this is one of the divisions which was as much or more
affected with it than any division'of the army a short time ago.
Mr. Roberts, the staff-surgeon recently appointed to super-
intend the medical concerns of the division, is an intelligent,
active, and zealous officer, and he has effected wonderful re-
forms since he joined. If the issue of fresh meat could be
insured, together with vegetables and lime juice, I am quite
satisfied, snow that the men are warmly clad, and will
soon be better sheltered, a manifest improvement would take
place in their health. And if tho military operations carry-
ing on would only admit of some longer exemption from
duty, a still greater improvement would be observed.
I am inclined to think our greatest difficulties and miseries
have been surmounted, and wo may now look forward for
better and more cheering times. It was wonderful to see
the cheering effect the few fine clays had on the health and
spirits of the men ; and as the winter may now be considered
nearly at an end, I am full of hope and confidence.

The Charivari has the following jeu d'esprit on the
conferences at Vienna :—" In a group before the Pas-
sages de l'Opera the following telegraphic despatches
were read aloud on Saturday Vienna, two o'clock.
Nothing has transpired concerning the conference'. The
probabilities are in favour of peace.'--` Vienna, three
o'clock. Nothing is known of what has passed in the
conference. The probabilities of peace are becoming
stronger and stronger.'—' Vienna, four o'clock. The
deepest mystery continues to prevail concerning the
conferences. No serious doubt can now be enter-
tained of their pacific termination.' All this was
very satisfactory, and, the moment after, M. Gogo
said to M. Prudhomme, Just imagine what I have
just heard.'---q can't say ; do tell me.'—' Count de
Boo! has pronounced a pacific speech.'—' I know
that,—' But that is not all.'—` What is there more
The Russian and Allied Plenipotentiaries saluted each
other very courteously.'—' You don't say so !'—' Abso-
lutely, Prince Gortschakoff asked Lord Westmoreland
how he did, and M. de Titoff inquired of M. de Bour-
queney how his cold was getting on.'—' Well, that is
strange.'—' It is, I assure you, as I say. These, you
must admit, are pacific symptoms.'—' Oh ! beyond a
doubt !'—' If this intelligence be true, we ought to have
a rise of at least three francs at the Bourse.'—' No
doubt of it Oa the above system of interpretation,
the following, we are assured, are to be the next tele-
graphic despatches Vienna, Monday evening,
Prince Gortschakoff has just issued from the conference,
he had no appearance whatever of a black eye.'—
Vienna, Tuesday morning. Count de Buol has just
left the third conference, without the slightest mark of
a contusion on the nose. There cannot be any doubt
of peace."
A Paris letter, in the Indepenflance of qrrissele, stater
that in the event of the Cent-Gan!es qu L: p,„ J,O
cuirasses which they now wear will be exchanged for
others made of the aluminium, the new metal lately
disvorered.