The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-22 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY ETENING-, MAY 22, 1855.

LATEST NEWS.

THE SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL.

BERLIN, MONDAY, MAY 21.
The following despatch, dated, St. Petersburg,

Sunday, has been received here :

Prince Gortscbakoff writes, that on the night

between the 12th and 13th the Russians mad•

two small and successful sorties.

Up to the 14th nothing of importance had oc-
curred on other points of the Crimea.

VIENNA, MONDAY, MAY 21, 1 P.M.

Yesterday a complete elucidation of the views
of Austria on the third point was forwarded to
London and Paris.

If the Government consented to lay the de-
spatches in question on the table of the House
the nation would know what is to be expected
from Austria.

PARIS, MONDAY, MAY 21.
General Canrobert is appointed a Grand Cross
of the Legion of Honour.

THE SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL.
CAMP BEFORE SEBASTOPOL,
TUESDAY, MAY 8.
The details of the Kertch expedition have lost
their interest, inasmuch as it effected nothing.
The most extraordinary rumours are afloat respect-
ing the reasons of its return re infecta, but the sub-
ject is one of such delicacy that it is better to refrain
from any comment or hypothesis respecting it. It
is sufficient to say that the fleet, consisting of about
40 sail, with nearly 12,000 men on board, arrived
at the rendezvous, lat. 44 54, long. •36 28, on Sa-
turday morning and on the previous night, and
that they were summoned to return to the place
Whence they came by an express asteamer, which
left Kamiesh on Friday night or Saturday morning
with orders (it is said) from General Canrobert.
These orders were; it is reported, sent by the
French General in consequence of a communication
from Paris, which rendered it incumbent on him to
concentrate the forces under his command in the
Chersouese. It is not to be wondered at that this
abrupt terminationof an expedition which, from its
secret character, was doubtless intended to effect im-
portant services, excited feelings of annoyance and
regret among those who expected to win honour,
and glory, and position. Admiral Bruat could not
venture to take on himself the responsibility of dis-
regarding orders so imperative and so clear, and
Admiral Lyons was not in a position to imitate the
glorious disobedience of Nelson. No doubt, all
the officers engaged, French and English, experi-
enced the bitterest disappointment when they heard
the orders to go back to Kamiesh. Of the feelings
of the men there can be no question, for they have
been only too loudly expressed since their return.
It is rumoured that the Emperor directed all the
troops to be concentrated for some important ope-
ration, which is to be undertaken forthwith, but it
is scarcely probable his Majesty knew the expe-
dition had actually sailed and was close to the place
where, as it is believed, it was to act, at the time
the orders were despatched. No one can tell where
the men were to land or what place the fleet was
to attack, and Kertch, Kaffa, and Anapa, each of
them within a moderate distance of the rendezvous,
have been severally named as the point of attack,
but it is probable, from certain dispositions and
orders, that the troops would have disembarked
near Theodosia (Kaffa), and that the fleet would
have been employed in the destruction of the forts
which guard the Straits of Kertch on both sides.
All such speculations are, however, worthless,
nor can the real objects of the expedition be
known unless the Generals who conceived it
think fit to communicate them to the world. It is
certain, however, that the Russians were quite
aware of our Proceedings, because they must have
seen the flotilla cruising along the south coast of the
Crimea to the eastward, and for miles the blue sky
was seamed with streaks 'bf black smoke from the
steamers, which even at the rendezvous were
visible from the land. Those on board the ships
which were the furthest at sea could easily make
out the land. A high peak rising out of the sea
to the north was visible to the whole squadron ;
two or three smaller elevations at no great dis-
tance could also be seen distinctly ; and there is
no doubt but that the low land itself could he dis-
cerned from the tops of the men-of-war at the
rendezYous. I could not find out the names of all
the ships which composed the expedition, but the
following formed part of it :—The Royal Albert
(Admiral Lyons), on board which Sir G. Brown and
staff embarked ; the Montebello (Admiral Bruat),
with the French General commanding the expedi-
tion ; her Majesty's ships Hannibal, Sidon, Vesu-
vius, Ardent, Valorous, Tribune, and Fury, the
City of London, Hope, Cosmopolitan, Orient,
Magnet, and transports 93 and 11, two French line-
of-battle-ships, one English line-of-battle ship and
three steam frigates, and several men-of-war
steamers belonging to our Allies.
The men disembarked this morning.
Sir Edmund Lyons is said to be unwell, and his
illness is attributed to chagrin at the result of the
expedition. •
The 12th Lancers have arrived, some in the
Himalaya, others in the Jason.
Lieutenant Baynes, R.E., who was wounded a
fortnight ago in the trenches, died last night.
The Bishop of Gibraltar is lying ill at head-
quarters.
There was a review of the cavalry, including the
10th Hussars, on Sunday morning. They turned
out about 1,100 strong, and are reported to be
very efficient.

and unbroken enough to drive on in sledges; even
only a week back some adventurous spirits from
Esthland had come across on the ice.

FRANCE.

PARIS, MONDAY EVENING.

The firing was very heavy last night, particularly
on the French side, and our casualties in the ad-
vanced trenches are becoming; heavier every day.
The French have constructed some very fine new
batteries on the left, and have now put all their
new guns in position.
Our works are complete, and, as our new bat-
teries are armed very heavily, and are 500 and 600
yards closer to the enemy than the old lines, we
may expect tremendous results from their fire.
On the 4th the 49th were surprised in the ad-
vanced trenches. The enemy were repulsed by
the Royals, aided by some of the 40th. The latter
had five or six killed and 15 wounded.

An extract from a letter, professedly written on
board the Tartar, mentions that our Government
proposes to raise recruits in Sweden, so as to avail
itself of the existing sympathies for us and antipathy
against Russia. A German officer, now residing in
Copenhagen, is said to have been engaged by our
Minister there, and furnished with the necessary
instructions for raising a Scandinavian Legion for
the English service,

The Emperor has received from General Cau-
robert a letter dated the Bth, relative to the sortie
of the 2d, in which he says :
"In the glorious combat of the 2d against a
strong sortie of the Russians, who advanced to
retake the work, captured on the previous evening
by our soldiers, the light companies of your guard,
Sire, who were brought up from the reserve, caused
the admiration of the army by their courageous
impetuosity. I have been very happy to be able to
mention them favourably in general orders."
The Emperor yesterday received in private
audience, M. Olozaga, Minister of Spain and Baron
de Grancy, Minister of Grand Ducal Hesse, who
presented autograph letters from their sovereigns,
congratulating his Majesty on his escape from as-
sassination on the 28th April. Letters from the
King of Greece, and from the Captain-Regents of
theßepublic of San Marino, containing similar con-
gratulations, were also presented to his Majesty.
Lord Cowley yesterday presented to the Em-
peror Under-Sheriff Crosley, who came to Paris
for the inauguration of the Universal Exhibition.
General Pelissier, lately nominated by the Em-
peror to the chief? command of the army of the
Crimea, is the 19th. on the list of generals of divi-
sion. His promotion to that rank is of April 13,
1850. He is the senior officer of Generals Bosquet,
Noel, and Canrobert, but the junior of General
Regnault de St. Jan-d'Angely, the commander of
the Imperial guard. General Pelissier is grand
cross of the Legion of Honour, was not long since
in command of the division of Orau, and has been
governor-general ,of Algeria ad interim. He was
always one of Marshal Bugeaud's favourite lieu-
tenants. .

An Imperial decree revokes the order of the
Executive Power of August 27, 1848, reducing
the staff of the enginee-rs to 450 officers, and
decides that, in order to meet the necessities of the
service; the former number shall be re-established,
viz., 26 colonels, 26 lieut.-colonels, 108 chefs de
bataillon, 150 captains of the Ist class, and 150
captains of the 2d class and lieutenants—in all 460
officers.

The steam advice boat, the Petrel, has just left
Cherbourg to join the French division in the White
Sea.

A letter from before Sebastopol, dated the Btb,
states as follows :

"The expedition sent to Kertch has returned ; the
squadron which conveyed abd brought back the. troops
anchored at Kamiesh on the evening of the 6th. On the
7th the troops landed. It is generally thought that the
counter-order came from Paris by telegraph. After the
landing the troops returned to their former encampments.
The rumour circulates, and I believe it is well founded,
that fresh troops are expected ; it is at all events certain
that suitable places are sought to establish encampments.
Our fire continues very animated duringthe night, and the
object is to prevent the enemy from disturbing our work-
men. Since our occupation of the advanced works we
have taken from the Russians it has been discovered
that these works were mined. The mines were charged,
but our attack was so rapid and the victory so pr3mpt
that the Russians had not time to spring them."
A private letter from Constantinople, dated the
10th, confirms what I stated the other day with
respect to the object of. the expedition in ques-
tion. The
.writer says—
.

"A traveller who arrived this day from the Crimea has
given me some information which completes the above.
The object of the expedition wal to destroy the maga-
zines containing supplies for the Russian army. It ap-
pears that in those magazines there were provisions for
more than a month. I learn from a very good source
that the whole of the troops composing the camp of
Maslak have received orders to be ready to leave ; but
whither they go is yet a mystery. My letters from the
Crimea lead me to believe that they are intended to re-
inforce the army before Sebastopol. The health of the
army is much better, and the cholera has diminished.
The malady is also less violent at Pera. The number
of deaths has considerably diminished. The tergiversa-
tions of Austria have produced the worst possible effect
at Constantinople. The journey of Redsohid Pasha to
Vienna has been adjourned. Since I wrote last there
has been no modification in the Ottoman Ministry."
The despatch received by telegraph, counter-
manding the expedition, is said to have communi-
cated the fact of a large body of troops being on
the point`of leaving Constantinople for the Crimea.
The expedition had sailed at 6 o'clock in the even-
ing, and in some hours actor the counter-order
reached the camp. There can he no doubt that an
expedition on a still larger scale was determined.
upon, but to what particuldr point is not known,
and it would be useless to guess. The object may
he to intercept in some other direction the sup-
plies which enable Sebastopol to hold out so long,
or to attactc the Russian army wherever it may be
found. The letters received from the camp, be-
side those noticed in the Moniteur as from Gene-
ral Canrobert, concur in describing the sanitary
state of the army as excellent. • This, it is
feared, however, may not be of long con-
tinuance if the troops do not remove from
their present positions. The heat is becoming
intense, and the air is infected with the effluvia
from the pits in which heaps of dead were interred ;
and this inconvenience is beginning to be_felt. Some
discontent has been manifested in the French camp
in consequence of the time spent before Sebastopol,
and more than one regiment has repeatedly de-
manded the assault in a manner which resembled
something like a mutinous spirit. The troops would
willingly receive the order for storming the place,
even with the chances of failure, rather than re-
main as they are. The sorties and 'the slight affairs
which have taken place have only whetted their
appetite for further action. In this earnest desire
they will probably soon be gratified, as some great
operation may now at last be expected before long.
It appears there are 50,000 Turks—the best and
bravest of the Ottoman army—at Eupatoria,, and
the letters that have been received all speak of some
grand operation as imminent, and from which the
best results are anticipated.

BOURSE, MAY 21.—CLOSING PRICES.
Cash. fr."c. End of Month.
41 per Cents 93 50 , —f. •--c.
3 per Cents 63 90 68 95
Creilit Nobilier 792 50 Roman
CrMit Foncier — Austrian
Belgian Fives — Spanish Threes '
Piedmontese B5 Home Debt . 31i