The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-28 00:00:00

11.30,

Ewart 3,130
Bonham
Majority -1,253
The contest appears to create comparatively little
excitement.

COURT CIRCULAR.

--czy- - -

The Queen and Prince Albert, accompanied by the
Princess Royal and the Prince of Leiningen, visited the
Duchess of Gloucester, at Gloucester House, on Mon-
d►.ay evening. The Royal suite consisted of Lady
Churchill, the Earl of Listowel, Major-General Don-
verie, and Captain Du Plat.
Prince Albert rode on hor.4eback yesterday morning,
attended by Ins Equerry-in-Waiting, and visited Messrs.
Robinson and Coltam's factory at Pimlico, and honoured
Mr. Bacon by inspecting his cast for the statue of Men-
detc:,seho.

Prince Arthur and the Princesses Helena and Louisa
visited the Zoological Gardens, in the Regent's-park.
The Princess Royal and the Princess Alice took
equestrian exercise in the riding-school.
Her Majesty had a dinner party in the evening. The
company included the Duchess of Kent, the Duchess of
Cambridge, and the Princess Mary, the Prince of Lei-
nit-Igen, the Lord Chancellor and Lady Cranworth, the
Danish Minister and Baroness d'Oxholtn, Baron and
13aroness Usedom, Lady Fanny Howard, the Lady in
Waiting to the Duchess of Cambridge, the Earl and
Countez,s of Roseberry, Viscount Torrington, Lord Hey-
tesbury, the Right Hon. Pemberton Leigh, Colonel the
Fion George Upton, and Baron Knesebeck,
The Duchess of Atholl has succeeded Lady Churchill
as the Laly in Waiting to the Queen. Earl Somers
and the Hon. Mortimer Saekville West have relieved
the Earl of Listowel and Sir F. Stovin in their duties as
the Lord and Groom in Waiting to her Majesty.
The Duchess of Kent, attended by Lady Fanny
Howard and Sir George Couper, visited the Duchess of
Gloucester, at her residence, Gloucester-house, on Mon-
day evening. The Duchess of Cambridge and the
Princess Mary, and the Duke of Cambridge also visited
the Duchess of Gloucester on Monday evening.

The Lord Mayor attended the Queen's Levee on
Monday, at St. James's Palace.

A deputation from the Steam Shipowners' Assoc'ation
of London had an interview with Lord Stanley of Al-
derley yesterday, at the Board of Trade. The deputa-
tion consisted of Mr. Anderson (chairman), Mr. W. J.
Hall, mad Mr. Morgan (secretary).
Dr. Paris had an interview with Sir George Grey
yesterday, at the Home-office, to present his annual
report.

A deputation on the subject of the Central American
Steam Navigation Company, consisting of the Right
Hon. T. M. Gibson, M.P., Mr. Bright, M.P., Captain
L. Vernon, M.P.. Mr. Jackson, M.P., Sir Gore Ouseley,
Mr. Holroyd, Mr. William Morgan, and Mr. Young,
(solicitor), bad an interview with Lord Stanley of Al-
derley, on Monday.

The Queen, we understand, has been graciously pleased
to excuse the Duchess of Sutherland, Mistress of the
Robes, from all attendance at Court, until the family
mourning far the late Lord Frederick Leveson Gower
shall have expired.
The Duke and Duchess of Cleveland, who have been
entertaining a succession of visitors at his grace's splen-
did baronial seat, Raby Castle, are expected to arrive at
Cleveland House, St. Jarnes'k -square, the second week
in the ensuing month, for the season.
The Earl aril Countess of Harrington, who have been
seeing company the whole autumn and winter at Elves-
ton Castle, come to town shortly to Harrington House,
Palace-gardens.
Lord and Lady Gough are shortly expected at
Loughcooter Castle.

Lady Georgiana Burghley and youthful family have
left the Countess of Longf)rd's, in Bruton-street, for
Burghley House. The noble lord is doing duty as colonel
commandant of the Northamptonshire Militia.
The Ca,lcutts, with the Ist Royal Lancashire Militia,
arrived at Corfu on Me 16th inst.

By the ,leatli of Sir John Keane, and of the Rev. Dr.
Parkes, 3,000 acres of land, near Lismore and Tallow,
fall to the Duke of Devonshire.
COURT-MARTIAL ON LIEUT. SANGSTER, R.M.—On
Monday the court-martial re-assembled, and the defence
of the prisoner was read by Lieut. Prynne. Several
witnesses were examined, and the court adjourned to
Tuesday.
Mr. Paul and Mr. Hogarth had the honour yesterday
of submitting to her Royal Highness the Princess Royal
a proof of the " Field of Battle," from the Princess
Royal's drawing, of which her Majesty and the Prince
were pleased to express their highest approval.
NEW PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.—The second concert
of this society takes place this evening at Exeter Hall,
the proceeds of which are to be devoted to the use of S.
Mary's Hospital. A surplus of some 4001. bas been
already secured.

SIR HENRY BISHOP'S CONCERTS.—Last evening Sir
Henry Bishop gave an evening vocal concert at Exeter
Hall, consisting of solos, glees, quartettes, and concerted
music, seleciltsd entirely from his own works. We need
not say that it was entirely successful. Mr. Sims Reeves
was encored in the " Pilgrim of Love," and the same
honours awaited Miss Birch in "Bid me discourse," and
"Lo ! here the gentle Lark." The choruses were in
the most efficient training, and the hall was crowded to
excess. We believe aaother entertainment will be given
on the 16th of next month.
DEATH OF MR. W. B. GURNEY. —Mr, William B.
Gurney, the short-band writer to the House of Lords
and Commons, died on Mondaymorning, at his residence,
Denmark-hill, Camberwell, in the 78th year of his age.
His death was somewhat unexpected, as the state of his
health was such as to encourage the hope that he wuuld
be able, on the first Thursday in May, to lay the founda-
tion stone of the Jubilee Building of the Sunday School
Union, of which, in 1803, he was the founder, and of
which he held the office of President up to the time of
his death.

GAS MONOPOLY.—A very numerous meeting of gas
consumers, south of the Thames, was held on Monday
night, at the Southwark Literary Institution, Borough-
road, for the purpose of adopting measures to defeat the
bill now before Parliament "for altering the districts
within which the Phoenix, South Metropolitan, London,
and Surrey Consumers' Gas Companies may supply gas
within the counties of Surrey and Kent."
THE MAILS.—SOUTHAMPTON, March 27.—The Penin-
sular and Oriental Company's steamship Madrid, Cap-
tain Cook, left this afternoon with the usual mails for
Vigo, Oporto, Lisbon, Cadiz, and Gibraltar. She has
on board 20 passengers, 32,1371. in specie for Lisbon,
38,2401. ditto for Cadiz, and a full general cargo. The
Euxine, Captain J. Weeks, with the heavy portion of
the India and Mediterranean mails, is expected about
the 4th proximo. The Tagus, Captain Joy, with the
India and China mails, is hourly expected. She will
depart with the outward portion of these mails on the
4th of April. The Royal Mail Company's .stearn-ship
Tyne, Captain Lewis, is due with the West India,
Mexieln, and Pacific mails on the let proximo. The
Tay, Captain Moir, will take the outward portion of
these mails on the 23. The Solent, Captain Jellicho, is
Vie next ship to arrive, with the mails from Buenos
Ayres, Monte Video, Rio do Janeiro, Bahia Pernam-
buco, St. Vincent, Teneriffe, and Madeira. She is due
on the 16th of April. The Great Western, Captain
Beviß, conveys the outward portion of these mails on
the 9th proximo. The United States mail steam-ship
Washington, Captain Cavendy, will leave Southampton
with the usual German, French, and English mails to-
morrow afternoon.

LATEST NEWS.

THE BALTIC FLEET.
DEAL, WEDNESDAY MORN ING.

The ships of the advanced squadron have
weighed and proceeded for the Baltic, consisting
of the Imperieuse, Euryalus, Arrogant, Cossack,
Tartar, Conflict, Desperate, Esk, and Archer.

VIENNA, TUESDAY EVENING.
The political horizon has again become some-
what gloomy.

It is said that yesterday's C inference, which
was the first on the third point, was not satisfac-

tory.

Although the Western Powers do not insist on
razing the fortifications of Sebastopol, they pro-
pose other conditions which are not agreeable to
Russia.

BERLIN, TUESDAY, MAncli 27.

4 telegraphic despatch from St. Petersburg,
datcdthe 26th inst., states that the following
despktch. had Veen..receiVed there :

Prince (TortgAakoff 'arrived at Sebastopol on
the 20th of March.

On the 14th the Turkish cavalry at Eupatoria
made a sortie, but were repulsed.

On the 17th three battalions of Zouaves at-
tacked the new redoubts, and were driven back

with great loss.

MADRID, MATten-, 26.

MM. Weisveiller and Sa,lamanea have made
proposals for the new loan of 500 millions of
reals.

The discussion on the bill relating to the sale

of the Church property is to coiumeuce immedi-

ately.
The last news from Cuba is satisfactory.

THE VIENNA CONFERENCE.

- - -
The foreign journals received last evening refer
to the abandonment by France and England of the
demand that Sebastopol shall be dismantled as a
matter of which there can be noquestion. When
Prince Gortachakoff withdrew his troops from Silis-
tria last Juno, after a 40 days siege, the Journal do
Pete;',,Aourg began to speak of " the sham siege
of Silistria." The French Govorrimen t journals have
begen to affirm that the Western Powers are net
seeking to destroy Sebastopol. The onslilationnel
writes :—" The destruction of Sebastopol no longer
figures in the number of the stipulations of the Allies
relative to the Black Sea, for the reason that the
siege of which this place has been the object has
neve-Aeon considered otherwise than means and not
as an ens by the Western Powers. What they
pursue in common in the Black Sea with their
fleet and army is not the ruin nor the capture of a
military port—it is the reduction of the forces
which Russia has maintained in these parts—it is
the species of domination which she exercised, and
the privilege she enjoyed there, to the detriment
of all Europe, and, above all, of Turkey."
VIENNA, March 24.—1 t was yesterday affirmed
on 'Change that the preliminaries of peace had
been signed, but nothing of the kind has happened.
Very little transpires relative to what takes place
during the Conferences, but one or two of the "ini-
tiated" men, who are renowned for their uncom-
promising hostility to Russia, have, within the
last 24 hours, expressed their belief that a moans
may be found of making Russia innoxious for the
future without insisting on the destruction of Se-
bastopol. At the Conference of yesterday, which
lasted four hours and a half, Baron Prokesch is said
not only to have taken the lead, but to have
kept it.
This morning a Cabinet messenger was to have
left for England with despatches.

THE SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL.
(From a Second 'Edition of the Morning Berald.)
ENGLISH CAMP, HEIGHTS OF SEBASTOPOL,

MARCH
This evening the Medway arrived with 300 con-
valescents, all of whom, I am glad to say, were in
excellent health, and fit for any daty. This is the
largest number of convalescents ive have yet re-
ceived, and, as I have said, all were in an admi-
rable state. The Trent left Balaklava, this even-
ing to purchase horses at Varna, and the Hope
with ammunition for Eupatoria. Admiral Stewart
has returned from the latter town, and resumed his
old place in the fleet. General rumour reports
that it is impossible to hold Eupatoria against any
serious attack of the enemy. Netts verrons.

3KARcir 12.
Sir John M'Neille and General Simpson,
who are to - superintend the working of the
staff and commissariat departments, arrived
to-day. The country may rest assured that
nothing will go right while our present Quarter-
master and Adjutant-Generals are retained. But
for the positive obstacles thrown in his way
Mr. Filder would have kept the troops on ample
rations. This is no haphazard remark, but
one which inquiry will fully bear out. Lord
Raglan and General Airey are answerable for
nine-tenths of the disasters which have fallen
on our troops, and General Estcourt is far from
being without his share of deep responsibility and
blame. Yesterday evening Omer Pacha arrived at
Kamiesh, and, accompanied by Admirals Lyons,
Bruat, and Stewart, immediately proceeded to
Lord Raglan's head-quarters. Shortly aftewards
Generals Canrpbert, Bosquet, awl Sir George
Brown arrived, and a long council of war was held.
It is generally believed that the Turkish Com-
mander-in-Chief came to ask for reinforcements,
and also to represent the impossibility of defending
Eupatoria against a regular siege. The council
lasted nearly four hours, and Omer Paella returned
to Eupatoria this morning. Neither English nor
French troops can be spared at present for the e
of to-day the church bells in
de-
fence of thtahtepwlaheoel.
SeDbausrtioupgol have been tolling heavily, it is pre-
sumed for some religious service for the departed
Em peror.
For the first time our tramway was used to-day
for the conveyance of shot and shell to the general
depot in course of formation about a mile and a half
from head-quarters. For some time past the line
has been used for the conveyance of rations of all
kinds; but hitherto-no very heavy traffic' has been
attempted. About 6,000 shot and shell were to-day
sent up to the heights over Karani, and thence for-
warded in our own and the French waggons to the
trenches. None of the stationary engines are yet
at work.

Alaßau 13.

This day the enemy at BalaklaVa made a
smart attempt to cut off the wood party of
French, who are employed in making gabions on
the heights beyond the marine and rifle camps.
About 1,000 French march down to this place each
night, cut the wood, make their gabions, and re-
turn about the middle of the following day. Their
usual route to camp is across the plain of Bala-
klava, and to-day, while the whole party were
quietly trudging along each mau carrying his
gabion, they were surprised by the sudden appear-
ance of about
500 Cossacks along the ridges of the
\Voronzow road. A musket was fired, and at the
signal the Cossacks instantly clesed up and
charged down upon the French at a tremendous
pace. Straggling in disorder over the plain, and
encumbered. with their gabions, our allies still
showed a bold front, and tried to collect in time
to oppose their assailants, who came on with loud
shouts ; but, as it happened, the Cossacks bad
got too near, so that, in spite of themselves, the
French were compelled to throw down their gabions
and run towards the shelter of our lines. The
thousand gabions thus suddenly cast iu the path of
the enemy impeded their movements considerably ;
but still the consequences might have been serious
to the French, but that the batteries of the Marines
and highlanders instantly opened upon the Cossack
line. The first shell fired fell right amongst them,
killing two men and wounding a third. The other
guns were too much elevated, but still poured such
a storm of shot over the heads of the Russians as
made them instantly wheel threes about, and re-
tire with all speed. At the first alarm a regiment
of Zouaves on the heights were under arms, and
advanced to the relief of their comrades. Sup-
ported by this force, the French gathered up all
their gabions, without molestation from the enemy,
who remained upon the hills. Oily ono Cossack
advanced upon the French within 300 yards, and he
was killed by a random shot which a Zouave took
at him.
All to-day the Russian guns over the northern
heights of Inkermau have been firing heavily at the

few stragglers who have ventured beyond our lines
in search of wood. No casualties have occurred, as
the enemy rarely fire at a nearer range than 3,000
yards. The Russian riflemen, in part of their works,
annoy the French much, and have lately caused
them some loss. Beyond this, and the usual 'pre-
parations which we are making to open fire in the
way of getting up guns, shot, and shell, there is
nothing to report about the progress of the siege.
The last of our 13-inch mortars was brought up
to head-quarters to-day, and the electric telegraph
between head-quarters, Kamiesh, and Balaklava
completed. The appointment of Generals Simpson
andM`Neille to exercise a supervision over the coin-
missariat and general staff has given deep offence
to the latter. Yesterday Lord Raglan, accompanied
by General Canrobert, visited I_3alaklava for a short
time.

MARCH 14.

Twice during last night the whole camp was dis-
turbed by a tremendous fire from the enemy's works.
All the picquets and outposts were kept continually
on the alert, and twice the Light and 2d Divisions
were turned out under arms. The firing was caused
by our allies making attempts to dislodge the rifle-
men, who, hidden in front of the enemy's lines,
have lately inflicted considerablemischief. The first
attempt was only made by a party of about 100
Chasseurs, who, after skirmishing with the Russian
marksmen for some time, were, in the end, over-
powered an driven back by vastly superior numbers.
The second attempt was made by a strong body of
Chasseurs, supported by 200 of the covering party
from the trenches. But, during this time, the enemy
had received large reinforcements, and the second
attack was repulsed with a loss to the French of 50
killed and wounded. The firing completely
alarmed the whole camp, and within five minutes
after the second attack had failed, two French regi-
ments, one of Zottaves and one of the line, advanced
upon the contested point. Before this force the
Russians, though still superior, or at least equal in
numbers, instantly gave ground, and commenced
a rapid retreat upon their batteries. During this
retreat they suffered heavily from the musketry of
our allies. As if they apprehended an immediate
storm, the whole of the Russian lines opened fire.
Their batteries discharged in regular volleys, which
rent the air and shook the earth, as if some terrible
convulsion of nature was taking place. The shower
of shot and shell literally fell like hail, and from
the state of the ground on the following morning,
it is calculated that 100 tons of ammunition were
fired during the half-hour the alarm lasted. Afore
chance shots, fired in the dark, almost completely
destroyed one of the English advanced works, and
the whole of the 'remainder Of the night was occu-
pied in repairing it. During the heat of this iron
shower the French lay close iu the holes and
broken ground, from which they had driven the
enemy. Thesethey occupied till morning; when from
the position of the Russian batteries they were com-
pelled to retire. In these encounters the French lost
in killed and wounded nearly 200 men. Tho loss of
the enemy, who fought under cover, was probably
much less. During to-day our right attack has
fired some 10 or 12 rounds, to which the enemy
have not attempted to reply. This unusual quiet-
ness has excited much speculation, as the Russians
generally give us 20 guns for one.,
Ali Boy, the celebrated Turkish gunner, has
arrived here from Sinope, to superintend the ma-
nagement of some of the heavy artillery in the
trenches. A new long 32-pounder has been added
to the battery at the head of the harbour of Balak-
lava, and still. stronger additional batteries it is
said are contemplated to secure our depots at that
place.
Tho Emperor Steam-ship starts from Bilaklava
this evening for Genoa, to bring up the Piedmon-
tese troops.

MARCH 15.

A heavy fire was kept up by the enemy's batteries
during the whole of last night, so as to completely
shelter their riflemen from any fresh attack from
the French. Beyond this nothing worthy of note
occurred, except that, for the first time since the
siege has commenced, the batteries at Inkermau
fired during the night against our lines. All their
shot fell short. The weather continues fine and
hot, and fever becomes more and more prevalent
each day. During the middle of the day, when
the sun is warm, the stench in the camp is posi-
tively sickening. Some efforts are now beginning
to be made to cleanse the ground ; but, like all
other reforms, they come too late.
The Russians seem very busy in Sebastopol, es-
pecially in tbeir advanced work in front of Mala-
khoff Tower, which it is supposed they are mounting
with guns.
Lord_ Raglan and General Canrobert made- a
minute inspection of the works near Balaklava to-
day. Official rumours speak of the probability of
a serious attack on that part of our defences.

MARCH 16.

Five heavy guns were brought up to the batteries
by the French to-day. Two were long 32's, and
throe long 56 poundors. Four 13 in.oh mortars were
also get into position in one of our batteries, which
I need not further specify.
Lord Raglan visited our right attack (Gordon's
Battery), and remained in it during the whole of
the early part of the morning. While his lordship
was present the battery fired repeatedly upon; the
enemy, and succeeded in shelling out the Russian
riflemen who lay perdu, in front of the lines. Three
of them were killed by a shell as they ran in
towards their own trenches. His lordship expressed
himself highly pleased at the high slate of efficiency
in which both men and guns appear. Strange to
say the Russians scarcely returned one gun for ten
of ours. A week ago and a single shot fired from
any of the English works would have been replied
to with such a volley as would have levelled our
works; and to-day, to the intense surprise of every
one, their riflemen were driven in almost without
their batteries offering any resistance. About an
hour after our lines had ceased firing, the enemy
fired a few shots, but all fell some 500 or 800 yards
behind our batteries.

The Russian works appear in splendid condition,
and quite crowded with troops, who show them-
selves without hesitation, even in the midst of the
French fire.

General Canrobert visited Balaklava to-day, and
inspected the whole of our line of tramway. fl
also visited the depDt and sanatorium on the hills,
and afterwards rode to the out-picket post, from
whence a good view of the Russian position on the
Tchernaya can be obtained.
, There seems not the least chance of our opening
fire for the next ten days or a fortnight, and the
results of our bombardment are ,still open to the
widest conjectures. General Jones has done much
to reform the system on which 'our batteries were
placed, but in the presence of an active and deter-
mined enemy a mere change in the engineering de-
partment is not enough. Sooner or later the
country will discover where the change is wanting.

THE MEDITERRANEAN.

MALTA, MARCH 22.

By the arrival of the Canadian, the Eagle, and
Colombo, from the Levant, we have dates to the
14th from the Crimea.
The siege operations have not yet commenced,
yet the preparations on both sides aro carried on
with great energy.
A letter from an officer to his wife is before me.
It says, a poor fellow has just been brought in with
a leg shot off by the opening of the guns of Sebas-
topol at noon. Orders have been given that, at 2,
all our batteries shall open fire on the enemy.
Thus may we believe the siege has begun.
Oa the other band, another letter states that, at
a council of war recently held, it has boon unani-
mously resolved not to attack, but to invest, the
enemy's fortress. The army of Liprandi will be
attacked without loss of time, and so of that of the
other Generals.
In the meantime the destruction of Odessa has
been determined, and a large fleet, both of English
and French, have been named for the work. Odessa
fallen, the occupation of Perekop, Anapa, &c., will
ensue, and the enemy be thus cut off from the
means of sending troops to the assistance of
Sebastopol.
The names of the vessels to be engaged in
the destruction of Odessa are, according to the
correspondence of the Portafoglio Maltese, the St.
Jean d'Acre, flag of Admiral Sir E. Lyons, Aga-
memnon, Hannibal, Princess Royal, and Royal
Albert, of the line ; and the frigates Highflyer,
Niger, Tribune, Terrible, Sidon, Wasp, Curacoa,
Vesuvius, Sphynx, Inflexible, Valorous, Diamond,
and Leopard.
It is very currently reported here that.no im-
portant operations against the enemy will take
place until the Sardinians have,reached. the East.