The Sun.
London, England, 1855-11-20 00:00:00

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[PRICE 4D• STAMPED ]D

The wisdom and foresight of most of our mili-
tary operations in burning, laying waste, and
blowing up was never better exemplified than at
Kertch. There was a very fine barrack near the
quarantine station, on the Bay of Kertch, recently
built, provided with every comfort, and well sup-
plied with water from a deep well, and with capa-
cious tanks. In the ordinary exercise of reason
one would have preserved these buildings, inas-
much as it was determined to keep a British force
at Kertch, but before Sir George Brown left they
were burnt by order and reduced to a heap of
blackened ruins. We are now, with infinite labour
and trouble, and at prodigious expense, sending
the materials for huts to Kertch, and dragging
them up close to the site of the barracks, where
they will form a very poor protection against the
weather in comparison with the substantial build-
ings which we destroyed. As thetauks are ruined
and the well spoiled, the men will have to drag
water a distance of three miles to their new resi-
dence, Provisions are now tolerably abundant.
The Highflyer returned yesterday from Circassia
and a cruise along the Turkish coast, having on
board the Duke of Newcastle and Mr. Simpson, the
artist, who accompanied him on the excursion. His
Grace will find things greatly changed since he
went, roads made, huts erected, Generals gone.
Sir Colin Campbell, Colonel Steilling, Sir H. Ben-
tinck, and Brigadier Shirley have :eft the camp
during his absence. The Duke's trip is ,?aid to have
been most agreeable, and to have afforded. a pleas-
ant mélange of hunting, shooting, visiting, travel.
ling, sight-seeing, and Circassian adventure.

The Bth Hussl-s, with the exception of a troop
ordered up as an escort to head-quarters, will em-
bark to-day for winter quarters at Ismir.

BRITISH ARMY WORKS CORPS.

Tums, Nov. 5.--On the 27th ultimo two steamers
entered the port of Tunis, one bringing 350 pilgrims
returning from Mecca ; the mission of the other was
for some time shrouded in mystery. Bet on the
following day it was universally rumoured that it was
the Azof, screw steamer, with a number of men be-
longing to the British Army Works Corps, who were in
a state of mutiny. On the 29th the news was confirmed
by letters which reached Tunis, according to which
it appeared that, early on the morning of the 27th,
the Azoff struck on a shoal somewhere in the vicinity of
the Skerki, and sprung a leak, but as she is built in sepa-
rate compartments the leakage was confined to one
only. The captain, however, saw the necessity of en•
tering the Bay of Tunis, with a view to ascertain with
greater accuracy the amount of damage the vessel bad
sustained. Having convinced himself of her safe condi:
tion, he prepared for his departure for Malta, against
which, however, his passengers (apprehending the. ship
was unsafe) protested, declaring that they would throw
overboard. the first who would attempt to get up
steam or to weigh anchor. As all remonstrancao, P
fruitless, he had recourse to the British Consulate.
Ferriere, the British proconsul, accompanied
of RY
h Goletta,
Stevens, the chancellor, at once proceeded t
and fouad the men obstinately determined to adhere
mined the ship, ,
their resolution. The consul,
havingexa manner to
to
endeavoured in his naturally kind and gentle,
point out to the malcontents the follytoacott
had adopted, and advised them tahsetrenoeursßeritthoneys
engaged.in a glorious enterprise,tha:dnatmo
eproyeed quietly
without leaving a stain
of " English-
case they abandoned the
man" behind them. He mourepoo; they could
not be allowed to go at large
iner told them as
ship they would have tosubmit to a most wretched
confinement.
But perceivitngethimatphoristaenfreoertosfwtohueldseprmoevn
reaching the seat ofprove
ineffectual, and knowing h
war,
he at once adopted a different
course.
He asked the men who were unwilling to pro-
ceed in the steamer to assemble in one part of the vessel,
which was readily done, and these amounted to 172,
leaving 143 who were willing to remain on board. He
then despatched Mr. Stevens, who, by dint of great
exertion and perseverance, succeeded in chartering a
schooner for Malta for 125/. On the 20th the schooner
received its portion of passengers, and the two vessels
proceeded eastward. As the consular boat separated
from them, the men of both vessels gave three hearty
cheers for the consul, and a fourth for our brave allies,
the French.
It will be readily seen that much credit is due to Mr.
Ferriere for his prompt and conciliatory proceedings, par.
ticularly as there were parties who urged the necessity
of employing force in order to subdue the discontented
portion of the men. Such an act would undoubtedly
have terminated fatally to some. At a time when there
is often so much good cause for meting out blame to G-
vernment officials connected with the terrible war in
which we are engaged, it is a pleasure to render praise
I where prairie is due. It the Brititaz midgqtd Qt. luau

that sea, and she strains and leaks in bad weather
to a dangerous degree. The attention of all naval
officers is turned now to the navigation of shallow
waters by vessels with heavy armament, and Com-
mander Cowper Colas, of the Stromboli, who in-
vented the raft Lady I•Tancy, which did such good
service at Taganrog, has constructed models of two
very ingenious rafts, which have been sent to the
Admiralty, and which are highly approved of by
the Admirals out here. Rafts of this construction
would do immense service in the Sea of Azoff, and
one model provides for the adaptation of steam
power, which would give the raft a moderate pro-
pulsive agency of its own.
As to the ascent of the Boug or the Dnieper it is
only to be attempted by vessels with shotproof
screens and proof decks, inasmuch as. every man
could be picked off the decks by Minie riflemen
unless the banks of the river were cleared by troops
in numbers sufficient to beat back the enemy as
they advanced. Captain Coles's raft is provided
with a shot-proof screen which shelters the gun and
every soul on board, helmsman and all. In spite
of our operations in the Sea of Azoff let it be re-
membered that we have not reduced Arabat or
Genitchi, and that the Russians will soon have free
use of the Spit. The moment the frost compels
our boats to retire the Spit of Arabat is in the
hands of the Russians, for the water of the sea is
frozen to the distance of several miles, so that no
boat can approach to prevent the passages of troops
or convoys. Had Arabat fallen, and au expedi-
tion landed at Kaffa or Theodosia, we should have
been masters of the Peninsula of kertch.
NOVEMP,ER 6.
The regiments which came from Kinbourn are
still on board the fleet at Kamiesh. It is known
that the English Admirals are most anxious that
they, with a sufficient body of French troops or
with reinforcements of English troops, should pro-
ceed at once to Theodosia, to undertake the opera-
tion I have indicated. But they are opposed by
men of great weight and authority, and it is be-
lieved that reference has been made by electric
telegraph to France and England to know what is
to be done. The weather has been fine to a mar-
vel. It is so far back as October 27 that prepara-
tions were made to embark the English troops, and
it was then whispered that they would certainly
go to Kaffa, and march on Arabat, which is only 10
miles across at the other side.
On Sunday, the 28th, Captain Paris came up to
the allied squadron blockading the Boug and
Dnieper, with orders to take the command as soon
as Admiral Stewart left, and when we sailed on
Tuesday we left that officer in charge, with the
Beagle, Viper, Snake, and another English gun-
boat, and four French gun-boats, to keep up that
dismal duty. For several days previously the
weather had shown symptoms of making itself un-
pleasant—enveloped us in fogs in the morning with
stiff breezes of wind, and in a muggy smothering
atmosphere at midday ; but the cold had by no
means set in, and the air was indeed rather dis-
agreeably warm.
On Monday, the 29th, the order to embark was
gia-nn, and Brigadier-General Spencer came up in
the Danube and made a short reconnaissance up the
Boug. Ile did not go as far as the little battery
with whi,lh we had a brush on our arrival ; and
indeed the Danube would very likely go to the
bottom at once if hit by a shot, for she is only a river
steamer, little larger than a Greenwich or Wool-
wich Waterman. However, her appearance created
an immense stir among the Russians. Cossacks
galloped about on all sides and in every direction.
The battery at the point was manned at once, and
a field gun was detacL'ed from the small camp be-
hind it, and kept alone the west bank. pari passed
with the steamer, in 6'hopo of sending the little
Danube to the bottom of the Boug ; but she kept
out of range, and as soon as the General had seen
all he could he returned. That evening three large
bodies of infantry marched down from Nioolaieff,
and occupied the villages on the east bank near the
sea. One battalion set at once to work on a high
cliff, about six miles up the river, and threw up an
earthwork, either to cover riflemen or receive guns.
No doubt the enemy saw our preparations at Ocza-
koff, and were persuaded the troops were coming
up to attack Nicolaisff. The infantry we saw were
fine solid-looking masses of men. On Tuesday
morning before we left they were seen in the vari-
ous villages or hamlets on the east bank, so that
there must have been a good force ready for us when
they had united with the troops about Stanislaus.
Admiral Stewart sailed from the Bong on Tuesday
morning, and joined the fleet at Kinbourn, and a
portion of the fleet which had gun-boats to tow
started for Kamiesh the same evening. The allied
fleets under Sir E. Lyons and Admiral Bruat, Sir
H. Stewart and Admiral Pellion, sailed the follow-
ing day for the same anchorage, and encountered
a strong breeze of wind.