The Sun.
London, England, 1855-11-02 00:00:00

ODESSA FROM THE SEA.

These barbarous Russians have a rare knack of build-
ing graceful, light, cheerful, and clean-looking cities,
which even the "Stones of Venice" might not utterly
despise, and if it be distance which lends enchantment
to the view they have at least the sa,tisfacticn denied to
wore civilised people of saying there is one point of
view fro in which their cities win the senses. As we
slowly drew up to our inevitable "five miles S. by E.
o 1 Odessa," we passed a wonderful creation, which, com-
pared to the slaw effirts of our ancient builders, seemed
almost the work of enchantment. There stood an ex-
tensive city, built on the curve of a high sea shore,
with descending terraces and broad flights of steps
to the beach, which was enclosed by bro:td quays
and Vie wads of ports and casewated batteries,
all shining brightly in the morning sun. Broad
esplanades or boulevards lined with trees towards
the sea-front ran along the top of tne bank, with a
beckground of stately mansions worthy of the best
"rows" near the Regent's-park, and we could see a
i;unierous and gaily-dressed crowd of men and women
all along the promenade, gazing on the dark clouds of
smoke which were slowly drifting in on them from the
di,tance. Behind and in coiitinuation of this esplanade
are splendid residences, with pillared porticoes and orna-
mented peristyles, magnificent public institutions—the
temples erected by De-potism to 'Civilisation in hope of
making peace with her, barracks, palaces, governor's
house, prisons, rising in front of a confused but graceful
mass of domes, column., steeples, and spires. One huge
dome is of an ultra-marine blue, and is topped by a gilt
cupola ; another is of bright green, surmounted by a
golden star; here is a Greek temple, there a Tartaresque-
looking mosque; there an unmistakeable "little Bethel,"
het e a Byzantine church ; again an Eastern minaret-like
spire; further on, an indubitable Sir Christopher Wren
steeple ; and next to it a grand dome and cupola, which
at once reminded you of St. Peter's or St. Paul's.

THE RUSSIAN nat.
The fog at Odessa is worthy of the beat ef-
forts of the London atmosphere in November. It
is not so rich in colour, so yellow, or so choky, but it
is equally thick and clammy. It is white in colour, and
soinetinies the sun stamps a moonlike imitation of his
orb upon it, and one can see a faint indication of his
existence above in favourable moments. Now and then
you catch a dark outline of a vessel looming through
the mist ; you strain your eyes to make out your neigh-
bour, but you might as well try to pick out the details
of Turner's blubber boilers or of his phantom ships, and
as you look the vision disappeared. The water flows by
with a heavy oily roll, and the only noise to be heard is
the plash of the lazy waves against the paddle-wheels,
the bumping of the rudder, and the creek of the odd
timber as he rubs against his fellows.

The following are extracts from a letter dated Sebas-
topol, Oct. 20 :—*

FILLING UP THE TRENCHES.
Outside the town the French are hard at work level-
ling their eiegeworks, filling up trenches, &c., though
why they sle gild take that trouble it is hard to say, un-
less they contemplate the probability of Sebastopol being
garrisoned by the allies, and they, in their turn, be-
sieged by the Russian-.
RUSSIANS FIRING AT THE MALAIEHOPP,
The Russ:ails continue firing at the town, with little
reply from the French. They fire principally at Sebas.
topol proper, but now and then drop a shot or shell
into the Karabelnaia, and sometimes take the flag-staff
on the Malakhoff for their mark. It is difficult to say
why we spare them so much, unless it be that we ex-
pect them soon to walk away, and leave us their north
side forts in good order and condition, which would be
expecting rather too much.
RUSSIAN MOTIVE FOR MAINTAINING THEIR POSITION.
Their chief motive for striving to retain their present
position would be that, if they anticipate negotiations
for peace this winter, these would be carried on more
favourably to them whilst they still have a footing in the
Crimea than if they had moved out of it, leaving us to
garrison Sebastopol and Simpberopol, and, if we choose,
to transpot t our army to the Danube and to Asia.

THE RUSSIAN ARMY AND ITS PROVISIONS.
On Wednesday the telegraph brought fresh informa•
tion, originating in Vienna, to our head-quarters, to the
effect that the Russians were about to abandon the north
side. At present there are no visible signs of such ap•
proaching evacuation, nor there is any probable reason
to assign for it, excepting one, which is, that the Rus-
sians find it impossible to supply their army during the
winter. On this point opinions differ much. Some
think that there wil. be no difficulty in bringing enough
supplies by the road from Perekop ; others doubt that
road being sufficient, and think also that the Russian
means of transport will run short. It is pretty certain
that no large depot of provisions exists near at hand,
and also that none has ever existed, even at the com-
mencement of the siege, for last winter the Russians—
who doubtless never contemplated a siege of anything
like such duration, nor probably an attack at all by land,
and had made sure of speedily beating off any naval
force brought agains-zt their great fortress—had a constant
stream of supplies pouting into the town.