The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-03 00:00:00

CRICKET.

OFFICIAL DESPATCHES PROM FIELD-
MARSHAL LORD RAGLAN.

( From a Supplement to Friday's Gazette.)
WAR DEPARTMENT, APRIL 2.
Lord Panmure has this day received two despatches and
their enclosures, of which' the following are copies, ad-
dressed to his Lordship by Field-Marshal the Lord Rag-
lan, G.C.B.

Before Sebastopol, March 20, 1855.

My Lord,—l do- myself the honour to transmit to
your lordship a letter from the Inspector-General of
Hospitals, forwarding the weekly return of sick to the
17th inst.

The number of sick is not diminished, but the cases
are lighter, and every day the men in catnp. exhibit a
more healthy appearance. I have, &c., -
RAGLAN.

The Lord Panmure, &c. &c. &o.

Enclosure.

Before Sebastopol, March 19.

My Lord,—ln transmitting the weekly state of sick of
the army to the 17th inqant, I have the honour to state,
that, though the sickness still aliounts to 14.31 per cent.,
the mortality does not exceed 0.51 per cent., which is a
proof that the diseases are ini!derin character ; and I think
I may safely say the general health and appearance
of the men is greatly improved ; and had not the duty,
by the unavoidable operdtions of the siege going on,
been increased of fate, I think the sick list would have
been still more diminisLed, as the men's condition is in
every other way so much improved both in diet, dress,
awl accommodation.

It has been proposed by the Minister-at-War to give
the men tea, coffee, and cocoa on alternate mornings,
and to-morrow your lordship will receive the report of
the Medical Beard ordered to consider the subject. The
two first, I think g•Md, and the change will lie both
agreeable and beneficial to the men, but cocoa I am afraid
requires too much preparation to.be usefully adopted in
the army tinder present circumstances. . •
The prevailing diseases are fevers of a low typhoid
form in some instances, and in others assuming an in-
termittent and rt•mittent type, and bowel complaints.
Fevers have been rather on the increase pf late, but
bowel complaints have become much fewer in number,
and milder in eh iracttr.

Scurvy, too, though the number appears large in the
return, is on the decrease ; and I cs.n assure your Lord-
ship, from recent personal inspection of the men of the
different divisions, that the generality of the eases re-
turned under that head are of the most trifling character,
and under the use of the present change of diet, I am in
hopes the disease will soon totally disappear from our
list.
In the Ist Division, the Brigade of Guards continues
to improve in health and appearance, from its change
of situation; and the brigade of Highlanders is also effi-
cient. The 79th and 93d are influenced by the locality
of their camps, which cannot well be changed, and have
more sickness than the 421, which are more favourably
placed, and in this regiment the most scrupulous atten-
tion is paid to the sanitary condition of their camp.
To show how locality affects the health of the men, I
may mention the wing of the 21 battalion of the Rifle
Brigade which occupies the high promont9ry of the
southern extremity of the Balaklava lines overlooking
the sea ; and here, though the men are ex dosed, and the
duty is as severe as in any other part of the camp, there
is little or no disease.

In the 2d Division, the 41st and 95th Regiments
have been more unhealthy than the rest, and have
had a larger number of fever cases than others ad-
mitted into hospital, and many of them have been of a
serious character. It is difficult to account for this, as
there is nothing in the locality of the ground occupied
by these two regiments different from that of the rest of
the division. Perhaps their terAs were a little more
crowded than the rest, and the hospital huts, from the
pressure of sickness, had more men in them than was
advisable ; but this I directed to be remedied, when I
visited the hospitals a few days ago.
The health of the 31 Divison is improved, decidedly
so in some of the regimeut 3 ; and the health of the 4th
and Light Divisions is improved also.
The cavalry, with the exception of the 2d Dragoons,
is in good health, and the health of the 2d, the Superin-
tending Medical Officer seems to think, has been influ-
ences by local causes that are now in course of removal.
The health of the artillery 'ma been tolerably good
during the week, and the cases under treatment, both
in the general and convalescent hospitals at Balaklava,
have progressed favourably ; and when the remainder of
the hospital huts at the Castle cnme into use, [ expect
great advantage from their occupation, both by con-
‘alescents and wounded men, should we unfortunately
have any.—l have &c., J. HALL,

Inspector-General of Hospitals.
To Field-Marshal Lord Raglan, G.C.8.,
Commanding-hi-Chief.

THE FORTHCOMING SEASON. GRAND
CHAMPION CHALLENGE CUP, TO BE
CONTENDED FOR BY COUNTIES.
Notwithstanding the unsettled state of the weather
large preparations and arrangements have already been
made for the approaching season. Indeed there are not
a few places whereat occasional practice has commenced,
and it requires but a little dry weather to draw out many
others. With the month of April numerous clubs enter
upon their regular practice, and, consider;ng the vast in-
crease in the number of matches that have of late years
been played, and the early period at which many of them
take place, it has become necessary for all parties to begin
their practice sooner in the spring than was formerly the
except so far as regarded certain players. But it
was means of the adoption of that early practice that
the latter
were able to conic into the field in May in full
play. This hint, it is hoped, will not be thrown away upon
gentlemen who are anxious to take part in the May
matches.
The " Universities " are usually among the " early
birds," but as yet we have not heard of any particular
movement at Cambridge. At Oxford, on the contrary,
they are up and stirring with unusual energy, we learn.
Not only have the members of the colleges there, espe-
cially those of Magdalen and Christ Church, secured the
services of the players whose names we shall presently
introduce, but the former of these two clubs have raised
a subscription, amounting to something like 5001., for
the
puerse el erecting a pavilion, and have already ad-
vertised for tenders, that sum being the maximum of the
proposed expenditure upon the building.
Tuffs spirited proceeding has infused a vigour into the
Oxferd cricket world which that university had long been
free from, and it is anticpated, therefore, that they will
put forthan
eleven this year who, voth respect of strsngth
in each branch of the game, will possess such powers as
have rarely been drawn from the Lanks of the Isis.
Among the professional bowlers who it is known ar-
rangements have been made with, some from Monday
next, may be named :—Armitage, Bickley, Carpenter,
Grundy, Hillyer, Hinkley, James Lillywhite, Martin-
gell, Nixon, Stephenson, Wells, .Sec. Dean goes, as
heretofore, to initiate the students at Marlborough
College ; Wisden resumes his duties at Harrow ;
Caffyn goes to Winchester ; and John Lillywhite, of
course, is to be found at Rugby. Moreoeer, the heights
in the vicinity of Sebastopol and Ba.laklava are about,
even if they have not already been so, to become
the scene of our great national pastime, for many of
the officers out there are members, and not a few of them
playing members of the Maryiebone and Surrey clubs.
Ile one of the recent letters from the seat of war it was
stated that our officers had astonished the Cossacks by
some races they had got up, and that it was intended
still further to surprise that force by the introduction of
cricket. These people will thus have the opportunity of
gazing at two of England's most patronised and most
popular sports.
As we stated a short time since, the Marylebone Club,
as well as that of Surrey, has announced the arrange-
ment of its grand matches, whilst the Eleven of England
and the United Eleven have more offers for matches in
different parts of the kingdom than either will be able
to undertake.
A feature of unusual novelty, furthermore, will this
season be introduced to the cricket lovers; a novelty it is,
too, which will create the most lively interestin those who
have the least regard for their respective county's reputa-
tion. It has been promulgated by the committee of
theput Sheffield Cricket CsrilivcokretoCoßlub, that it is their intention to
designated--" The Cricl:etnefrs'thCeouvnatlyneClniafmspoilo.n, to
ohable-
lenge Cup." for competition between four of the recog-
nised cricketing counties ; the three contests to take
place at Sheffield in the months of June, July, August,
or September. The counties who propose to enter the
lists, according to the arrangement of the committee,
are to send in their applications to M. J. Ellison, Esq.,
of Sheffield, on or before April the 15th, accompanied
by a remittance of the sum of 251., as a guarantee for
the due appearance of the respective elevens on_ the
day to be hereafter selected. This deposit will be re-
paid to each county upon the termination of each match
respectively; the remittance being required only as a
security fur good faith. In case either of the counties
who, having entered the lists, should fail duly to send
its representatives to the battle-field in question,
this deposit will be forfeited to the Sheffield
Club. So soon as the four counties have signified their
wish to compete fer the prize, the committee will pro-
' seed to a ballot, when the two first drawn counties will
be expected to play the match on the particular lelonday
• and following days, which the committee may appoint
subsequently, in the month of June. The other two
competing counties will be called upon to play their
match in July or August, and the two victorious coun-
ties in those contests will be summoned to play the
third and conquering match in the months of August
or September in the present year. Each losing county
in the two first matches will receive from the Sheffield
committee 50/., in addition to the return of their own
deposit of 251. as a payment of their expenses in pro-
viding and sending down their eleven ; but with respect
to the conquering match, in that case, whilst the vic-
torieue coun'y will be rewarded with the cup and 1251,
so the sum of 1251. will he handed te the e.,„„!y.
We doubt not that the competing counties will he
Surrey, Sussex, Nottingham, and York, and, looking
at the feats the first-named c)aaty accomplished last

Before Sel,astopol, March 20, 1855.

My Lord,—ln my despatch of the 17th inst., I re-
ported to your lordship the progress made in forming
the parallel constructed to unite the right of our attack
with the left of the Frenc on the Inkerman heights.
The contest of the latter with the enemy for the pos.
session of the rifle pits in their immediate front was
renewed after dark on that night, and was continued for
several hours, the fire being excessively heavy, particu-
larly of musketry, and considerable loss mu,t have been
sustained by our aliies I fear, as well as by the enemy,
who continue to hold the ambuscades ; but the French
persevere,
notwithstanding, in working forward, and are
approaching the mamelon, on which the Russians are
busily engaged in building a formidable work, though
frequently interrupted by our batteries and those of the
French.

On the night of the 17th the English parallels were
not attacked, but the fire to which I have above alluded
was so continuous, that the whole force aas either under
arms or ready to turn out.
I enclose the returns of casualties to the 18th inst.

It was currently reported yesterday that Prince Men-
schikoff had died on his way to Moscow. I have not
been able to ascertain if this report be well founded ; but
it was so fully credited as to have been despatched to
Constantinople.
Prince Gortschakoff is stated to have arrived at
Bakshi-Serai, and to have assumed the command of the
army.
Reinforcements are reported to be on their way from
Russia, and the 9th Division to have reached the neigh-
bourhood of Eupatoria. The position of the Russian
troops in the vicinity of the Tchernaya, remains un-
altered. _ _

The_ progress of the railway continues to be
satisfactory, and we are already enabled to use it
with considerable advantage, both for the conveyance
of supplies and hutting. so far as the high ground some
way on this side of Kadikoi.
Mr. Beattie's exertions deserve every commendation.
—I have, &c., RAGLAN.

year, we should be disposed to take the Surrey men for ' PRICES OF SHARES
choice. By the way, speaking of that county, we have
KS, ASSURANCE, A ND OTHER COM-
heard something said as to Julius Cre,..ar having received IN BAIL
an engagement from the Earl of Stamford and Warring- PANIES! STOCK.
ton for the season, but the fact has not as yet reached us
in an official form. Cballen, it is also said, leaves Sussex
for Steurbridge, by the club of which place.he has been
engaged for the ensuing summer, with the understanding
that he shall be available, if his services should be re-
quired, for a certain number of the matches to be played
by his county. Looking, then, at these indications, it
is manifest that fine weather alone will be necessary for
such a development of the pastime as has in no previous
season been witnessed. Indeed, the demands upon our
time and space promise to be more than can be duly
, satisfied.

From the Ojicial List.
PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY EVENING.
LONDON, FRIDAY, MARCH 30, 1855.

CANALS.

Names of g Dividend Price
Companies. A per
• ,o Annum.

A shtn &Oldhl 93,71. p. ct.
Barnsley.• • •il6O,
Brknk&.ikbrg 150 4/.
Birmingham 40 41.
Coventry.... 100 251.
Derby ••• • •11001 61.
Ellsmre&Chs GP 214 p. ct.
Grand./ inetn 100 4, pr. ct.
Do , 6 pr. Ct. 10 61. pr. et.
"rand ,urrey 1001 21. 10s.
Grand Union 1001 11. Os
Rena & Avn 39' 65.. Od.
Lancaster .. 1001
Leeds &L•vi p, 100 251.
Leicester ....1100 dl.
Leicstr &Nth 83 41.
Loughborogh 142 707.
Monmouthsh 100
Mntgmerysh 100
MeltnMwbry 100

GO
92
209
84

50
13
48
12%

Names of
Companies.

Dividend
per
.

Price.

Xfacclesfleld.
Seat
Oxford.. • • • •
Peak Forest.
Regent's • • • •
Rochdale...
Somrset Coal
Do. Lk Felt
*tfted &Wore
Shrewsbury..
IStonrbrldke..
• evern and
w 3 e Rail. J.
Warwick & 1
Birming.
Warwick &
Napton..
Worcstr &
Birming. j
Wilts & Brks

100 2/. 10s.
100 161
100 13 .
78 5 Os.
30 8 •
85 IL 10s.
140
140 12i
281'
125'
145! 121.
26 21.
100 21.

28%
575

31
100 •
78 31.
—10 s. Od.