The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-20 00:00:00

LATEST NEWS.

THE SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL.

PARTS, APRIL 20.

Gen. Canrobert writes on the 14th that the

superiority of the artillery of the Allies was be-

coming more and more certain. Our troops are

now masters of many strong positions on the

enemy's left. We are approaching the place

sensibly.

EUPATORIA, APRIL 5.

The Allies have demanded 20,000 men to he

sent down to Sebastopol—it is imagined fur the
assault. The embarkation begins to-day. Ome r

Paella goes to-morrow.

VIENNA, THURSDAY EVENING, APRIL 19.

The Weiner Zeitung publishes the following:—
" CRIMEA, APRIL 14.

" During the night of the 13th the left attack

of the allies obtained considerable advantage over

the Russians.

"The Russians were twice dislodged from a

strongly-fortified position, which remained in the

hand 3 of the French.

" The possession of this position enabled the

allies to fortify the summit of the mountain glens
(ravines?), which is of great importance." •

" CONSTANTINOPLE, APRIL 10.

"A despatch from Mehmed Ali announces thatt

he has slain 1,400 Kurds, taken 500 prisoners,

and occupied their strongest Positions.

"Sitiope and Rhodes are to be fortified."

(From the Times Special Correspondent )
CAMP BEFORE SEBASTOPOL, APRIL 7.
The bombardment will, it is said, begin on
:Monday morning. It is nearly a month since
we were assured everything was ready, but it an-

pears now that everything will not be ready till
Monday next. There has been a conference o:
Admirals and Generals at Lord Raglan's quar
_ _

tars, at which the Field-Marshal, General Can.
robert, Sir Edmund Lyons, and Admiral Brua
assisted. It is rumoured throughout the fleet tha
they are to open fire on the forts as soon as the
bombardment begins, not, indeed, with the idea of
going close in, breaking the booms, or bursting
through the barrier of sunken ships, but to draw
off the artillerymen from the batteries, and distract
the attention of the enemy. A number of French,
and some few English vessels, have been despatched
up the coast northwards, and it is universally ex-
pected that a portion of the Turkish army of Eupa-
toria will be detached to effect a formidable diver-
sion on the north side of Sebastopol, at the very
crisis of the conflict. There is little doubt but that
the reports which have been circulated respecting
the withdrawal of a considerable portion of the
Turkish army from Eupatoria, which has now been
placed in an excellent state of defence, are correct ;
but it is not so easy to determine whether they will
be landed on the north or on the south side of
Sebastopol. To act with promptitude and effect-on
the day of the bombardment, the Turks, if landed
on the north side, must disembark at or near the
Belbek, the approaches to which are commanded by
the enemy's new forts and mud redoubts. Their
presence there would paralyse the army over the
I 'Pchernaya, and prevent any offensive demonstra-
tion against our flank or rear. On the other hand,
their presence at Balaklava would liberate the Eng-
lish and French troops which guard the heights,
and enable them to move to the front, should there
be any necessity for their services, in the event of
the .enemy's. fire being so far reduced as to render
an assault advisable. No doubt, Omer Pasha per-
fectly understands the capacity of his troops and
the objects of the expedition, and if his usual good
fortune attends him he will contribute materially
to the glory of the day. Col. Simmonds, R.F..„
arrived from Eupatoria a few days ago with de
vatehes from the Turkish Generalissimo, and he'
has since returned with very important cominnui-
cations from the allied Generals in connection with
the movements of the troops under his Highness',
summand. There is no positive certainty that the
,oinbardment will begin on Monday, the 9th of
B,pril, but the engineers and artillery officers be-
iove it is the day. It is said we should have
,pened fire, or that we were ready to do so, yester-
tay morning, but that Lord Raglan did not wish to
naugurate Guod Friday by salvoes of artillery and
ry a sanguinary bombardment. On the other
rand, the circumstance of our being still sendinv
ap shot, shell, and mortars does not seem quit,
sonsistent with the sta-ement that the General,
.vere prepared to bombard before to-day.
TUESDAY, April 3.
The Allies have sustained a grievous loss in th
leath of M. St. Laurent, commandant of Frenc
engineers, in the right attack. He was mortally
wounded by a rifle ball on Monday, as he was On
luty in the French battery over Inkerman
ketive, able, and energetic, possessed of an exten
-ive knowledge of his profession, to which he wa,
.horonghly devoted, M. St. Laurent had rendered
essential services to the Allied forces during the.
'titer period of the siege, and was esteemed and
respected by his brethren in both the English and
French armies. He was buried yesterday, and his
remains were followed by a concourse of Freilel
and English officers. One of the most important
works over Inkerman bears his name, and he did
much to place that portion of our attack and de-
fence in a most efficient state. .
This morning one working party effected a very
difficult operation with entire success, and without
loss of life. They connected the advanced parallels
of the two attacks by a trench without losing a
single man, though they were close to the enemy's
riflemen, and were exposed to round shot, shells,
and grape from the batteries. The uncertain light
of the moon prevented the Russians firing with
accuracy; but as they brought down two field-pieces
into their advanced works to play on our working
party with grape, one of our 9-pounder,field-pieces
was ordered into the advanced trench to reply to
them, and our single gun speedily silenced their
two pieces. At dawn they fired with great accu-
racy, and we lost two Sappers, and a few men
killed and wounded.

WEDNESDAY, April 4.

Captain Bainbrigge, R.E., was killed yesterday
(Tuesday) in the trenches. As he was talking to
one of the Sappers employed in the works a shell
came towards them from one of the enemy's bat-
teries ; they both saw it, and the soldier went to
one side of a traverse and Captain Bainbrigge to
the other. shell fell just at his feet and ex-
ploded before he could throw himself downs blofv-
ing his body to atoms. The unfortunate officer
only arrived a fortnight ago from Ceylon.
Captain Armit, R. E., was contused by a fragment
of a shell, but is doing well.
Colonel Simmonds, who arrived here with des-
patches from Omer Pasha to the Allied Generals,
has returned with important despatches to the
Turkish General.
A Russian officer of rank took a minute survey
of Balaklava from Canrobert's-hill. on Tuesday.
He was attended" by about 200 Cossacks, and soon
,fter his departure a body of men appeared on
the ridge which runs down from Kamata to Can-
,•obert's-hill, and set to work throwing up some
works which appear to be intended as a trench.
ts the works are on the further side of the
ridge, it is not easy to ascertain their character, but
it is probable that they merely form a trench for
-he protection of infantry in case the Russians find
Themselves in sufficient force to resist any recon-
naissance we may make, or to enable them to check
piirsti4, should they make another attempt on
Balaklava and be forced to retire.
We have lately been receiving a quantity of wild
cattle, trapped• on the hill-sides of Asia, and when
they are let loose, after the sea voyage, they general-
ly create a good deal of unwholesome excitement
by charging
in every direction through and about
Balaklava, and by taking to the heights and but-
ting everyman they meet. Ina little affair of this
kind the other day one of the Provost-Marshal's
men fired at an infuriated bull and missed it, but
shot a soldier who was in chase through the leg.
This bull knocked down men like ninepins, and
cleared the alleys and quays ; nor did be succumb
till he had been the object of a smart fusillade, and
had been made " a pincushion for bayonets," as
was observed by an Hibernian bystander.
Three Croats have died of the wounds received
in the affray of the week before last, and there are
others in a bad way in hospital. Osman Aga, the
head man, who is accused of having taken an active
hart in the pistolling work, " shammed" fever and
gotinto hospital, where he became sick of the very
malady he simulated, and is now dangerously ill.
The Land Transport Corps is working extremely
well, and I have not heard any complaint what-
ever agaist . the service is.carried