The Sun.
London, England, 1855-01-11 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 11, 1855

SHARE MARKETS.
(THIS DAY.)

RAILIVA VS.

~~: i~.

td.l RLILWASS.

!Closing Prices
]ester lay.

Business done
this day.

St.lt
17,A1

}X) Aberdeen .......-
87, .I.mbg. liottng. Bost

and Eastn. Junet...
all Belfast & Ballymena.
.11 Binning. Wolverh. &
Stour Va11ey.........
9:‘ Birkenhd. Lanesh. di
Cheshire Junet..
2711 all

31 I 2,

Do. Chesh. do Birk.,
£5O and 225 Cons.
.9 Do., .......
;0 Rlyth &Tynlorigins
£25 (issd. at £l5;
100 Bristol and Ezeter ,
100 Caledonian
21s. Carmarthen and Car

22 11
25 31

digan

50 a:
20 al
20 11
10 1
50 ,t
25 a]

tll Chester & Fiolylicad
tll Cork and Bandon
1,11 Cork, Black, dr Pass
[6 Cornwall
L 1 Crieff Junction

Dublin&Belfast,Junc
:11 Dundee Perth&Aber
aeon Junction
31 Do. New
X) East Anglian
LiuEmtern
!7.11,9tern Union, A
Stock
.00 Do., B. Stock

25 a]
St. 10
20 a]
St. I 0

.BdDo., New A:.,

I East Lancashire
/ Edinburgh& Glasgow
Ilinb. and Peebles...

)01 Edin. Pah & Dundee.
1 Forth & Clyde June.
Glasgow&S. Western
10 Great Northern

1100 Do., A. Stock
100 Do., B. Stock
AO Gt. Sth. &West. (Ire )i
100 Great Western
100 Do. Stour Val. Raiff i
Gua. Stk
dl Irish South-Eastern
II Lancaster & Carlisle
Do., Thirds
4 Do. New Thirds
10 Lanc ash. andYorksh
Do., Fifths
1. 4 Do . , Wst. Riding MI
11 Liv. Crsby.&Southpt
11 London & Blackwall
i 0 Loud. Bright &S. Cst .
10 Lond. and N. Westn•l
2 Do. Fifths
1 Do.lol. Sh. ,M&B ,
Do. Eighths
00

[6il 1

16
St. 10
191 l'

20 a]
Ili al
St. 10
St. 101
20 1!

St: it
50 4

LondonandS. Wean
2?,1D0., £5O

Do., £4O
Lndndrry& Coleraine
611 Lndndrry. & Ennisk.
)0 Manch.Shef.& Linen
44 Do., Man. & Lin. Un.
00 Midland.

25 a'
St.
St 2s
St.
St. 1.1
50 a

)0 1)o. Birmng. &Derby
al liidld. G. West. (Ire)

00 I ,%1

!V, Do. Half Shares
all Newcastle & Carlisle
54 Newmkt.BuryEaten
Nwpt.Aberg. &Hrfd
S Newry &Enniskillen
all Newry Warrenpoint

2r 2
20 al

and Rostrevor

a. It

)0 Norfolk
3?) Northn.Conntios Un.
)0 North British

St. Ili

4 North Devon, No. 1.
A Do., No. 2
dl Do., A Deferred
11 Do., B Guaranteed
N. Eastern—Berwick
A) Do. do. Extension
3 Do. do. G.N.E. Porch,
50 I all

seal

St. 101
25 21
25 1:

St. 11.01
50 I a

Do. Leeds
Do. York
,11 North London
8! Do. New £lO
if N.&,S.Wstrn.,Harnp-
stead, and City Jn :
.7? !Co-"' -

10 ILi

20 l'
20 a]

, ? North Staffordshim.
it North Western
11 N. &S. Westin. June.
1 Nuneaton, Hinckley
and Leicester..

St. 111

/0 Oxford, Woreester,&
Wolverhampton
6 Portsmouth
S'eottish. Central

20
St. 1.1
St. II

ScottishMidland._
11 Shrowsby. d; Herat
d Shropshire Union
Do. A, B, C,&
paid up at per c,;ri
"South Devon
K) South Eastern
11 South Wales
5 S. Yrksh. & Riv. Dun
5 Do
S Staines, Wok &Wol;
11 tockton
Aton et Hartlepl.
St. 100

6I

5O
;St. 10
50 I
20
20
20
25

NAT Vale
9 Do. £lO shares..
X) Do. Pref., No. 1.
1 Thames Haven Dock
and R dlway
LA Vale of Neath.
20 al

St. 101
25 2:

20 I a]

50 I al
20 1

Wateifd. & Kilkenny
31 Waterford&Limeriek
.8 West Cornwall

3 West End of London
and Crystal Palace
.11 West London

Wimbled n & Croydon

20 -20 i
4} - 5

8 81
13 —12 d

16 - 17
8 - 7

93 - 95
62 -62 i

13i - 14
9 - 11

4 - 3

6i - 74

11,i - 151
11. - 114

28 - 32
22 - 24

72 74
58
2d par
19 —20 i

68 -- 70
00i -91 i
76 -- 78
.23 -- 124
90 -- 92
69i -- 70
58 -- 62

74 78
6 8
6 8
75 —75 i
ot 5

8i
106
LOti —102 i
d par
14- d par
1 d
84 85
83/4 73/41i
8 7 t.l

24i -25 i
69 70
41t - 421

id par
10 9
2 2i

49 - 51
31 3
314 ... 32i
8 1O

64 74
75 76
6f
4t 34
12i 131
5311 546
52 54
par ip
46 4/d
5i 64
id—ip

20 I 1
20 21

32i - 33!

97 - 99
61 - 63
8 - Siu
45 - 47

12 - 14
K 9 -60 i
28i -29 t

i— i d

36 - 38

24 - 31
162 172
32 - 4
20-
- G 2

g'• : 1'

- 7

- li

. ...... ...I

d p

,•- • • •

31 d
32 321
41 51
11

o• ..." ...

7i - 6i
8 - 7

10 - 8d
10

22 1 i 2i

901 1i
901 1
69i

ex arra

75 i I

108
101 i 2 Ifi

69i i i

33 i

591 1 i
29

91 90j 1

i l
ire
par ip
16 —l6

,•• ••••

II ::: i..p.

96 1001
2 41 par:
96 100

... die

3 - 3i
21 - 3
id-lip

1~~ ~"a

7 - 71

3~~ - 35

12i -- 13

8A -- 9A 1
21i -- 21ip

46 48
39 41
pm
21i 22
- rp
2i 2 d
76 8

••• ..... •••
... .. pm

JOINT-S'

11 'Australasia
ill British Colonial Bank
and Loan Company
►ll British N. American
5 Chartd. Bank of Asia
2 Chrtd. Bnk. of India,
Australia, & China
5 Colonial
20 Commercial of Lond
16 English Scottish and

3i -

4
d
5 6p

• • • .... •

17 -zig

16

BANKS.

78 -- 80

Australian
ll Lond. Chart. Bk. of

20
50
20
25

i'd = i'',l

3f - 2/.1
203 - 213

Australia
O London and County.:
.0 London Joint Stock
O Lund. & Westminster
National Provincial
of England
.0 Do. New
!2, National of Ireland
al Now South Wales
6',1 Oriental Bank of
Corporation.
15 Provincial of Ireland
al Do. Now
1 Royal Australn.Bkg
& Gold Imp Co ...
al South Australia 39 -- 41
1.11 Union of Australia 65 67
2.1 Do. New 8 10
llPkin of Ludo ••• "
,•11111 im•

84 1- 38

36 - 38

8f I

50
25
123
12
20

12/1
25

St.
St.
St.
St.

20
25
20
St.

1.0.61

LINES LEASED AT FIXED RENTALS.

all
all
all
1.00

all
all
all
all

all
all
all
100
all

all
43
all I
all
103
100
1100

too
100
100
too
,00
too

Agua Fria .... ..
Anglo Austrin. Gold
Anglo Californian ...
Australian ..

Australian Cordillera
Australian Freehold,
Ave Maria

Baden (Gd.Dechy of)',
Blienarvon Iron and
Coal
British Iron

13.5
25

Bi•azilianlmp.(issued
at £5 pm _ _ _

30
20
1
1

i ... li

I :11

i - i

k - i
5 -- 7
6 - 7

Do. Cocies & Culacial
Do. St. John Del Rey
m Carsons's eelt
Clarendon COWL Min
Co. of Jamaica •
Cobre Copper
Colonial Gold

2t -
1 -
30 - 32
-

40
5
St.
25

Copper Min. of Eng.
Do. Pref. 7. p. cent
Copiapo
English and Austin
Copper Smeltg Co
Fortuna
General
Gt.NuggetVeinßeg
Great Polgooth .
Liberty
Linares.
Yfariquita
Mexica.n&S. A.meri en.
New Granada
New Linares Minin:
and Smelting Co
Nouveau Monde ,
Pontgiband Silver
Lead Min. & Smelt
Port Philip
Quartz Rock
Rhymney Iron
Do. New
Santiago de Cuba
South Australian
Tin Croft ...
United Mexican
Waller .
West Mariposa
s. Worthing Mining o'
Australia
Yuba

Business
this lay.

Ad par
48 50
50 S 5
par 2 p
15 17

1 —li
Ad —ip
15 17

7i ...
i - i

li die

... •••

15 - 16

-
22 - 24

C -
2i - 3'
1 - 1
1$ - 2
2t

30
1
10
28;

:01:113

IPS - 86 **-
***

97i 7

ii —2la

1104 1 106

‘,06/ -
-- 14173
z/

x el

1071 x d

17 : 18

...
•••

"i =-- ii

• • • ---
...
i•••••• 1

=

---
61 63
2
3a-3?
11 =l2,

2a
zd

LETTERS FROM THE CRIMEA.

The following letter is from a corporal in the
Rifles, and well deserves being placed in juxta-
position with the unmanly letters of field officers
and other military croakers :
" Balaklava, Dec. 25, 1854.
" Dear sir,—A merry Christmas and, I hope, a happy
new year. I received your kind letter, dated the Bth of
this month, on the 24th. For the interest you take in
the welfare of myself and family I can never repay you.
Receive, sir, my most grateful acknowledgments. I
have read one book 'All's Well.' Had an officer's name
been in no way on the book, I could have told it was
wrote by a soldier. I spent my Christmas morning
reading it. After receiving your letter and newspaper
in November, I answered a few days after, I think, to
the best of my recollection. I am very ill with diarrhoea;
in fact, the Crimea is the tomb of maay gallant soldier
through this complaint ; medical men are not able to
stop its course. How much I wish this was from me.
The weather has been exceedingly wet, but to-Jay is
most fine and beautiful. We have found the winter
clothing most grateful and acceptable, but one great
thing wanted more especially than any other is a light
waterproof covering for oneself. How often could I
have withstood the most heavy rain without complain-
ing, had it not been for my dripping blanket reminding
me of its position, and I should have the pleasure of
sleeping the next night in my tent without anything to
cover me ; but all these troubles would be light if I
could but get rid of this disease.
" As I write, the booming of guns tells one there is
no very merry Christmas at Sebastopol ; our lines are
getting close to the walls; I believe our most advanced
works are 250 yards from the walls, and in a short time,
I hope in earnest, Sebastopol will have fallen. Us sol-
diers was in hopes that the fall of this place and the
winter would give peace to Europe ; but if such is not
the case, give us but our health and strength. Our duty
has been done, I believe, to general satisfaction, let us
but meet them out of a strong position, their numbers
no object, and a better account you will hear than you
have yet. Alma was taken almost without a trophy,
for from their position they could get them away ; they
would not stop at their guns until we got to them, or
more would have been sent to England than there was.
I can assure you their shipping in harbour annoy us
most ; neither can we possess the town until they are
destroyed. One little steam-vessel that was made a pre-
sent to the Russian Government by ours, often she has
thrown shell a few feet above my head, and many the
bitter curse I have heard the sailors give when a shell
came-among them from her, for they manned the guns
in the battery, and it was here that the Russians fought
so desperate on tie sth. Unluckily, I was at Balaklava,
where four companies of the Rifle Brigade was expressly
sent to guard the trenches, as those lines are of great
importance ; but the 14th of November, when the great
storm was here, I was taken very ill, and had to leave
the heights that we guarded and go into hospital. Here
they wished to send me to Malta, but I told them I was
better, and now I am much worse, and almost sorry I
did not go, for there I might have got well and strong.
Thankyionug you most
imonstusheaalrlt,ilirfeomr
remain
ne benevo-
lenceignrtaetreefsutliayndandobe-
diently your humble servant,

"JOHN HAZEL."

PROM CORPORAL DOWNING, OF TIE 95TH.

Camp near Sebastopol, Dec. 8, 1854.
My dear Jack—Yours of the 9th of November I re-
ceived yesterday, and am much obliged to you, for writ-
ing, and happy to hear you are doing well. lam still,
thank God, " sound in wind and limb," and hope I'll
live to see and give you a good shake of the fist yet.
This is the country to try a man's mettle and constitu-
tion, and I must say that both have been well tried—the
first by the Russians, and the latter by the climate. My
regiment has suffered a good deal from both causes. Sir
de Lacy is gone away sink, and so is our Brigadier Peane-
father. A braver soldier never drew a sword. If you
could but hear his "Hurrah ! my darlings," and bullets
flying round him like hail, you could not but admire the
fine old fellow ; all the brigade are sorry for him (the
Irish brigade, as we call ourselves). You will, I sup-
pose, have seen in the papers the Balaklava affair, where
the cavalry were engaged, and also that of the 26th
of October, where our division hunted the Russians. I
was in the affair of the 26th, though I had no more busi-
ness there than you had, because I was then, and am
uow, employed as clerk in the commissariat department;
but when I heard the firing I slipped on my belt, handled
the rifle, and walked, or rather ran off to join my
company. The fight was then going on hot, so I joined
the first lot I met, which happened to be an outlying
picket of the 30th. The Russians made a bold attempt,
but soon began to give way, and in the end it was as
good as a fox-hunt. Never had such fun in my life.
We followed them under the fire of their own batteries.
Sir De Lacy was so pleased that he released all pri-
soners, and gave an extra ration of rum to every man
in the division, The next good shindy was on the sth
November. The Russians attacked and drove in our
pickets at daybreak, but they soon got reinforced. Our
division was again first into it, and behaved, as usual,
like bricks. The enemy had an enormous artilleg,
which I must say was admirably served all through the
day. They took up a position in the night, and
fought like devils from dawn until sunset, and our
own people only were first engaged, but General Can-
robert sent to our assistance a strong body of his
chaps, and they soon decided the battle. The Rus-
sians were repulsed with immense loss, and our people
also suffered severely, both in officers and men. It
was a terrible day. I had a narrow escape or two.
I was standing close to my tent, where two pork barrels
were piled one on top of the other. I was leaning
against them, looking at the fight a little above me,
when a cannon ball sent the top one spinning from
my shoulder, and upset a store-keeper of ours, an ex-
London policeman, who was more frightened than hurt.
At the same time clown comes my tent with a crash, the
pole being smashed and sent in pieces through the can-
vass. We were then ordered to retire by the commis•
sariat officer in charge, and fetch some stones with
us, which we did some three or four hundred yards. My
friend the storekeeper was sitting upon a stone wall
chatting to me, when a 24 pounder sent the wall to
the ground almost from under him. He turns to me
and says, "Jack, I'll hook it," and hook it ho did.
It was a terrible day, my dear Jack, and I'll never
forget it. We have learned from some prisoners that two
Grand Dukes, sons of the Emperor Nicholas, were
there. It is supposed that the Russians were all more
or less drunk, for the greater part of them had raki in
their canteens. The fight was so close at one time that
when our fellows expended their ammunition, they com-
menced throwing stones at the enemy until reserve am-
munition and reinforcements came up. A corporal of
the 55th was shot dead at this time; there he lay on
his back, and his arm extended, and the stone firmly
clenched in his hand. He was a brave fellow, and the
whole brigade is sorry for his death. Poor Jerry
Donoghue has died of his wound ; ho would not submit
to amputation. You have had no mention of the old
people ; I should like to know how they are. Should
you see Florry M'Carthy, remember me to him and also
to all my old friends. Sebastopol, or rather its sove-
reign, is making a good fight of it, but he may as well
spare himself and us the trouble, for have it we will,
andplease God. Ouro
t hcihnap s
gfoarn
eda
ethh eoFt
hreern, cbh are all
ta Turk
kright,
gets
no quarters. The friendly " Bono Johnny," with which
we used to greet them in Bulgaria, is now exchanged for
"Goto -, you cowardly rascals." I suppose you
have seen in the papers that they ran away from a for-

tified position they were entrusted with near Balaklava,
and which we had to retake, at a great sacrifice of life.
We have them now at the only work they are fit for,
making entrenchments and repairing the roads. Could
you manage to send me a Kerry paper occasionally ? I
am very glad to hear that my old master and his family
are all well. I have had a severe attack of dysentery,
but am all right again, thank God ! I hope, my dear
old friend, you will write to me often. lam very hard
up for time, and my hands are so cold I can scarcely
hold the pen ; so I hope you will excuse bad writing
and any errors in this letter, for I have not time to read
it over and correct them.
The siege guns are hard at it to-day.
Good bye, my friend, and believe me to remain yours
very sincerely,
JOHN DOWNING, Corporal, 95th Regt.
P.S.—I wish you a merry Christmas ; I suppose
mine will be a very curious one.

The following is from a soldier in the 7th Com.
pany, Royal Sappers and Miners, a native o:
Truro, Cornwall, written to his sister at Learn
ington

" Camp before Sebastopol, Dec, 18, 1854.

"It has been very wet ever since our company have
been here, and the wet and cold have caused the death
of many of our soldiers, many of whom, as well as the
horses, are lying dead in all directions. There was as
many as 50 horses died out of the Horse Artillery last
month in one battery. The French soldiers stand it a
great deal better than the English, and their horses the
same. I saw about 60 mules belonging to the French
carrying our sick men to Balaklava. Our men and the
French are very kind one towards another. I was at
work yesterday within 400 yards of the enemy's works
at the trenches. They were firing away at us, but we
had too good a cover for them to do any harm. I took
the gun and shot at them several times. Ido not know
whether I killed any of them or not, but I can assure
you they are so very numerous, they are all over the
country. There are a great many Russian officers and
men lying about on the hills ever since the sth of Nov. ;
hats and guns all over the place ; we buried hundreds of_
' them ourselves. There are a lot of our men wearing
Russian boots, which they pulled off them. There was
a Frenchman yesterday pulling one fellow out the grave
to get his boots. I thought I would rather go without
boots for along time before I would do that. any dear
sister, you wish to knbw about Sebastopol. lam sorry
to tell yeu I have not been in there yet ; but when I
am at work by day I can see the people walking about,
and can see the dogs running about the streets. I think
it looks a beautiful place. There is a very fine arsenal.
We can see them working, but we could, if we liked,
fire in and destroy the best part of the town. I believe
Lord Raglan will not allow that, as he thihks of taking
it soon, so by that means he don't wish to destroy any,
or more than he can avoid. The French would go and
storm it at once, if they were allowed to do so, and our
men would likewise. There is no mistake about the
English soldier ; he will go through fire and water if you
once get his blood warm.

The followin; is from a letter written on board
the Indiana, and dated " Before the French Camp,
Crimea, Dec. 25, 1854."
" The weather since we came in has been very dis•
agreeable, noting but gales of wind and rain, with a
small amount of gold, Our rilaxPt however, is in 0, very

snug harbour ; there are upwards of 400 ships of diffe-
rent classes in the same harbour as the French camp.
The French camp alone extends upwards of nine miles
inland. Sebastopol lies about 11 miles from us. On
the 22d our captain expressed a wish to see the
I camp, and off we went at 9 o'clock in the morning.
After passing through the French Camp, our desire to
see the entrenchments became very great, so the captain
went to the hut of the general (it is not better than a
hut, being built of mud) to ask permission ; he very
kindly granted it, finding we were English, and sent
a guide with us. Travelling in these parts is very dis-
agreeable ; for about five miles our path was across fields
completely ploughed with shell and shot from the enemy.
At length we reached the trenches. It really is astonish-
ing to see what an extraordinary amount of labour must
be expended in throwing up these works, it is just like
passing through a maze. During the first part of our
journey through the trenches the heavy shot and shells
flew over our heads almost like flocks of birds, but by
our keeping close under the entrenchments we were
tolerably secure from harm. We at last halted, our guide
told us we were then as near as it was prudent to
We inquired how far we were from Sebastopol ? He said,
nearly 400 yards. The captain said, can we go any nearer?
He said, Ilres ; but if you get something for your pains
don't blame me.' We re-assured hint on that point,
and on ive went. We were not sorry we went, nor
were we at all sorry to get clear of it. The position of
our men in this entreschment was fearful. We were
compelled, for about half a mile, to almost crawl along
through thick mud up to oar knees. This trench was
filled with riflemen, whose duties were to keep a sharp
lookout, through very small crevices, for the purpose of
picking off a poor Russian who chanced to show a head.
The Russians were carrying on the same sport with our
men. One poor Frenchman on my left received a shot
which killed him instantly, while another, within four
feet of us, had one passed through his arm and side.
We now began to think it time to retreat, but scarcely
had we turned when a large shell fell in the trench 30
feet in advance of us. 'We looked at each other with
astonishment, afraid to make the inquiry, who `was
hurt ? The soldiers laughingly exclaimed 'pas bon,'
and returned an immediate answer, discharging three
immense bombs, one of which took up,its abode in one
of the large houses in the town. We had a fine view
of Sebastopol. I should have told you we were within
110 yards of the town when we turned back. The fields
are completely black with the numbers of shell and shot
from the enemy. The sufferings our poor troops have
to endure, and the difficulties they have to encounter
were indescribable. I assure you many of the officers
have no better place to lie down in than what they make
for themselves, and that is by digging a hole in the
earth, and roofing it in with a few sticks they may
chance to pick up, from most of which they are com-
pelled to bale out the water before they can lie down.
Those in the trenches have the worst berth. They are
on duty 24 hours every third day ; but it is the night
they so much dread ; it is during the darkness that the
11Russians make their fearful sorties. I assure you we
can see from our ships' deck most fearful firing all
through the night. On the night of the 20th they made
one of these sorties, in which we lost upwards of 100
men, besides a large number wounded. No one can
can form any idea unless they visit the trenches of
the dreadful nature of these sorties. The news that
reaches us is anything but cheering, but our men have
good pluck and steady courage, which is half the battle.

Extract of a Letter from an Officer of the 2d

Division.

Camp of 2d Division, Heights of Inkerman, Dec. 16.
An artillery officer, a few days ago, told me that the
French had 146 guns in position, and were now waiting
our being ready. Any news of this kind, however, is
thought nothing of, we look only for true news from
home. Our 13-inch mortars are being got up as fast as
our poor worn-out horses can pull them-32 horses to
one gun. From the rain the roads are in a sad state,
and now we are busy macadamising them. The poor
Turks work very languidly at this sort of work.
This Division very much regrets the resignation of Sir
De Lacy Evans, looked upon as one of our ablest gene-
rals—he was the pride of the division. In one respect,
I am glad he is gone, for ho would have sunk under the
exposures we endure now, remembering his age to be 70.
General Pennefa,ther, who succeeded Sir De Lacy,
has had a very severe attack of choleraic diarrhoea. For
two days he was in a most critical position. He has
been sent to Balaklava, but in a note to me to-night he
states his hope of being able to rejoin us before Christ-
mas. General Buller commands us at present.
With great difficulty supplies are got up from Bala-
klava. Cavalry are pressed into the commissariat ser-
vice, and we have to send to Balaklava (seven miles) for
our forage ; while our horses and mules are all dying,
those of the French are fat and up to their work. Our
ambulance corps would be most useful, were it not cum-
bered with poor pensioners, who are not fit to take care
of themselves, much less of mules, &c.

The minds of the medicos out here are in a sad state of
irritation, with great good reason. They do their duty
notwithstanding the difficulties thrown in their way by
the military authorities. Their great exertions are never
noticed, but, should one of their members slip in the
least thing, down comes a censure on the whole of us.
On the morning on which the sick arrived at Balakla.va,
which caused the General Order, a medical officer went
to Lord Raglan and said, "My lord, if you will give
inc an order for boats, I will undertake to have every
man put on board ship." This his lordship would or could
not do.

WHAT THE RUSSIANS THINK OF
THE WAR.

(Finin am American Paper)

IVlr. T. P. Shaffner, secretary to the American Tele-
graph Company, recently returned from Russia, has
favoured us with some interesting information on pub-
lic opinion Asere in relation to the Crimean canipai4n
and the prospects of the war. Mr. Shaffner left the
capital after the battle of the 25th of October.
When the report reached St. Petersburg that the
Allied forces had actually sailed from Varna, it was
scarcely credited that an invasion of the Crimea was
seriously contemplated. The events which have sub-
sequently taken place in that peninsula have suffi-
ciently proved this. Nicholas never fancied that
the expedition would be undertaken in the face
of a severe winter. He gave the Allied commanders
more credit than to suppose that they would risk the
defeat, and, perhaps, the total annihilation of their army.
• The climat3 of, the country and the tempestuous season
of the year, so near at hand, were as hostile to the Eng-
lish and French as they were favourable to the Russians.
In the middle of October, the storms which have already
wrecked so many vessels of the invading fleet begin to
sweep with resistless fury over the Black Sea, and render
the transport of troops often impossible, and always at-
tended with more or less danger. The regular supply
of provisions and ammunition is then precarious, and, in
a country where no food can bo obtained, the situation
of a hostile army, under the most favourable circum-
stances, must be critical in the extreme. Hence the
Crimea was the last point in his dominions where
Nicholas anticipated an attack. The danger, as he con-
ceived, lay in Poland, and along the Austrian frontiers,
and there 300,000 men were under arms to meet it.
When, therefore, the allied forces landed at Eupatoria

the Russian commander was almost taken by surprise.
His whole available forces in the Crimea amounted only
to some 25,000 men, includingthe garrison of Sebastopol.
Reinforcements, however, could be brought up within a
fortnight's time, and provided a sufficient delay could
be obtained, Sebastopol and the Crimea were safe. In
Prince Menschikoff's despatch sent to St. Petersburg
before the battle of the Alma, the plan of the campaign
was distinctly laid down. He was to hold the allies in
check by a series of engagements, retreating, if un-
successful, on the city. There he expected to receive
the powerful aid of Liprandi's division. But if this,
from any unforeseen accident, did not arrive, and
he found it impossible to defend Sebastopol with
the force under his command, he intended to blow up
the forts, sink the ships, and hold off until, with an in-
creased army, he could offer the enemy battle with
hopes of success. Pursuant to this plan, a skirmish
first took place near Eupatoria, in which the Russians
lost 1,500 men, occasioned chiefly by the guns of the
allied vessels. This affair has been scarcely noticed i n
the reports we have received. At Alma the Russians
declared they had but 22,000 men, and that after the
battle they were enabled to retreat in good order to the
city. They expected that the allies would speedily fol-
low. Menschikeff even declared in his despatches to the
Czar that, by a vigorous assault, the stronghold might
by this time have been captured. For such a result he
seems to have been fully prepared. But when he saw
that the allies hesitated to advance, his hopes of defend-
ing the place were strengthened. Couriers morning and
evening were sent to St. Petersburg with the intelligence
that the enemy had not altered his position. And when
at last the enemy did press forward, and invested a
portion of the city, the anxiously expected reinforcements
under Liprandi had arrived, and Alenschikoff felt certain

of ultimate success.
With hundreds of thousands of men at his command,
and a communication to the Crimea open during the
winter by means of sledges, the battle of the Alma, Bala-
klava, and Inkerman have been as good as so many vic-
tories to the Czar. But the allied troops—decimated by
war and disease, with their supplies of ammunition and
food cut off or delayed by the storms on the Black Sea—
must be considered alost army, though every man should
display the courage and endurance of a hero. It is a
serious question now whether even a retreat is pos-
sible. It was considered miraculous when cavalry,
infantry, and artillery were all safely landed at Eupa-
toria in calm summer weather ; but how would they
fare now when it has been found impossible to land the
wounded, who were obliged to remain in the ships
tossing for days upon those stormy waves ? What
would become of the remnant of that magnificent arma-
ment in such a tempest as that which destroyed ves-
sels of the fleet ? To winter in the Crimea would be
scarcely less disastrous. The severity of the climate,
and the unceasing hostilities of a relentless persevering
enemy, would fearfully lessen their numbers. It is
barely possible that they could maintain their present
position. The Russian has alreidy profited by the ex-
perience of the campaign. lie has learnt that his own
musket is a very infer or weapon to the Minia rifle, and
it is expected that this disadvantage under which he now
labours will shortly be removed. Under every aspect
of the case fortune seems to frown upon the allies.
Bravery can do much in most cases, but in this even
the dauntless courage and impetuous bearing displayed
at Inkerman can only prolong the struggle.
A defeat before the walls of Sebastopol will entail re
sults upon which it would be vain to speculate. Dissa-
tisfied with the failure of the ill-planned expedition, the
French people may wreak their vengeance on Napoleon.
The alliance between England and France will then be
blown to the winds. The policy of Austria and Prussia
will vacillate no longer, for self-preservation will force
them, to bide with Russia. the roy,OutOnary Ppir t 119 W

smouldering in the German states will then no longer
be controlled, and the legions of republican and despotic
Europe will once more be brought face to face.

But Russia will continue to struggle for that political
ascendancy which is the end and aim of her monarch's am-
bition. Mark the elements of her strength. Throughout
all her vast dominions, from St. Petersburg to the Cam.
casus, one feeling—induced by a firm belief in the juss
tice Of the war is predominant. Emperor, noble, peas-
ant, and serf seem animated by the same intense eethus
siasm. The ostensible object of the struggle is to secure
religious toleration to the Greek subjects of the Porte,
and if territorial aggrandisement be the real design,
it is for the present thrust into the background and
remains where it was engendered —in the subtle
brain of the Czar. The people are told that they
arm in defence of Christianity--that their Emperor,
the head of their church and champion of their
faith, has taken up the gage of battle which the
heathen has flung down that France is opposed
to them from the remembrance of old hostilities, and
that England, while she holds the cross in one hand,
wields the sword of the devil in the other. Monks
and priests are scattered over the empire preaching the
holiness of the crusade, promising success and calling
upon all to aid its speedy accomplishment. For this
purpose they are provided with boxes on which is carved
the form of the cross, and every one contributes his
mite. No patriotic fund is raised for the wounded, but
the Czar declares that they are under his especial pro-
tection, and the Government will provide for them.
Throughout the land the churches are open day and
night, and prayer for the triumph of the Russian arms
im the universal theme. The soldiers are impressed with
the conviction that tho 1,000 saints of their church are
interceding in their behalf, and that when they are
killed in battle they are received at once into glory.
And besides this fanaticism, which of itself would be
resistless against an ordinary enemy, they have proved
themselves equal, both in courage and discipline, to
the best troops of France and England. If 1,000,000
of such men can be brought into the field—if the for-
tresses on their frontiers have already been found im•
pregnable—if a successful invasion of the Czar's territory
is known to be an impossibility, and if his resources for
prosecuting the war are unlimited, where is the colossal
Power which can eventually subjugate this Imperial
Autocrat ?

Nor is this all. Unlike other crowned heads ;in Eu-
rope, the Emperor of Russia has no revolution—no in-
ternal dissensions to fear throughout the length and
breadth of his dominions. He could concentrate his
whole army at any given point, and the rest of the
country would remain in perfect security. He is idolised
by his subjects, who look upon him as a father. By
his soldiers he is regarded as/a demi-god. Daily he may
be seen taking his usual walk or ride through the streets
of St. Petersburg, and often entirely unattended. This
again refutes the idea started some time since in Paris,
that a stray bullet would one day terminate his existence
and put an end to the war.
On two points especially the world until now has
been content to remain in comparative ignorance—one
is the resources of Russia, and the other the intelligence
of her inhabitants. A large portion of the serfs are
landed proprietors, and although they do not enjoy
what we would call political rights, their condition is
not one of degradation, nor is it incompatible with in-
tellectual cultivation and material improvement. Manu-
factories in silks, laces, cloths, &c., are to be found
everywhere, and the quality as well as the cheapness of
these articles, when compared with French goods, often
surprise the American traveller. The manufacture of
munitions of war is, of course, carried on to a very large
extent. Russia, as we know, is a great exporting
country, and it has been estimated that, if obliged to
live on her own resources, can grow enough wheat to
support double the amount of her inhabitants, who live
almost altogether on farinaceous food. The superabun-
dance of gold and silver ornaments in the churches of
St. Petersburg alone is sufficient to demonstrate the
wealth of the nation, and so enthusiastic are the people,
so determined are they to succeed in the cause on which
they have embarked, that every church in the empire
would be despoiled rather than money should be wanted
to carry on the war.