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

SIEGE OP SEBASTOPOL.

A letter from Sebastopol of the 17th ult., in the
Constitutionnel, says :

" General Pelissicr and General Bosquet have both
entered on their functions as commandants of the Ist and
2d corps d'arrnee. This is a strong guarantee for the
General-in-Chief, that his ideas will be understood and
executed in a masterly manner. Reinforcements are con-
stantly arriving. The wind from the south, which blows
with -some degree of violence, dries up the ground
and brings us fleets of vessels ; and provisions,,
ammunition, and stores of all kinds abound. 7,000
men arrived yesterday, partly belonging to the fltb divi-
sion, and partly consisting of reinforcements for different
corps. The Imperial Guard is still encamped near the
port of Kamiesh, where they will remain until the
ground has become dry enough for them to take up better
quarteis. The formation of the regiment of the Zouaves
of the Guard will soon be completed. In the night of
the 13th our volunteers on the extreme- right on the
Tchernaia made a descent on the Russian post, and
came upon the enemyso suddenly that they bad not time
to defend themselves. 30 of them were killed and the
commander took- to flight ; we had only four or five
men wounded. On the following night a similar move-
ment was made, but the Russians had deserted the
spot, which is a very important point gained, as their
riflemen from that position seriously annoyed the
workmen in the trenches on the right. Russian de-
serters are.constantly coining in, who complain of the
continual fatigue and bard work which they have had
to endure. From all the information which bas been
collected, it does not appear that the Russians have more
than from 65,000 to 70,000 men in the Crimea, and
from the difficulty of transport, provisions have been
distributed very irregularly. They have it given out
by the German journals, who are doubtless paid fir so
doing, that they have considerable forces at Perekop,
aad yet only a week ago it was found necessary to send
a regiment of infantry, with eight pieces of artillery, to
support their cavalry in that quarter. The troops are
in excellent health, the works go on with astonishing
rapidity, and every moment brings us nearer the end of
the affair."

TILE RUSSIAN "RECONNAISSANCE" AT
ETTPATORIA.

Baron von Manteuffel had, it is understood, on
28th February, received a telegraphic despatch at
Berlin; from the Prussian Consul-General at Bucharest,
which fully confirms previous statements, that the
affair at Eupatoria, of the 17th, was not a mere "re-
connaissance," but a regular and carefully-planned
attempt at a coup de main. The Russians advanced
with thirty-six battalions and eighty field-pieces, and
under cover of the latter formed storming columns, well
provided with scaling ladders. The vigour of the defence
was such, however, that all the assaults were repulsed.
After between three and four hours' hard fighting and
fruitless efforts, General Chruleff sounded a retreat, and
drew off his defeated troops out of range of fire, leaving
nearly 400 dead at the foot of the entrenchments, and suf-
fering most severely as he fell back. The Russian troops
bivouacked on the night of the 17th-18th, at a short dis-
tance, without tents or covering, and on the latterday the
main body retired on Simphoropol. The fire of the de-
fenders is said to have caused the Russians a very 'severe
loss in artillery horses, of which a.,:uonsiderable number
were left on the ground where theireOeld batteries were
stationed. The loss of the Turks is understood to have
amounted to about 250 killed and wounded. But it
matters little whether our brave allies lost 50 or even
100, more or less. They have repulsed a regular and
desperate assault, and proved to the Russians that the
men of Eupatoria are those of. Silistria.
The despatch adds, it is said, that this successful affair
has excited great enthusiasm among the Turkish troops
at Eupatoria, and inspired them with perfect confidence

PORTSMOUTH, Saturday Morning.—The Arabia, from
the Black Sea, has arrived with military invalids.
RATHER OMINOUS.—We understand that the Secre-
tary to the General Post-office has written to the au-
thorities in the different counties, cities, and boroughs,
requesting them to furnish the Postmaster-General with
the address of their offices for the reception of election
writs. This may be a merely formal inquiry, but at the
present moment it is exceedingly ominous.