The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-17 00:00:00

WEST INDIA AND PACIFIC MAILS,

SOUTHAMPTON, MONDAY, 11.30 A.m.

The Royal mail steam ship Parana, Captain

ElEstop, with the West India and Pacific mails,

has just entered the river.

THE BRITISH EXPEDITION.
(Prom the Times Correspondent.)
CAMP BEFORE SEBASTOPOL, DEC. 4.
There has been a complete dearth of incident
since I last wrote. We are in the status quo. Pos-
sibly the mud is deeper, and the Russians fire more
than usual upon the town. There is no change in the
attitude of the enemy. The storm of Saturday
morning taxed the new huts severely, and they are
by no means highly spoken of ; they are too frail,
and lightly built, and the rain and wind pass
through with uncomfortable facility. The huts con-
structed in the sides of the hills by the French and
Sardinians are much more comfortable, and do not
cost a tithe of the money. They are roofed with
wattles, covered with mud and earth, and if they
are rather dark they are at all events warm and
water-tight. It is now said that the men would
have done much better if the authorities had Bent
out nails, hammers, planks, old canvass, and some
glass.
The "races" were the great object of attraction
and of talk during the week, and the stewards
can only wonder at their good fortune in the
weather, which was such as permitted all who could
get away from duty to go to the course if they
pleased. Monday was like a breezy English Octo-
ber day, with just enough of cold to make exercise
pleasant ; the ground dried up amazingly, and the
course was altogether in a very sound and excellent
condition. The spot where the races took place
was ix a valley between the French head-quarters
and the Monastery, about two miles from the sea
shore, and the distance from camp was too great to
permit the atteniance of many of the soldiers—a
circumstance which General Coirington regretted,
as the cheering effects of such assemblages among
English soldiers are undoubted ; but no other piece
of ground equally good and large enough for the
purpose was available within easy reach of the
camp. The races were well attended. Marshal
Pelissier drove over in an open carriage, preceded
by a solitary Spahis (who seems the last of the
bright-eyed, wild-looking, and picturesque warriors
who formed St. Arnaud's escort), and followed by
a body guard of regular cavalry. Several of his
staff and a large number of French officers were
also present, and seemed to take a lively interest in
the races. General de la Marmora, and many Sar-
dinian officers, paid us the compliment of com-
ing over from the neighbourhood of Tchorgoun,
and Sir William Codrington, attended by a single
orderly, rode across from the English Head-
quarters, and remained on the ground till the
principal races were over. The divisional gene-
rals, brigadiers, colonels, and ataff-officers were
plentiful as blackerries, and though the only repre-
sentative of the fair sex was Mrs. Seacole, who
presided over a sorely invested tent full of crea-
ture comforts, the course had a very animated
appearance owing to the number and variety
of uniforms, and at the same time the do-
mestic character of the scene was preserved
by the efforts of a band of Ithiopian sere-
naders, furnished by amateurs from the Guards,
who favoured us with abundance of the peculiar
vocal and instrumental music in vogue among that
interesting race. The course was over two miles
and three-quarters long, and abounded with
" famous obstacles" in the shape of banks and stone
walls close on four feet high, hurdles, and a brook
twelve feet wide. The following is the card of the
Course :
GRAND MILITARY STEEPLECHASES, MONDAY,

DEC. 3, 1855.
STEIVIEDS.
Viscount Talon, Chasseurs d'Afriquo.
Ist Division, Major Astley, Fusilier Guards.
2.1 Division, Lieutenant-Colonel Danbeny, 62d.
3d Division, Major Hudson, 39th.
Cavalry, Mr, Wilkin, 11th Hussars,
The Marquis de Spinola.
Highland Division, Colonel Taylor, 79th.
4th Division, Major Wombwell, 46th.
Light Division, Mr. Dixon, 7th Fuailiers.
Royal Artillery, Captain Connell.
Royal Engineers, Major Nicholson.
First Race-12 o'clock.—The Grand International
Steeple Chase—a Sweepstakes of 51. each, with 601.
added for all horses, the property of, and to be ridden
by, officers of the allied armies. The second horse to
receive 101. 12st 71b each. Two miles.
Capt. Smith's (R.A.) b. g. Muster Roll. (Major Yel-
yodel], R.A.) Red, black cap. 1
Capt. Prentis's (Scotch Greys) g, g. Tho Marquis
Blue jacket and cap
Capt. blade's (Inniskillings) ch g Planet. (Major
Hunt ............................................... :•••• 3