The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-18 00:00:00

THE SUN, LO N DON, WEDNESDAY_ EVENING; APRIL 18. 1855.

property. It would be absurd to say that the
journal which first contrived to catch a floating
rumour, or wbo gave the earliest report of a dis-

cession in Parliament, or a report of a trial
in, banco, or in one of the Police Courts,
should have the exclusive property iu the facts
there detailed. So far, then, from being for the
liberation of the Press, it will operate as a com-
plete restriction. Even the Leviathan itself, and
all the smaller fry who follpw in its wake, will
find that they themselves will participate in the
annoyance, and when too late will feel the nuisance
of the gagging operation to which they have been
assenting parties.

Until an invention that costs money is about
dead sure to answer its purpose better than any-
thing else at the price there is little chance of
its general adoption in this country, and, judging
it by this test, the superiority of screw over every
other mode of propulsion is sufficiently established
to call for no other proof. Not only is it used
in our commercial marine, where the increased
room for stowage it affords, and other advantages
over the paddle are bringing it into play where
steam propulsion was never employed before, but
also in the Royal Navy. In this department it has
effected a surprising revolution. Huge ships that,
in the time of NELSON and COLLINOWOOD, could
only take their departure with a favourable breeze,
and might in some stirring but luckless mo-
ment lie becalmed and log-like on the water, or
be driven by the tempest irresistibly onward
towards a lee shore and inevitable destruction,
may now, thanks to the agency of the screw, be
depended on almost at any time and under any
circumstances, to set at comparative defiance
adverse winds, calm, and storm. Those of the
general public who witnessed the mighty fleet
that left Spithead the other day and steered in
majestic grace, but with fate-like speed for the
Baltic, must be especially able, next to men of
science, to appreciate the immense value and im-
portance of the screw.

While, however, this mode of propulsion is
deservedly the admiration, to a greater or less
extent, of millions, it might not unaptly be asked
—How many hundreds are acquainted with the
name of the inventor, or ever felt any degree of
gratitude to one who deserves to take rank in a
high class of public benefactors ? To such ques-
tions we are afraid the answers must be far from
satisfactory. It remains, then, for us to state,
that, to all intents and purposes, Mr. PETTIT
SMITH is the practical inventor of the screw.
Others may possibly lay claim to pziority of inven-
tion, but he it was who, in the Archimedes in
1839 and 1840, first developed this great im-
provement in the means of maritime enterprise.
To the genius of Mr. SMITH, who has spent the
best years of his life in establishing the merits of
the screw, the vast accession it has contributed to
our naval strength at the present time is mainly
owing. And how has he been rewarded ? The
reader will hardly fail to guess with tolerable ac-
' curacy. He who has deserved so well at home,
has had his most tangible reward from abroad.
To the French Government Mr. SMITH is in-
debted for a signal recognition of his merits and
a token of approval. That is all. From the
Government of his own country he has received
no reward whatever, at all events of a substantial
nature.

Say what we will in extenuation, the syste-
matic neglect experienced by our national benefac-
tors is dishonourable to us as a people, and espe-
cially so to our rulers. If they were properly looked
after merit would not be neglected as it is ;
for more instinctive and cold-blooded enemies to
sterling merit than our aristocratic Governments
do not exist. Had the public done their duty,
it would be out of the power of any one to say,
with truth, as we now do, that, while thousands
are annually wasted on worthless objects, and

high-born imbeciles in office are suffered to draw
on the public purse for services which should
earn them a whipping, the man who, by his
genius, contributes to the security and stability of
the empire, is suffered to go penniless and unre-
warded. It certainly is high time this sort of
thing was over : until it is we must continue to
do as we mean in this instance, viz., recommend
to public gratitude the man whose merits are too
great to meet with governmental patronage.
Already we are happy to be enabled to state that
an influential committee has been formed, and
liberal subscriptions have been received, in order
to present Mr. Smith with a testimonial in some
measure worthy of his deserts, and of his fellow-
country men's sense of them. The subscription
list still remains open, bat we trust no long time
will be suffered io elapse before it is closed in a
satisfactory manner. Let it be shown that the
people are not wanting in gratitude, a feeling of
which their rulers are so evidently incapable.

LATEST NEWS.

came to the conference in a chaise drawn by two
horses.

Major General Scarlett has left the command of
the cavalry to return to England on urgent private
affairs.

A fire broke out yesterday in the Engineers'
yard, at Balaklava, but did but little harm. It
would have caused some mischief had it got the
length of some powder used for exploring rocks.
The cause of the fire on board the Favorita, in
harbour, the other day, has been traced to two
Greeks, who were stealing spirits from the hold.
The bag for England does not close till 10 a.m.
daily now, therefore I shall write a few words in
the morning.
The following General Order has arrived here :
"Horse Guards, March 15, 1855.
"Her Majesty has been pleased to command that the
practice which prevailed in former wars of withholding
promotion from officers taken prisoners of war shall be dis-
continued as regards the subaltern officers of the army;
and, as regards officers of the rank of captain who, if
not made prisoners, would, by their regimental standing,
succeed to the rank of major, or if majors would succeed
to lieutenant-colonelcies—that the loss of promotion,
consequent upon being captured by the enemy, should
subsequently he made up to them, after their exchange
or release, so far as may be pract'cable, by their being
advanced to the substantive rank which they would-
have attained had they not been taken prisoner—and
by the antedate of their commissions.
" Her-Majesty has further been pleased to command,
with a view to prevent any officer who may have been
taken prisoner by his own neglect, or any other uuofficer-
like conduct, obtaining any of the advantages above
enumerated, that the following regulation shall be esta-
blished:

" Whenever an officer shall have been made a prisoner
of war, a court of inquiry shall as soon as possible
be assembled, by order of the general officer command-
ing the forces, to investigate the circumstances under
which he became a prisoner, and— having sifted
the facts as far as may be in their power—to make
a report thereon, whether his capture is to be attri•
buted to the chance of war to which he was exposed,
or whether it may have occurred from any unofficer like
conduct on his part, and that the following declaration
be made by the president and members of the court of
inquiry previously to commencing the proceedings :
" A. 8., do declare upon my honour, that I will duly
and impartially inquire into and give my opinion as to
the circumstances under which Captain C. D. became a
prisoner of war, according to the true spirit and meaning
of her Majesty's orders and regulations on this head ; and
I further declare, upon my hononr, that I will not on any
account, or at any time, disclose or discover my own vote or
opinion, or that of any particular member of the board,
unless required to do so by competent authority."
"The proceedings of the court are to be transmitted
by the general officer in command of the forces to the
General Commanding-in-Chiel.—By command of the
Right Honourable

"General Viscount HARDINGE,
Commanding-in-Chief.
"G. A. WETHERALL,
Adjutant• General."
APRIL 3, Nine a.m.

A great deal of firing was carried on last night on
both sides ; at intervals the French fired volleys
from their small arms during the night, which were
supposed to be at the Russian riflemen in their
front. Shells were freely exchanged between the
contending parties. I have heard of no casualty.
The batteries, I am thinking, will open sometime
to-morrow. To-night the electric wires are to he
carried down to our lines, and they are to be
finished fit for work by daylight to-morrow. This
seems likely for an opening.
It is a lovely morning, a little cold, but nothing
worth mentioning, only seasonable.
P.S.—General Canrobert was at head-quarters
late last night.
As there have been many conflicting statements
respecting the strength of the army I have pro-
cured the following returns, which, on a certain
day now past, were accurate, and which show the
strength of the British army last month according
to the ration returns :

The Light Division, Lieutenant-General Sir
George Brown.-7th Fusiliers, 609 ; 23d Foot,
574 ; 19th Foot, 450 ; 23d Regiment, 321 ; 34th
Regiment, 809; 77th Foot, 650 ; 88th Foot, 781 ;
90th Foot, 537 ; one wing 2d Battalion Rifle Bri-
gade, 735 ; total effective and non-effective, 5,466 ;
non-effective, 1,000 men ; for duty, 3,800 men.
First Division, Sir Colin Campbell.—Grenadier
Guards, 1,096 ; Coldstream Guards, 820 ; Scots
Fusiliers, 815 ; 42d Highlanders, 666 ; 71st High-
land Light Infantry, 878 ; 79th Regiment, 690 ;
93d Regiment, 732 ; total, 4,697 ; non-effective,
1,209 for duty, 3,500 men.

The Naval Brigade, 1,000 men for duty.
The Marines, 600 men for duty.
Second Division, Major-General Pennefather.-
30th Foot, 499 ; 55th Foot, 687 ; 62d Foot, 453 ;
95th Foot, 309—total, First Brigade, 1,948. 41st
Foot, 686 ; 47th Foot, 631 ; 49th Foot, 689—total,
Second Brigade, 2,066. Artillery, H and B bat-
teries (Turner and Pennycuik's), 300. Total ra-
tion strength of division, 4,254. Nnumber of sick
in hospital about 650, leaving available, say 3,600
men, of whom at least 800 are required for camp
duties, for Commissariat duties, for hospital and
orderly duties, as storekeepers, batmen, storemen,
servants, A.7.c.

Third Division.-Ist RoyaTh, 586; 4th Foot, 504;
9th Foot, 409 ; 14th Foot, 730 ; 18th Foot, 848 ;
28th Foot, 490 ; 38th Foot, 673 ; 39th Foot, 717;
44th Foot, 562 ; 50th Foot, 321; 89th Foot, 576;
total, 6,416 ; strength for duty, 3,500 men:

Fourth Division, General Sir John Campbell.-
17th Regiment, 829 ; 20th Foot, 411 ; 21st Foot,
607 ; 46th Foot, 324 • 57th Foot, 607 ; 68th Foot,
407 ; Rifle Brigade, Ist bat., 550 ; Artillery, 156 ;
Ambulance, 101; Commissariat, 128; total, 4,120;
strength for duty, 3,000.
Cavalry Division.-600 men.
Total strength, 22,600 men. Of these about
6,000 would only be available in extremis, and the
ordinary strength of the whole army in bayonets
'would not exceed 15,000 men.

EUPATORIA.

EUPATORIA, MARCH 29.

Yesterday afternoon the Bashi-bazouks showed
themselves for the first time in the Crimea in all
their glory as irregular troops, but at the same time
in all their ferocity. After the cavalry demonstra-
tion last week, which served to mask the construc-
tion of the new works, when it became clear that
the Turks had no intention to advance, the main
body of the Russian cavalry,which had been brought
up for the occasion, was again withdrawn, and only
the usual outposts left. The first of these posts is to
the right on the other side of the bridge which
leads over the creek running in from Lake Sasik.
The next to it, towards the left, leans on the
village of Bazar, situate on a slope leading down
to the above-mentioned creek. The videttes thrown
out by this post occupy a ridge overlooking the
village, and concealing it. It was determined to sur-
prise this post, and push forward to the village. In
order to draw off the attention, several large bodies
of regular cavalry were ordered out ; among the
rest, some squadrons with one of the rifle guns were
,sent to the right, towards the bridge. hile this
cavalry was displayed on the most prominent points,
the Bashi-bazouks divided into three bodies, and,
concealed by the undulation of the ground, went off
at full speed towards the village. The Russian
videttes, accustomed to former reconnaissances,
which were always seen half an hour before they
could reach, thought themselves in such security
that they had got off their horses and some of them
even laid down. The videttes had scarcely time to
mount and to retire on their reserves on the ridge
above the village when the Bashi-bazouks, with a
yell of " Yallah, Illah!" were upon them; a hand-to-
h and melee ensued, Cossacks and Bashi- bazouks were
for a moment mixed up together, furious yelling and
firing on both sides, which ended in the flight of
the Cossacks towards the 'village. In the village
they made another stand, the fusillade continued
unabated, but the Cossacks were evidently de.
moralised, and soon after made a precipitous retreat
from the village, leaving all their baggage, fur
cloaks, cooking utensils, and a quantity of corn and
hay behind them. The Bashi-bazouks, intoxicated
by their success, were for following them up
to the ridge beyond the village, where they
had halted, but already clouds of dust were seen
in the distance, and shortly after nine squadrons
and four guns appeared in sight. So the little
drums began to beat the retreat, and the Bashi-
bazouks, laden with copper dishes, cloaks, fo-
rage, 4-5 c., singing and caracolling, ret,red unmo-
lested. A Bashi-hazouk cannot understand war-
fare without liberty to plunder. Plunder is for
him a proof of victory, and one can see him often
taking up the most useless things, only to have
something to show. When he sees plunder before
him the Bashi-bazouk becomes reckless ; thus in
the affair of yesterday while ono part of them was
fighting in the village at close quarters with the
RussiauQ, others were dismounting from their
horses, and taking up whatever they could find,
regardless of consequences.

Considering the numbers engaged and the shots
fired, the losses on both sides were trifling. 400
Bashi-bazouks attacked about 300 Cossacks and a
squadron of regular Lancers, and the former lost
two horses and one man, while the latter had two
men and three horses killed and one man severely
wounded.

When the Bashi-bazouk who was killed fell from
his horse, the latter galloped off towards the Rus-
sians. Immediately a dozen Bashi-bazouks set off
after him, and caught him quite close to the Rus-
sians, without being molested by the latter, which
showed clearly how browbeaten they were.
Of tl'e Russians, one officer of Cossacks was killed
before the village, one man fell in the village, and
a third, evidently heavily wounded, was carried
back I,y his horse, clinging to its neck.

' The officer was carried away by his horse among
the Bashi- bazouks, and was shot down by one of
them. As soon as he fell another gave him a lance
thrust, and a third a sabre cut over his neck. In
another minute be was without hoots, but it would
have been well if this had been all ; lent no, while
the melee was still at its height one of the Bashi-
bazouks quietly alighted from his horse at about
15 or 20 yards from the Russians, fired his pistol
into a truss of hay whinh was close to the fallen
officer, and covered the body of the latter
with the binning hay. Omer Pacba, as soon as he
heard of this case, ordered an inquiry to be made
to find out the author of this ferocious deed, who
will certainly not escape the severest punishment.
Except this case of barbarous cruelty the Bashi-
bazouks as irregular cavalry behaved exceedingly
well. What the regulars have several times tried
without success, because they were badly com-
manded, a handful of irregulars have done ; and
they had the best irregular cavalry of the Rus-
sians, the Cossacks of the Don, opposed to them.
The great thing is not to attempt to employ Bashi-
bazouks as regulars, but to let them fight in their
own way, to which they have been accustomed
during their whole life. In foraging, for surprises,
or coups de main they are invaluabl.
This small affair has incredibly raised the spirit
of the Turkish cavalry, which had been rather de-
pressed by the repeated checks which they had ex-
perienced in their former reconnaissances. The
entry of the Bashi-bazouks into the town was quite
a triumph, Turks and Tartars hailing them with
" Ay Wallahs" and "Mash Allahs," and throng-
ing to see them. Two persons who had got hold of
a cow were the principal points of attraction.
Their return in the lovely spring evening, their
picturesque costumes, the excitement of the popula-
tion, the sound of their war drums, intermixed
with the shouting and singing, formed one of the
most interesting scenes imaginable.
How completely successful this little affair was
as a coup de main, you may imagine from the fact
that in several of the copper kettles which had been
left by the Cossacks the Bashi-bazouks found the
soup just ready cooked ; but they cared more about
the kettles than about the soup.

FRANCE.
(FROM OLTR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, TUESDAY EVENING.
Vely Pacha left Paris yesterday for Brussels to
present to the King of the Belgians his letters of
recal—he being accredited to the Court of Bel-
gium as well as that of France. He is to return
to Paris to-morrow, and will shortly after proceed
to Marseilles to embark for Tuiiey.
The following letter from Katniesh Bay, in the
Sentinelle of Toulon, although dated as far back as
the :-)Oth ult., is not without interest :
" A rather strange adventure has occurred outside
Sebastopol. A young Russian woman was for some
days seen walking about- the Russian trenches—and
sometimes at night also, with a lantern. It was thought,
as she was very tall, and of majestic appearance, teat
she was a man in disguise, and the general-in-cniet nr
dered that she should be caret ully watched. At six
o'clock in the morning of the 28th, she again appeared
opposite our lines, and examined then} with great
attention ; she carried a note-book and pencil in her
hand, and seemed to inscribe in it the result of her
observations. Finding, after a while, that she was per-
ceived, she hurried towards a species of ravine at the
extremity of the French trenches. Two Z uaves were
sent in pursuit of her, arid succeeded in capturing her.
Being found to be really a woman, she was taken before
General Canrobert, and questioned. She said that she
had made observations of the French positions for the
good of her country. and to avenge the death of her
husband, Boninoff by name, who was killed at the battle
of the Alma. Her note-book was found to contain
several details relative to the situation of our batteries,
and the number of guns in them ; she had also in her
pockets a double-barrelled pistol, and a letter addressed
to Prince Menschikoff. She was placed in confinement,
under the surveillance of two sentinels, and it has been
determined that she shall be sent to Malta."
The same letter says :

"In the intervals between the sorties of the enemy
the soldiers amuse themselves i❑ the trenches in playing
pitch and toss, or cards, or bowls—the Russian balls
serving as the bowls. Sometimes, too, to try the skill
of the Russian riflemen, who are in ambuscade at 50 or
60 yards from t:.ern, they raise a bottle or a cap nn the
top of a parapet, and when the man hits it, which he
almost always does, they hoist up a canteen to signify
that he deserves a drink for having fired so well. Four
days ago eight of the soldiers were playing at Into in the
trenches, and all at once a shell fell in the midet of them.
Qui vive?' cried one, with a laugh ; and the moment
after it was ascertained that of their party one wal
killed and six wounded. The other evening a sen-
tinel who was peeping through a hide in the para-
pet, cried, Here are the Russians coming Are they
far off ?' asked the others. 'Not very !' answered the
sentinel. Well! when they are quite close. tell us I
was the answer—and the men remained quietly seated.
Presently the sentinel cried, 'Here they are 1' On which
each man seized his inu,ket, and after firing a volley
over the parapet, proceeded co att.ck the Rus,•ians with
the bayonets—and in a few seconds routed them."

BOURSE, APRIL 17.—CLOSING PRICES.
Cash. fr. c. End of Month.
121 per Cents 93 50 93f. 75.:.
3 per Cents . 6,3 75 G3f. 80c.
Credit Mobilier 7BO Roman
Credit Foncier 538 50 Austrian
Belgian Five 5........ 941 Spanish Threes
Pithimontese B5 75 Home Debt 3oi