The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-12 00:00:00

The nat'ves are peti+ioning the ,Council for av

to
Trade in India dull.

Exchange at Calcutta, 2s. ld. A Five per

Cent. Loan has been opened.

No intelligence from China.

THE CRIMEA.

We have received the following telegraphic de-
spatch from our correspondent at Marseilles
MARSEILLES, j'EUCRSDAY, APRIL 12.
The Hydaspes, which left Constantinople on
the 2d of April, has arrived.
Despatches for the Government left at 11 a.m.
8,000 Egyptians left Constantinople on the 21
for Eupatoria.

I3ALAKLAVA, Milton 31.

The Russians have constructed two new batte-
ries, and have converted the ambuscades into an

advanced parallel.

The Allies have also constructed two new ba

teries.

The firing has been slack. ft was said posi-
tively that the bombardment would commence
on the 3d of April.

The weather was not so fine ; it was very cold,

Of seven Russian admirals at Sebastopol, a'

the commencement of the siege, two only now

remain.

CREIIIISrAL COURT.-(TRIS DAY.)

OLD COURT.
THE MURDER IN FOLEr-PLACE.

This morning being appointed for the trial of .Luigi
Baranelli, for the murder in Foley-pla,ee, a good deal of
interest was manifested to hear the proceedings.
Shortly before ten o'clock Mr. Russo,ll Gurney, Q.C.,
took his seat upon the bench, and the prisoner was then
placed at the bar. He was well dressled, and appeared
to be still suffering from the injury be inflicted upon
himself at the time of the murder.

He pleaded not guilty, and having (flouted to be tried
by an English jury, the prisoner was removed from the
bar.

Mr. Jastice Erie took his seat on the bench a few mi
nutes after ten o'clock, and the prisoner w as again placed
at the bar, to take his trial for the murder of Joseph
Latham.

Mr. Bodkin and Mr. Clerk conducted the prosecution.
Mr. Macenteer and Mr. Le Breton wo re counsel for
the prisoner.

Mr. Bodkin, in opening the cage, said that, although

the charge was one of a serious character, the circum-
stances were very simple, and he should therefore not
occupy unnecessarily the time of the ju:ty by making any
lengthened speech to them. The lean led counsel then
went on to state the facts, and having t lo.ne so, called
Sophia de Veaux, who said that she knew the de-
ceased man, Joseph Latham, who lived,. under the name
of Lambert, at No. 5, Foley-place, to -which place he
had removed a short time previously, 'from Newman-
street, Oxford-street. A woman lived wiAh the deceased,
and both passed by the name of Lamber t, The prisoner
had resided there with them. Deceased. and Mr. Lam-
bert slept in the back parlour, and a M:rs. Williamson
lived in the house, carrying on the business of a milliner.
Upon the morning of Sunday, the 7th ,of January, the
prisoner came to the house, and witn.eits let him in.
Prisoner gave her a card to take down stairs, and
she had no sooner done so Oust), she heard
the discharge of two pistols. She instantly ran
upstairs, and upon entering the rooms, saw Mr.
Lambert lying dead, and Mrs. Lambert bleeding from
wounds which she said prisoner had in eted upon her.
She then ran out into the street and gsme the alarm.
Witness did not know of any intimacy e isting between
the prisoner and Mrs. Williamson. Sb e believed he
was by trade a tailor.

By the Judge—There was nothing p&rtieular in his
manner when she let him in.

Mary Jeanes, the wounded woman, a rae the next wit-
ness. She was dressed in deep widow's mourning, and
remained seated whilst she gave her evi dance. She ap-
peared to be in considerable pain and v try weak. Hav-
ing been sworn, she stated that she kne Iv the deceased.
She lived with him as his wife. The priiconer had lived
with them at Newman-street, and after they removed
to Foley-place he occupied a room upon the same floor
as Mrs. Williamson, who had also lived: with them at
both places. A short time after the toner had been
with them he removed from his bed-row n adjoining that
of Mrs. Williamson and slept in a room a floor lower
down. He left their house upon the 28th :December. Mr.
Lambert had requested him to leave. H e did not follow
any trade, but Witness believed he seas a, tailor ; he was
an idle, lazy man. Witness did not kne Per of any inti-
macy existing between the prisoner and Mrs. William-
son prior to his leaving the house. Afte r Mr. Lambert
desiring the prisoner to leave the house he twice sent
letters to Mrs. Williamson. Upon eh e morning of
Sunday the prisoner came into the bed-room, upon the
ground floor, where she and Mr. Lambert were. He had
a pistol in each hand. He then fired sit Mr. Lambert
and shot him dead, and instantly levell rd. the pistol at
her and fired. She put up her hands and tried to avoid
the shot, but it passed into her breast, mad she was for
a long time confined to her bed from Vac effects of the
wound.
In cross-examination the witness said that the priso-
ner was always treated most kindly lay the deceased
man. The prisoner did not seem to be in a very excited
state upon the morning when the murder was commit-
ted. Whilst the prisoner lived with the' uhe was a very
quiet man. Whilst he was ill in the hospital Mr. Lam-
bert used to take him things, and de all he could for
him. He used to receive money from his club, and also
money from Scotland, from some one lef the name of
Stewart.
Mr. Bodkin said it was some family with whom pri-
seller had lived.
Sergeant Hayes proved being cellod in upon the
mining of the murder, and being tobi that the pri-
soner bad run upstairs followed and save some one run
along the staircase and enter a room upstairs. He in-
stantly afterwards heard a pistol shot, std upon break-
ing open the door found the prisoner lying upon his
face. He (Hayes) then raised him, and saw that he had
shot himself through the face by the side of the nose,
below the left eye. Prisoner had a pistol lying by him.
Prisoner groaned and said, "I shall die, I shall die!"
The prisoner then made a statement to, the effect that
an intimacy bad existed between him and Mrs. Wil-
liamson, who was pregnant by him. That it having
become known to Mr. Lambert, he had turned him out
of the house, and that he then became desperate. Pri-
soner was then taken to the hospital. Hayes then
searched the room where Mr. Lambert was lying dead,
and be there found another pistol, a fellow to the one he
had found beside the prisoner.
Cross-examined by Mr. Le Breton—The prisoner did
not seem excited when he made the statement. When
he was seen by Mr. Brydges, the surgeon, he made the
same statement, and said that he had become desperate
about the Thursday previously.
The woman Jane Williamson was then examined, and
stated that upon the morning of the murder the prisoner,
after having committed the deed, came to her room and
said that Lambert was dead. He then ran out of her
room and she heard the report of a pistol in an adjoin-
ing one. The witness then went on to detail the nature
of the intimacy which had existed between them, and
said that he wished her to quit the house of the Lam-
berts in Foley Place. When the Lamberts had told
the prisoner they intended him to go, she saw them
and they said it would be better. Prisoner asked
her to go out and meet him, and she refused.
She afterwards received two letters from him making
appointments. Prisoner used to say he was un-
happy, and that he should die, and that his ghost
would appear to her the same as it did in the
Corsican Brothers. Ho also spoke of his daughter at
Penshurst.

The other evidence given proved the finding of the
bullet in the skull of Sir. Lambert, whose death must
have been instantaneous, and the removal of the pri-
soner to the hospital.

The case was not concluded when we went to press.

Money was very abundant in the Stock Exchange
yesterday, and in the discount market transactions took
place at rates which are likely to prevent any active
demand at the sank of England, notwithstanding the
recent reduction in their terms.

Notwithstanding the approaching blockade of the
Russian Baltic ports, many ships are chartered to take
orders at Elsinore for a Prussian or a Russian port.
This has been chiefly in consequence of expectations of
peace ; but it is presumed it will be quite legal to ordtr.
formal from Elsinore to Russian ports until a form' 31°
floation of blockade shall hay() been issued.

SIEGF: op SEBAAS,"IOPOL.

LN(AISII C UiP, HEIGEITS OF SEBASTOPOL,
MARCH 24.

I hasten to correct by the first opportunity an error
into which I was led at the close of my last letter, in
stating that Colonel Kelly, of the 34th Rojinent, field
officer in command of the trenches on the night of the
Russian sortie, was killed. This, I am happy to say, is
incorrect, Colonel Kelly not being dead, and, though
severely wounded, not likely to die. I must, in self-
defence, state that the report of his death at the time I
closed my letter was universally believed throughout the
camp, and that I received the news on what I then
co sidered to he the very best authority on such a subject.
The report of his death arose, I am told, from the fact
of Colonel Kelly and Captain Vivian, both of the 34th,
being brought into camp together after such a serious loss
of blood that the latter gallant officer expired almost im-
mediately ; and this led to the belief that Colonel Kelly
was also fatally injured, for rumour of the statement of his
subsequent death was then easy.
Lieutenant Montague, of the Royal Engineers, is a pri-
soner in Sebastopol. He was captured while engaged,
with the rest of the covering party, in forcing back some
of the enemy who had penetrated into the advanced work.
Captain Brown, of the 7th, was wounded early in the
engagement, and lost so much blood that he nearly fainted.
He, however, declined to leave the work, and after a short
time rallied suffic,iently to lead his men on again. In
the final desperate contest be received several bayonet
wounds, and two bullets through his chest, and expired
instantly'.
I said in the close of my last letter that a truce of two
hours had been agreed upon to enable the Russians to re-
cover and bury their dead. Shortly before twelve, there-
fore, I went down to our right attack in order to take ad-
vantage of the truce to see the enemy's position as closely
as possible, arriving at Gordon's Battery; however, I
found that firing was still going on, and that the truce
would not commence for another half hour or so. The

advanced work of the enemy—called the Mamelon, I omit-
ted to mention in may letter—had opened fire this morning
upon the right of Gordon's Battery. It was then only
firing three guns of heavy calibre, but eight others were
also in position. Until the Russians actually unmasked
their guns many of our officers used to express themselves
confidently that they would never attempt to place any
there, but merely continue it as an infantry redoubt. But
the result shows that in this, as in other matters, we have
undervalued our enemy, and the spirit of determination
with which they appear bent on resisting to the last.
After spending a short time in Cordon's Battery, which
is i❑ the most perfect state of repair and good order, I pro.
ceeded by the zigzags and covered ways into the advanced
trench on which the sortie was lately made. This is an
advanced work about 200 yards from the Mamelon, about
600 from the Malakhoff Tower, and about 100 yards from
the enemy's rifle pits, which are scattered more or less
numerously along the whole front of the allied lines. The

naarksmen'in these latter pos•-s are continually on the alert,
and keep every one else on the alert also. They fire on the
slightest sound, or at the most trifling indication of an
enemy's presence. In approaching the advanced work by
the covered ways some of the angles are necessarily a little
open, so that at two or three turnings glimpses of the caps
and heads of our men passing up and down can be ob-

tamed. On these corners the enemy's riflemen seem to con-

centrate all their vigilance, and though every one naturally
stoops and darts round them as quick as possible, yet the
fizz of a rifle-bullet close above generally shows that the
sharpshooters have been equally quick and watchful of
their opportunity. Several times were the party I was
with thus admonished by the enemy to be more careful for
the future, and though we had a very narrow chance from
one bullet, which passed near our heads, we all got to the
advanced trench in safety. This work connects our right
attack with the different new French batteries at Inker-
man. One half of it down to the middle ravine, in front
of the Mamelon Battery, is held by the English, the other
half, on the right, beyond the ravine, by the French.
When f entered the trench all the troops were lying
down under the shelter of the bank, gazing through two or
three crevices at the movements of the enemy in the diffe-
rent batteries. In advauce of the work, about 50 yards,
were two or three small banks of sand-bags, under cover of
which lay our own sentries exchanging shots now and
then with their concealed adversaries in the pits. Beyond
a few such compliment 4 occasionally there was no appear-
ance of hostilities ; in fact, the whole aspect of affairs in
the advanced work was that of serious idleness. The men

in it were laughing and chatting in under tones. Very
many were wrapped up in their great coats, fast asleep. I
walked down the work, looking at the marks which the
place presented of the late desperate attack. In one or
two places the gabions had been almost destroyed, and
nearly all the sand-bags in the parapet knocked away.
Those which had fallen inside had been replaced. Those
outside were nearly just as the enemy had left them. In
one part of the trench were the bodies of a Russian officer
and four men. The officer was the ono who so distin-
guished himself by his determined efforts to force an en-
" trance, and who, at last, unfortunately for himself, succeeded.
Outside the work the dead lay thicker, though with those in
and out not more than 150 were there in all. On the right
the appearance of the French trench showed that the
struggle had been long and bloody. This work had almost
all been completely destroyed, and though every effort
during the two nights which have since elapsed has been
made to repair it, it is still in a rather dilapitated condi-
tion. Their gabions had been almost pulled away, and
were lying in heaps in front of the work, and in a long
train up to the Malakhoff Tower, just as the Russians had
thrown them away in their flight. The enemy's dead were
here in serious numbers in front of the work. At least
200 were outside, and nearly as many more inside the
trench. The French troops were now in strong force at
this post, probably between five and six thousand, and
many officers were there, both English and French, wait-
ing till the flag of truce should be raised to cross the trench
and survey the enemy's work.
The time was to be between half-past twelve and two,
yet it was now past one, and no signs of it appeared • on
the contrary, the French and Russian riflemen, from their
respective concealments, were firing away pretty sharply.
A gun also was fired from the Malakhoff Tower, and went
hissing through the air over Gordon's Battery, but an in-
stant afterwards a white flag was hoisted on the Mamelon,
which was replied to by one in the advanced trench. A
few minutes afterwards and all tho batteries had white
flags flying, while a body of Russian soldiers, 1500 or 2030
strong, straggled out from the rear of the Malakhoff Tower,
and began descending the hill towards the middle ravine.
Stretchers were then brought up, and the word given to our
men to carry out the bodies of the dead Russians who lay
inside the trench, and the rest of the men, who were watch-
ing this signal, instantly swarmed over the breastwork, and
began looking about them like boys out of school. From
some mistake or other, as our men showed themselves, two
shots were fired from the rifle pits, upon which the troops
were instantly ordered to return, and one private sent for-
ward with a white handkerchief tied to the end of his
musket. After this no shots were fired, and every one
walked about as he pleased.
I crossed with the rest, and advanced beyond the middle
ravine, almost to the foot of the small steep slope on which
the Mamelon is erected. As this work is likely soon to
figure rather importantly in our future proceedings I sur-
veyed it with much curiosity and interest. Viewed in con-
nection with our chances of capturing Sebastopol, the im-
pression which it produced on my mind was anything but
favourable. It is, as I have said, a steep rocky eminence,
about a mile in circumference at the base, and about a
quarter of a mile at the top. Its average height from our
advanced parallel is at least 100 feet, its distance from
it about 200 yards, and its distance from the Malakhoff
Tower nearly double that. Seeing, therefore, that it is
nearer to our works than the Russians, your readers will
doubtless ask with surprise why the allies never occupied
it themselves, especially as its summit entirely commands
every part of the works round the Malakhoff Tower. But
this is a question which no one can answer, and much more
surprise is felt about our remissness in this particular here
in camp, where the importance of the position is fully ap-
preciated, than is ever likely to be excited at home. The
only reason that I have heard assigned is that tne place
was never thought of until the enemy began to fortify it,
and that then, after the failure of the French attack, it
would not have been wise to persevere further. The work,
however, must be stormed, and that, too, be7ore any serious
attempt to attack the town itself can be thought of. When-
ever it is stormed, now that it is mounted with guns, the
struggle will be most bloody. Its steep sides are so covered
with masses of rock and loose stones, that no force of any
strength could possibly advance undiscovered, while the
same cross nature of the ground would equally hinder any
sudden charge to capture it by a coup de main. About 40
guns in the Malakhoff Tower works also appear laid so as to
sweep every side of the hill, from its base to the sunimi:;.
By the time that I hied noted these particulars, all the
French, English, and Russian officers and soldiers had met
and were mingled together on the space outside the
trenches. It certainly seemed an extraordinary scene.
Everythin g was at once so warlike and yet so peaceful.
Grim batteries were frowning down upon the spot from
every side, yet the white flag was floating, and the para-
pets and embrasures were quite hidden with people eagerly
looking down upon the spectacle below. When all the
different troops had met—the privates grinning and offering
each other pipes—the officers bowing to one another, as if
all were on the most friendly terms, and as if in the course
of a couple of hours they would not be doing their very
utmost to murder and destroy the very men on both sides
to whom now both sides were so polite, across from our
trenches, in the direction of the Malakhoff Tower, a man
with a white flag was leading a large fatigue party, carry-
ing some of the enemy's dead. Russian fatigue parties
were also busy round and inside the French trench, en-
gaged in the same melancholy duty; while the idlers on
both sides, of whom there were considerable numbers,
strolled about, picking their way among masses of stone,
pieces of shell, piles of round shot, dead Russians in
every attitude of mortal agony, torn sand-bags, gabions,
fascines, bayonets, broken firelocks, thousands of flat-
tened bullets, unused cartridges, and all the litter
of a scene of combat. The Russian officers were well
and neatly dressed in long fine great-coats, white cross-
belts, and swords. Two or three had quite a profusion of
handsome rings on their fingers. All seemed to speak
French well ; some were very friendly and chatty, offering
cur own and the French officers cigars, while others were
polite, but very grave and reserved, bowing to the allied
officers when they passed, but never entering into conver-
sation or appearing to pay the least attention to anything
but the duties in which they were immediately engaged.
One Russian officer, conversing with a party of ours,
said that the large 63-pounder in the right of Gordon's
battery had done the neauelon works considerable injury,
but they hoped soon to repair it. Another asked, with the
utmost simplicity, " When the allies were going away ?"
The question was at first not understood, and he repeated
it, asking when we intended to raise the siege and leave
the Crimea? One of our officers replied that we never in-
tended quitting until Sebastopol was levelled, upon which
the Russian officers smiled, and the same who had before
spoken said there was very little chance of our doing that.
The Russian soldiers were both dirty and ragged, but be-
yond this defect in their appearance were well enough.
They were very fine young men, and all in robust health,
with round ruddy faces, on which was a perpefuos.r,
uniform
as
grinw at
everything our men did or said. Their
short thick greatcoat of grey frieze, with waist belts of thine
8:03(3 material, round flat caps, and tigl:itolletaa+,hteirnbkoOorman.
fact, just the uniform of the men we fo
None had the helmet or other equipments
brought to carry away
Guard. The stretchers which they
h used for such work, as
of the imperial
their dead had evidently beenyblaekuwc with blood. One or
ano
the canvass was
stretchers,perfeeti the rest wore strips
The bodies of
were properly made
poles of wood.
vans clumsily tied to rough ung m en.e
wOanseamnanAiln.
nearly all the slain weroestthgois.o,eaonfpincoyo.
Hauler was of upon
stature. H
parhis' face with a
shammeraemall
leathertightly
banian, and `a.' while at his side wa
g pad in one hand,
ras- filled with the steelnsoptiksoelsdiuserzi
butfor
woresp r k spiking guns.
dress
cl,,,noch' among
the slain were
, the ° order of the Levantine Greeks, and were
c'. -ower from the inhabitants of Sebastopol. Whether
thesedently
wtearkeevnolunteers, or whether, from want of men, the
these
Russians have been
.compelled to press the townspeople into
their service, it is difficult to say.
Between 300 and 400 dead lay about the French works,

and it was som time before they were all collected into
one ghas ly ho p, a little in adv..nce of the parallel. One
man was still 'lvo. His thigh seemed badly fractur,d,
and lie hal .ern I thus for two whole days and nights
on the spot II,: fell, close in sight of friends and
enemies.
The Russian noncommissioned officers attended
the removal of the bodies, and for some reason or
other perpetual altercations took place over them, certain
fatigue parties claiming two or three corpses apparently as
belonging to them, while others seemed to dispute their
right fiercely. Some of these altercations were loud
and long, and had to be settled by the interference
of a superior officer. The non-commissioned officers .too 1
a little from the feet of the long rows of dead, and called
forth the fatigue parties in regular succession, when each
pointed out certain bodies, and after some conversation
took them away, when others stood forward in their turn.
We were for some time at a loss to understand parts of
this proceeding, especially when the altercations took
place, but at last came to the conclusion that each regiment
had sent a burying party for its own dead, and that, there-
fore, the aforesaid party had a direct interest in taking as
few as possible.
While this hideous distribution of bodies was going
forward amid such a scene I walked away from the
trench in the direction of the Malakhoff Tower until mid-
way between it and our advanced work, which was as
close as it was prudent to go; for even though a truce was
existing, neither party of course would allow the other
to examine its lines minutely. gtill I was enabled to
get within a very reasonable distance of the tower, and
certainly was much struck by the number strength,
and solidity of the earthworks round it. All of
them seemed in beautiful repair, and more like the perma-
nent defences of a regular fortress than the mere efforts of
a sudden emergency. In front was a deep ditch, with a
strong chevaux de frise of rough pointed timber at the other
side; while above, from the edge-of the fosse to the slope
of the battery, were pointed stakes about three feet high,
set so closely in the earth as to appear at a little distance
like a dark band all round the work. But with such a
commanding point as the Mamelon once in our possession,
the whole of these stockades and the batteries behind them
could be destroyed in a single day.
On the left of Malakhoff, but projecting 100 yards in
advance of it, was the Redan. This is now one of the
most tremendous of all the Russian works. Its three sides
have double tiers of guns, there being in this one battery
alone, it is calculated, not less than 2/0 pieces of ordnance,
some of them of the very heAviest calibre used in warfare.
Thin work, like Malakhoff, is else defended by a broad deep
ditch, with a chevaux de frise, but without stakes, on the
slope of the parapet.
From between these batteries a most admirable view
could be had right down into the town behind them.
Even with the naked eye everything could be seen quite
distinctly but, with a good glass, a minute examination
of every house could be made. But the most minute
examination which I could make failed to show me
that we had inflicted any injury worth speaking of in the
town. The little huts of the Turkish and Tartar population
outside the walls are destroyed. The handsome town in-
side the walls is, as a town, uninjured. A barrack and a
few warehouses nearest to the walls are much perforated,
and the roofs nearly gone, but this is all. The large
public buildings, the barracks, churches, and rows of
splendid houses, show no mark of injury of any
kind. As I looked at some of the best streets I
could hardly persuade myself that I was not gazing at
some of the better parts of Bath or Brighton, so white,
regular, and handsome was their appearance. Very few
parsons were in the streets • probably I did not see more
than 30 or 40 in all, and of this small number, at least
two-thirds were soldiers. I saw no women of any class.
A good many boats were busy about the harbour, and
many people seemed at work on shore, a little above the
water's edge on the north, where numbers of carts and
arabas were passing to and fro, but beyond these signs of
life there seemed nothing doing. The town itself appeared
almost entirely deserted.

After this inspection I walked past the front of our ad-
vanced trenches, midway between ours and the enemy's.
The truce had now lasted nearly two hours, and as I looked
towards the middle ravine, I could see by the very few of
the Allies and Russians who remained upon the spot, that
most of the dead had been removed, and that therefore the
brief peace would soon terminate. Impressed with this
notion I hurried in without further loitering, as, if the
fags of truce were hauled down, I should be left alone in
open ground in the midst of a cross fire from batteries and
riflemen of both friends and enemies, a perfectly novel
situation doubtless, but one which also had its own pecu-
liar disadvantages. I therefore turned up in the direction
of our lines, so as to pass along the front of our batteries,
and came out upon the Woronzow road. The ground over
which I passed was rough and very stony, without a sign
of vegetation beyond a few violets and crocusses here and
there. Sometimes it was very rocky, with pits, quarries,
and small cairns of stones—the very model of good skir-
mishing ground, but the last one would choose to conduct a
siege on. I was quite surprised at the extreme distinct-
ness with which every one of our defences could bo seen
by the enemy. From the picket house in rear of our
lines it is only with much difficulty that our trenches can
be seen below us, but from the Russian side the profile of
every battery shows clear and sharp upon the hill sides.
As I came nearer to our lines the tokens of the contest and
the prodigal manner in which the enemy used their am-
munition almost hid the ground. In places where there were
hollows in the earth the shot and pieces of shell had rolled
into them in such a manner as to quite fill them level with
the surface. Everywhere, in fact, along the whole extent
of our works the shot lay in thousands and thousands,
covering the ground in such a manner as to make it seem
of a deep brown colour. An immense proportion of the
Russian shells have never exploded at all, and thero they
lay just as they issued from the gun. Within about a
hundred yards of our works the ground is quite cut to
pieces by the deep shot furrows, while the balls themselves,
coming in contact with others on the ground, have
shivered into little fragments in all directions. In the
lower parts of the Woronzow road, below Gordon's Bat-
tery, the shot and shell have rolled down the hills and
almost choke the way.

After this tour I returned on the right attack, and waited
there until the last stragglers of the enemy had gained the
shelter of their lines. Instantly the Russians hauled down
their flags of truce ; we did the same. The snap shots of
the riflemen began on both sides, our right attack fired a
shell, the Mamelon replied, and then everything went on
as it has been for the last six months.

MARCH 25.
I Last night the French again had a smart skirmish with
the rifle pits under the Mamelon. It was attended with
very little iresults. The French had to recover the three
pits from which they had been compelled to withdraw
their Chasseurs the morning before. After skirmishing
and firing for about an hour our allies were unable to effect
their purpose and discontinued their attack. The rest of
the night passed off quietly on both sides.
This morning a heavy gun on the left embrasure of the
Mamelon was opened in No. 3 battery, in the right attack.
The electric telegraph has now been completed between
Lord Raglan's head-quarters and all the trenches, and by
this a message was sent, informing his lordship of the
opening of the gun, and asking advice. The reply was
"fight it," and preparations were made accordingly. A
long 68-pounder gun, from the Terrible, was found to bear
upon the precise spot, and this, therefore, was the gun
selected to fight the Russian one. The practice made with
it was perfect never was better firing seen since the siege
commenced. The very first shot tore away one side of the
Russian embrasure, and laid the enemy's gun completely
open. The next struck the gun full in the muzzle,
shattering and dismounting it within five minutes
after the order had been given to fight the enemy's
gun. Lord Raglan was informed by the telegraph
that it had been fought, and was then dismounted and
broken. Orders were then sent back for the same 68-
pounder to fire every half-hour in the same spot for the
rest of the day. Before the day was half over the greater
part of the earthwork at each side of the embrasure was
quite destroyed, and what seemed most strange, after their
gun was dismounted, not a single Russian battery fired a
shot in reply to ours. This unusual circumstance no one
could account for. During the course of this afternoon
the pickets on the heights around Balaklava observed an
unusual force of the enemy between the Woronzow road
and Tchourgourn. These troops were not there yesterday I
and in consequence of their sudden appearance orders fur
increased vigilance have been issued to the sentries and
out.pickets round Balaklava. The Highlanders now ap-
pear in their kilts and feather bonnets, as the weather has
much changed, and become almost unpleasantly warm.
Tho general condition of all the men improves still more
each day.
Not 10 per cent. of the huts to be erected are yet at the
front. The railway, as far as Karani, is used to get them
up, and each truck holds two or three : but the steepness
of the incline on which the stationary engines are situated
has, it appears, been much under-estimated, as the engines
are not strong enough for the work, and only two trucks
at a time can be drawn up very slowly. This is a serious
disappointment, as it was fully expected the engines would
be able to draw up a dozen trucks at once.
MAncrl 26.
Nothing occurred last night. This quietness is the calm
before the storm, as our final bombardment is certain now
to take place in a short time. A few days since and to-
morrow was said to be the date fixed, but this, of course,
is premature. Still so little in the way of preparation now
remains to be done, that if it were Lord Raglan's wish
there is nothing wanting of sufficient importance to hinder
him commencing to-morrow. It is said we now wait for
the arrival of the French Emperor, but this I imagine is a
mere conjecture, though, if he is really coming, it is likely
enough to be true.

Each gun, I am informed, has now 400 roundsof ammu-
nition, and the store of powder necessary for this amount
of shot is also nearly completed.
To day the City of London arrived from Malta. She
brings four 13-inch mortars and an immense supply of 10
and 13-inch shell. The mortars are to be landed to-morrow
and forwarded to the front with all speed. A party of
workmen will also be engaged all to-night in sawing and
joining beams for mortar beds.
The general opinion is, that within three or four days at
latest we shall open fire ; and I certainly think such a
step will be taken in the course of another week at latest.
What will be the result of this second bombard-
ment of course none can tell ; but our engineer officers
seem at last confident that the place will be ours, though
not without a desperate contest. One thing, however, is a
matter of positive certainty—namely, that if the allied
commanders wish it, the whole town could be utterly
on
de-
stroyed in 24 hours. Not one stone will rem
another if our guns and mortars are directed agai
-8 troops
To-day a still stronger assemblage of the enemy allist it.
was observed round Tchourgouna, and
the whole force at
were sufficiently suspicious to rouseme.
They,
hovrever,
their movements
Balaklava, who turned out under a
duringarm
the rest of the day,
made no further demonstrationv .nit_ at Balaklava,
While this force remains in our yi .
rya. ,
the garrison is to be under arms
ats aatmiduauytnee
nirotinoen.d at all
times be prepared to turn out
to
siuope,
to organise there a
Ali Boy has gene
for° making fascines and gabtous.
regular department Prevision depots have also been established for procUring
fuel, meat, and vegetables at Sinope, Girzol, Sainsoon
I have lately visited these ports, and by the and Terms.
next post shall give your readers some account of their
trade and resources—always supposing that in the m
time I do not sudeenly find myself compelled to writeeaoli n-
the-cApture of Sebastopol.
The weather during to-day has been extremely hot and
,
the close days of an Asiatic spring are fast advancing.
Nothing of importance occurred in the Itirt nu
cchl le
rfast
night, but the whole of Balaklavafr was alarmed, about 11
o'clock, by the rapid ringing the ships' fire-bells. In an
instant every
Donientnueoaurdt,lalve harbouro was on the alert, and
the Leander,
turned out to be a fire on bospar,dB.7tch.e, beattran
transport
rtN o .quarters.
113, Ita
vessel lying alongside one of our powder-ships. Fortu-
nately the promptitude with which the alarm was given
brought such assistance as put out the fire with little diffi-
culty, though, as
alarm and conf your readers will readily imagine, great
confusion for the time prevailed in the harbour,
and many vessels shipped their cables, though not one of
them could have got out. The fire, it appears, must have
of
been the act an incendiary, and two Greek sailors be-
Waging to the vessel, and who had only just returned to