The Sun.
London, England, 1855-10-26 00:00:00

WPM

Cossack videttes are down on the road where it 1/1(14,
approaches the gorge formed by the Mackenzie ast A., 1 lid
plateau, or Akyar, and the rocky eminence of
Mangup Kaleh.
Besides the road which runs through the defile
formed by the Mackenzie ridge and the rock of
Mangup Kaleh there are two roads which lead up
from the Tchouliou valley to the Mackenzie pla-
teau. The one to the right branches off from the
Aitodor road, and runs up on the last projecting
spur of the ridge ; the other leads up through a
break in the steep cliff, and seems the better of the
two ; both are occupied and fortified by the Rus-
sians, but only on the first do there seem to be
guns.
The inhabitants of the villages seem to be well
enough satisfied with the change from Cossacks to
French and Sardinian soldiers, only, as may ,ba
naturally supposed, they are in a great fright lest
the Russians should again return ; their questions,
therefore, about an advance of the allied troops,
which so closely touches their very existence,
are numerous, and their complaints about the ill-
treatment which they had to suffer from the Cos-
sacks great. They try as best they can to make a
precarious livelihood by bringing up to the French
and Sardinian camps whatever they have left—
fruits, eggs, fowls, and sheep. Although the
ground all round is considerably broken up, what-
ever can be cultivated seems very good, and is, as
they say, more than sufficient to feed the popula-
tion ; but they have had no harvest this year,
having been prevented from sowing by the ser-
vices which they had to perform, and then by the
final loss of their cattle ; so they are obliged to
bring grain and flour from the villages on the
banks of the Upper Belbek, which have not suf-
fered so much, as they supply not only these vil-
lages, but likewise those in the valley of Baidar,
where you continually meet natives bringing back
provisions.
Those of the valleys of Baidar and Varnoutka
have hit on another means of subsistence. They
carry wood to Balaklava in their arabas, and bring
back what they want from there. The business is
not unprofitable, as they get for an araba load
from 7s. to 9s. Thus you see, instead of the
Crimea supplying us with provisions, we have to
supply the inhabitants.
By this recent move the French have come close
to the Russian positions at Albat and Airgul—
there, if at all, the Russians must make their stand.
According to the accounts one hears, the Russians
have 13 infantry divisions opposite to our lines—
one which guards the fortifications on the north
plateau, and two at the first Inkerman lighthouse,
whose camp can be plainly seen with the naked eye ;
two others distributed on the Mackenzie ridge;
and eight which guard the series of plateaux from
iksbi-Serai down to Aitodor, and the river courses
eF the Belbek, Katcha, and Alma. As long as we
had not advanced to the Upper Belbek there was a
kind of neutral ground between us and the Rus-
sians, but now we close upon them. Fot Sala,
which is now in the possession of the French, is
only nine miles, from Bakshi-Serai.

The French position, which opens so much new
ground and allows-a better look into the interior
than any other held before by the Allies since they
Marched down from the Alma, has become, not-
withstanding the distance, a point of attraction to
roving English officers, to the great disgust of
French commandants, who cannot understand that
there are fools enough to ride 40 0r.50 miles to get
a view of the country.
Three officers of the United States army have
arrived in the camp—Major Delaiield, United
States Engineers ; Major Murdochie, 'United States
Artillery ; and Captain M'Clellan, United States
Cavalry.
Major-General Windham has taken the command
of the Fourth Division, hitherto under the command
of General Bentinck.
The weather is much more unsettled than it was
last year about this time • it is only to be hoped
that higher up in the Black Sea it is less so, or else
the expedition will have to encounter other diffi-
culties besides the Russians. No news has as yet
arrived of the expedition.
The Turkish troops ara beginning to embark
more rapidly.
Some Tunisian cavalry has arrived at Batoum.
Omer Paella himself is at Souchum Kaleh.

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