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

LATEST NV,WS,

THE FALL OF ARS.

ST. PETERSBURG, DEC. 16.

The Inti?de Busse announces that Kars was
surrendered to General Mouravieff on the 26th of
November.

The Muchir, Wassif Paella, eight other Paellas,
General Williams, and the entire garrison are
prisoners of war.

Previous to the above being received Galignani
wrote as follows :—" As a military position, Kars
is worthless ; and the key to Armenia, the pass
of the Soghlani-dagb, or "Onion Mountain," has
been occupied by General Mouravieff since the
commencement of his campaign. It was this
occupation which prevented Selim Pacha, at Erze-
roum, from reinforcing and re-victualling the
garrison of Kars. The only advantage which
would be gained by the Russians from the re-
duction of Kars will be the final destruction of
the Anatolian army, which, after having sur-
vived two disastrous campaigns, a siege, and three
terrible winters, would terminate its immediate
military career by a capitulation. At the com
mencemcnt of the Eastern war this army probably
amounted to 60.000 men, but the sanguinary
defeats of Baindir, Soobattan, Bayaaid, Akhiska,
and Kurukdere, coupled with the savages effected
by pestilence and famine, have reduced it to less
than 16,000 men, the present strength of that
garrison. A splendid park of field artillery,
numbering 120 pieces, and a few heavy siege
guns,
,will likewise fall into the hands of the
victors. Beyond this nothing would accrue to the
Russians, for the town of Kars itself is but a con-
gregation of mud huts and squalid dwelling-
houses, dominated by an ancient Genoese citadel
long since in ruins, and unsusceptible of defence.
No plunder, for the inhabitants are poverty-
stricken.

VIENNA, DEC. 16.
Count Esterhazy leaves to-day for St. Peters-

burg.
It is understood that he is bearer of most im-
portant despatches, containing the propositions for
a pacification, as finally resolved on.

WARSAW, DEC. 13.

An order of the Superior Council of Adminis-
tration enjoins all the inhabitants of the kingdom
to offer gifts to the defenders of Sebastopol.

MARSEILLES, DEC. 16.
The Thabor has arrived.
The news from the Crimea states that the
snow continued to fall.

The intelligence is confirmed that, in the
spring, the English army of the East will com-
prise six Div'sions, in two corps d'armee, to be
respectively commanded by Generals Campbell
and Eyre.

Up to the departure of the courier, Omer Pacha
had not attacked Kutais, and had moved his
head-quarters to Redout-Kale.
The Turkish army of operation consisted of
40,000 men ; but the transport service was diffi-
cult in consequence of the weather. The snow
covered the table-lands of Armenia.
The Auxiliary Division—which had left Erze-
roum for Kars had not been able to advance.

WEST INDIA AND FACIFIO MAILS.
SOUTHAMPTON, MONDAY, 11.30 A. 31.
The Royal mail steam ship Parana, Captain
Elliston, with the West India and Pacific mails,
has just entered the river.

THE BRITISH EXPEDITION.
(From 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
with mud and earth, and if they
wattles, covered
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 sent
out nails, hammers, planks, old canvass, and some
I glass.
The " races" were the groat 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 Octc-
her 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 in 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 attendance of many of the soldiers--a
circumstance which General Cogrington regrette,i,
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 esccrt), 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 staff-officers were
plentiful as blackerries, and though the ouly repre-
sentative of the fair sex was Mrs. Seacolo, who
presided over a sorely invested tent fu'il of crea-
ture comfor ts, the course had a very animated
appearance owing to the number and variety
of uniforms, and at the same tinie the do-
mestic character of the scene was preserved
by the efforts of a band of Ethiopian sere-
ih.ders, furnished by amateurs from uhe 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
" fatuous obstacles" in the shape of ba-aks and stone
walls close on four feet high, hurdles, and a brook
twelve feet wide. The following is tare card of the
course
GRAND+IIILITARY STEEPLECriASES, MONDAY,
DEC. 3, 1355.
STEWARDS.
Vise oust Talon, Chasseurs d'Af rique.
Ist 1 )ivision, ajor Astley, Fnjiilier Guards.
241 D ivision, Lieutenant•Culont Daubeny, 62d.
3d 1) ivision, Major Hudson, 2,9tb.
Cavalry, Mr. Wilkin, 11th Hussars.
The :Ma rquis de Spinola.
Hig Mac d Division, Colonel Taylor, 79th.
4th Div isioi, Major Wombwrall, 46th.
Light I )ivision, Mr. Dixon, 7th Fusiliers.
Royal . 4.rtillery, Captain Connell.
Royal Engineers, Major Nicholson.
First Bads-12 o'clock.—Tbe Grar.d International
Steeple Chase--a Sweepstakes of 51. each, with 601.
added for :all horses, the property of, and to be ridden
by, offic, of the allied armies. The second horse to
receive IV. 12st 7lb each. Two miles.
Capt. Snit h's (R.A.) b. g. Muster .Moll. (Major Yel•
verton,l ILA.) Red, black cap.
Capt. Prei itis'e (Scotch Greys) g. g. The Marquis
Blue jAci met and cap
Capt. Skids 's (Inniekillings) ch g Planet. (Major
Hunt
,