The Sun.
London, England, 1855-09-13 00:00:00

LON DON, URSDAY EVENING. SEPTEMBER, 13. 1855.

THE FALL OF SEBASTOPOL.

(Front Galignani's Messenger of this day.)
Several of the Paris journals again contain ar-
ticles on the fall of Sebastopol, but rather with a
view to the future—to the probable course of events
between the belligerent parties after the evacua-
tion by the Russians of the southern side—than to
what has already taken place. Both the Pays and
.the Sieele contain speculative observations in that
sense ; and both seem to think that, even should
the Russians resolve to defend the northernforttfi-
cations of the place, they must inevitably be forced
from their positions within a given time, which can
even now be pretty accurately calculated. In the
Constitutionnel, also, we find an article on the late
wonderful success, but of a more general character.
We extract from it the following portion :--
" Our brave soldiers waited for the signal of assault
with a feverish impatience ; all the letters recently re-
ceived are unanimous on that point. The-French pro-
mised themselves that they should not have a second
day ; that they should not stop except in Sebastopol ;
and they have kept their word.. It is an entire army
that they went in search of behind the walls which sheb
tered it, and which they conquered in its lines, and under
the file of the most formidable artillery in the world.
Gained under such conditions, the victory cannot but
be dearly purchased, but it has also been complete
and decisive. An army which could not find protec-
tion either from rarnpArts covered with obstacles, or
mines exploding one after the other, or from the fire of
500 cannon, could not be brought to the combat; and
the Russians had no other resource than to put an arm
of the sea between them and their adversaries. The
heroic blood which has been shed on the walls of Sebas-
topol has not, therefore, flowed in vain ; it has put an
end to the labours and to the sefferings of our army ; it
has added an imperishable laurel to the national glory,
and it has been a striking triumph for the arms and the
policy of the country. The taking of Sebastopo: is a
considerable fact in itself; Russia there loses the fruit
of seventy years of labours and efforts, immense trea-
sures, and all her navy. But all this is effaced before I
the political consequences of this great feat of arms.
Will Sebastopol be taken ?' insidiously demanded the
Russian Government a few weeks since through its prin-
cipal organ, and from one end of Germany to the other
all who are favourable to Russia, all who are hostile
to the allied Powers, and to the great same which
they represent, eagerly replied, `Sebastopol will
not be taken.' In how many Courts was not the
invulnerability of Russia descanted on, and the
weakness manifested by the allies against the Co-
lossus of the north boldly affirmed i Our soldiers
have given a contradiction to the provisions of
diplomatists and the prognostics of politicians—they
have taken Sebastopol. What will now become of the
hopes and designs which were founded on the resistance
of the Russians, and on the want of success on the
allies ? The cannon which hurled down the last wall of
Sebastopol resounded through the whole of Europe, and,
better than all protocols, of deciding the virtue of tran-
quillising the doubtful, of deciding the irresolute, and,
making tee timorous adorers of force and of chance
reflect."

The following is from th© Pays :

" It is easy to comprehend the excellent situation in
which the allied troops are now placed. They are se
parated from the Russians by natural works,. which
render any attack on the part of the enemy impossible.
The port, the Careening Dock, and the other interior
works prevent the latter from making any of thosp, sor-
ties on our siege works, which kept our soldiers 'con-
stantly on the watch, and which cost us many struggles
and such regrett ible losses. The hard and fat,guing
works of the trenches are now finished. Our troops
are able to encamp more freely amidst the ruins of
the town ; it is only necessary for them to execute
some works of defence to protect themselves from
any projectiles which may be thrown against our
new positions by the forts on the northern aide.
Hence it results that a considerably less number of men
will be necessary for the service of the siege, properly
so called, and that we may procure a restoring repose
to a great part of the army, or reinforce, if necessary,
the corps of observation on the Tcheroaya, and be ready
for any eventuality, if the enemy attempts a fresh diver-
sion on this point. Master of the southern part, we
may now attack with the greatest chance of prompt
success the Lrtresses which form the northern part of
Sebastopol. All the fortifications, which have fallen
into our power, are so many works of attack which are
about to be directed against these bulwarks of the Bus.
scan town. The line of the external fortresses is at

1,200 and even at 1,500 metres from our present lines.
Under these conditions the rigorous blockade, which
was in principle impracticable against the whole town,
becomes perfectly feasible against the fortresses, and if at
a given moment the communication may be interrupted
between the garrison and the army of General L
the hour of the complete surrender of the besieged
troops may from the present moment be mathematically
indicated according to the rules of a normal siege. But
we should not be astonished, if the Russian Gene-
rals, who are all essentially versed in serategy, aim
who never defend except what can be defended,
were to regard as we do this eventuality and were
to retire from the place before it fatedly falls into our
hands. They would doubtless only leave us ruins, for
it is also their invariable system to burn and destroy
whatever they cannot keep. But the result would not
be the less obtained, and the proud Sebastopol, the bul-
wark of Russia, the sword suspended over the liberties
of Europe will not the less have ceased to exist. How-
ever this may be, and whatever may be the events in
reserve for the future, the success just obtained by our
arms has an importance which no one can dispute ; it
will place our army on the highest step in the admira-
tion of nations, and it will give additional eclat to the
glory of our country and the grandeur of its policy.
What influence will it exercise on the resolutions of
Europe, and on the attitude of the great powers towards
Russia ? With what determination will it inspire the
Court of St. Petersburg? Will there spring from it one
of those sudden illuminations which enlighten the path
of duty and truth ? Such may he hoped, but the future
rests in the secrets of that Providence whose heed has
so visibly interfered for the last three years in all the
great questions which agitate modern society !"
The observations of the Siecle run thus
" After having yielded to the general emotion pro
duced by the great success at Sebastopol, we must now
collect our thoughts in order to examine the probable con-
sequences of the great military feat accomplished on the
Bth arid 9th inst. Public opinion asks what will be the
result of the occupation of the southern part of Sebastopol.
It says,--' The balls and shells of the northern forts
reach the town, and our soldiers will not be able to re-
main there.' We think we may answer thst our soldiers
know perfectly well how to establish themselves within
the range of the enemy's artillery; that the forts of the
northern side are at from 1,000 to 1,200 metres from the
town of Sebastopol, which is in our hands, and that
those forts, which are of stone, have at least as much to
fear front our shells as we from theirs. Besides, the
allies do not want to live quietly at Sebastopol ; they
want to take the whole town from the Russians, to com-
mand the port completely, arid to invest the fortifications
which still exist. The siege of Sebastopol, a place whose
communications with the country had remained open,
was an anomaly; the siege of the northern forts will be a.
regularinvestment, the various occurrences of which
science may readily calculate. In order to effect this siege,
operations will no doubt be required which we will not now
attempt to describe. We will only observe that Prince
Gortschakoff occupies positions at Mackenzie's Farm,
where he has been iutrenching himself for months.
Those who think themselves clever at planning cam-
paigns will not fail to say that the positions of the Rus-
sians ought to be turned by a vast army starting from
Eupatoria. We deny no possibility ; but as we can only
judge of the ground from maps, we do not think our-
selves competent to send plans to the generals-in-chief
We have enough to do in explaioinu
with some clearness
the difficulties which the allied armies have to solve.
These difficulties we will neither attempt to lessen nor
to magnify. The Russian army has just suffered a check
which must have lowered its confidence in itself. It
could not but allow our superiority in the open field, but
thought itself nearly invincible behind entrenchments
This illusion has been cruelly destroyed. No ei let us
observe that the vancinisherl of Sebastopol, much &Ini.
nished no doubt, will go to swell the numbers of the de-
fenders of Mackenzie. The war has assumed for us a
more favourable and simple form, thanks to that thun-
derbolt which has fallen upon the Malakhoff, and trans-
formed the Karabelnaia and the ports into a lake of
fire."

Our contemporary then considers the probability
of the troops on both sides keeping the field during
the winter, and observes :

" Who, for example, does not see, with a little reflec-
tion, that if we have a winter campaign the greatest pri-
vations must be on the side. of the Russians, who can no
longer receive any provisions from the Sea of Azoff, and
are already reduced to the necessity of eating the oxen
that bring them supplies ? We think the question of
provisions will be decisive between the two armies. The
fleets of England and France have been deprived of the
honour of a sea fight ; it is the land artillery which has
punished the butchers of Sinope. But in holding the
command of the sea by their patience and courage, in
furnishing our armies with provisions, and keeping the
enemy in a state of ever-increasing want, the fleets have
worthily answered the expectations of the two nations.
Do not, be-ides, all the future combinations of the
Eastern war depend upon the navy ? In order to act
from Eupatoria, to attack Bessarabia, to burn the docks
of Nicolaieff, we must always have recourse to the fleets,
or have them to fall back upon. Both soldiers and
sailors, therefore, equally deserve the thankful admira-
tion of their fellow-citizens."

( From the Times of th,is clay.)

For the fifth time in the course of a twelvemonth
the last monumental list of killed and wounded is
inscribed on our pages. Alma, Balaklav*, Inker-
man; the-fatal 18th of June, and .now.Sebastopol
itselP, -are gloriuus, but dearly-purchased; titles.
The British furces that took part in the last sue-
cf)a?i\d assault woo but a omall portion of t4O

whole army engaged in it, yet they have lost 26
officers killed, 113 officers wounded, and, it is
said, near 2,000 altogether killed and wounded.
It is scarcely possible to hear so terrible an an-
nouncement without asking, az if one had never
asked before—is it possible that anything can jus-
tify so terrible a sacrifice ? What point of honour,
what political consideration, what remote prospect
of advantage, or precaution of self-defence is worth
the mutual slaughter of 30,000 or 40,000 men ?
There are persons—nay, there are Governments
and nations—that are prepared with their answer,
and it is, that it is better to submit to some trifling
modification of liberty . and imaginary diminution
of honour than perish miserably in a ditch, or
languish, still more miserably, a cripple, a burden,
a spectacle, a nuisance to society, without enjoy-
ment, power, or even consideration. It is enough
to reply that this is not the answer of Englishmen.
It is not our nature, nor have we been bred to it.
Could we suppose ourselves in any way making
such a decision we should never cease to repent it,e
and every day purchased at the cost of such sub-
mission would be so much more misery. In honour,
as in religion, we willingly spend life to save it.
In honour, as in religion, we prefer freedom and self-
respect, though with wounds and broken health, to
comfortable degradation or exile. We are fortified
against the misgivings that weak nature may sug-
gest at the thought of these lamentable losses and
sufferings. No price is too great for honour. This
is felt not merely as a public consideration, but still
more deeply and tenderly as the preciOns balm of
private sorrow. We will venture to say that there
is not one parent, one brother, one child of an age
to appreciate honour—we could almost add, one
wife who would wish her husband had not been
there, or that England had not bearded the ag-
gressor in his stronghold. If anybody doubts this,
let him read over the names, molt of them already
honourable, some of them noble, and he will find,
one by one, that he cannot doubt how such and
such a family will bear to have paid its dear
tribute to the cause of our country, of liberty, and
of honour.

But, apart from reflections that would have oc-
curred even if the assault of Sept. 8 had failed as
much as that of June 18, it must be a comfort to
everybody to know that the price has been paid for
a substantial advantage. Instead of that horrible
struggle in the trenches, all but hand to hand, in
which latterly the British army had been losing 50
a-day killed and wounded, besides the victims of
disease, and in which it is said our allies lost seve-
ral hundreds daily, we have now gained the prize
of a twelvemonth's contention, and put the land
harbour between us and our foe, so that we can
now rest awhile. This advantage we have obtained
at a cost which, terrible as it may seem, is little
more than a month's consumption of men. Sebas-
topol is now ours, though so many who have won
it for us, and have fought their way to its walls
step by step, from Kalamita Bay to the bloody
rampart of the Redan, have not survived to enjoy,
! or even to know, what they have given us. Nor is
Sebastopol so entirely destroyed as the Russians in-
tended. It hasnow been traversed by the conquerors,
and found to be something more than a heap of
blood-stained ruins. The establishments and
magazines, the cannon, the stores of projectiles,
and other provisions of war, while they swell
the value and honour of the prize, prove also
that it was not mere exhaustion that drove the
Russians across the harbour. They prove also
how long the would-be conqueror of the East had
been preparing fur the execution of his long-
cherished scheme, and how correctly he appreciated
its difficulties. What, however, places beyond a
doubt the impottance of this achievement is the
vastness, theingennity, and the completeness of the
inner lines of works, on which the Russians ex-
pected to dispute our advance step by step, even
when we had gained the Malakhoff and external
fortifications. The dogged Russian must have
been thoroughly beaten to give up without a
struggle the result of so much labour and skill. It
is true that the war is only to begin again, but for
the present there is some sort of respite from the
hideous battle of the trenches, and that itself will
give new health and spirit to the allied armies.
That rest is not the least of the blessings which
the martyrs of the Bth have procured for the sur-
vivors.

.._
~

OUR ARMY IN TEE CRIMEA.

( From the correspondent of the Morning Post. )
CAMP BEFORE SEBASTOPOL, AUG. 28.

The rumours of attack have quite subsided, al-
though it is not improbable that, for that very
reason, it may come suddenly upon us ; but as we
are well prepared at all points there is not much
to be feared ; and but for the sacrifice of life which

it must necessarily entail, would be, perhaps, de-
sirable. It was tolerably quiet during the whole
of last night, but being as light nearly by night as
day, with the moon and clear sky we are now en-
joying, sorties cannot be made or works carried on
iu any obscurity. The mail reached us last night
to 13th Aug-, but seems to bring little news of
general interest. The weather is to-day again very
hot.

AUG. 29.—1 was aroused, as I believe were all
others, except those who could sleep through a
bombardment, in the small hours of this morning;
by what at first almost made one imagine a shell
had burst within a few yards—the loud report and
concussion causing you to look round to ascertain
what damage had been done. All, however, was
perfectly still and quiet, and but for the unmis-
takeable evidence of having been shaken on my
stretcher, au 1 the rattle among bottles, might have
considered it nightmare ; but the explosion of a
magazine was the more correct and lamentable con-
clusion. On looking out a dense volume of smoke
was rising from the Mamelon, or appeared to
be in that direction, but I since find it was
the French magazine in what is termed the
Middle Ravine. How the accident happened
appears uncertain, but, whether through care-
lessness or the bursting of a shell, the terrible catas-
trophe is the same. It is said that no less than
400 men have been killed and injured, and those
the best of troops—the Zouaves of the Guard.
Among the dead are nine officers, and fifteen men
in our own trenches more or less injured, as, of
course, are much of the works—a new battery that
had been constructed in the Mamelon for the pur-
pose of opening on the Redan, and which had never
beon unmasked, being entirely buried.
There is a report, to-day, that the Russians have
recrossed the Balbec, and that they are about to
make a general attack along our whole front, as well
as in the rear. The numbers that are seen to cross

to this side on the pontoon bridge rather strengthens
the expectation, and it is supposed that, it they fail
in gaining any advantage from the attack on our
trenches, that they will abandon the south side, as
the bridge will now enable them to retire and save
their men. Such is the camp talk.

AUG. 30.

I am happy to find that the casualties caused by
the explosion yesterday morning . are not so many
as at first stated. The killed amount to 30 men and
four officers. The maimed to 150 ; among the
latter five officers. At all events, it is a loss to the
force, at this moment muck to be regretted on
other grounds than thosewith which such a calamity
would always be viewed.
Nothing of int3reit has transpired here to-day
that lain aware of. Some little movement has taken
place among regiments, by the Buffs leaving their
old camp ground, and taking up new in the lines
of the Second Division, the 9th Regiment moving
to the ground lately occupied by the Buffs.
AUG. 31.

Another loss of life occurred, I regret to say,
again last night iu our trenches, and not in the
most satisfactory manner. It appears the enemy
had a small party of men thrown out ao far in
advance of their works as to be occupying a
quarry in front of our fifth parallel. The
held officer commanding sent out a party to
turn them out of it, and, owing to the clear
moonlight, three officers were sLot, one after
another, as they took command of the men who
were to assault. The Russians, who were in such
a strong position, had only to shoot down the men
who approached. The 97th was the regiment en-
gaged, and lost 17 men, besides the three officers,
Lieut. Preston killed, and Lieutenants Briuckley
and Ware wounded. The weather was so exces-
sively chilly during the early part of this day,
that ordinary summer clothing was hardly found
warm enough. During the afternoon it threatened
rain, and although it would have been generally
welcomed, I doubt if it would have been so by the
sailors in the Naval Brigade, who had erected a
most elaborate theatre for the performance, which
I have just returned from witnessing, and, like all
others, was highly amused. If the acting was not
of a very high order, the hornpipes were unde-
niable ; and the painting, the scenery, .the music,
and the company were also : among the latter,
who were the guests for the evening of Captain
Keppel, -were his Grace. the Duke of Newcastle,
Major-General Sir -- Bentina; 'besides other big
wigs too numerous to mention. The theatre was
erected at the bottom of a steep la,
close. to the

naval camp, and by this means a great crowd was
easily accommodated, and had all a capital view
of the stage. The scenery—which was painted, I
believe, on board H.M. ship London—was of a
most creditable description. The drop-scene was
a masterpiece and would disgrace no theatre ; the
device was not allegorical, representing a ship toss-
ing on the ocean. The union jack and the trico-
lour were most tastefully arranged, and Captain
Keppel's charming band was in itself a treat to
lis en to. The performances commenced with a
piece called " The Silent Woman," and to detail
the variety that followed would be indeed difficult
-=dancing, singing, applause, and good humour,
for a considerable time, until the whole company,
at least 30, appeared ou the stage and sung a cho-
rus, when the band finished the proceedings by
" Partant pour la Syrie" and " God save the
Queen." All appearances of rain vanished as the
moon rose, and the night is now very fine, al-
though chilly.

THE SEA. OF AZOV.-GRAPHIC LETTER
FROM A FIGHTING- SAILOR.

The following letter from Denis Ryan, of her
Majesty's ship Curlew, gives a graphic description
of his own doings in the Sea of Azov. He candidly
confesses himself a desperate enemy to the Rus-
sians. "In fact," says he, " anything that would
catch fire I committed to the flames." Here's
Ryan's letter :
" H.M.S. Curlew, Sea of Azov, July, 1855.
" It being now a long time since I wrote to you,
I (will endeavour to give you a short account of our
proceedings since we have been up here.
" We left Sebastopol on the 22d of May, with
orders from the admiral to sink, burn, and destroy
all vessels found in the sea. We accordingly
reached Kertch on the 24th, and whilst we were
pouring shot and shell into the town, our trans-
ports were busily engaged in landing 25,000 troops.
As soon as the enemy saw our movements they
immediately set fire to their magazines, and the
explosion was most awful, but the sight was grand
in the extreme. When our troops landed, they
commenced to seek at once for what they could get.
Some got drunk; others were holding up parasols;
some put ou women's dresses, and altogether the
sight resembled a fair more than anything else.
The enemy, being afraid of our shipping, left the
place altog ether and we here took 30 guns, and
burned two Russian gun-boats. It is supposed
that 1,000,0001. worth of property was here de-
stroyed, besides storehouses full of grain and public
buildings were all destroyed. At night the sight
was very grand—to see the place all in flames, and
the reflection showed for miles around.

" We next proceeded, on the 25th, to Berdianski.
We sent in boats manned and armed, our ships
covering us with their fire. We here destroyed
large stores of corn, besides burning the dockyard
and other public buildings, which were very
valuable to the R bssian Government, and the loss
must have been very great indeed.
" Our next place of visit was Marianople. We
here sent in boats manned and armed, and destroyed
storehouses, shipping, dockyard, corn-houses, fur-
niture, and everything that came in our way. We
spared nothing at all.
" We went from Marianople to Taganrog, and
whilst going there our ship got aground on the
Dolga sandbank. However, alter a few hours'
hard work, we got the ship all right again.
"When we arrived at Taganrog we vented our
spite upon the Russians. As for my part I burned
everything I could—in fact, anything that would
catch fire I committed to the flames.

" From that we went to Ghiesk, a place of much
importance to the Russians. There was a contrac-
tor here who had engaged to supply the soldiers
iu Sebastopol with food for two years. However,
we burned all his stock, consisting of 574 large
stacks of coin, besides his granaries, and every-
thing that belonged to him. His corn alone was
valued at 30,0001. I expect many a Russian will
go to his roost hungry-gutted this winter. We are
still cruising about the sea, burning and destroying
everything besides what we take away. We live
like fighting cocks. I take my cutlass on shore
with me, and kill pigs, sheep, ducks, geese, fowls,
and every mortal thing that I can put my hands
upon. I might have as many pictures as would
make a 74-gun ship ; but I have no place to put
them away. They require great care. You may
depend, when I come across any money, I know I
can find a place for it ; but it is very scarce. .I do
not think the Russians are very flush in that arti-
cle. However, I have done a little business.
" I will now let you know of what we did in
particular. On the 2 6th May we burned two Rus
sian vessels, one laden with meal, and the other
with salt and fish ; on the 27th burned two Rus-
sian vessels • on the 28th took a Greek schooner as
a prize, and burned a Russian schooner ; on the
29th burned two Russian vessels; on the 30th took
a Greek brig as a prize, and burned a Russian
schooner. We have in all taken 15 vessels, burned
12, sent two to be sold at Constantinople, and sent
one away with the Russian prisoners on board, 57
in number, without compass or anything to steer
by, to find the best of their way wherever chance
would let them go. I assure you I have been up
night and day for a week sometimes together ; so
a sailor's life is not the most easy. I hear that the
prizes were sold for 2,5001. I shall, therefore,
come in for some of it. Well, I am very well and
hearty. I can sing, dance, smoke, eat, drink, and
work. There is no want of that iu this ship, how-
ever. I comfort myself that it may be for years,
but not for ever, and whilst I think of that the
time passes on ; but every day seems to me a
month. No more man-of-war life for me after this
touch. It will be better bait than a biscuit that
will catch me again. We shall get some prize
money for the Sea of Azov.

" I remain, yours very affectionately,

" DENDi RYAN.

" Please to write as soon as you can and often.
It is seldom that I get the chance. Good bye.
" Direct for Denis Ryan, seaman, on board her
Majesty's ship Curlew, Sea of Azov."