The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-29 00:00:00

-4:s-ivitrb Ebttion

SUN OFFICE, Six o'Clock.

SPAIN.

The Madrid journals of the 23d have been re-
ceived. In consequence of some of the newspapers
baying represented Barcelona as being in an alarm-
ing state, the Gazette declares that the Government
does not fear any disturbances, as it has collected
large forces in that city, and is determined to cause
the sword of the law to fall without pity on all
who may attempt to disturb order. Three gentle-
men of the moderado party have been exiled, viz.,
MNI. de Mora, Llorente, and Calva.
The semi-official Madrid journal, the Nacion, of
the 20th, publishes the following letter from the j
Infante Don Henry to the Queen :

" Madam,— I learn that I have had the misfortune of
being suspected of having, either by writing or verbally,
expressed sentiments contrary to the respect and loyal
adliesi in which I owe to your Majesty, as one of your
fret subjects, and one of your nearest relatives. This
accusation is quite unfounded. I have never, Madam,
forgotten the duties imposed on me in my quality of
gentleman and Spaniard, and have never ceased to offer
up to Heaven prayers for the prosperity of your Majesty,
and that Providence will prolong your life and reign, and
make all Spaniards, and me among the first, rally round
the throne, which is the symbol of the liberties and the
traditions of our country. If ambitious and hostile men
have dared to represent me in any other light, may your
Majesty deign to accept from me this sincere protest,
and be convinced of its good faith by seeing it signed,
Madam, by your respectful subject and eausin,
" HENRY MARIA DE BOURBON."

THE NOBTS SIDE OF SEBASTOPOL.

The following letter from before Sebastopol, of
,he 7th, gives some account of the fortifications
which the Russians are now executing on the
northern side of the harbour :
" I cannot say what advantage the Russians expect to
derive from all the works which they are constructing on
the north side of Sebastopol; but they are certainly
most actively engaged on them, and there is not a hil-
lock, a creek, or any position, however insignificant it
may be, that is not secured by a battery, or a redoubt.
I will endeavour to give you some details of these works,
beginning at Fort Constantine, at the entrance of the
port. The summit of the Plateau Constantine is now
covered by a fortification to which it would be difficult
to give a technical name; it is a pile of batteries and
counter batteries, of cavaliers and redoubts united togas
ther, to Fort Constantine, by numerous covered ways.
In the rear of Fort Constantine is a small bay, in which
there are several large storehouses. There are two bat-
teries at the bottom of this bay, and the Russians are now
engaged in constructing a third. After Fort Constantine
Comes Fort Catherine, constructed, like it, of granite,
with a double row of casemates and embrasures. It
has been strengthened by fresh earthworks, and the
upper part—that is to say, the terrace—is filled
with guns en barbette and heavy mortars. This fort
is in the form of an oblong square, with the corner
opposite the port, rounded off, while the other corner
on the same side is flanked by a large crenelated tower.
The part towards the land is defended by two strong
towers, large ditches, and a horn-work, situated on a
small tongue of land which runs out towards the port.
Two earthworks, having 15 guns, have been thrown up
on the right and left of the fort. A little above this fort,
on an intermediate plateau, is another strong battery,
and on the summit of the plateau is a large construction
which serves as a sort of advanced work to the citadel.
Between this fortification and those mentioned at the
commencement of my letter there is a -redoubt
mounted with guns of very heavy calibre. After
Fort Catherine there is another point on which the
Russians have cut out in the earth and rock a series
of fortifications on a most gigantic scale, the whole
point being, in fact, metamorphosed into a citadel.
There appear to be here several rows of batteries, then
barracks for the troops, and- then more batteries. In
the rear of this point may be seen some small clusters of
houses or stores, and some small vesse!s lying on the
shore. The beach is defended by a strong battery which
extends all round the bay, as far as Fort Severnaya,
which is of itself an assemblage of batteries placed one
over the other, and defended on the land side by a large
ditch. To the right of Severnaya are some sunken
steamers, and then another village or collection of bar-
racks and storehouses, protected by two batteries. All
these are commanded by the citadel, which has been so
much increased that all that formerly existed is now
concealed behind the immense work recently executed.
As I have already mentioned, the activity of the Rus-
sians is most surprising. Every day bodies of from
2,000 to 3,000 men leave the :citadel, and pro-
ceed to their work. For some days past they have been
occupied in raising some of the sunken vessels, but whe-
ther this is done for the purpose of getting timber, or
with other intentions, it is impossible to say. They have
still some fishing smacks and smaller boats, and they
frequently make use of the latter in the night to come
and reconnoitre our works. Last night they availed
themselves of the darkness, and came within half-cable's
length of Fort Alexander, or rather of our batteries on
that side. At the cry of Qua vies/' from our sentinel
they moved off in haste. It is really difficult to imagine
what can be the object of the Russians in erecting snub
masses of batteries. Is it to occupy their soldiers and
give them confidence, or to mask some other move-
ment ! Time alone can unravel the mystery. On our
side, as you may suppose, we do not remain inactive ;
strong batteries are being established to play on the
Russian works."
MARKET NEWS.—(This Day).