The Sun.
London, England, 1855-10-12 00:00:00

DESPATCH FROM GEN. SIMPSON.

(From a supplement to Tuesday's Gazette.)
WAR DEPARTMENT, OCT. 11.
Lord Panmure has this day received a despatch, and
its enclosures, of N,ibich the following are copies, ad-
dressed to his lordship by General Simpson

Sebastopol,. September 29.
My Lord,—Since my last despatch the troops have
been employed, to the number of 9,500 men, daily, in
making the road from Balaklava to the camp ; and as,
after a few hours of rain the whole distance is converted
into a mass of deep mud, the work that has to be per-
formed, from this reason as well as the great distance
that the stones have to be transported, render it one of
great labour and difficulty.
Large fatigue parties are daily employed in the town,
dismantling and conveying timber and other materials
from the ruins of the buildings, and I hope, by this
means, to get a considerable portion of the troops under
cover previous to the commencement of bad weather.
The enemy have been firing from the batteries on the
north side at the working parties in the town, and,
although causing some little annoyance, they have not
prevented the work being carried on, and, I am happy
to add, that one man killed and one wounded are the
only casualties occasioned by their fire.
I regret to have to report to your lordship that owing
to the explosion of a Russian magazine on the 27th inst.
one officer and 19 men were wounded. I ordered an in-
vestigation to be made, and, from the report I have re-
ceived, the origin was from the explosion of a hidden
fougass, a number of which have been dug up in various
parts of the town and batteries.

- The invention of this machine is peculiarly Russian.
I have received a letter from Lieutenant• Colonel
Ready, 71st Regiment, commanding her Majesty's troops
at Yenikale, reporting the proceedings of a trifling affair,
in which a detachment of the 10th Hussars, in com-
pany with the Chasseurs d'Afrique, were engaged on the
21st instant with the Cossacks.

Colonel D'Osmont, commanding the French troops at
Kertch received information that the Cossacks were col-
lecting and driving away all the arabas from the neigh-
bourhood, and, as he determined to endeavour to pre-
vent this, he invited the assistance of the English ca-
valry to co-operate with the Chasseurs d'Afrique. For
this service Lieut.-Colonel Ready ordered two troops,
commanded by Captains the Hon. F. Fitzclarence and
Clarke, of the 10th Hussars.
The Cossacks were supposed to have assembled their
arabas at two villages, named Koss-Serai Min and Seit
Ali, equidistant from Kertch about 15 miles, and from
one another 61. Captain Fitz Clarence's troop was or-
dered to the first village, and Captain Clarke's to the
latter. At each of these villages they were to join a troop
of the Chasseurs d'Afrique who bad preceded them. On
arriving at Koss-Serai Min Captain Fitz Clarence found
both troops of the French Dragoons, and immediately
sent off an order to Captain Clarke to join him that night ;
the letter was unfortunately not delivered until the fol-
lowing morning. In complying with this order, Cap-
tain Clarke, whose troop consisted only of 34 men,
fell in with a body of about 50 Cossacks, which he im-
mediately charged and pursued, but as they were soon
reinforced by upwards of 300 he was forced to retire
upon the village, with a loss of his sergeant major, far-
rier, and 13 men taken prisoners.
Captain Fitz Clarence's troop, with the Chasseurs, the
whole under the 'command of the Officer commanding
the French troops, having seen a large body of the
enemy, skirmished with them at some distance, and
moved in the direction of the village of Serai Min,
where, after having joined Captain Clarke's troop, the
whole force commenced their march upon Kertch.
At about the distance of half a mile from the village
they were attacked by a large body of Cossacks, who
were, however, beaten back by repeated charges. The
loss of the 10th Hussars consisted of—

2 Privates, supposed to have been killed.
1 Wounded.

1 Troop serjeant-major, 1 farrier, 13 men, 15 horses,
missing.
From information that has since been received, the
Cossacks were supported, within a quarter of an hour's
march, by eight squadrons of Hussars and eight guns.
Colonel Ready informs rue that nothing could exceed
the coolness and courage of the troops in the presence
of such overwhelming numbers of the enemy, who were
only kept at bay by their steady movements. .

I have the honour to enclose the lists of casualties.
The health of the Army, I am rejoiced to say, is
excellent.—l have, &0,,

JAMES SIMPSON, General Commanding.
The Lord Panmure,

(Enclosure 1.)
NUMERICAL RETURN OF CASUALTIES FROM
THE 9TH TO THE 27TH OF SEPTEMBER, 1855, IN-
CLUSIVE.
3d Foot-1 rank and file killed, in the town.
4th Foot-1 officer, 1 serjeaut, 18 rank and file, wounded,
by an explosion in the town.
68th Foot-1 rank and filo wounded by a shell.
Total-1 rank and file killed ; 1 officer, I sergeant, 19
rank and file wounded.

W. L. PAKENHAM,
Adjutant-General.

Enclosure 2.)

NOMINAL RETURN OF OFFICERS 'WOUNDED
FROM THE 9rii TO THE 27TH SEPTEMBER, 1855,
INCLUSIVE.

WOUNDED.
SEPT. 27.
4th Foot—Ensign W. A. Nash, slightly, by an explo-
sion in tho town.

W. L. PAKENIIAM,
Adiutant•General.

Enclosuro 3.

NOMINAL RETURN OF PRIVATES KILLED
FROM THE 9TH TO THE 27TH OF SEPT., 1853.

KILLED.
SEPT. 22.
3d Foot—Private Henry Bost, in Sebastopol.
W. L. PAKENLIASI, Adjutant-General.
Enclosure 4.

NOMINAL RETURN OF NON-COMMISSIONED
OFFICERS AND PRIVATES WOUNDED FROM
THE 9Tu TO THE 27Th SEPTEMBER, 1855,
INCLUSIVE.

WOUNDED,
By an explosion in the town.
SEPT. 27.

4th Foot—Sergeant John Clarkson, slightly; Lance
Sergeant. John Wingate, severely ; Privates Win. James
Thompson, severely; Timothy Roach, dangerously ; Thos.
Hartnell, severely ; Henry Luther, John Kennedy, Wm.
Johnstone, John Clarke, George Wilke, Samuel Mahoney,
Abraham Yates, Win. Bolton, John Rutley, Win. Moore,
slightly ; John Bates, Thomas Dunn, severely ; John
Forster, slightly.
68th Foot—Private Charles Callaghan, slightly, by a
shell.

W. L. PAKENHAIt,
Adjutant-General.

ROYAL MAIL STE-4hf-PACKET COMPANY.

[A portion of the following appeared in our impression
of yesterday.]

A general meeting of the proprietors of this company
was held yesterday, at the London Tavern, Bishops.
gate-street, Captain Shepherd, deputy chairman, in the
absence of the chairman, presiding.
The Secretary (Mr. E. CIIAPPELL) having read the
notice convening the meeting, and the report of the
directors,

The CHAIRMAN moved its adoption, saying, that al- I,
though the report was full and intelligible, it was as well
he should refer more particularly to some of the points
there alluded to. He found, on comparison with the pre-
vious half-year's receipts, that the decrease in the receipts
arose from the following items :—The outward trade,
the inter-colonial trade, the homeward trade, the inter-
eolonial passage money, and homeward passage money.
The decrease amounted, on the outward trade, to
1,1401. ; the inter-colonial trade, 1,552/. ; the home-
ward trade, 4211. ; inter-colonial passage money, 6,4201.
The latter amount was a very large one, but
it arose from the completion of the Panama Rail-
way, during the construction of which numbers
of labourers were forwarded there by the company's
ships. The homeward passage money showed a decrease
of 3,1201., which was to be attributed in some measure
to the pressing demand for ships for the transport ser-
vice, which prevented one voyage to the West Indies,
and another to Brazil from being performed. The di-
rectors in their report alluded to the earnings of tee
fleet, and the large increase in the cost of repairs. The
latter arose from the heavy nature of the transport work
in the Black Sea. It frequently occurred that these
ships had to tow three or four ships of 1,000 tons each
at one time in bad weather, and in some instances as
many as seven ships at a time. This work was very
The
trying for ships employing great steam power.
ships in the West Indies had in consequence
of the
de-
mand for ships in the Black Sea been overworkeyd
i ndhree
it was not surprising they had broken down there.l a
or four ships having been released from the. B ;
ac Black Sea,
had
honourableco e o f
d
extra ships had been 'sent to the West Indiesso that
without something occurred out of the
ordinary course
of events, the irregularities thatte been
chairmanl ain
would not occur again-
alluded to the increase in the cost of eGaki.
The claim for compensation from the Government for
the extra risk in time of war : that from the 10th June
and,in conclusion, said the di-
the rate of freights for the
Transport Service had been
that, as provident men, they could
us to the proprietors, or an increase
rrneeodcttunrcreescdo
consideredr
I,IOE
a po per
d eaenb to-
in the n
amount of dividend, until they were in a better
fin,
T seconded the motion for the recep-
pliosiißtißoEn.
n
Mr. oe
Gf.
recep-
tion and adoption of the report.
Mr. HASELTINE complained of the accounts, which
he considered required adjustment, and moved, as an
amendment, that the report of the directors be not ap-
proved ot, that a bonus of 21. per share ought to be
paid out of the earnings of the transports, and that the
directors be requested to meet a committee of share-
holders for the purpose of adjusting the capital and the
accounts.

Mr. SUTTON seconded the amendment.
Mr. MILLS and Admiral KELLEY also spoke on the
policy of the directors and the position of the company
with reference to capital and the state of the insurance
fund.
The CHAIRMAN, in reply, said that on the 30th June
tho Company's debt wag 160,0001., and auggeoted that

instead of the amendment being now pressed it should
be withdrawn, and the shareholders wait till April, when
a balance-sheet would be presented, showing the real
state of the company's finances.

The ACCOUNTANT said the above sum represented only
the amount of cash overdrawn, and was not a balance
of account.

A SHAREHOLDER asked the Chairman whether the 401.
balance on the 100/. shares had been made up by bor-
rowed money or out of revenue ?

The CHAIRMAN said out of revenue.
The Hon. Shareholder said it was a course different
to that pursued by any company. He suggested the
directors calling up their capital.

The CHAIRMAN said, it must be recollected they bad
absorbed their insurance and reserved funds, which it
was necessary to replace. He would rather call up the
capital than borrow money at 6 per cent.
Mr. MASTERMAN asked Mr. Haseltine if he wished
the 2/. bonus to be paid from the earnings of the
transports ?

Mr. HASELTINE—Yes. The earnings of the trans:
ports amounted to 600,0001., and surely that mould give
a profit of 30,0001.

Mr. MasTEn3rAN said the earnings of the transports
was but one item in the account that day presented to
the shareholders. The surplus profit was 276,0001., out
of which they had to take 143,0001. for current liabili-
ties, and put by 6 per cent. on the value of the fleet for
1853, and for the first half of the present year, when a
net surplus for dividend would remain of only 46,000/.
Mr. HASELTINE said he had no desire to embarrass the
directors. All he wanted was a recognition of the prin.
iple that the shareholders should be paid every half-year
be profits earned on their money during that period,
and that if the directors wanted money they should call
up their capital, so that the shareholders might get an
interest for their money, and not have to wait till the
debt were paid before getting anything.
The CHAIRMAN said the directors in their report con'
ceded the principle asked for by Mr. Haseltine.
The amendment was then put to the meeting and lost,
13 only voting for it. The original motion adopting the
report, which declared a dividend of 21. per cent., was
carried by a large majority.
Thanks were voted to the chairman and directors, and
the meeting separated.