The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-08 00:00:00

The Capture of Taschkent,

The Invalide Russe contains the following nar-
rative of the capture of Taschkent in Kokan, a
town, containing, according to some estimates,
100,000 inhabitants, and certainly of considerable
size. The fact of the capture, and the circumstances
which led to it, have already been described :
" Taking into consideration that the garrison occupied a
vast extent of ground, that their artillery was distributed
over a line of 15 versts (10 miles), and that in the place
there was a numerous party devoted to us, General Tcher-
naief formed the resolution to capture the town by assault.
Having chosen the point of attack, he decided that the
assault should be given on the night of the 26th-27th June.
With this view it was arranged that the principal detach-
ment, under the command of General Tchernaief in person,
after breaking up from their camp at eleven o'clock at night,
should, at daybreak, deliver the assault at the gate chosen
for attack by means of ladders and arbas (a kind of chariot)
constructed for the express purpose, and furnished with
little flexible ladders for the passage of the ditch. At the
same time the detachment of Colonel Kraievsky was to
make a demonstration by attacking the town on another
side. The principal detachment was preceded by volun-
teers, commanded by Captain of Cavalry Wulfert, and Sub-
Lieutenants Chorokhef and Lapine. The principal detach-
ment numbered in all seven companies, with two light
pieces of artillery, and four pieces of position. The Priest
Malof marched at the head, cross in hand. The enemy
perceived the approach of the columns of assault when
they were 100 paces from the gate. Before they had time
to reconnoitre our troops were already on the barbette, and
drove the Kokanians out of it with their cannon. Having
advanced with 250 men by a street which ran along the
wall of the town, Captain Abramof, in spite of the resist-
ance of the sarbazes who were entrenched behind the
gabions, and the fire of four pieces of artillery, carried four
barbettes, and proceeding along a distance of 14 kilometres
of the wall, gathered on his passage all the pieces of can-
non abandoned by the enemy. In the town itself Captain
Abramof met with an obstinate resistance, and was obliged
to carry by assault a number of barricades. Arriving at
the citadel he found it already occupied by the troops of
Delacroix and Jemtchoujnikof. Although these two
detachments had almost immediately followed that
of Captain Abramof, they had not the less the
whole way encountered and carried barricades, which
the enemy erected with extraordinary rapidity. At half-
past seven in the morning the citadel was occupied. The
enemy, driven back to the centre of the town, ceased to
skirmish ; nevertheless, our detachment was obliged to
evacuate the citadel, for the Kokanians had set fire to the
buildings attached to the palace of the Khan, and the fire,
spreading with very great celerity, threatened to explode
the powder magazines. Then the detachment of Colonel
Kraievsky, aided by men from the principal detachment,
escaladed the wall with the help of their muskets and their
straps. The numerous cavalry of the enemy (5,000 men),
pursued by a handful of Cossacks, sowed the road with their
standards, and, arriving at the Tchirtchick,flung themselves
into the river in order to cross it,the horsemen drowning one
another in the crush. The half of the town had been cleared
—but, towards evening,the enemy, having concealed them-
selves in the houses nearest our troops. recommenced the
fire upon our line ; barricades reappeared in all the streets
and squares ; the resistance became more desperate, and
went so far that one or two men, armed with ailbots (a
sort of battle-axe), precipitated themselves on an entire
company, and succumbed under the bayonets without ask-
ing quarter. Little detachments sent into the streets met
everywhere with an obstinate resistance. Each house had
to be carried by assault, and was only evacuated at the
point of the bayonet. The resistance was particularly ob-
stinate in the street conducting from the gate of the town
to the principal bazaar, and which was first cleared by the
artillery officer Ivanof, and again by Lieutenant Makarof.
Thanks to the efforts of the troops, the streets were a second
time swept clear, and the fire of artillery continued the
whole night. Colonel Kraievsky, despatched next morn-
ing to gather the cannon of the enemy and blow up the
citadel, again encountered a desperate resistance, but com-
pletely fulfilled his mission. Towards evening all the
streets were free, the town surrendered at discretion, and
the disarmament of the inhabitants was proceeded with.
Our trophies consist of 16 large standards, one of which
is Bokharian ; a multitude of flags ; 63 pieces of cannon of
different calibre, 48 of which are bronze, and of excellent
workmanship, and an immense number of muskets. There
were also found 2,000 ponds (70,000 pounds) of powder,
and about 10,000 various projectiles. The number of the
defenders of the town, according to the most moderate
statements, was 30,000 men. We had 3 subaltern officers
wounded and 4 bruised ; 25 men killed, 86 wounded, and
24 bruised."

ANOTHER LARGE IMPORTATION OF FRENCH
GRAPES.—Yesterday afternoon another largo consignment
of French grapes, shipped at the port of Havre, and con-
veyed by steam to Southampton, and thence by rail to the
Waterloo Station of the London and South-Western Rail-
way, have arrived in the metropolis. The consignment
consisted of 1,115 baskets, weighing twelve tons, and oc-
cupying five railway trucks. This large quantity of fruit
was consigned to Mr. J. Day, of Spitalfields-market.

DOCKYARD Accouns.—A report has been pre-
pared by the Accountant-General of the Navy,
showing the measures which have been adopted since 1859
for the improvement of dockyard accounts. An:account is
now annually presented to Parliament stating the expense
incurred in the year upon the several ships building, alter-
ing, and repairing, and the cost of every ship building.
There are also presented the balance-sheets of manufactur-
ing operations in the several warkshops and timber con-
version accounts. After inquiries instituted by Mr. Stans-
feld in the autumn of 1863 an annual survey valuation of
timber and stores and a continuous record of the receipts
and issues were ordered to be made ; and accounts were
ordered to be kept on a basis of shipbuilding upon sectional
arrangements, to facilitate comparison between the dock-
yards and the private trade. In the autumn of the following
year Mr. Childers continued the inquiries commenced by
Mr. Stansfeld, and the result was that a committee was
appointed, which has recommended a weekly return of
expenditure upon every ship, to enable the Controller of the
Navy to exercise a full and prompt supervision over the
economy of the various operations in the dock-yards and
tie gradual absorption of the Parliamentary grant ; instruc-
tions for. this purpose are now in operation. The com-
mittee were to be engaged this autumn in revising all the
books and forms in use in the dockyards. The accounts of
the expenditure in the home victualling yards have also
been subjected to investigation by a committee; and the
valuation, expense, and manufacturing accounts of these
yards, prepared in the manner which has been approved
by the committee, will be laid before Parliament. A com-
mittee of practical officers has been engaged this year in
inquiries, with the view of enabling a comparison to be
made of the cost of manufactures in the dockyards with
that of productions in private trade, and investigating
the difference in the cost of similar produce in the several
yards ; and revised instructions for keeping the manufac-
turing and conversion accounts have been issued. It is
intended in future to present to Parliament the three
following baiance-sheets :—A plant account, showing the
value of land, buildings, and premises, repairs, replace-
ments, and alterations ; a stock valuation account, giv-
ing the value of remains of stock of timber and stores
on hand, and of receipts and issues in the year, and
depreciation or enhancement of value of stock, and a
general balance-sheet, or expenditure and production ac-
count for ships, services, and conversions. Thus will be
shown the extent and value of the works executed, and the
amount of the expenses with which they should be charged,
in accordance with the principles of account observed in
the commercial world.

EXTRAORDINARY SCENE IN THE HOUSE OF COM-
moNs.—Perhaps the best proof of the extraordinary
ferment and excitement of feeling which the Corn law agi-
tation produced in England, is the incident we are now
about to relate. It is necessary to premise that in the
January of 1843, Mr. Drummond, Sir Robert Peel's private
secretary, was shot dead in the street by a lunatic, who
mistook him for the Premier. Peel was deeply wounded
at this, for Mr. Drummond was not only his secretary, but
his friend, and he was ill and harassed with manifold
anxieties. Two hours past midnight of February 17 he got
up and said, " Sir, the honourable gentleman (Mr. Cob-
den) has stated hero very emphatically, what ho has more
than once stated at the conferences of the Anti-Corn-
Law League, that he holds me individually—(great excite-
ment)—individually responsible for the distress and suffer-
ing of the country ; that he holds me personally responsible;
but be the consequences of these insinuations what may,
never will Ibe influenced by menaces, either in this house
or out of this house, to adopt a course which I consider—"
(The rest of the sentence was lost in shouts from various
parts of the house.) Mr. Cobden rose and said :—" I did
not say that I held the right honourable gentleman
responsible. (Shouts of Yes, yes ; you did, you did.'
Cries of Order,' and ' Chair.' Sir Robert Peel. ' You
did.') I have said that I hold tho right honourable
gentleman responsible by virtue of his office—(' No
no;' much confusion)—as the whole context of what
I said was sufficient to explain. (' No, no,' from the Minis
terial Benches.)" Sir Robert Peel rose and repeated his
assertion, that Cobden had " twice repeated that ho held
him individually responsible." At a later period of the
debate, Cobden, again essaying an explanation, was
hooted down. Probably a more extraordinary trans-
action never occurred on the floor of the House
of Commons. Miss Martineau say s of it—
" The Anti-Corn Law-League had not yet had time
to win the respect and command the deference which
it was soon to enjoy ; but it was known to be organised
and led by men of station, character and substance—
men of enlarged education, and of that virtuous and
decorous conduct which distinguishes the middle clan
of England. Yet it was believed— believed by men
of education, by men in Parliament, by men in attendance
on the Government—that the Anti-Corn--Law League
sanctioned assassination, and did not object to carry its
aims by means of it. This is perhaps the strongest mani-
festation of the tributation of the time.—McGilchrist's
of Cobckx.

The Herring Fishing.

(From the Scotsman.)

BERWICK.—The fishing here is evidently drawing near
a close, and is gradually growing more irregular, and less
prolific. Monday's fishing was one of the poorest of the
season. Though a good number of the boats had gone to
sea on Sunday night, the most of them cams in empty on
Monday morning, and even the few that had any fish had
not more than one or two baskets each. The highest takes
of the best fished boats were only two and three barrels.
The fish were of good quality, and sold for 30s. and 31s. a
barrel. A good many of the boats did not go to sea on
Monday night, but those that did so most returned pretty
successful on Tuesday morning. A few as usual came iu
empty, but the greater number had fair takes, some of
them as many as twenty barrels, and others eight, ten,
and fourteen barrels. Prices ruled much the same as on
the previous morning, running from 28s. to 30s. a barrel.
Wednesday's fishing was again of a partial character.
The fish were all of good quality, and sold for 245. to 265.
a barrel.

FRASERBURGIL—There is a very general disappoint-
ment in the fishing to-day. Both from the indications
of the presence of whales in the bay—a well-understood
concomitant, it may be observed, of the presence of
herrings—witnessed last night, and also from the com-
parative success of the few boats that went to sea
between Sunday and Monday, hopes were entertained
of a very abundant catch. Instead of this, however,
the large majority of the boats are clean ; and what
herrings have been brought ashore are, as they have
been of late, largely mixed with small and spent fish. The
average will not exceed two crans, while the highest
take is about twelve. The clearnesss of the moonlight,
together with the enormous swarms of dogfish, are said to
have caused this unsatisfactory result. The prices given
by curers continue as formerly—viz., 178. for spent, and
225. to 28s. for full fish. Farmers are giving from 6d. to
10d. per score for dog-fish, according to size.—Sept. 5.
Wicii.—The fishing here seems likely to prove as un-
successful this week as last. The whole fleet proceeded
to sea last night, and although more than the half of them
made for the land without setting their nets, in conse-
quence of the prevalence of a strong gale of wind, a
sufficient number remained at the fishing-ground to
test the probabilities of fish being on the coast. The re-
suit proved sufficiently discouraging, not a single crap
having been landed this morning. Our average, therefore,
remains at the low figure of 761 crans for the season ; and
although a fow native crews may, with favourable weather,
continue to prosecute the fishing for a short time longer,
no great addition can be made to the season's catch.
This year's fishing, with the exception of two years-
-1852 and 1857—is the lowest we have had for the last
thirty-eight years. The West Highland boats are all
preparing for leaving Wick for their respective homes,
and the hired men are being paid off to-day,
so that the fishing is virtually over for a season. At Lyb-
ster and Holmsdale all the stranger crews have left, the
fishing at both these extensive stations being considerably
worse than at Wick. This state of things has had the effect
of making curers very stiff to sell their fish at the prices
now offering. To-day a large number of buyers were in
the field offering a considerable advance, but they could
find no sellers. For full crown brands 325. per barrel,
and for spents 255., were freely offered, but in every
case refused. The quantity for sale is not very consider-
able ; and, unless a heavy fishing sets in at Peterhead
and Fraserburgh, where the business is generally prose-
cated a week or two longer than on the Caithness coast,
a considerable advance upon these prices is expected to bo
realised by the holders. Prices in the Continental markets,
however, hardly warrant the figures already offered, but
the receipt of the news of the premature close of the fish-
ing at Wick is expected to have the effect of causing an
improvement. Upwards of 10,000 barrels have been de-
spatched from this district within the past week to the
Continent, and about 1,000 barrels to Ireland, and a good
many vessels are still in the harbour loading. There are
now more vessels here than can procure cargoes at pre-
sent ; and, unless buyers succeed in making purchases, a
number of vessels will have to leave in ballast, after wait-
ing several weeks for herrings.—September 5.