The Sun.
London, England, 1854-11-16 00:00:00

TOGETHER WITH A LIST OF THE

before Sebastopol on Sunday, the sth instant—
the Russians, who made so loud an outcry about
the attack on Odessa on the anniversary of a fes-
tival of their Church, being quite indifferent to
the desecration of the Sabbath by their own pro-
ceedings. They had, however, received unex-
pected encouragement. Two of the sons of him,
whom they blasphemously regard rather as a deity
than-as a man, had arrived amongst them, and they

were desirous of signalising their advent by some
brilliant exploit. A determined effort to dislodge the
Allied troops from their position was therefore
resolved on, and the anniversary of the Gunpowder
Treason was selected for the attempt.

They must have received very considerable re-
inforcements before this energetic attempt. Lord
RA.GLLN declares that " the enemy, with immense

forces, attacked in the dawn of morning the right
of the English position before Sebastopol ;" and

adds, " The number of the enemy much exceeded
that which was opposed to us at Alma." Aud
Prince MENSCHIKOFF himself speaks of " a great

superiority in numbers." Nor could it be sup-
posed that the Grand Dukes came unattended,

that the moral influence of their presence was
the only aid they rendered to the Russians.
What we have so frequently put forward re-

specting the deplorable carelessness and apathy
exhibited by the English Government, and the

mode in which we have suffered ourselves to be

jockeyed by onr faithful friends of Austria, thus
receives an additional and very powerful illustra-
tion. Had the troops of OMER PACHA made the

anticipated. incursion- into Bessarabia, it would

have occasioned a diversion that would have pre-
vented LIPRA).7DI and LUDERS, and the troops
under their command, from entering the Crimea
—attacking our troops, and impeding our opera-
tions. Had it been positively announced that
the Austrian occupation would prevent any pur-
suit of the retreating Muscovites ; that Wallachia
and Moldavia were to be held as firmly against
the troops of their lawful Sovereign as against
those of the unconscientious and unauthorised in-
vader, these forces might have joined the expedition
to the Crimea, where they would doubtless have
maintained the honour of the Ottoman arms, and
prevented the blot that fell on the Moslem
escutcheon from the ignominious flight and sub-
sequent misconduct of some raw and undisciplined
recruits, the sweepings of the streets and off scour-
lugs of the population of Stamboul. Austria,
however, the pretended friend of England, so
managed as to afford the most important aid to
the AUTOCRAT. Although the Allies were kept in
ignorance of its intentions, Russia was perfectly
informed. It was well known in Bessarabia that
no attack from the Principalities need be antici-
pated. The Russians were, therefore, enabled to
dispose of their battalions at pleasure, and to send
them to the seat of war in such numbers as to
warrant their taking the initiative and assuming
the offensive. Although unable to alter the
result, or to preserve Sebastopol, they have caused
much bloodshed amongst our valiant troops, every
drop of which cries to Heaven for vengeance against
the treachery that hasled to its prodigal outpouring.
It is Austria, " ever strong upon the strongest
side," that is responsible for the fate of so many
thousands Austria, of whom, slightly para-
phrasing a well-known, and over-true passage of
England's greatest dramatist, we may exclaim,
" Thou wear a lion's hide, doff it for shame,
And hang a bear skin on these recreant limbs."
It was on the right of the English position that
this immense force made the first onslaught on the
dawn of morning, on the sth inst. They had
not, however, Turkish recruits to deal with. The
second division, and the Brigade of Guards of the
first light division, and part of the third division
sustained the brunt of the assault in the first
instance. They were, however, speedily assisted by
their brave Allies—the division of General Bos-
QUET and other corps of the French army—Shish,
as Lord RAGLAN informs us, and we can easily
credit it, "by their gallant conduct contributed
' essentially to the decided success of the day."
General CANROBERT was also on the spot without
a moment's delay. But although there was no
yielding, although not a French or English sol-
dier gave way in the face of an enemy vastly
superior in numbers, and every man faithfully
and efficiently discharged the duty he owed to
his country, "the battle was extremely obstinate,
and it was not until past noon that the enemy
was definitively repulsed and forced to re-
treat, leaving the field of battle covered
with his dead, and several hundreds of
prisoners !" Lord RAGLAN states the loss of
the enemy to have been enormous. General CAN-
ROBERT puts it down as between 8,000 and 9,000 ;
and even MMTSCSIKOFIr admits that "it amounts
to 4,000,"—a number that may safely be doubled,
as we find him stating that he had 22,000 en-
gaged, whereas it appears from Lord RAGLAN that
" the number much exceeded that which was
opposed to us at Alma !" •
It necessarily followed that our own losses should
also have been serious. The numbers are not given,
but we shall, doubtless, speedily have the names
of the killed and wounded, and a more detailed
account of the proceedings, contenting our-
selves for the present with the knowledge that
we have won a glorious, although, unfortunately,
by no means a bloodless victory, and determined
to strain every nerve to send speedy and adequate
assistance to the gallant fellows now fighting their
country's battles under the walls of Sebastopol.

The subscriptions to the Patriotic Fund are
proceeding in a spirit well worthy of the country
which sent forth the victors of the Alma. The
same conscientious, steady performance of the duty
of the hour, whether shown is a cool and deter-
mined charge on batteries almost unassailably
placed, or in the high-principled liberality which
provides, by personal contribution, for the widow
and the orphan, is conspicuous in both soldier
and citizen. We never preferred the plan of
voluntary contributions, but, when adopted, we
were as cordial as any in asking for unstinted
contributions. We cannot all have our way ; the
voluntary system was chosen, the burden was
thrown on English generosity, and it has nobly
responded to the demand. Local organisations
have sprung up where none suitable existed.
Counties, towns, and villages, religious congre-
gations, and classes of workmen—indeed, in
which Englishmen are ac-
every form in
customed to unite in action, the English
public has gladly shown its sympathy with
those who suffer in its service. Nothing can
be more gratifying than the spirit which pervades
the movement. There is no bluster or parade
about it. It is felt to be a truly holy cause. The
war itself is for the most sacred rights of nations ;
it was entered upon, so far as the people are con-
cerned, from a long, deep-seated, and growing
hatred of the savage despotism which crushed,
universal
successively, province after province in its march
t
domination, which trampled Poland
under
its
feet,and
but lately seized Hungary in
its fangs, and threw it into the jaws of its odious
subordinate, Austria. Turkey .was the victim
next destined for absorption, and Constantinople
for a new stronghold of the all-threatening tyrant.
English blood could endure it no longer. The
nation had groaned inwardly, while an English