The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-02 00:00:00

occupied by nearly 50,000 men, and " defended
by a numerous artillery of heavy calibre," was
stormed, and completely carried. The loss was
necessarily severe to the Allies. We have to

mourn for some 1,4Q0 of our gallant officers
and soldiers, killed or wounded ; while our
faithful and efficient allies, who had about an
equal number of men engaged, sustained a similar
loss. We cannot, of course, speak with any
degree of confidence of the Russian loss ; but, as a
defeated army, driven into " full retreat" (!), as
our Ambassador terms it, but which may be in-
terpreted " ignominious flight," must, in all
human probability, have lost more than their
assailants. We may fairly estimate their losses
at a third more, or (in round terms) 4,200 ; so
that 7,000 men must have bled at the sanguine
conflict on the heights of Alma !
The later tidings do not absolutely come
from an official source, but there is every reason
to believe that they are authentic. One has received

a quasi official sanction, being communicated from
the French Consul at Bucharest to the Minister
of France for Foreign Affairs. This announces
the FALL or SEBASTOPOL (!) on the 25th ultimo.

The time which this important intelligence
has been conveyed appears unusually short. But
the extraordinary speed has been fully explained.
The account was obtained by the French steamer
proceeding to Varna, which met another en route
from the Crimea to Constantinople, bearing de-
spatches to the Ambassador. It was also declared
that the fleet and munitions of war had fallen
into the hands of the Allies, and that the garrison
had surrendered themselves as prisoners of war.
We may, therefore, lend an easy credence to the
other telegraphic despatches from Vienna, which

announce another severe battle in the plain of
Kelautai, in the Kartcha, terminating in the total
defeat of the Russians, and their pursuit to their
very entrenchments before Sebastopol. This
victory, closely followed up, might have led to the

auspicious event which it is our pleasing duty to
announce—THE CAPTURE OF SEBASTOPOL AND OF

THE RUSSIAN FLEET AND STORES, AND WITH IT

THE TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF THE POWER OF THE

AUTOCRAT IN THE EUXINE, AND WE MAY ADD IN

THE CAUCASIAN DISTRICTS.

Sebastopol has fallen ! Two glorious victories
had previously been obtained ! ! The heights of
Alma and Kartcha bad witnessed the prowess of
the Allied Forces, and the total incompetency of

Russian serfs to contend with the elite of the

French and English armies. The victories on
each occasion were as rapid as they were deci-

sive, and a few hours sufficed to overthrow the
power and humble the pride of the AUTOCRAT.
Within ten days the IMPREGNABLE FORTRESS, the
boasted fleet of theEMPEROR, surrendered to the in-

waders. The garrison preferred becoming prisoners
to being permitted to march forth with all the ho-
nours ! The ships were not destroyed, but trans-
ferred in serviceable condition to the assailants.

There was no appearance of the devotion or self-im-
molation that was demanded by the leaders. In

place of rising en masse, to resist invaders, the
population displayed the utmost enthusiasm in
their cause, and not only brought in ample sup-
plies, but volunteered their own personal services.
The Russian soldiers and sailors were willing
rather to lay down their arms and trust
to the mercy of a generous enemy than to brave
the anger of their infuriated master What a
commentary does this offer on despotic, or go-
vernment by fear rather than by love. Perhaps
not even the victors themselves rejoiced more

heartily at their brilliant success than those who
may date their freedom and emancipation from the
auspicious events of a single week.
Having referred in a preceding article to these
auspicious and almost miraculous events we shall
not here enter into any of the details. We shall only,
while rendering all the honour to Him from whom
all glories pro:eed, remind our readers that the
triumph has been dearly purchased that many
thousands of those who have so faithfully dis-

charted the duty they owed to their Fatherland
have perished in the fearful conflict ; that thou-

sands of destitute widows and orphans will have
to deplore the " glorious victories in the
Crimea." How, then, can we better testify
our gratitude to the " LORD OP HOSTS " than by
seeking, to the utmost of our power, to alle-
viate the sufferings and temper the affliction
of those who have lost not merely protectors but

providers, whose tears must damp the general joy.
There are few, indeed, who may not spare some-
thing as a thankoffering for the safety of friends,
or for the other mercies voucluafed by the AL-
MIGHTY. What more glorious or more suitable
monument can be offered to the memory of the
brave who gloriously perished in the Crimea than
a comfortable provision for their families, for those
who depended on their exertions for the necessaries
of life. It would be a disgrace to England if it per-
mitted the relicts of these gallant men to endure the
privations incidental to poverty. It would be as
impolitic as it would be shameful to do so, for
nothing encourages the living soldier so much as
a just appreciation of the services of his less for-
tunate comrades, and a transfer of the rewards to
which they are entitled to their surviving relatives.
Our first duty, then, is to the widows and
orphans of the dead. The next, to see that the
sacrifice has not been made in vain. They were
the victims of the indomitable pride and grasping
cupidity of a single despot. Thousands and tens
of thousands have perished, whose blood rests on
his shoulders. Be it our care so to " pare the
claws of the bear" that he can have nu further
power to menace his neighbours and to disturb
the peace of Europe. His power in the Black Sea
is broken. Hemust notbe allowed to repair theloss.
He is no longer master of the Crimea. He must
never again be so. We owe it to the inhabitants
who received us with so much enthusiasm to
save them from the bear's hug that they will re-
CM.V6 if his troops are again permitted to enter
into the Peninsula. Bessarabia, too, must be
restored to Turkey, and the perfect independence
of Georgia and Circassia restored. The ♦ictories
we have achieved will render Austria complaisant,
and Prussia yielding, but what we have gained by
an enormous expenditure of blood and treasure
is not to be surrendered to diplomatic wiles. We
shall give Austria and Prussia all they have
earned, and that is " nothing." Should
NICHOLAS remain pereversely obstinate, he
will have to surrender far more than may
at present be required. He will find his unjust
acquisitions clipped in the west as well as in the
east. He may lose Finland as well as the Crimea,
and Courland and Livonia may share the fate of
Bessarabia and Georgia.

THE COURT.—According to present arrangements, her
Majesty and his Royal Highness Prince Albert, with
the elder members of the Royal family, will remain at
B. i
lmoral until the 12th instant, when the Court will
remove to Windsor Castle.
anTdhpeirriaßceosys
Mary
leave Highnesses the
rDi
dugceh. ec Ds of t t a
g Cambridge
g on e
Saturday next, for Knowsley, to honour the Earl and
Countess of Derby with their company for severaldays.
The noble Earl and Countess have invited a distinguished
circle to meet the Royal Duchess and Princess.
His Excellency the Prussian Minister and the Countess
Bernstorff and family are expected to return to the
Prussian Legation, at the close of the week, from
Brighton.
The Duke and Duchess of Cleveland are entertaining
a succession of visitors at Raby Castle, Durham.
The Duke and Duchess of Northumberland leave
Alnwick Castle about the middle of the week for Stan-
wick-park, Yorkshire, where their graces remain a
month, and then return to the former seat for the winter.
The Marquis and Marchioness of Clanricarde, and
the Ladies de Burgh, are not expected at the family
mansion, in Carlton House in Carlton House Terrace,
from Ireland, Wore the close of the month.