The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-04 00:00:00

SPEECH OF THE KING OF PRUSiII.A.

The following is the text of the speech of the
King of Prussia on opening the Chambers :
"Gentlemen of the First and Second Chamber,—The
opening of your sittings to-day coincides with a happy
event in my royal house. My nephew, Prince Frede-
rick Charles, yesterday celebrated his marriage with a
princess of a princely German house, our friend and
near relation. You will, like me, gentlemen, pray that
God may bless this union. It is with satisfaction that
I see assembled round my throne the newly-formed
First Chamber. I entertain a hope that this new cor-
porate body, founded on the recognition of acquired
rights, and on the consideration of durable relations,
will be always a firm suppoit to my Government in
the efforts which it makes to promote the prosperity
of the country. I have ordered the resumption
of the sittings of the Council of State, in order
that the bills should he submitted to serious preparatory
examination. Some of these bills have been already
examined by the Council of State, and will be soon pre-
sented to your acceptance. Several other important
measures, which particularly relate to the organisation
of the rural communes, and of the police in the six
eastern provinces of the monarchy, and the provincial
constitutions throughout all the monarchy, are now
before the Council of State. As soon as they shall be
ready they will he also presented to you. The docu-
ments connected with the finances which will be laid
before you will convince you that the finances of the
state are in a satisfactory condition. The faithful main-
tenance of principles of order and a wise system of
economy give the possibility of providing for the ex-
penses of the ordinary service, which have been in-
creased on many points, and of invoking with success
and with complete security the resources of credits for
extraordinary wants. Communications and transactions
present an increasing activity in almost all their
branches. The receipts of the Post-office and of the
telegraphic lines, as well as those of the state and
other railways go on continually increasing. Large
capitals are constantly being devoted to industrial un-
dertakings. The working of the mines has considerably
increased. Commerce is generally in a satisfactory situa-
tion. Such circumstances, at a time when passing events
exercise an unfavourable influence on our relations, ren-
der testimony to the favourable economical situation of
the country, and give hopes of fresh progress in the
path of a prosperous development. In this situation,
and with the solicitude displayed by my government to
cause them to prosper, and especially to augment and
ameliorate means of communication, I hope with confi-
dence that opportunities for advantageous occupation will
not be wanting in future. This tranquillises me the more,
as the hopes which were formed with respect to the
price of food, owing to the generally favourable har-
vest of this year, have not been realised. The con-
tinued dearness of provisions, which is still severely
felt, has induced me to continue to allow the free
importation of the most indispensable articles. I
entertain full confidence that in consequence of the
measure, and by avoiding interference in the liberty of
transactions, there will not be any real scarcity even for
the next year. Fertile countries have been cruelly de-
vastated this summer by disastrous inundations. 1 was
able to judge in person of the extent of the damage
done, and of the courage, full of confidence in God, with
which the inhabitants endeavoured to repair their losses.
My Government at once took measures to provide for
the necessities of the moment, and to guard against any
afflicting consequences at a later period from these mis•
fortunes. In virtue of a patriotic decision of the provin-
cial diet of Silesia, the necessary resources were procured
to accord durable assistance to the inhabitants of the
lower grounds of the Oder ; and at the same time the
most anxious solicitude was manifested throughout the
whole monarchy, and even beyond its limits, to snc•
cons the misery of the unfortunate victims. Gentle-
men, to my great regret, a sanguinary war has burst
out between some powerful inembers of the family of el °
European states. It has not as yet reached ourecrl
try, and peace still remains amongst us. I ha% e jest
motives for hoping that soon, perhaps, the basis of
good understanding will be obtained, which will extend
farther and farther. Strongly united to Austria and to
the rest of Germany, I am of opinion that my mission is
to support peace, the recognition of the independence of
others, and moderation. If, in the course of events,
should find myself obliged to give a more marked eX-
pression to this attitude of Prussia, my faithful people
will know how to support with the devotedness which it
has se often given proofs of the inevitable sacrifice;
which would be found necessary. In the prevision of
such eventualities troops have been reinforced, and the
materiel of war completed ; in addition, the realisation
of the loan, authorised by the Chambers in their last sag'
sion, has been voted. Prussia would thus find herself
in a position to enter the lists with confide nce, for the
safety of her interests, and of her position in Europ.et
the moment that the menacing aspect of political cir-
cumstances might require that course. A detailed to'
count of the employment of the loan, only a small por•
Lou of which has yet been made use of, will be laid
before you. Gentlemen, at the moment at which you
take in hand the task imposed on you, I venture to give
you the assurance that my government will endeavour
tr facilitate it for you i,n every way. But, on the other
hand, also, I am confident, although I fully recognise
the right of different opinions, that you will support 1119
government in all questions in which it may be necee'
sary to demonstrate, in presence of foreign countries,
the complete accord of the government and the country,
and that you Will thus prove, in a veritable Prussian way►
that we are strong by union, and all the stronger the
more circumstances are difficult. May God in this give
us his blessing.

TIIE BATTLE OF INKERMAN.

FURTHER PARTICUL4RS.

Nov. B.—ln my despatch forwarded -to-day from Dela-
klava. I attempted to connect the interval which had elapsed
since the last post day, Nov. 3, with the present date, but
the great battle and victory of Inkerman rose up grimly in
the middle of my notes, and engrossed all my time, and
would have consumed far more if I had had it to spare,
for I could have devoted many hours more to the descrip-
tion of the fight, and to the incidents which marked
that memorable sth of November. I sent off my notes
of the 3d and 4th unfinished as th y were; and
persons far more favourably situated than myself
for the indulgence of literary tastes might have found it
difficult to give any details of the day of Inkerman in a
coherent form. I was stopped full swing in the middle of
my despatch by the departure of the post, and had to close
it up in great haste to save the mail.
The battle was at its height about eight o'clock, and by
that time the Russians had partially established them-
selves on the heights on our right. Dr. Smith of the
head-quarters staff, and two gentlemen who had ridden
out with him towards the front, ignorant of the exact
position of the enemy, got under fire in the fog, and
the proximity of fragments of shell, the whirring of shot,
and the " fiz-z-zing" of fusees, warned them that it was
just as well for non-combatants to retire as rapidly as pos-
sible towards the valley of Balaklava, where all seemed to
be quiet. As they cantered off they saw poor Sir George
Brown, who has been living in a blaze of fire since ho came
out here (for not oulyhas he been in the heatof action, but he
has received smart volleys from our own pickets), borne
back on a litter, and taken down and put •a board the
Sanspareil, after Dr. Alexander bad examined his
wound. Men covered with blood and spitting it out came
limping along, and sat down by the bushes, examining
their hurts, and imploring water or a little brandy. Am-
bulances hovered on the plain in the rear around the scene
of the fight ; horses on three legs or cut by balls hopped
along, looking piteously for help ; the fog folded the hills
in its clammy embrace, but the roar of cannon and mus-
ketry told of the struggle that was going on along those
bloody heights. General Canrobert, with a brilliant staff,
attended by the English officers attached to the French
head-quarters, and followed by a party of red-coated Hus-
sars and wild Spabis, with a tricolour guidon borne in
front of him, dashed past on his Arab in eager pursuit of
Lord Raglan through tho haze of the morning. Forty-
five is a capital age for a General, the juste milieu between
manhood and old age ; and the General is so much among
his soldiers, and exposes himself so frequently while among
them in the trenches and in the field, that they all adore
him. To-day he was hit by a shot, and had his horse dis-
abled. Many of his escort were killed or wounded. Gene-
ral Bosquet also went into the thick of the fire, and left
more than half of his escort behind him on the field.

The French were drawn up in three bodies of about
2,000 men each on the ridge of the hills over Balaklava,
watching the movements of the Russian cavalry in the
plain below. As I came up the enemy were visible, drawn
out in six divisions, with the artillery and infantry ready
to act, and horses saddled and bridled. It was evident
they were waiting for the signal to dash up the hills iu
our rear, and sabre our flying regiments. They had a long
time to wait ! The French lines below us were lined by
Zouaves ; the gunners in the redoubts, with matches
lighted, were prepared to send their iron messengers
through the ranks of the horse the moment they came
within range. Behind the French 5,000 " Bono Johunies"
were drawn up in columns as a reserve, and several Turk-
ish regiments were also stationed under the heights on the
right, in a position to act in support should their ser-
vices be required. Already the French were on their
march from the sea to our assistance, and the black lines
of their regiments streaked the gray plain as they marched
double-quick towards the scene of action. The Chasseurs
d'Afriqae on their gray Arabs swept about the slopes of
the hill to watch an opportunity for a dash. Our own
cavalry were drawn up by their encampments, the Heavy
Brigade en the left, the' ight Brigade in the centre of our
position. The latter were out of fire for some time, but
an advance to the right exposed them to shot and shell.
Mr. Cleveland received a mortal wound, and several men
and horses were injured later in the day. The heavy
cavalry were employed in protecting our left and rear. At
9 the French strearaad over the brow of the hill on our
right—Chasseurs d'Oileaus, Tiralleurs, Indigenes, Zouaves,
Infantry of the Lino, and Artillery—and at once rushed
over the brow and skellagn the fla-rik of the Russian columns.
On visiting the spot, it wits curious to observe how men of
all arms—English, French,' and Russians—lay together,
showing that the same ground must have been occupied
several times by different bodies of troops. The French
were speedily engaged, for the Russians had plenty of men
for all corners. Their reserves in the valley and along the
aoad to Sebastopol received the shattered columns which
were driven down the bill, allowed them to re-form and
attack again, or furnished fresh regiments to assault the
Allies again and again. This reserve seems to have con-
sisted of three large bodies—probably of 5,000 men each.
The attacking force could not have been less than 20,000
men, and I make a very low estimate indeed of the strength
of the Russians to-day when I place it at from 45,000 to
50,000 men of all arms. Some say there were from 55,009
to 60,000 men engaged on the side of the enemy ; but I
think that number excessive, and there certainly was
not ground enough for them to show front upon. Cap-
tain Burnett states that he saw fresh bodies of Rus-
sians marching up to the attack on three successive
occasions, and that their artillery was relieved no less
than four times. The Minie rifle did our work, and
Lord Hardinge is entitled to the best thanks of the
country for his perseverance in arming this expedition as
far as he could with every rifle that could be got, notwith-
standing the dislike with which the weapon was received
by many experienced soldiers. Our volleys told on the
advancing bodies of Russians fearfully, and, in order to bo
out of scope of such terrible weapons, they rushed on ns
with the bayonet, and after long and desperate encoun-
ters met their masters and were forced to retire.
The column of attack on the Russian right, which came
up on our position at the nearest point to Sebastopol, was
mainly resisted by the Fourth Division and Marines. The
Russian centre was prindpally resisted by the Second
Division and the Light Division ; and some of the Third
Division and the Brigade of Guards were opposed to the
third or left attacking column of the Russians, which
forced its way up the hill towards the Sand-bag Battery,
at the furthest point from Inkerman. The Fourth Divi-
sion had in a short time all its Generals—Sir George
Cathcart and Brigadiers Goldie and Torrens—killed or
mortally wounded, and 700 men, or more than one quer-
tor of its strength, put hors de combat. Colonel Swyny,
of 63d Regiment, and Major Wynne, of the 68th, were
killed early. Colonel Crofton was wounded in three places;
Major Sharpe was badly wounded also, and Lieutenant
Dowling was killed. Tian 20th Regiment, to which these
officers belonged, west into action 490 strong ; it came out
362. The other regiments suffered in proportion. The
Second Division had left when it came out of action ex-
actly six •field-officers and 12 captains fit for duty, and I
believe Major Farrer, of the 47th Regiment, was the senior
officer, and had to take charge of the division. The pro-
per complement of captains to the division would, of
course, be 60.
The greatest atrocity marked the conduct of the Rus-
sians towards the officers of Adams's Brigade who fell into
their hands. Poor Colonel Carpenter, as he lay on the
ground badly wounded, was bayonetted by a ruffian who,
not contest with that act of ferocity, clubbed musket, and
beat the gray-haired man with it on the head till he loft
him senseless. The Colonel lived but a few hours after
he was taken to his tent. Colonel Haly, of the 47th, was
treated in the same way, as he was stretched in his blood
in front of his shattered regiment. The men on both oc-
casions rushed in and carried off their officers and bayo-
netted the Russians who had used them so barbarously.
Major Powell, who was in command of the 49th, was
killed as he fell to the earth, and hie murderer, who is an
officer, is in our hands a prisoner of war. The First Bri-
gade suffered fearfully also in men and officers.
The Light Division, or the portion of it in action, was,
as usual foremost in the fray. Some of the officers had
most wonderful escapes. In the 88th Regiment Major
Maxwell's horse was shot under him, in front of the
enemy's column. Lieutenant Crosse and Lieutenant Baynes
were surrounded by a body of Russians, who attacked
them with the bayonet, although they were both wounded.
Mr. Baynes miraculously escaped. Mr. Crosse was sur-
rounded by four Russians, who thought to make sure work
of him. He shot the two in front of him with his re-
volver, and .a private named Houlaghan rushed cut of the
ranks, shot one of his remaining assailants dead, bayonetted
the other, and taking up Mr. Crosse in his arms, ran back
with him to the rear of the regiment and placed him in
safety. Out of four weak companies the 88th lost 140 men
killed and wounded, and they would most likely have been
cut to pieces lent for the gallant charge of a party of their
comrades of the 77th, under Major Straton. The 33d
Regiment lost 58 out of less than 300 men. Ensign
Thorold, a most promising young officer, was killed as he
was zealously employed in serving the men with cartridges
from the pouches, and Lieutenant Corbett and Mr.Owena
were wounded.
Mr. Donovan, brother of Captain Donovan of this regi-
Meat, who was attached to the 33d at the battle of the
Alma, where he displayed great gallantry, has received his
Commission from her Majesty for his behaviour in the
field. Lieutenants Butler and Shipley and Ensign Jones,
of the Fusileeis, were wounded at once. Colonel Yea,
Captain Rose, and one other officer, whose name I don't
remember, are the only officers now serving with the 7th
Pusileers, who were at the Alma and at Inkermen with
the regiment. Sir T. Troubridge lost both legs above the
ankle. He is doing well. The men of the 19th and 23d
Regiment displayed more even than their usual firmness
and daring, and met their full share of the enemy's fire,
but many of the Light Division of this brigade were in the
trenches. The 2d battalion of Rifles has to deplore the
lossa of an excellent young officer, who was a universal
favourite—year young Malcolm, and Captain Newdigate
Lacy
in the foot by a ball.
whenl r ljt
hoe figl it ship
Evans, who was very unwell on board
to the front, andbegan, managed to get on shore and ride up
for the less he had sustained
hins on the battle field full of grief
Allix, one of the General's aides-de-camp,
in his division. Captain
Cap-
tain Gubbins, another aide-de-camp, was killed ; Cap-
gadior Pennefather had a na'reau,P, was wounded ; Bri-
gadier escape, and Brigadier
Adams was slightly wounded there lay the spot the
weakness of which the General hadn( so often represented !
It was enough to make one sad.
Poor Butler ! Two brothers have thus
h the head, and
laid down their
gmile
lives in the cause. He was shot throu
when I saw his body there was a placid s
as though he slept. For a long time it was thought
oniighist face,
Captain Gordon, of the Engineers, had fallen,
Butler's body had actually been removed to that Captaincesls
tent before the mistake was discovered. It was in the
height of the sanguinary struggle which the Guards had
to maintain alone with the enemy that he was shot. The
brigade lost 14 officers, but the wonder is that any escaped
the murderous fire directed on their position. The carnage
at the Alma did not present anything like the scene round
the Sand-bag Battery, which is placed on a steep descent
towards the Tchernaya. The piles of dead here were
frightful. Upwards of 1,200 dead and dying Russians
lay behind and around and in front of it, and many
a bearskin cap and tall English Grenadier lay there
too, with frequent corpses of French Chasseur and
infantry soldier. At one time, while the Duke was
rallying his men, a body of Russians began to single him
out, and to take shots at him in the most deliberate man-
ner. A surgeon of a cavalry regiment, Mr. Wilson, 7th
Mussars who was attached to the. brigade, perceived the
danger of his Royal Highness, and with the greatest gal-
lantry and coolness assembled a few men of the Guards,
led them to the charge, and utterly routed and dispersed
the Russians. The Duke's horse was killed in the course
of the fight. At the close of the day he called Mr. Wil-
son in front of the regiment, and publicly thanked him for
having in all probability saved his life. Major Macdonald,
whose sang froid is as conspicuous as his bravery, had his
horse shot under him in the heat of the battle, and
gathered himself up with the same self-possession that he
displayed under similar circumstances when unseated by a
cannon shot at the Alma. The conduct of the Russians
towards the wounded Guards' officers was brutal in the
extreme. Colonel Mackinnon would, no doubt, have lived
but for bayonet wounds received while lying on the ground.