The Sun.
London, England, 1854-11-15 00:00:00

THZ DEFENCES OP SEBASTOPOL.

The Sicle, alluding Co the expedition against
Sebastopol, says
"The situation of Sebastopol, the presence in that
port of a fleet which, in itself alone, was a danger for
the Turkish empire, and which continually constrained
Western Europe to hold herself, at the price of immense
sacrifices, in superior force in the Black Sea, and tie
eclat which was sure to attend the fall of that place,
naturally designed it to the notice of the allied Govern.
ment,,e The fall of Sebastopol was for us the downfall of
the maritime power of the Russians in the East, and the
deliverance of Constantinople and of the world. But
never did we, any more than the Allied Governments,
shut our eyes to the difficulties of the enterprise. Tho
bulwarks of great empires do not fall in a day, and with-
out exactly knowing the force of the defences of Sebas-
topol, we have enumerated more than once in this jour-
nal the two or three thousand pieces of cannon of which
' the fleet, in refuge there, could dispose. More than
once we have observed with what perseverance Russia
watched the progress of the military art in. Europe,
an i with what promptitude she appropriated to her-
self the inventions of other countries. And the same
reason which would induce the Allies to turn their at-
tentionwould prompt. the Russian
to Sebastopol,
Government to accumulate there every means of defences
For some time, it is true,
Russia might have supposed
that the vigorous manner in which she carried on the
war on the Danube would prevent the Allies from
thinking of any other thing than to defend the positions
on that river. But when the prudent strategy of
Omer Pacha had baffled the previsions of Russia,
when Prince Paskiewitch, at the head of the most for-
midable armies, was foiled before Silistria, and when it
was decided that Austria was to occupy Moldavia
and Wallachia and so to leave the Allies at liberty,
it became evident that Sebastopol would be attacked.
The preparations for that enterprise were ,well
known to Russia. It was in vain that Anapa was
spoken of, and Kertch, and Perekop ; such rumours
could not deceive the Russian Government. It very
soon comprehended that the French and the English
were at Varna only to proceed to the Crimea. The
expedition to Sebastopol could not consequently, in any
one's opinion, be anything else than a very grand and
very considerable one. No Soup de main was possible.
The Allied Governments knew well that the fortress
and the fleet expected them, and they acted accordingly,
measuring carefully, whatever may have been said of
the matter in foreign journals, the efforts to be made
against the resources of the enemy."

THE ISSUE OF THE SIEGE.

( Prom the Constitut ionnel. )

" We receive from the Crimea accounts which leave
no doubt whatever on the issue of the siege of Sebastopol.
The besiegers are continuing their progress with a
degree of slowness which the nature of the ground ren-
der. 1 inevitable, but at the same time with mathema-
tical regularity. The second parallel was completely
terminated on the 26th, as was also the arming of the
second line of the siege batteries. The batteries com-
menced firing the next day. Under protection of their
fire the French troops commenced, at 250 metres from
the place, the third parallel, which is to carry the attack
to 120 metres from the enemy's bastions. In spite of the
difficulties of the ground and the cannonade of the Rus-
sians, the works were carried on with sufficient rapidity to
enable the construction of the first three batteries, des-
tined to make a breach, to be commenced on the Ist. It
was considered certain that the arming of the batteries
would be terminatnd in the night of the 3d, and that
on the 4th they would commence their fire. It was hoped
that by the 9th or 10th the establishment and arming
of all the breaching batteries would be terminated, and
that their simultaneous fire, by accumulating rubbish at
the foot of the walls of Sebastopol, must open to our
troops the road for an assault. It is to be added, that the
two governments and the generals have provided for the
event of the resistance of the place being prolonged, and
for the state of the sea rendering the communications
with Sebastopol more difficult. Immense quantities of
ammunition and projectiles are deposited at Balaklava
and Chersonesus, and the magazines of the army contain
complete supplies for six weeks, independently of the
fresh provisions which are daily brought from the
Turkish provinces."