The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-16 00:00:00

THE SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL.

The telegraphic despatches which reached us yester-
day are chiefly from Russian sources, communicated at
Vienna, and they do not add anything of importance to
what was already known. The positions ascribed to
the allied armies are precisely those whieh we have
already determined by inference, between the slope of
the mountains which skirt the port of Balaklava and the
coast immediately south of Sebastopol; and, we may
add, that the whole coast or undercliff from Balaklava
to Aloushta must be in our power ; for it is highly im-
probable that any Russian detachment should have
been left in that narrow tract of country between
the Yaila mountains and the sea, where it would be
separated from the main body of the army. Even
supposing that ten days have been consumed in
the construction of the siege batteries before
they open their fire on the place, that period is by no
means long. Two siege trains of heavy guns, said to
amount in all to 140 pieces, are to be landed from the
transports which brought them from Woolwich and
Toulon, conveyed for a distance of six or seven miles
over a chain of hills, and placed in position. The works
required for the erection of such batteries and for the
protection of the troops must be considerable, even if
the dry and rocky nature of the soil does not altogether
obstruct the excavation of regular approaches and
covered ways. In that case, which is the more pro-
bable alternative, the engineers will have to rely, as
they did at Bomarsund, on artificial materials,
such as sacks of earth, gabions, and fascines, all
of which have to be transported from the ships.
If our readers will recall to mind the number of
days spent at Bomarsund in these preliminary ope-
rations, and the amount of preparation required before
throe small batteries of three or four guns each could
be opened on the forts there, although those operations
were conducted with great spirit and vigour, they will
readily perceive that such an enterprise as the siege and
bombardment of Sebastopol is not to be begun in a
couple of days. There is, however, every reason to be-
lieve that these measures are proceeding rapidly and
successfully, and it deserves particular notice that we
have heard nothing of any attempt on tho part of the
enemy to interrupt them. One Russian column made
its appearance in the direction of General Cathcart's
division, but it retired without coming to blows ;
and it seems clear that the breaching batteries
may be so placed as to destroy the forts of the town
without being exposed to their fire in return. The fire
upon the Quarantine Battery, already reported to have
commenced on the 4th inst., is now stated to have been
from some of the steamers, and it will very likely turn
out to be no more than a trial of the range of some of
the new guns against that fort.
While the forces of the Western Powers by land and
by sea are concentrated on this most important under■
taking, we should learn with great satisfaction that
Onier Pasha had commenced the movement which
has been long talked of upon Bessarabia. The Tur-
Itiob, waxy of the Danube, which coneiata of nearly