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

,~_~~

LONDON, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1854.

Some deplorable fatality attends the despatches
of Lord RAGLAN. Those of the 18th ultimo,
giving an account of the two first days' bombard-
ment of Sebastopol, were missing for a consider-
able time. The bearer was induced to part pos-
session for a short time, to permit them to be
removed from under his own sight ; and lo I the
iroportant documents vanished, and could not be
recovered for weeks, until the intelligence they
conveyed had become perfectly stale, and the
urgent demand for reinforcements had been ne-
glected for an undue time. Now again we have
to record another mishap to a communication of
the utmost consequence. On this occasion, how-
ever, itwas the electric telegraph, running through
the Austrian territory, or at least wholly under Aus-
trian control, that chanced to be out of order. The
*juries received during a violent storm (!) had
prevented
the transmission of the anxiously-
looked-for
despatches. At half-past 4 p.m., on
Friday, the 10th instant, accounts transmitted by
Lord RAGLAN respecting the desperate conflict
fought before Sebastopol on the 45th instant, had
arrived at Bucharest, but although forwarded to
Kronatadt (Transylvania) at six the same even-
ing, they did not arrive in London until a late
hour last night, or rather early hour this
Morning. a
Much valuable time has
rx
thus been
sacrificed. The public might have learned the in-
teresting tidings on Sunday in place of Thursday,
and Government might have adopted the raeya,
sures rendered advisable thereby four days
sooner. These repeated accidents are, to say
the least of it, very extraordinary, it
would seem as if there were something
more than ehancc concerned in the untoward
delays that have already taken place. We ear-
-8 I 7 pfstly hope that the causGs may be stringently
' -- izonstigatecl, and measures adopted to prevent,
• -,•,, ,*::-,\ •of
X lso tat as practicable, the repetition similar
A.: ::-.. -,' _,. -*ants.
01''''''''' -'-
e•-:-:6l."Lctrd RAGLAN, it will be seen, fully corroborates
(
\;,.' "fr-, . e.-_:•„;;;;.,
--- --.:291a0rt already received from General Cazilto-
tiadi,,74•2.4NANKr of a very severe and sharply-contested battle
eforo Sebastopol on Sunday, tho Otlx 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-
nforcements before this energetic attempt. Lord

RAGLAN 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." And

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 OILER PACHA. made the
anticipated incursion into Bessarabia, it would
have occasioned a diversion that would have pre-
vented LIPRANDI 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 unconscientioua 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 offscour-
ings 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 has led 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—which,
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 CANRODERT 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 noun 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 MENSCHIKOFF 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 preseut 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 in 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 up where none suitable existed.
Counties,rusp
towns,ng and villages, religious congre-
gations, and classes of workmen—indeed, in
every form in which Englishmen are ac-
customed to unite in action, the English
public has gladly shown its sympathy with
those who suffer in its service. Nothing can
sthensopirbitlulsvtheirchoprepravraaddees
tbheemmoorveegrra
eantitf.yinTg
htehraen
about it. It is felt to He 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,
successively, province after province in its march
to universal 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
journal and an English GoTertuneitt eucouraged I

Russia to destroy Hungarian liberties ; this time it
would brook no more of Tory complaisance to the uni-
versal oppressor, and it compelled our governors
to give effect to its righteous convictions. And
if the war itself be righteous, a character of sanc-
tity itself is impressed on the claims of those whom
it has bereaved of their most beloved, and those
on whom they depended for sil pport. And such
has evidently been the general feeling of the na-
tion in performing the duty cast upon it of raising
a Patriotic Fund.

We must, however, protest against this sacred
fund being administered in any red-tape or mar-
tinet spirit. Not a subscriber, except perhaps an
old buckram member or two of " the service,"
had any idea that his free-hearted gifts were to
be distributed by heartless military rules. We
allude of course to the administrative limitation,
by which only widows and orphans of those who,
married according to military rule, are to share in
the bounty. Gracious Heavens ! surely these
men have learned a lesson from NICHOLAS

himself. Nothing can more revolt all the feeling
which has made these offerings than thus to
wound additionally by mortifying comparison the
unhappy bereaved ones, and to give a weeping
widow a workhouse to shed her tears in. As men
our hearts are too tender to stand this. We drop
our tears as freely with the poor widow and or-
phans who are such beyond Horse-guards' rule, as
with those who are within it. Their husbands
were equally brave, and have equally died for
their country, and their lauftclly married wives
are equally the widows of our lost patriots. Tell
those sixty Paddington cabmen who sent in their
subscription the other day that the poor innocent
girl and youth whose love was too strong to live
apart, and whose honesty too great to live in
shame—tell them thatl%ho surviving widow is to

have no fraction of their subscription ; that she
is to be dealt with practically as a harlot !—the
honest fellows would wipe their eyes with their
sleeves, and vow that all their future contributions
should be for the wronged ones. Yes, and
the rich Merchant and the Peer are English-
men of the same stuff too. We, one and

all, feel that if the national taxes must be
administered by rule, the free-will offerings of the
people must be administered according to the
heart's desire of the people. Nowhere could
heartless military etiquette be more out of place
than in victimising those whose cruel sorrows have
called for a whole nation's generosity. To our
ears it is solemn pedantic mockery to talk of " in-
convenience" to the service in such a case. Were
the funds drawn from the military chest, of eourse

military rules must be enforced ; but when they
were freely raised by a charity which, like the
mercy of HEAVEN, knows of nothing but the sor-
rows and wants of the sufferer, we hold it to be
little short of impiety to divert the streams of such
benevolence into artificial channels constructed at
the Horse Guards. Inconvenience to the service!
What ! that each honestly - married soldier
who dies in the Crimea should know that his
widow was safe in his country's care. Every
meeting, and every individual, ought to accom-
pany his donation with a request that every real
widow and her offspring should share their bene-
volence.

CRYSTAL PALACH, NOV. 15 (SHILLING DAY).—Ad,
mission at the doors, 729 ; admission by season tickets,
186. Total, 915. _ _ _

THE GALE IN TEE CHANNEL.—It blew so hard at
Dover on Monday night that the English and Belgian
Royal mail steamer could not leave the harbour until
two o'clock on Tuesday morning. It was thought she
might have got away to the Downs and have embarked
her mails, but by those experienced in the work it was
deemed impossible for the mails to have been got off
from Deal with the wind in the quarter whence it was
blowing.
CAPTAIN ATCHERLET, of the 30th Regiment, whose
bravery is spoken of by Lord Raglan in his despatches,
was formerly quartered in this town when a lieutenant.
He is a son of the late Mr. Serjeant Atcherley, who, it

may be recollected, officiated as one of the judges al
the Oxford Circuit a few years since, and on that occa.
sion tried Beard for the murder of the housekeeper of
Mr. Lowther, of Wednesbury.—Wo7.verh«mpton Chro,
nicle.

LEAD SHIPPED FROM HULL FOR RUSSIA.—Last week
fifty tons of lead were shipped from London to Memel,
via Hull, which it was known would be taken from
thence to St. Petersburg. The Custom house authorities
at Hull refused to pass it, but a telegraphic message was
received from London authorising them to forward it,
and that was accordingly done.—• Staffordshire Advertiser
of Nov. 11.
THE GATE-KEEPER, named Charles Street, at the Eling
gates on the Southampton and Dorchester line, was
killed on Tuesday night by the 5.30 p.m. down train.
He was not quick enough in opening the gate to let the
train pass, and the latter caught him, threw him down,
and cut him to pieces. He had been warned several
times to be more careful is attending to the gate. The
poor man has left a widow and two children.
MESSRS. ALLEN AND ANDERSONS' FAILURE.—A meet-
ing of the creditors of Messrs. Allen and Anderson,
engaged in the American trade, who failed on the 6th of
October, was held yesterday, Mr. D. B. Chapman pre-
siding. With regard to the general result of the accounts,
it was explained that the assets show a dividend of about
ss. 6d. in the pound, and that their is every expectation
of ss. at least being realised. The liabilities ►nay, it is
stated, be increased by the sum of 26,0001., and diminished
to the extent of 40,0001.
SHIPWRECKS DURING OCTOBER.—It appears that 52
vessels were stranded on the coasts of the United King-
dom during the past month, 21 of which occurred in the
heavy gale of the 17th and 18th. Twenty-three became
total wrecks, the crews of five of which perished, be-
sides 10 persons variously drowned from the others.
THE CULTS MURDER —We learn that the young man
Forbes, who was tried at Edinburgh last week for the
murder of the young woman at Cults, and acquitted,
returned to Aberdeen, where, on his arrival, he was
assailed by a mob, and narrowly escaped from the con-
sequences of their indignation.
LORD RECTOR OF GLASGOW UNIVERSITY.--A meeting
of the supporters of the Duke of Argyll as Lord Rector
of the Glasgow University was held in the Latin class-
room yesterday afternoon ; Mr, Williamson in the
chair. Addresses were delivered by Messrs. Fuller-
ton, M'Aulay, Wishart, and Kerr. The audience was
very numerous, and, from the expressed feeling of the
meeting, the supporters of his grace are very sanguine
of his election.

ENGLISH, SCOTTISH, AND AUSTRALIAN CHARTERED
BANK.—Yesterday an extraordinary meeting of the
shareholders of this company was held at the London
Tavern, Bishopsgate-street. The chair was taken by
Chas. Johnston, Esq., who, having pointed out the
necessity of completing the capital fixed by the charter,
moved a resolution for effecting such alterations in
clause 134 of the deed of settlement as would render the
shares forfeitable for non-payment of future calls at the
expiration of two months instead of six months, after
the days to be appointed for payment of such calls,
and after one month's notice, instead of three, as hereto-
fore. The resolution was passed, and the meeting ad-

jouraed
ROBBERY OF 130 SOVEILEIONS.—Yesterday, Mr.
Stewardeon, high constable of Ohester, forwarded further
information of the cash robbery, &c., from the person of
Mr. William Parkinson, butcher, while stepping at the
Red Lion, Bickersten, taking refreshment. The thief
is a well-known "duffer," and connected with the Lon-
don swell mob. The property stolen was a yellow
bag, marked "W. P.," contailing 130 sovereigns, by
a man named Moore. He was last seen at a coffee-
house in Crewe, where and at other places he showed
the bag and gold. He has left the Crewe station'for
Manchester, and is supposed to have come to London.
He is six feet high, quite bald on the tap of his head,
and about 40 years of age.
CAPTAIN CRAIGIE, R.N.—Our readers will learn with
some regret that Captain Craigie, who was employed
last spring and summer in raising the Royal Naval
Coast Volunteers in Scotland—in which service he was
remarkably successful—has been appointed to be Captain
Seperintendent of the Packet Service, Southampton, in
the room of Captain Horatio T. Austin, C. 8., appointed
Captain Superintendent of Deptford Victualling and
Dockyards. We say this intimation will be re-
ceived with regret, but the regret is only that
Ciptain Craigie will no longer be connected with the
North, where, during his labours last summer, ac also
in his exertions in Shetland, in the time of the High-
land destitution, he had made himself many friends by
the uniform courtesy of his manner, his unbending in-
tegrity, and his warm zeal for the public service.—
Banfsiiire Journal.
SEAMEN'S LIBRARY AT SENDERLAND.—The seamen of
Sunderland have made an appeal to the public for books
and subscriptions to open a library. In the address of
Mr. Wm. Hodge, their secretary and librarian, they
state that the seamen of the port, anxious to aid the
march of improvement, good government, and tempe-
rance, are about to open a reading-room for sailors fre-
quenting or belonging to the Wear, in which both in-
Aruction for the mind and occupation for leisure hours
mayeen be
appliedco combined. d.
and TRh. e
Ingham,E
members
sfqo
Q .o .Sunderland,th nie
ahr
naevde
b
member for Shields, had promised to lend his personal
aid in the carrying out of so laudable an undertaking.
We say—bravo, Jack