The Sun.
London, England, 1854-08-05 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, AUGUST 5, 1854

cumstances, it is no longer matter of uncertainty
that the Allies are now immediately on the eve
of an invasion of the Crimea, with a view, by aid
of their fleets and armies, and under the protec-
tion of GOD, there, and as quickly as possible, to
strike a heavy blow at the Colossus of Russian
Despotism, if not at its brazen head or at its
iron heart—at its feet of tray and granite at
Sebastopol.

Acquainted with the fact that such is really the in-
tention of the Allied Commanders-in-Chief, we must
now await—though neither with craven anxiety
nor presumptuous over-confidence, with eager curi-
osity, and some degree also of national solicitude
—the intelligence which must be brought to us
within two or three weeks, possibly within a compara-
tively few days—intelligence as to how this gigan-
tic enterprise has been conducted, both by sea
and land, and as to the manner in which it may
have been carried out to the period of the final
catastrophe.
During the interval which must now elapse before
we can possibly know the end of this mighty ex-
ploit, of which we may now be said to be witness-
ing the portentous commencement—it cannot but
be matter of profound interest here at home, in the
quietude of our insular remoteness from the scene
of battle, to study, with minute attention, the maps
of the Crimea and the plans of Sebastopol. A
masterly little pamphlet,* recently published,
comes in happily enough at the present moment
to supply the student of those maps and plans
with a store of rare, and, under the circumstances,
almost inestimable information. It proceeds, we
cannot but conjecture, from the same hand which,
a very few days since, addressed a timely com-
munication to the chief of our morning con-
temporaries—allusion being here made to a clever
letter, signed " M.," transmitted to the Times
by an evidently well-informed correspondent. It
was there distinctly and forcibly stated, that if
50,000 or 60,000 men could be landed in the bay
south of the harbour of Sebastopol [namely,
towards the extreme southern point of the
Crimea,] and to the north of the arm
where there is a fort, they would, if merely
opposed by the garrison, very soon com-
mand the whole of those redoubtable for-
tifications. Whoever may need information as to
the nature of the locality about to be assailed,
not by 50,000 or 60,000, but by as many as
80,000 or 100,000 of the best-disciplined troops
in the world, so as to recognise as clearly as pos-
sible the feasibility of this stupendous undertak-
ing, we would commend at once to the lucid "De-
scription" recently compiled by Mr. MONTAGUE
GORE, from the authoritative writings of DEMIDOFF
and MARMONT, and from the sailing directions
for the Euxine, published from the surveys made
by the order of various European Governments.
It may then be more readily perceived how far it
will be reasonable to expect any speedy and im-
portant advantage to be gained by the Allies over
the threatened defenders of Sebastopol. Whether,
for example, the invading army, having, we will
suppose, effected a successful landing under cover
of the vast allied maritime armaments, may,
by seizing the heights above the monastery of St.
George, command the whole plain below as far as
Sebastopol—whether from the eastern extremity
of that range of heights behind St. George, Ba-
laklara will be so readily assailable—whether,
in fine, it may be preferable to starve out the
garrison by resolutely beleaguering the whole of
this enormous system of fortifications, or by some
more daring and desperate scheme of attack, the
Russian glory of the Crimea may be more quickly
and more effectually overthrown. Eager for
news as to what is actually doing in the Black
Sea, we can only repose the destinies of our fleets
and armies in the hands of a benignant PROVl-
DENCE—remembering that the aim of England,
and France, and Turkey in the present struggle is

not the gratification of pride, or of ambition, or o

a lawless appetite for conquest and territorial
aggrandisement. Strong in their cause, powerful
in themselves, mighty in their alliance--,-they ad-
vance, with terrible odds in their favour, against
the violater of the rights of nations, and the de-
stroyer of the world's tranquillity. Upon his
head, upon his heart, upon his conscience, must
devolve the responsibility of whatever may hap-
pen under the walls of Sebastopol.