The Sun.
London, England, 1854-11-08 00:00:00

SIEGE

'OPOL.

C 01,; .c3TANTINOPLE, Oct. 24.—1 t is now the eighth
day since the be,,,inning of the great conflict. No
steamer has mad,.?, its appearance from Sepastopol
for the last two days. Had any such left on the
22d it would be already here, and if any event of
importance had occurred such a vessel would cer-
tainly have been despatched. We may conclude,
therefore, that on the sixth day of incessant can-
nonading the fortress still remained in the hands
of the Czar. It is said that one effect of the naval
diversion on the 17th was, that the Allies were
able to gain a parallel 200 yards nearer the Russian
works, a considerable advantage, if the story be
true ; for such an advance might make all the dif-
ference between a destructive and an ineffectual
fire against earth and stone. A person who left
on the 19th says that the only effect of the English
and French balls on some of the Russian works was
to make them seem speckled all over. The strength
of the defences is most undoubted. But when once
a breach is made the rest will be easy. The Russian
troops are said to be disheartened. The sailors
from the fleet work well, and are the principal ar-
. .

tillerymen. Should the Allies once get in among
them the affair will not last a .couple of hours,
though it cannot be doubted that numbers must
fall before an entrance is effected. The loss at'
Alma is a proof of the difficulty of attacking a
strong position, even when those defending it are
inferior in every way. It would be madness to
attempt an attack without having made two or
three practicable breaches, and, as far as our
present information extends, we are unaware of
any such success having been achieved. How-
ever, there is another month fit for operations,
and there seems no reason to believe that any
considerable force of Russians can advance to
help the place for some weeks to come. The troops
fired at by an English steamer when crossing the
Dniester did not appear to be more than 20,000
strong, and they can hardly arrive in the south of
the Crimea for another month. There are persons
who say that the Russian army of Simpheropol is
of great strength, but it seems most improbable,
for it would hardly, in that case, have allowed the
town to lie so endangered as it wits on the 17th and.
18th.

The dismszted and battered Albion arrived yes•
terday in Bujukdere Bay, towed by.the Orinoco.
This vessel, with the Agamemnon and Sanspareil,
bore the brunt of. the action. She had 15 killed
and 72 wounded in the day's combat. She was
towed down to Constantinople this morning to be
docked. As she passed, with her main and mizen
topmasts shot away, and her sides showing the
marks of the fray, a band on board played enliven-
ing -airs—a strange coSitrast to the scene which
had been witnessed on board a week before. She
has several large holes near the waterline, which
have been temporarily boarded up and painted ;
and the round marks of the shot are to be seen on
every part of her hull. Her vast bulk, equal to
to that of a first-rate, with her battered aspect,
and the interest attached to the fight, attracted
crowds during her passage down the Bosphorus.
The spectators eyed her silently with various ideas
and sympathies—the English, with pride, mingled
with sorrow, the Turks with apathy which might
veil any feeling, other parts of the population with
something like secret gratification. She had sent
upwards of 120 men on shore previous to the com-
mencement of the action, in which she was exposed
to the hottest fire of the Russian batteries. There
was a general anticipation on board that the fleet
would again try its fortune against the fortifica-
tions which it has so long watched ; but, whatever
may be the ardour of the soldiers, it would be un-
wise to allow any chagrin at an incomplete result
to urge the valuable squadron into action under
circumstances in which our loss must at least be
greater than any we can inflict on the enemy. The
Arethusa is not so much injured as some of the
other vessels, but she was found to be in a rotten
state, and the shot which struck her knocked out
whole pieces of her hull, although this would have
done little damage to a sound ship.
The French loss it is difficult to ascertain with
exactness. It is, however, certainly greater than
was supposed at first, being now stated at 60 killed
and 250 wounded. The total loss of the allied
fleets on the 17th was therefore more than 600 men.
No French vessel, however, was so much injured
as the Albion, although the Ville de Paris had her
upper deck very much shattered by the shells of
the enemy. Lieutenant Lloyd is still alive at the
naval hospital at Therapia, although his wound is
most severe, and his escape from instant death
wonderful. A shell struck him under the arm and
tore away part of his side ; the hurt, however, is
not mortal, and he has the advantage of at least
sufficient medical attendance. About 84 wounded.
have been lauded at Therapia ; two had died up to
the night of the 22d ; since then there have been
also one or two deaths. Many of the men who
were slightly hurt have remained on board. The
Orinoco, which towed down the Albion, will pro-
bably return with Turkish troops. However, the
supply of these is nearly exhausted, and the arrival
of French reinforcements from Marseilles would be
received with satisfaction. The Alliod troops are
no doubt incomparably superior to 'the Russians,
but, still the expected superiority of the enemy
after a short time is a cause of disquiet even to the
sanguine. By the last accounts the force of the
Russians on the Tchernaya was estimated at about
24,000 men. Such an army can, indeed, do nothing
of itself, but it may serve to reinforce the garrison
of Sebastopol, which had its communication entirely
open, and has continually received and sent intel-
ligence connected with the defence of the place.
CONSTANTINOPLE, Oct. 2G.—The British army
mail, which-left yesterday by the French boat for
Marseilles, will be 14 days on its passage. It may
be as well to give some account of events up to the
last arrival from Sebastopol. We have news np to
the 23d, which is on the whole satisfactory, although
the progress of the siege may not keep pace with
the anticipations of the sanguine. On the evening
of the 20th the Russians made a sortie, and spiked
three of the French guns. They were, however,
driven back with considerable slaughter. Much
harm is done to the siege operations by the insuffi-
cient solidity of the French works. It appears
that they are much injured by the Russian fire,
and the work of cannonading goes on slowly in
their part of the line. A spectator on. the 20th
compared it to child's play, and said that the fire
did not exceed a shot every five minutes from each
battery. This, however, seams to be an exaggera-
tion. The town has been on fire sevoial times ;it
aisnidnswicohucuudtedab.
Na
out, and the loss of the enemy must
,
be very great. A deserter who came out on the
21st said that no less than 5,000 had been killed
The accounts we receive are of the most meagre
kind, as they aro ehna
said°ffthe admiralem on g who
to b
mainly furhished by persons who
write a few hurried lines to their friends, or by
a theh o
dead.c o m
mended at Sinope was
naval officers who have been kept at a distance
from the scene of action. It is, however; stated as
positive that the British have advanced their works
within 300 yards of the Russians and are making
a considerable
impression. The Rifles have been
engaged in Pickin-
g off the Russian gunners, who
are shot down in considerable numbers. There
are several volunteers also armed with rifles
who have joined in this p
the greatest panic
art of the warfare.
It is said by deserters that
prevails in the town, which is almost in ruins. The
soldiers are said to be kept at their guns by the
swords of their officers, and many have been shot
for attempting to desert.
On the 22d the French opened another battery
on the extreme right of the Russians ; it was sup-
posed that when this new work produced its effect
the place would be stormed simultaneously from
the British and French positions. The British
troops had conciliated the siege with a coolness and
courage which was the admiration of beholders.
The loss had been as yet very slight—not more
than 200 killed and wounded since the beginning
ddat‘covrreli
uoesar erctois
were
disease.
ensnecediobat:
of the cannonade. The chief difficulty was the
transport of ammunition for such a distance. In
some places we had been pressed very hard by the
Russian fire, but in the end the enemy had always
received the worst of the conflict.,
The force of the Russians in the field is certainly
less than 30,000 men. It has made no_fresh attack,
or attempt at one, since the 17th. No news of re-
inforcements has arrived, although it is believed
that a large force of Russians is already south of
Perekop.
The Allies are no doubt in want of fresh troops.
The effective British force is not more than 16,000,
so great has been the void made by battle and
aigurihtelaeNdegbitrenoeoedai
iefinrgi.
aisi.eosysaomleettla:hif3sptrtavooantsimeiipt
ain:gog,;ph.o,
tottoOrofr:
we.
td:mi
eGimiiesyritnc22o,
the
Greek
otkajleort:o(
femano
ndovrtodla. ermrdsaoewei dooanaprnosFss.
Turkishlwe Fleece
burn-
ing it could be wished that reinforcements of a better
' The Viper arrived this morning. A. fire broke
18 hours after. Whether this be intentional or
accidental cannot be stated. There is no doubt that
the town has suffered greatly, and would have been
destroyed, but that it is, to a great extent, built
of stone. The prisoners and even the deserters
say that the Russian generals are determined to
leave the place a ruin. The women and children
may probably have been sent over to the northern
sides. It is to be hoped that they may be placed
in safety before the final assault, or such is the
obstinacy of the defence that the rage of the sol-
diers are being roused, and assuredly the Zonaves
and other African regiments will display no small
ferocity when the place is sacked.
There does not seem any intention of sending in
the ships a second time to attack the forts. If the

vessels had bean all screw-ships the effect might I
have been very different ; but it was necessary to
lash a steamer alongside of each sailing-vessel in
order to carry her in, and the efficiency of both was
correspondingly diminished. The Albion is very
much injured ; it is said she was on fire in nine or
ten places, and that she was only saved by great
exertions. She will be patched up
_here, prepara-
tory to being sent home. Her place is, however,
well supplied by the Algiers.
There was some talk of storming the plate to-
wards the end of the week, about the 28th, but
there is reason to believe that such reports are

mere surmises, and that the commanders have
come to no determination. Indeed, it is evident
that such an assault must depend for success on the
impression made on the Russian works, and up to
this time there is nothing which can be called a
practicable breach.
Communications between the southern and
northern shores of the bay are still open, but it re-
mains to be seen whether the Russians will be able,
on the fall of Sebastopol prow, to cross the water
with their remaining vessels, and defend them-
selves in their new position. If they can succeed
in this their fire may render the place untenable,
and at all events Fort Constantine and its out-
' works would have to be attempted. by a second
series of seige operations.
The weather is still gloriously fine, and well fitted
to siege operations. The wind, for the last few
days, has been from the south, and the heat con-
sequently oppressive ; but still the season is most
favourable, and for another fortnight we may
expect a continuance of the present propitious
weather. Afterwards the army must make up its
mind for hail, wind, and rain, with all the incon-
veniences of a November climate. Let us hope
that before the middle of next month they may be
safely housed in Sebastopol.
The wounded are all going on favourably, except
that whenever a southerly wind prevails inflamma-
tion begins, and the simplest wound will not heal.
Scutari is in a much more decent order, although
there is still a great deficiency of medical attend-
ance. The supply of medicines is now sufficient, and
the place has been cleaned of its former impurities.
But the sufferings of the men have been very great,
and it cannot be too frequently impressed on the
minds of those in authority at home that the prepa-
rations for such events as those now occurring
ought to be on the largest scale. No one can say
what will be the numbers of wounded in the great
assault which may any day take place. It is as well
to state the truth at once. Alma is likely to have
been far less deadly than the struggle which will
• take place in the breaches of Sebastopol. The
enemy there will probably be unable to retreat,
and if he have a trace of courage, or even of
natural instinct, he will defend himself With

desperation. Every street may have its barricade,
and the very ground over which the assaulting
regiments pass may conceal the deadly mine. In
such a case economy is wickedness. Surgeons and
nurses in numbers should ba sent out. The
country will not grudge an expense which will
be small in comparison with the good it will do,
and many a family will owe its happiness to the
precaution of a thoughtful Executive.
OCT. 27.—The last advices from Sebastopol are
up to the 25th. The vessel which brought them
is unable to furnish any details, but we know that
the siege was going on as usual. Women and
children are said to be lying unburied in the streets;
everything is neglected in order to keop up the
defence ; all the guns of the Round Fort were said
to be silenced except one. The Russians are con-
structing another line of works behind their pre-
sent ones ; they have plenty of guns and ammuni-
tion. The British effective infantry is now about
15,000, the French 36,000, the Turks 11,000. The
artillerymen are being much worn out by incessant
toil. They are 12 hours out of the 24 in trenches,
instead of the usual 8. The loss of effective strength
from sickness and wounds amounts, in the,British
force, to about 80 a-day.
The Carnac has just arrived with a large addition
to the medical staff. This is a timely relief to the
worn-out surgeons of Scutari, and a fitting pre-
paration for the great assault which will soon take
place. The sick are still very much neglected in
the Crimea. The naval hospital at Therapia is ex-
tremely comfortable, and the men receive every
attention. Thpy are about 80 in number, and most
of them are becoming rapidly convalescent. Lieu-
tenant Lloyd of the Triton is doing woll in spite of
his dangerous wound'.
Lieutenant-Colonel Lawronson; of the 17th
Lancers, went home a day or two since. Captain
Dallas, 11th Hussars, is recovering. Prince Ernest
of Saxe Leiningen is now nearly well, after two
months' illness. Scutari is being prepared for the
reception of fresh wounded.

EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS FROM THE

CAMP.

REP3RTS OF DZSERTERS.

OCT. 20. —Des'erters, who came out in the last two
days, drew a melancholy picture of the state of Sebas-
topol, and the execution our artillery had done among
the garrison. The fortress, they said, was like a large
slaughter house, and since we opened fire five thousand
men had been taken to the hospitals and the graveyards.
This is good news for us, if it be true. But it should
be recollected that deserters are in the habit of saying
whatever they think is most likely to please those to
whom they surrender.