The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-29 00:00:00

THE WAR IN THE CRIMEA.

( Front the Constitutionnel,

The Russian army has this advantage over those of
the allies, that it acts in its own country, its soldiers are
accustomed to the climate, and its generals and com-
missariat are acquainted with the ground and the re-
sources to be derived from it ; but, os the other hand,
the Black Sea is closed to the Russian army by our
fleets, and the Sea of Azoff and the land road only are
open to it to procure all the supplies which it cannot
find on the soil itself. The steppes, which are uninha-
bitable in the winter, and only practicable by the road
which leads from Perek op to Simpheropol, form two-thirds
of the Crimea ; the other third is a mountainous region.
Prince Menschikoff has established himself from Simphe-
ropol, Kara-sou-Bazar, and Baksbi-Serai to the west
coast, a radius of about 25 leagues. The ordinary
ration of the Russian soldier is composed of bread,
groats, and brandy, to which in war is added meat.
This latter is the only thing that the Crimea can
supply. The oxen and sheep amply supply the wants
of the Russian army, but the corn, brandy, and other
supplies are drawn from Nikolaief, Kherson, and
Taganrog, where large depots have been for some time
formed either by the navigation of the Dnieper, which
traverses very rich provinces, or from Odessa. Niko-
laief and Kherson now serve as the bases Of the supplies
of the Russian army, and it' they were destroyed
Prince Menschikoff would find himself in a very embar-
rassed position. The transport of supplies is attended
with great difficulty in a country where no regular esta-
blishments for that purpose exist. The roads are very
bad, although not quite impracticable. The Russian
Government has collected together by requisition a great
number of vehicles, and by this means secured the ser-
vice, notwithstanding the season, the rain, the cold, and
those dreadful snow storms which sometimes sweep away
whole flocks and entire convoys. Many carriages are
lost, and many men perish on the road, but the eon-
voys succeed each other without interruption, and
traverse the isthmus of Perekop, by which road
provisions, reinforcements, and ammunition mast come.
The sea of Azoff being free, numerous cargoes are
also despatched from Taganrog, Berdianck, and Ma-
rianpol, and which, after being landed at Kertch,
are sent on by the road which leads from that port to
Simpheropol. If our accounts are, therefore, as we believe
them to be, correct, the Russians are not in want of pro-
visions, or, at least, it is clear that the Russian Govern-
ment has taken every means for securing a supply for
them. The troops live badly, but they do live. Not one
of our soldiers could eat the black bread, and the half-
rotten biscuit that is served out to the Russians, whose
stomachs, accustomed to misery, can receire and digest it.
The real cause of the sufferings of their army and of the
numerous deaths is the want of shelter and clothing suit-
ablefor the winter; and the deaths aro numerous from the
want of propercare and remedies in illness, notwithstand-
ing the enormous sums expended by the Government for
that purpose. The troops composing the reinforcements
sent to Prince Menachikoff arrived without any baggage.
They were compelled to leave everything behind them, in
order to travel quicker. None of the workmen, who
generally accompany every regiment, could follow them.
They are therefore without any camp equipage, and ex-
posed to all those sudden changes in the temperature,
and to those torrential rains to which generally succeed
hurricane of wind and violent snow storms. It is on
these occasions that the resignation of the soldiers is truly
admirable, it might be almost said that they regard gaffer-
juges their lot on earth. Never is there a in urmurheard ;
they pray to the image of the Virgin, and suffer in
silence, or at times begin one of those interminable and
melancholy songs by the aid of which they, as it were,
lull their grief. The want of medical men and of medi-
cine for the sick is the greatest suffering now experienced
by the Russian army. It is impossible to convey an
idea of the state of abandonment to which the sick are
reduced ; to enter the hospital is almost synonymous
to entering the grave. Some German medical men,
who are not without skill, form part •f the medical
staff, but all their efforts are powerless. Either they
want resources, and are deprived of the most neces-
sary articles, or their good will is cheeked by the very
men who are charged with the surveillance of the depart-
ment. The intendants and sub-intendants are charged
in Russia to provide for all the wants of the army both
in times of war and peace ; but far from intimating the
probity and devotedness of the commissariat staff, which
do so much honour to the French army, they more
frequently set an example of the most scandalous cor-
ruption. They are in this particular but too well
seconded by the commanding officers of regiments, who
themselves seek to gain all they can out of the
sums paid to them for the support of their
men. The picture we have just drawn is not exag-
gerated, and is founded on certain data. Thus, ad-
mitting that Prince Menschikoff has at this moment the
provisions necessary for his army, the occupation of
Perekop, and the burning of Nicolaief or Kherson, be-
fore the Dnieper and the swamps at its mouth are frozen
up, would be sufficient to cause him the greatest embar-
rassment. This army has, besides, numerous other
causes for weakening it ; every day the chasms in its
ranks increase, while reinforcements only come up with
great difficulty, and if they do arrive are in very bad
condition, for during winter the cold is too severe, the
days too short, and the snow storms frequently of too
long duration for regiments on the march not to suffer
in the most frightful manner."