The Sun.
London, England, 1854-11-01 00:00:00

THE SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL

VIENNA, WEDNESDA Y, Nov. 1.

The following has been received here from S'

Petersburg :

ST. PETERSBURG, OCT. 31.

Prince Menschikoff's last despatch says that
nothing important has occurred up to the 27th
October.

The contents of yesterday's first despatch are

almost entirely false.

If MENscunsoFF cannot command success in
the field of battle, he certainly has it all his
way in the field of intelligence. His highly-
seasoned accounts are distributed throughout
Europe, and commented on according to the ex-
perience, judgment, or bias of the auditors, fot
days before we receive the faintest hints from
authentic sources. The poison is thus sent forth
without any counteracting antidote. Men eagerly
seeking for any tidings, however vague and un-
certain, will naturally grasp at the first that
offers, and no subsequent testimony can invalidate
the early impressions. This is peculiarly the case
with the people of other nations, particularly
those who are more than suspected of pro-Russian
tendencies. We have already repeatedly pointed
out the very injurious consequences of such a
state of affairs. But the Government is still
remained apathetic and indifferent ; and, although
measures are spoken of to remedy the acknowledged
evil, they can scarcely be organised before the
necessity has terminated. There is a very mate-
rial difference between " sayings" and
" doings"
-under the influence of " red-tapism."
Foreign journals have commented strongly on
the untoward state of affairs. Indeed the
energy and activity of the CZAR contrast strongly
with the carelessness and indolence of the Minis-
ters of the Allied Powers. When the Allied Forces
first landed in the Crimea intelligence could be
conveyed to France or England in less time than
to St. Petersburg. We had all the necessary
t
facilities for expediting the communications ; but
unfortunately they were disregarded.
Our
rapid steam packets remained floating idly
on the Dix ine. The electric wires were
scarcely di .turbed by the few and brief massage*
11, t,y I.ord I 21. l.) i "EA;
after two days had beau lost in forwarding them
to Constantinople, in place- of Kustendji or Varna.
There was not even a direct mail to Marseilles,

but the most important intelligence was subjected

to postal delays that would have been disgraceful
Nexiswi,n ordinary times. On the other hand, not
was lost by the .AUTOCRAT in providing
=ail of transit. The result is, that he °b-
fire or six days what is withlaell from
Cr

us ten or twelve days. Re is thus enabled to
add, to alter, or amend the accounts as he thinks
proper, to publish just what he pleases, and when
he pleases to keep back or suppress that wh.ch he
thinks might possibly prove injurious to his in-
terest. We, however, let matters go on in the
old " jog-trot" style—still send round by Con-
stantinople in order to send it back to Varna,
just, as in the olden time, letters used to be
transmitted from one country post-office to an-
other some ten miles off through London, being
thus carried two or three hundred in place of
ten miles.

What, we ask, should prevent a daily despatch
from Balaklava to Kustendji or Varna ? There are
plenty of small steamers whose time could not be
better occupied. The run might easily be made
in twenty, or, at the farthest, twenty-four hours.
In thirty hours more well-regulated tatars might
convey the tidings to Bucharest, and thence in an
equal time to Kronstadt (Transylvania), or Her-
manstadt. In the whole we might, allowing for
all necessary stoppages, receive news from head-
quarters of the French or British troops in less
than four days ! I Whereas, it now takes at
least ten, or, more frequently, twelve or fourteen
days. Even if they arrived in London we should
be but little the wiser, since through the perverse
taciturnity of the Government the accounts are
altogether suppressed, or only suffered to leak out
through the columns of the favoured organ, after
having been made full use of by enterprising
officials, who, undeterred by the fate of the enter-
prising LAWLEY, still venture to dabble in Stock
Exchange speculations. We may, however,
thanks to the judicious liberality of the Ministers
of France, shortly receive news, after the lapse of
some dozen hours.

As to the latest MENSCHIKOFF despatch (which
appears in another part of this day's impression)
it must be received quantum valeat for what it is
worth ; that is to say, our readers may believe, or
disbelieve, just as much of it as they think pro-
per. The accounts improve. Each day shows
additional Russian successes, the artist being
MILNSCHIKOFF. Whether, like the fable of the
" Man and the Lion,"
any change might be dis-
cerned if the scene were sketched by a Briton
remains to be seen. Yesterday we heard of a
complete successful sortie against the French bat-
teries—with eleven guns and eight mortars
spiked—while the fortifications had received but
little damage. This day it is the English who
have been discomfited. We are told that General
LIPRANDI took four English redoubts and also
eleven guns—while another account states that,
" with 30,000 Russians, we surprised the English
right flank on the night of the 24th ult.
at Inkerman, on the Tchernaya, and took five
redoubts and several guns, and that the English
cavalry suffered severely ;" another statement being
that Lord CARDIGAN lost half his light cavalry.
All we shall at present say is, " Creaat judceus
Apella, non ego." The story may do very well for
marines or Muscovites, but we cannot accept it
on such doubtful authority. That it may receive
even temporary credence, however, exhibits the
negligence of our do-nothing Government in the
strongest light.

Captain Luc; of the ill-fated " Arctic," has
published his version of the fearful catastrophe
which led to the loss of so many lives and much
valuable property. We. are disposed to make
every possible allowance for this unfortunate gen-
tleman. Subsequently to the accident he dis-
played undaunted courage, and almost miraculous
coolness. He stuck to his ship to the very last ;
and if the crew had. obeyed his orders we might
not have had to deplore the deaths of so many
persons. He even refused to permit his child to
avail himself of the chance of escape that offered,
and we deeply regret the loss of that promising
boy, whose death under the eye, we may almost
say while in the arms of his father, must ma-
terially increase the affliction of the bereaved
parent.
Under these circumstances we do not by any
means wish to occasion any new annoyance or
vexation to the unfortunate commander. We
cannot, however, abstain from repeating the de-
mand for a stringent and searching investigation
into all the circumstances of the melancholy trans-
action. It is not merely from a due consideration
for the departed, or a desire to add to the suffer-
ings of those who have already been severely
punished, but it is essential that we should en-
large our experience, and, from too-dearly-pur-
chased knowledge, discover the best means of
avoiding any repetition of similar calamities.
The present impression is that the deplorable
event might have been altogether avoided had
adequate precautions been adopted—that it was
one of those " preventible accidents," respecting
which so much ex post facto wisdom is promul-
gated, but which few means are taken to avert.
Captain LucE's letter certainly does not remove,
or in any degree modify, this view. He tells us
that " the weather had been foggy during the
day, and generally a distance of a half to three-
quarters of a mile could be seen, but at intervals
of a few minutes a very dense fog, followed by
being sufficiently clear to see one or two miles."
In this state of affairs, more particularly during
the very dense fogs that occurred at intervals of
a few minutes, he left the deck for the purpose
of working out the position of the ship.
He does not, however, speak of any pre-
cautions taken during these perilous inter-
vals. He says nothing of abated speed, or
of " fog signals"—of the ringing of bells, beating
of drums, or firing of shots, that might have an-
nounced the dangerous vicinity of a large ship to
any approaching vessel. From his unbroken
silence on the subject, we may presume that no-
thing was done. On the contrary, the Captain,
responsible for the lives of nearly, four hundred
human beings, and property worth at least a quar-
ter of a million sterling, retired to his cabin for
the purpose of " working out the position of the
ship." It does not appear that he left any orders
to the officers remaining in charge of the vessel.
The " very dense fogs," arising at intervals of a
few minutes, might have increased in frequency or
in density, but the inferior officers would not have
ventured to intrude ma the Captain's time, or to
disturb him in the elaborate calculation on which
he was engaged. Nothing was therefore done.
The Captain was occupied calculating in his cabin,
the steward and his assistants serving up the sub-
stantial lunch, the passengers engaged at
the banquet, which was to be so suddenly
and fearfully interrupted. It was about
a . quarter past 12 o'clock when the cry of
" hard a starboard" from the officer on
deck disturbed the calculator and the feasters.
The captain rushed to the deck, but had scarcely
arrivsd when he felt the crash. /mat that mo-
ment his conduct was unimpeachable, becoming
afianbrstrtanaove, resolute, and experienced man, and going
rceedleeed to En
The crew we 1
known than a
theth e sad
cat a
an
tergol ipgheen. ce that in the first
re, However, next found wanting.
No sooner was the extent of the damage made
panic took possession of their minds.
LI place of displaying
the order and discipline so
essential under the Circumstances, eiciir
hiah would

have reduced the loss of life to the minimum., they
tumultuously rushed to the boats which had been
ordered out in order to receive the women and
children. In some instances the ropes were cut,
by which they had been veered astern. In Others *1
the boats themselves were rendered useless. The '
insane and reckless efforts to obtain safety led to
the greatest damage, and very many lost their lives
in the undue efforts to preserve them. Oneboat was
broken down while hanging at the davits, and
many persons were precipitated into the sea. In
others men were seen leaping from the top of the
rails down 20 feet, crushing and maiming those
who were in the boats beneath them. Many fled
from the wreck the moment they could make their
escape, heartlessly deserting their companions,
some of whom they might have saved. "Not one
seaman was left on board, or carpenter, and with-
out any tools to assist iu building a raft." Such
was the state of the unfortunate vessel and the
abandoned passengers. Captain Luen and Mr.
DORIN, the third officer, alone stuck by the ship,
except the young man, MT .BE, who sunk with
it, and. was subsequently rescued after fearful suf-
ferings. It was not until a quarter to five o'clock
in the afternoon, four hours and a half after the
collision, that the doomed vessel foundered. Had
order and discipline been observed much might
have been accomplished during that interval. If
the vessel could not have been kept afloat,
by ,judicious arrangements, nine - tenths of
those who perished might have been rescued.
The boats would have received a large proportion ;
and even a well-made raft, prepared by experi-
enced persons, with proper tools, would, particu-
larly if attended by the boats, have probably pre-
served all the others. The distance from land
was but fifty miles ; and, from what occurred, it
is more than probable that they might have been
taken off by the Cambria, or some of the other
vessels that passed in the neighbourhood of the
deplorable catastrophe.
What, then, was the cause of this disgraceful
panic t Probably the want of adequate boat
accommodation ! The crew, who were in the
secret as to the deficiency, hastened to secure a
priority. Many passengers joined in the struggle.
The fear; if it did not create, at least materially
enhanced, the peril. The women and children,
the sick and weak, were left to their fate without
remorse, or even an effort to avert their doom
If a similar accident had happened to a vessel of
the national navy, a court-martial would be held
on the survivors, who would have to answer for
their conduct in every particular. This is un-
doubtedly a case where the salutary precedent
should be extended to the mercantile marine, and
where no effort should be spared to trace out the
causes of the deplorable disaster—as well those
by which it was occasioned as those by which it
was so seriously aggravated.

We publish to-day a letter from Dr. RAE, in
answer to the letter of the brother of one of the
FRANKLIN Expedition.
We confess that we do not like the tone of
Dr. RAE'S defence. We read him on October
30th thus :

" I trust that any of the relatives of the lost
navigators, who may in future wish to make
severe remarks on the mode in which I have acted,
in the very perplexing position in which I was placed,
will first do me the favour of communicating
with me, and if I cannot satisfy their doubts, it
will then be quite time enough to make their
opinions public. Such would be the more fair and
satisfactory course."
And on the 26th, four days previously, in the
plan which he had submitted to the Board of
Admiralty, down the Great Fish River to the
spot where he says the tragedy of the FRANKLIN
expedition was enacted, we read thus :

" Permit me to impress upon you the necessity
of baste in setting these expeditions in train."
Now, let us ask Dr. RAE whether the devoted
brother of one of the crew of the FRANKLIN Ex-
pedition is not as much entitled to " haste" as
Dr. RAE is entitled to "haste ?" If Dr. RAE places
so high a value upon his own judgment that lie
has a right to stand paramount, we do not.
Dr. RAE may be in " haste" to go, or
get some friend to go, for it is all the
same thing, by the Great Fish River, to bury
the remains of the FRANKLIN Expedition. Yet
he is pained beyond measure because a de-
voted brother is in " haste" to clear, not one of
his own flesh and blood only, but 137 other
noble souls, from the horrid crime of man-eating.
Dr. RAE goes on to say :—" It may be as well
here to state, for the information of your corres-
pondent," addressing the Times, "and others, that
the authorities of the Hon. Hudson Bay Company
have, in the most kind manner, permitted me to de-
vote my whole time, as long as requisite, to satisfy
the questions, as far as in my power, and to reply to
communications from the relatives and friends of
the long-missing party, instead of to complete
my chart, and write up the report of my expe-
dition for their information."

Let Dr. RAE set to work at once and complete
his report, and leave it to others to answer ques-
tions as to whether he was justified in saying
that—" from the mutilated state of many
of the corpses, and the contents of the
kettles, it is evident that our wretched
countrymen had been driven to the last resources
—cannibalism—as a means of prolonging ex-
istence."

Apart from the statement, which is harrow-
ing enough, there is something about the
language " wretched countrymen," which we
strongly object to. We are fully aware of
all and everything Dr. RAE has done—we
award to him all credit for boldness of character
and unwearied industry, but we have some
doubt of his judgment. We wait for his
report to read his proceedings by. "To have
verified," he says, "the report which I brought
home would, I believe, have been no difficult
matter ; but it could not be done by my party
in any other way than by passing another winter
in Repulse Bay, and making another journey over
the ice and snow in the spring of 1855."
This may or may not be. It is precisely
what we want to know. All he has placed on
record in the Times is thus expressed :—" During
my journey from Repulse Bay this spring over
the ice, with the view of completing the sur-
vey, &c."
There is no mention of date—no light by which
we can judge whether he could or could not have
verified the verdict he has unhesitatingly passed
upon the FRANKLIN Expedition.
Dr. RAE'S knowledge of the country over
which he has travelled is evidently very limit-
ed. He must bear in mind that there are
other doctors besides himself, who have gone
over the country of his travels—highly edu-
cated, highly accomplished, and highly enter-
prising men, Dr. Sir JOHN RICHARDSON and Dr.
KING. These distinguished travellers may possibly
have their eye upon Dr. RAE. Dr. Sir JOHN
RICHARDSON will hardly let his old companion in
adventure, Sir J. FRANKLIN, die a cannibal
without more distinct proof. We will answer for Dr.
KING. As to Dr. RAE'S "reason for returning,
from Pelly Bay without having effected the sur-
vey be had contemplated, to prevent the risk of
more valuable lives being sacrificed in a useless
search," we must express cur doubts. Pelly
Bay is a " Gordian Knot" which we mean to have
a hand in unravelling at a more convenient op-
portunity,

GOLD.—The quotation of gold at Paris is about 1 per
mile discount (according to the last tariff), which, at the
English Mint price of 3/. 17s. 10.1 d. per ounce for
standard gold, gives an exchange of 25.14 i ; and the
exchange at Paris on London at short being 25.10, it
follows that gold is about 0.13 per cent, dearer in Paris
than in London.
The returns received by the St. John del Rey Minino.
Company by the Brazil packet Lusitania yesterday, of
the result of operations for the month of August, ;how
a. profit of 5,051/. from 7,092 tone of ore rained.

COURT CIRCULAR.

WINDSOR, OCT. 31.
The following had the honour of dining with her Ma-
jesty yesterday.
The Beligian Minister, the Austrian Minister and
Countess Colloredo, Lord and Lady John Russell, the
Right Hon. Sidney and Mrs. Herbert, and Mr. Gibbs.
The Band of the Royal Horse Guards wers in attend.
ance during dinner, and played the following pieces :
The Beaufort March
Overture, " Bride of Venice" Benedict.
Selection, " Stiffileo" Verdi.
Waltz, " Queen of Roses"
Selection, " Maria Stuardo" Donizetti.
The Queen's Private Band afterwards attended in the
Castle, and performed the following selection :
Overture, `' Oberon" Weber.
Selection, " Stabat Mater"
Ensemble et Air, " Marco Spada"
The Queen, with the Princess Alice, walked in the
grounds adjoining the Castle this morning.
Prince Albert, accompanied by the Right Hon. Sidney
Herbert, went out shooting, attended by Lord de Tabley
and Colonel F. K. Seymour.
The Princesses Helena and Louisa, and Prince Arthur,
took a carriage drive.
The Queen and Prince drove out in an open carriage
yesterday afternoon, attended by the Equerries in wait-
ing on horseback.
Her Majesty drove out again this afternoon.

s confirmed.

Sir Charles L. Eastlake had an interview with the
Earl of Aberdeen yesterday, at his official residence in
Downing-street.
Despatches were received yesterday at the Colonial-
office from the Governor of Canada and from the Go-
vernor of the Cape of Good Hope.

The Duke and Duchess of Wellington, who have been
staying at Brighton, on a visitto Lord and Lady Charles
Wellesley, have returned tc Belgrave-street. Lord
Charles Wellesley, we regret to learn, is still suffering
from imperfect vision.

The Earl of Stradbroke is entertaining a distinguished
party at Henham Halt Amcng the company are the'
Marquis of Bath, the Earl and Countess of Chesterfield,
h iacDlifedsenV,cevuixs,cou S
the Earl and Countess of Glengall, Mr. and Lady
Sop
anderrtbury,
&c.
Lady Pigot, Vis-
count The Countess of Kinnoul bas arrived at the family
residence, in Green-street, C-rsvenor-square.
Viscount and Visnountess liolinouth have arrived in
Sir Robert
Canterbury,
St. James's-square, from Me,eworth Castle, en route to
Brighton, for the winter.
Lady Ribblesdale gave birth to a non and heir on Mon-
day last.
Lady Alfred Paget and her infant daughter are pro-
gressing favourably.
Mr. and Mrs. J. S. M‘Murtrie lave left Edwards'
Private Hotel, George-street, for Liverpool.
Six emigrant ships for Australia are to start from
Southampton during the next month.
The contributions towards the Patiintic Fund in the
Island of Guernsey amount to nearly 3001.
In Southampton there is to be a house-to-house
visitation to obtain' contributions towards the Patriotic
Fund.

THE BISHOP OF OXFORD'S TRIENNIAL VISITATION.
—Yesterday morning the Bishop of Oxford commenced
the triennial visitation of his diocese at 3anhury.

LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY—LIAM CASE.—RED.
DR. TIDMAN V. REV. ROBERT AINiLIE —This case
came on again yesterday at half-past ten o'clock and was
again adjourned.
THE PATRIOTIC FUND.—Meetings have been held at
Cambridge, Devonport, Warrington, Leves, Ashbourne,
Rochester, Southwell, Pwlheli, and in dfferent parts of
Scotland, at which resolutions to contrilute to the fund
were passed unanimously.
BAND OF THE GIIIDES.—A performance will be given
by this celebrated hand at Exeter-Hal, on Thursday
evening, for the benefit of the French Charitable Asso•
ciation, under the patronage of his Excellency the French
Ambassador and the Countess Walewski. This will be
their only public performance, as they leave London on
Friday, permission having been solicitet and obtained
for their stayfor this charitable and intereting occasion.
AN ANCIENT ANCHOR.—An anchor wis p►cked up
and brought in by the boatmen of Enadstairs last
week, supposed to have been under water upwards of
200 years. It had the appearance of a mass of petri-
fied iron, being entirely covered with flints of all sizes.
—Dover Chronicle. . . _

SYDNEY.—The accounts from Sydney by the Walter
Hood are nearly a fortnight later than those previously
received. They continue to report a decining market
for most descriptions of imported goods, the arrivals
being still far beyond the daily requirenents of the
population.
CUSTOMS APPOINTMENTS.—WICK, OCT. !7.—We are
glad to learn that Mr. J. G. Wood, for several years clerk
in the Customs•house here, has been appotited princpal
coast officer at Newburgh, Aberdeenshi'e. Mr. M.
Kennedy, principal coast officer at Alderney, has been
promoted to be comptroller at Lerwick.--John o'Groat
Journal.

THE AMERICAN SCREW-STEAMER BENJAMIN FRANKLIN,
with her consort Bark, that fitted out lately from the
United States, carrying coals, arms, and ammunition on
some mysterious errand (and for which Tecognisances
were required of 20,000 dole. before starting), had been
lying a fortnight at St. Thomas's on the departure of the
Royal mail steam-packet.
EHIGRATION STATISTICS.-91,900 emigrants sailed in

the quarter ending Jim) 30, from the p )ris of the United
Kingdom at which there are government emigration
agents ; 12,504 sailed from the port of London ; 6,201
from Plymouth, 4,134 from Southampton, and 58,227
from Liverp-01, making 81,066 from England ; 3,538
sailed from Scotland, 7,296 from Ireland.
SHORT TIME IN NORTH LANCASHIRE.—The Preston
Guardian says, that in the Blackburn district some of
the mills have commenced short time. In Preston one
mill has been running from light to dark, and several
others are named as likely to do the same, unless there
is an improvement in trade. Several in Accrington,
Church, Billington, Harwood, &c., commenced on Fri-
day working four days per week.
MEETING AT BIRMINGHAM.—On Monday evening a
meeting was held at the public offices, Moor-street, Bir-
mingham, to tale into consideration the recent decisions
of the revising barristers upon the question of value of
the freehold land allotments, the result of which has
been to disfranchise nearly 800 of the members of the
Birmingham Societies.
The division of the army of Paris have just received
orders to execute military promenades for the purpose
of exercising the troops and accustoming them to long
marches in heavy campaign order.

PARISH OF ST. SAVIOUR, SOUTHWARK.--Last evening
a meeting of the inhabitants of this parish was held in
the vestry-room of the parish for the purpose of receiving
a report from the committee appointed to consider the
attempt now mada by the Steam-boat Company to take
possession of the stairs of London-bridge, and to deter-
mine thereon. Mr. Charles Harris, warden of the Great
Account, occupied the chair,
THE RECENT FIRE IN LIVERPOOL.—At a meeting of
a detailed statement of the losses sustained by
the fire insurance agents on Monday afternoon, held in
Liverpool,
the late fire in Lancelot's-hey was submitted, and we are
glad to learn that the amount is very much under the
rough estimates.

FATAL ACCIDENT AT TEN NEW HOUSES OF PARLIA-
MENT.—Yesterday Mr. Bedford held an inquest at
Westminster Hospital, on the body of Wm. Wright,
aged 29, a carpenter, whose death was occasioned as
follows :—lt appeared that on Saturday morning the
deceased with others was at work in the interior of the
Victoria Tower, engaged in fixing the arch of the centre
.window on a platform 60 feet high, when missing his
footing he came down head foremost, being suspended
by his legs round a cross beam till his boots were forced
off, when he fell to the ground. On being immediately
picked up and conveyed to that hospital life was pro-
nounced to be extinct, and th,2 cause of death concussion
of the brain. Verdict---" Accidental death."
THE LONDON OMNIBUS TRADE.—Yesterday morning,
a meeting of a considerable number of the most influen-
tial omnibus proprietors of London and the suburbs was
held at the stage carriage committee rooms, in the Strand,
for the purpose of taking into consideration the depressd
state of the trade, consequent upon the high price of
corn and other horse provender, and to devise means of
relief, either by the increase of fares generally, or by
agitating for a reduction of the omnibus duty. It was
resolved that a memorial should be presented to the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, praying for some reduction
of the duty during :the winter, or, at all events, for a
pledge from the Government that they would propose a
general reduction of the duty during the ensuing Parlia-
ment.

PRESENTATION OF A TESTIMONIAL TO TUB REV. R.
WHISTON.—The testimonials previously mentioned as
having been purchased by public subscription, for pre-
sentation to the Rev. Robert Whiston, M.A., head
master of the Cathedral Grammar School, Rochester,
in acknowledgment of his zealous efforts in the cause of
cathedral reform, were presented to that gentleman on
Friday last. The deputations from London, Manches-
ter, Liverpool, Derby, and other places, assembled at
Mr. Whiston's residence, and having been ushered into
the library, the several members were introduced to
him by W. Manclark, Esq., mayor of Rochester, one
of the local tteasurers of the fund which had been
raised.

ANGLO-CALIFORNIAN GOLD MINING COMPANY.—
The annual general meeting of this association was held
yesterday at the Freemasons' Tavern ; Mr. G. E. Cot-
trell in the chair. The Chairman stated that the report
had been some time in the hands of the shareholders.
From this it would be seen that out of the ore already
raised, the profit of the 91 toes crushed, there had been
realised a net profit of 31. 10s. per ton. In Brown's
Valley they had an illimitable supply of quartz, and
from sources quite independent, and in some measure
highly hostile to Sir Henry Huntley, they had received
information stating that their machinery was in perfect
order, and the location was one of the best in Cali-
fornia ; and although much more time bad elapsed, and
a larg,,r sum of money expended than the board had
anticipated, yet they had no doubt of ultimate success.
About 6,C00/. more would be required to insure a prac-
tical result ; this they called upon the shareholders to
contribute, convinced, as they were, that it would be for
the general benefit of the property. This would not be
any further increase of capital, but would arise from the
unissued shares which were still remaining on hand.
After some discussion the report was adopted ; Messrs.
Rinks and Parker, the retiring directors, re-elected ;
Messrs. Page and Biegood appointed auditors ; and it
was then finally determined that the meeting should be
adjourned to the Ist of March next, by which time it
was anticipated results would be arrived at confirmatory
of Sii Henry Eiuntley'e report.

LATEST NEWS.

BOMBARDMENT
OF SEBASTOPOL.

VIENNA, TUESDAY, OCT. 31.
The following has been received here :
" WARSAW, Oct. 31.—A Russian despatch
states that 30,000 Russians, under General Li-
prandi, surprised the English right flank on the
night of the 24th of October, at Inkerman, on the
Chernaya, and took five redoubts, and several
guns. The English cavalry suffered most severely.
Lord Dunkelliu was taken prisoner."
This was at first discredited, but is now partly
believed.

The serious damage to the Firebrand steamer

VIENNA, TUESDAY EVENING.

Though the Vienna Evening Gazette contains
the last despatches relative to a successful attack
on the English flank by General Liprandi, their
contents are very doubtful.
The Presse has the following :
" VARNA, OCT. 26.
" The Russian fire in reply to the bombard-
ment of the Allies is feeble.

" Two powder magazines in Sebastopol had
exploded.
" The loss on both sides is considerable.
" The Admirals repOrt that the fall of Sebas-
topol is• expected shortly."
The Austrian Correspondence says
" Nothing decisive occurred at Sebastopol up
to the 24th of October."

PARIS, TUESDAY, OCT. 31.
The following has been received here, dated
Vienna, Tuesday, Oct. 31 :
" We have received news from Sebastopol to
the 24th October. The bombardment of four
forts is vigorously continued. The besieged reply
with energy. Different vessels of the Allied Fleets
have been damaged.
The Russians have received reinforcements to
the number of 30,000 men. General Bosquet
observes the reinforcements."

" ST. PETERSBURG, OCT. 31.

" A report of Prince Menschikoff, dated Oct.
25, announces that General Liprandi had at-
tacked, on the 25th, a detached camp of the
English, and is reported to have taken four re-
doubts which defended the camp. At the same
time an attack of cavalry is said to have caused a
sensible loss to the English light cavalry under
Lord Cardigan."

THE BALTIC FLEET.

HAMBURG, OCT. 30.

Sir Charles Napier has just arrived from Kiel,
with Captain Mundy, and is gone to Altona with
Colonel Hodges to visit his Majesty.
Sir Charles is better.

THE CRIMEA.
THE SIEGE OPERATIONS.

The Constitutionnel says :—" Some figures will
suffice to show the immense efforts necessary to
bring the siege of Sebastopol to a satisfactory con-
clusion. The weight alone of the siege materiel
emplo) ed is 4,521,234 kilogrammes (1,000 kilos.
are an English ton), of which guns figure for
265,580 kilos., gun-carriages, ammunition-waggons,
(kc., for 588,476, projectiles for 2,510,442, gun-
powder 648,600 ; and the rest consists of a multi-
tude of articles, which it would be too long to de-
tail. In these totals, however, are not com-
prised the guns of the fleet, each of which weighs
3,520 kilos. or 3,035, according as it is 36 or
30. Although Sebastopol on the land side is far
from being regularly fortified, the works are
numerous, the cannon of large calibre of the Rus-
sian fleet defend the ramparts and nearly 1,500
pieces respond to the fire of the allied armies. This
exceeds all the customary defences. Valenciennes,
in 1793, supported 45 days of entrenchments with
175 guns ; Dantzic, in 1813, had 500 guns, and
surrendered from famine at the end of 108 days ;
and Ciudad Rodrigo, with 86 gun=, was only taken
after 21 days' entrenchments. It is not then an
easy thing to bring a siege to a satisfactory conclu-
sion, and time is an indispensable element of suc-
cess. What is taking place in the Crimea does not
justify either impatience or alarm. The fall of
Sebastopol may be delayed some days longer, but
it is inevitable. The place can only be delivered by
the intervention of a victorious army ; and the
position occupied by the Allied Army from Cape
Chersonesus to the Tchernaya is too strong to have
occasion to fear the efforts of Prince Alenschikoff."

The Debats has a short article, which we subjoin,
and which is of a nature to show the folly of impa-
tience, and at the same time prevent discourage-
ment as to the final result from a knowledge of the
difficulties of execution :

" We must expect to receive only very incom-
plete intelligence from Sebastopol by the telegraph
until the generals may consider it fit to send re-
ports of a somewhat circumstantial character. Thus
the despatch of yesterday does not allow us to form
a very clear opinion of the real state of things.
Mention is made of a breach being opened, and of
a second about to be opened immediately ; after
which the assault was to be attempted. On that
expression the public might imagine that the siege
is nearly at an end, and that these breaches and
assaults relate to the body of the place—the inner-
most wall. But that is not very probable ; for, as
the fire was only opened on the 17th, it would be
difficult that on the 21st, that is to say, four days
after, the advanced works could have been de-
stroyed, some of them being very considerable.
must therefore be supposed that allusion is made
either to the fort on the extreme left, which we
have designated by the name of the Fort Pate
(which is an old construction), or of the fort raised
beyond it in the country, iu front of the fortified
barracks. The ruin and capture of one of these
forts would not the less be a success of great im-
portance, sinceit would open to the besiegers one
of the accesses to the main works. The destruc-
tion of the two outward forts mentioned in the
despatch, may refer to forts situated on the edge
of the harbour, Fort Alexander, and the Quarantine
Fort. Already, two days ago, an attack was spoken
of as having been executed by the English and
French vessels at the entrance of the harbour, on
the southern side. The English appear to have
ruined one of the faces of Fort Alexander, whilst
forrt
the French were destroying the Quarantine bat-
teries. Does the last despatch allude to these two
i ch
fortsb which
e l o ng t theo
protect defencesthe
southof theon htahrobloaini rd,
o
side ? That is what we cannot say, not having any
data to go on. Prince Menschikoff, in a despatch
tos which
of Oct. 23, pretends that the Russians have spiked
some cannon and mortars in the besiegers' batteries.
If that be the case, either a very strong sortie was
executed by the garrison without being repulsed or
interfered with, or the besiegers were not in suffi-
cient force at the moment of the attack. Besides,
these are little episodes which must be expected in
a siege, particularly when the place has a whole
army for garrison."

The Austrian Soldaten, Freund says that there
have been 20,000 troops of the line, 7,000 cavalry,
and 2,000 engineers, transported to the Crimea
since the landing of the expedition. These include
the reserves from Gallipoli. 12,000 men from the
Piraeus and Rome will rAlow, and form the reserve
of the expeditionary army. The Russian troops
which have already passed the Isthmus of Perekop
belong to the 4th, sth, and 6th army corps. Inclu-
sive of the Cossacks, they may perhaps number
35,000 men. These concentrate in the fortified camp
at Bakshi-Serai, and maintain the communication
with the northern forts of Sebastopol. A Cossack
corps, 8,000 strong, well provided w the a
had the boldness to advance from the western
mountainous range as far as the heights of Bala-
klava, but were beaten back. It is a suffi-
cient proof of the cautiousneokof thealliektlaat they

have fortified this position as well as that of Cape
Chersonese. By this proceeding the besieging of
the fortress was of course procrastinated, and
during the preparations the Russians did not re-
main idle. They have strongly fortified the church-
yard situated between the town and the ruins of
Chersonese, and by these improvisated entrench-
ments forced the allies to move only step by step.

GOLDEN SWORDS PRESENTED TO GENE-
RALS URSUSOFF AND WESSELICKI
" FOR BRAVERY."

The Kalisch correspondent of the Lloyd says :
" As to the doings of the 18th and 19th inst. at
Sebastopol, sanguinary days on both sides, and
without result—no official information has yet
been published here. Generals Ursusoff and
Wesselicki have received golden swords, set with
brilliants, with the inscription " For bravery."