The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-03 00:00:00

PTGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

Tai DAY —Morning 33 min.after 11 I
Evening 0 min.aft. 0
To NIORROW Morning 4 min.after 12 Evening 33 min.sft. 12

THE WEATHER.--Sun Onic, Ocr. 3.

THERMOMETER, I THE SLUE.
Gl—highest since noon on Saturday.
50— owest this morning and during the night.
62—this day, at noon.
BAROMETER, 30.8`3—falling.
WIND, W.N.W.—Light, with fine sunshiny weather.
It was very hazy in the morning, and threatened rain.

t
,Zt-4
\e-Yi

c~~^~o

LONDON, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1854.

The glorious tidings contained in our impres-
sion of yesterday have received ample confirma-
tion in almost every particular. That Sebastopol
had virtually fallen, on the 25th instant, is placed
beyond the possibility of a doubt. The tele-
graphic despatch received by the Turkish Minister
from the Ottoman Ambassador at Vienna (a copy
whereof appears in another column) corroborates
the statement, that the Turkish Ambassador at
Vienna had received through Bucharest the intel-
ligence of the capture of the Russian stronghold
in the Euxine. This important announcement
had been forwarded fre m Constantinople to OMEP.
PACHA. The General had, however, proceeded
to Silistria, whither the despatches were sent after
him. But the bearer openly declared their purport
—viz., that SEBASTOPOL HAD BEEN TAKEN, WITH

THE LOSS OF 18,000 (0 RUSSIANS KILLED AND
WOUNDED, AND 222000 PRISONERS ! FORT CONSTAN-

TM WAS DESTROYED, AND OTHER FORTS MOUNTING

200 GUNS TAKEN ! So far the accounts coincided
with those which had previously been received
and published. It was obvious, if Sebastopol
had not actually capitulated, that it was no longer
tenable by the enemy, and that even a few hours
would substitute the French and English for the
Russian flags. That it had not tamely been
yielded up was manifest from the awful and
almost unparalleled destruction of human life—no
less than 18,000 of the defenders being either
killed or wounded ! This probably includes the
entire loss from the time of the lauding, including
the sanguinary conflict at the heights of Alma,
Where no less than 6,000 Russians are stated to
have been placed hors de combat, and also that at
Kalamita on the Kartcha, and at Sebastopol itself,
and its entrenchments. But still we believe that
leldom, if ever, has a larger number of fighting
men perished, in 'proportion to those engaged,
than that above recorded. It certainly ex-
hibits the strongest evidence that there

Aga no unmanly shrinking —no yielding
until the victory had been strongly contented,

and decisively obtained. To suppose otherwise
would be to depreciate the splendid efforts of the
gallant Allies, whose unflinching valour gained
Bo unequivocal a triumph, when 18,000 out of
40,000, or 45 per cent, of those engaged on the
Russian side, perished in the series of encounters.
The news respecting the fleet is by no means so
Satisfactory. The first intelligence was that the

Russians had blown up or otherwise destroyed all
their vessels. This arriving on Sunday did not
receive much circulation, and came from such
doubtful sources that it was lltogether discredited
before the following day, yesterday. We heard
that not only Sebastopol, but with it all the
tnaterZe/ of war, THE FLEET and the garrison, were
in the hands of the Allies. Now we are told
that " of the Russian fleet six sail of the line were
sunk, and Prince MEIiSCIIIKOFF had retired to the
bottom of the bay with the remaining vessels,
declaring that he would burn them if the attack
continued. The allied commanders had given

him six hours to consider, inviting him at the
same time to surrender for the sake of hu-

uianity."

This latter account has a vraisembiance that in-
duces us to give it considerable credence. That
the arrogant MENSCHIKOFF should yield. at the
first summons was not very probable. He had 1
to keep up appearances with a despotic master,
'ho would, without hesitation, strip him of all
his titles (it would be a prostitution of the word
to use the term "honours ") and property, send
him as an exile to Siberia, or degrade him to the
rank of a common soldier or sailor. He had

published proclamations, threatening wholesale
destruction before yielding the slightest point.
" N.() surrender " was the motto he had assumed ;
and he should do something to maintain his cha-
:acter, or v., hat special pleaders in the olden time
Used to denominate " showing colour."
But it wa3 not very probable that he would
proceed to the extremities he had threatened'