The Sun.
London, England, 1854-09-20 00:00:00

THE EXPEDITION TO THE

CRIMEA.

We received the following from Constantinople,
this morning. Our letters are dated the 7th.
Amongst the desperate means of defence resorted
to, it is said that the Russians have undermined all
the ground in the vicinity of the outworks, and
even at many points on the Chersonese coast,
where a landing is thought likely or possible.
In the expectation of great sacrifices and severe
contests that must attend the attack upon Sebas-
topol, which is certain to make a most obstinate
resistance, the commanders of the expedition have
made every arrangement for the wounded, and
orders have been sent to Constantinople to keep
the hospitals in readiness for the reception of
10,000 men.
There is a report that the bay of Eupatoria is the
place chosen for landing; near it is the town of the
same name, with 10,000 inhabitants, and it is dis-
tant 40 miles from Sebastopol. From thence the
armies would push on to Simferopol, the capital of
the Crimea, near which an armyof 40,000 Russians
is said to be encamped. Though it is well known
that a landing in the immediate vicinity of Sebas-
topol has been strongly opposed in the councils
lately held at Varna, I have nevertheless good rea-
son to believe that it will be carried out, and there-
fore do not place confidence in the above report of
ft disembarkation in the bay of Eupatoria.
No decisive news from the Crimea can reach Con-
stantinople before the end of this month, and con-
sequently it will be the Bth or 10th of next month
before anything is known in England. The landing
will, it is estimated, be effected on or about the
11th or 12th—not before.

There is a rumour that the Emperor himself is
at Sebastopol. Lord Raglan's general order upon
the attack on the Crimea is plain, and to the pur-
pose, without bombast, and with his lordship's
usual good taste. It is stated that Brigadier-Ge-
neral Airey has succeeded General Lord °de Ros as
Quartermaster-General of the army, General Cod-
rington taking the command of the Ist brigade of
the light division. The troops are to land with
three days' provisions ; the men's knapsacks to be
left on board ship ; firelocks not to be loaded on
disembarkation, which is to be carried out in
silence. It is very difficult to ascertain the nu-
merical strength of the expeditionary force, but, at
a guess, the English army numbers about
22,000, the French 24,000, and the Turks about
10,000. Then we have the combined fleets to
reckon. I hope my next may be written from Sebas-
topol, telling you that we have succeeded in our
trip, even to the satisfaction of the British public.
You have all been astonished at the trip of the
Vladimir ; but what will you say to the following,
if true, but it is commonly talked of :—On the
evening of the 31st ult., of the Ist inst., a Russian
steamer came to the entrance of this bay, and ac-
tually sent two of her boats amongst us to recon-
noitre. This may be a " sham," but I give it to
you as I got it. The Vladimir business was voted
a sham at first.

General Levaillant, commanding the sth division
of the French army, remains in command of all the
troops at Varna. He will proceed to Sebastopol
with the second expedition, which will be composed
of 20,000 men, and 5,000 or 6,000 horses. An
Ottoman regiment of Lancers forms part of this
expedition.
Marshal St. Arnaud and Lord Raglan, accom-
panied by Sir John Burgoyne and other generals
of artillery and engineers, will proceed in front of
the fleets to reconnoitre, and choose the spot on
the coast best adapted for effecting a landing.
The Gopirte Zeitung gives the following short
sketch of the plan of the expedition. Operations
were to begin on the 10th, from the Snake Islands
(Ilan Adassi), lying to the east of the mouth of the
Danube. Here the transport. ships, laden with
surplus stores, remain. One division of the fleet
blockades Sebastopol. The troops are to be landed,
or rather were, for we may presume this to have
been already effected, to the north of the Crimea,
probably near Perekop, thus completely cutting of
all reinforcements from the interior of Russia. The
mail steamers remain stationed en echelon between
the Crimea. and the Snake Islands.