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

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LONDON, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1854.

TELEGRAPHIC DESPATCH.

THE SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL.

VIENNA, WEDNESDAY, Nov. 1.

The following has been received here from St.

Petersburg :

ST. PETERSREM,G, 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 MENSCHIKOFF 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, for
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 Czait 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
facilities for expediting the communications , but
d
e•
unfortunately they were disregard
pm
rapid steam packets remained floating idly
on the Euxine. The electric wires were
scarcely disturbed by the few and brief messages
transmitted by Lord STRATFORD DE REDCLIFFE,
after two days had been 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
even in ordinary times. On the other hand, not
an hour was lost by the AUTOCRAT in providing
the mesas of transit. The result is, that he ob-
tains in five or gig days what is withheld from

us ten or twelve days. He 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 which 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 ! ! 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 MENSCHIBOFF 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
MENSCHIKOFF. 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, en the Tchernaya, and took fire
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, " Credat Jadcens
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 LUCE, 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 these " 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 ce 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 cn the Captain's time, or to
disturb him in the elaborate calculation on which
gaged. Nothing was therefore done.
The washeca npteain was occupied calculating in his cabin,
the steward and his assistants serving up the sub-
stantial lunch, the passengers engaged at
was to
It
te sow a
ssuddenly
t
the banquet,
and fearfully interrupted.
ter a
hqauradr a the
ifioecrr y
on
whthene
psatasrtbola2rd"o'clofrcokm
deck disturbed the calculator and the feasters.
The captain rushed to the deck, but had scarcely
'rrived when he felt the crash. From that mo-
ment his conduct was unimpeachable, becoming I
at. brave, resolute, and experienced man, and going
fiaorsttaoncre led to the
redeem the sad negligence
that in the first
The crew were, however, next found wanting.
No sooner was the extent of the.damage made
known than a panic took possession of their minds.
In place of displaying the order and discipline so
essential under the circumstances, and which 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
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. One boat 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 in building a raft." Such
was the state of the unfortunate vessel and the
abandoned. passengers. Captain LUCE and Mr.
DoRIN, the third officer, alone stuck by the ship,
except the young man, MTA.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 I 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. Rez's defence. We read him on October
30th thus :

" I trust that any of the relatives of the lost
navigators, who may in future wick 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 FRA2iBLIN
expedition was enacted, we read thus :

" Permit me to impress upon you the necessity
of haste in setting these expeditions in train."
Now, let us ask Dr. Ras 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 he
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 unweaned industry, but we have had 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 jndge 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 ever
which Ile 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-
rey lie had contemplated, to prevent the risk of
more valuable lives being sacrificed in a useless
search," we must express our 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
muffle discount (according to the last tariff), which, at the
English Mint price of 3/. 17s. 10Id. per ounce for
standard gold, gives an exchange of 25.141 ; and the
exchange at Paris on London at short being 25.10, it
follows that gold is about 0.18 per cent, dearer in Paris
than in London.
The returns received by the St. John del Rey Mining
Company by the Brazil packet Lusitania yesterday, of
the result of operations for the month of August, show
a profit of 5,0811. from 7,092 tons of ore raised.