The Liverpool Standard, and General Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-12-26 00:00:00

THE WAR IN THE CRIMEA.

IN the absence of any other than isolated accounts
from private correspondents, and brief telegraphic
reports from the seat of war in the. Crimea, very
little is known of the proceedings in that quarter.
It would appear that the Allies have been availing
themselves of all the means within their power to
reinforce their numbers, and to strengthen their
position, so as to bid defiance to any attacks from
the Russian troops, and at the' same time to be
enabled to make the long-desired assault on the
fortress of Sebastopol. By the French despatches
which were received on Friday, it seems that, on
the 10th inst., 1,000 men had arrived, and that on
the 12th, English and French ships were bringing
in 3,300 more. It was also stated that the
Russians had for two days been keeping up an
active fire from the town, and had made two
vigorous sallies on the English and French lines,
from which they had been driven back at the point of
the bayonet. Other adviees report reinforcements
being on their way to the scene of contest, so that
we may indulge in anticipations of shortly being
able to receive more decisive accounts, as, notwith-
standing the preparations which are said to be
made for the Allies to pass the winter in the
Crimea, and for which so many comforts in food
and clothing have been and are being sent out, it
would be more satisfactory if the capture of
Sebastopol could be effected without waiting for
the Russians to strengthen their defences. Indeed,
many imagine that the troops would much prefer
the exercise of vigorous hostilities to the inaction
of waiting during the cold weather. In the mean-.
time, great complaints are made of the total want.
of management, so that, notwithstanding the vast
expense incurred, and the almost boundless libe-
rality of the people in this country in sending
presents, the troops are actually suffering great
privations, and their ranks are being thinned by
disease. The Times, of Saturday, draws a melan-
choly picture of the state of affairs, which it is to
be hoped is considerably overcharged, and. rather
intended as a stimulus to the authorities to make
better arrangements, than as conveying a correct
description. It says :

What remains of more than 50,000 men, the best blood
of this country, which now represents, 3,000 miles from
home, the glory, the influence, the courage, and the ability
of our race ? The England of European history is now in
the Crimea. We have defied the largest army in the
world, and, if we have not backed our challenge with quite
sufficient strength or promptitude, we have at least made
an effort beyond all former example. At this moment it
would be rash to conjecture the fate of those hardy survi-
vors of the 54,000 men. Do they still maintain the
unequal fight—chilled, drenched, famished, utterly neg-
lected ? Has a slight aggravation of their many ills—a
drop of the thermometer some degrees below zero, or a
few more inches of rain, extinguished them altogether,
or left scarce enough for a safe retreat ? Or may we dare
to hope that desperation itself has urged the brighter
alternative of a dash at the city, with a somewhat less
cost of life than would attend another month of inaction ?
After the dreary, and ever still drearier, history of this
siege, we cannot hope as much. Yet, if that has not been
done, what is the other alternative ? It is, that the army
is now in a worse condition than ever it was. We say this
deliberately. The reinforcements and supplies that have
been sent out would up to this, December 23, only keep
the army numerically at the inadequate force at which it
landed, setting the certain drain by death and sickness
against the reinforcements, and the consumption of food
and material against the supplies. But, if that army is
numerically no larger, it is physically and morally much

worse. It is true we have been making immense eftbrts
lately, but no one can say how much everything has been
retarded, even at home, by the pressure and by the ele-

ments. With the westerly gales of th
nothing but the most powerful steamers _
Channel or out of the port of Liverpool, and many
vessels and screw steamers of moderate capacity are we
ther-bound. Not a rail, not a " navvy," and but afe
" huts," have yet left these shores. Immense quantiti

get down a

of warm clothing