The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-11-30

series Of convusive Efforts not one Of which u sue
cessipL
from the London Globe, Nov. III
The general order conveyed to the British army before
setsstoPoi by her Maies,ys eommandIwhich has Just
troopsmnst have been regarded in Itself event in
that eyentul quarter II not only that British troops
will always receive with gratitude the acknowledgements
Of their sovereign but in this the manner adds grace
to the act.
The general order states within the compass of very
concise document the for which the thanks Of
her Majesty conveyed TO her soldiers and in stating
these with the power Of lucid and direct Ian
the general order shows that the exertons Of the
officers and men have been thoroughly understood,
deeply felt, and fully appreciated Each man in that
force win have accepted as double Assurance that the
blood Of the battle field have been spent
in vain.
The alusion which the minister war has incorpo-
rated in this general order to the omission OF Lord
Raglan's despatch-his distinguished services
to the trumps side by SIDE OF the Of the nation
now allied with US and to the assistance OF the aeet
will be felt to extend the acknowledgment, and viii
alt yet higher in the eyes Of his men, that pupil
of Wellington who shares with the French commander
the lead in these trumphs
But when in this admirable composition her Majesty
expresses her participation in the affectionate
icty Of the friends Of the wounded and in the grefs
for the departed It win be felt that something more
than royal or Official sympathy Is avowed, and that
there exists that relation between every soldier on the
field and the highest in the land, in which gracious
affection and chvalrous devotion repay each other.
From the London Times, Nov. III
The extraordinary character Of the difficulties attend
ing present operations before Sebastopo not likely
nature Of siege undertakings in general In the present
age is received maxim by military engineers that
fence or in other words that If any fortified place.
however strong is attacked according to rule by
per force OF men and guns must inevitably fall within
certain time, unless preserved by and sinRu
lar advantage Now as the allied armies disem-
barked the shores of the Crmea in strength sufficient
to conquer the enemy in pitched battle and as they
have for weeks been besieging Sebasopol with
powerful force of artillery, directed by of
the best engineers in ,ns wo asr may DC asked what
place not takens To this inquiry we subjon
an explanatory reply.
Is called the 1inve stment Of the iown-that is to say
the town is surrounded all sides by posts Of the be-
practicable This is not only the 6rst STEP but 1t is
that which all succeeding steps less depend
for the superiority of the attack to the defence arises
from the fact that, whereas the means unlimited in
the former case they limited in the latter When
town has been invested, and thus cut OF from all
munication with the adjacent country its in
men munitions and provisions become at once confined
to the stocks then actually within its walls, while
the besiegers, the other hand, being presumpvey
masters Of the country, make exactly such dposi
tons they think proper they cease to be masters of
the countrythat is to say, if superior force Of the
nary be rased and the town is relieved according
ly Supposing, however the necessary superiority to
reside at all events for the time with the besiegers
which appears most favorable for their operations and
here the advantage Of the attack the defence be-
comes instantly apparent. Whatever may be the
strength Of the place respect of artillery it is obvious
that only certain number of guns can be brought to
the defence Of certain portion Of the ramparts where
point all the guns at their disposal. The deiences
Of town may mount 500 guns; but, II any par
can attack this front with twice the number they have
the superiority Of fire at the only point where such
Tons joined to the necessary limitation Of in
place entirely excluded from all external communica
TONS that the ascendancy Of the besegers depends
Availug themselves Of the protection dsrvabe from
trenches and covered ways they gradually push their
batteries close to the place that breach is made in
its walls and AZ they sre always presumed to exceed
and carry the town by storm as as its defences
have been beaten dowp 1t is considered that town
of $4,000 men to besiege IT, and when therefore, the
smaller force has lost the artificial protection Of its
ramparts, the contest seldom remains doubtful.
If these observations applied to the Of Sebas
topol it will at once appear that none Of the assumed
advantages Of besieging force are thsret be found
sebastopol is not invested The peculiar position of the
town. combined with the limited strength Of the allied
armies, rendered impossible go to surround the place
to cut oil its communications with the INTERIOR and
the north side is left completely OPEN The
Is that there has been limitation Of the
part Of the besigcd the contrary it is rather the
for, whereas the allied forces have been gradually
diminished by the casualties incidental to their opera
strength from without. Provisions, too, and mum.
tons of may have been imported with equal faci
iy though so extraordinary in this respect were the
Of Sebastopol itself that few additions could
have been required.
1t is next to be remarked that the Russians at sebas
toIol by in the position Of garrison info
numbers to the attacking force but relying upon
Il protection of artificial deences against which the
besesers advance. They encamped to the south Of
the town in strong Entertainments which armed
as Lord Raglan's despatch observes, sswith appa
renty unlimited number Of heavy guns amply provided
teres against batteries and earhworks against
earthworks they return blot for shot, and far
s
ror to Their front Of Defence instead Of rep
resenting confined space exposed to all the concen
trated fire Of the attack, actually, Lord Raglan
describes it. more extended" than own and they
he besieged force thus in the possession of the
In point Of fact there would really be little exaggera-
ton in saying that Of the armies in the Crmea Is
eIectualy .besieged" as the other Both have their
allies by sea both have their strong postions-the
Russians before sebastope the allies the heights Of
ceeded it would be hard say which party seemed to
be the assaants and which the defenders We bat
tering the works of the Russians, but they are
also battering ours, and whereas have not
yet regularly assaulted their lines, they have at
tackled ours in such force as TO occasion most san
siege, but camgagn. We have cfectde Judgment
on Russian territory, and we are encounterng the
armies which the Russians bring successfully against
Is encamped under its walls behind carthworks like
own, and is stronger than in artillery. Another
posted our flank and has made st least
attempt our position. Fortunately, although we
want many of the advantages Of besiegers, not
WITHOUT come OF the advantages OF
for such the strength OF position in this angle Of
the Russian territory that enabled to repue the
attacks of enemy numerically superior to ourselves
So far therefore although the actual siege Of Sebasto
pol may have advanced but slowly, the events Of the
campaign are favorable to us.
AS besiegers been retarded in progress by
the of the town. by the ntrenchments
thrown up before its walls by the constant reinforce
ments received by the garrison and by the presence
Of strong relieving army in the field But we have
footing on Russian grourd we have
beaten the Russians thoroughly whenever they have
rEaltt DIV hnlf ,ttnnl aud
senals which gave Sebastopol its Importance, and
have fairly established superiority in all respects but
that If numbers. What remains therefore, cut to APP
proximaie as we do, to equality with our an
agonst in this respect also and to despatch those rein
forcemcnts which victorious though overtasked
army requires This done, the advantages a well
the honors of the campaign will belong, may conf
IDENTIFY hope, to the allied powers.
from the Man chester Examiner, Nov 1871
II is not believed that any assault will be made until
the allies strongly reinforced. The weather had be-
extremely cold The Russians carrying stores