New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-11-27


opened, was decidedly inferior to that oil the ds-
Tense. The consequences were very soon m'ae
apparent In couple Of hours the Russians 81
fenced the fire of the French batteries ana kept
up sn almost equsl contest, throughout the d'!,
with the English. To create diversion, ni'A
attack WAS made. But il was neither better con-
Quoted ror more successful. The French sniP''
attacking the Quarantine fort and Fort AieAan'
der. supported the land attack upon these forts;
and had il not been for their aid, there IS no
doubt the French would have been far more
roughly handled The English ships attacked the
north side of the harbor, including Fort Constin-
tine and the Telegraph battery, as well as tenn
porary battery constructed to the northeast OIL
Constantine. That cautious man, Admiral Dun
dss. had ordered his ships to anchor at l,20o
Yards from the forts-he is evidently friend OF
the long range system. Now it is an old estab-
lisbed fact. that in combat between ships and
batteries on shore, the ships are beat unless they
can close up within 200 yards or less to the bate
RES 40 that their shot is certain TO tell, and with
the greater effect. Consequently Dundas got
his .hips knocked about in a terrible manner and
would have suffered glorious defeat. had il not
been for Sir Edmund Lyons, who. it appears, al
most in defiance of orders, got three ships'otthe-
line az close as he could to Fort Constantine aud
did it some damage in exchange for what he re-
ctived Az, however, the British and French
Admirals reports have not yet said single word
about the actual damage done to the forts, we
must conclude that here, as well as Bomsrsund,
Montalembert Coast--forts and casemated bate
ries-proved match for twice their number of
guns Cd board ship. This Is the more remarka
BILE, as it is now pretty certain that the exposed
masonry Of these forts, as was already partially
proved at Bomarsund, cannot withstand the
preaching fire Of heavy ship guns, established On
shore, for more than twenty -four hours,
The French were almost silent for couple of
days afterwarj. The English, having established
their batteries at a greater distance from the
Russian lines, and mounting heavier calibers
than their allies were enabled to maintain their
fire and to silence the upper tier of guns in ma
SONY redoubt. The naval attack was no! re-
newed-the best proofof the respect inspired by
tne casemated forts. The Russians made de-
tense which very much un1eceived the conquer.
ors of the Alma. For every dismounted gun
fresh one was brought up. Every embrasure de.
stroyed during the day by the enemy's fire was
restored during the night. Earthworks against
earthworks, the contest was very nearly equal,
until measures were taken to give the allies the
superiority. Lord Ragen's ridiculous order $50
spare the town was revoked, and lombard
ment opened which, by its cOncentric effect upon
crowded masses of troops, and By its harassing
nature, must have done the garrison great harm.
Skirmshers were, besides, sent out in advance OF
the batteries, to pick off, from any covered posi-
ton they could find, the Russian gunners. AS at
Bomsrsund, the Mimic rife did its work we'll.
In few days, what With the heavy guns and the
Mimic rides, the Russian artillerymen were
mostly put hors du combat. 50 were the sailors
from the fleet, the portion of the garrison best in
structed in the use of heavy guns. The usual
resource of besieged garrisons had then to be
resorted to the infantry were commanded
to serve the guns, under the superinten1ence
of the remaining artillerymen. But their
FIRE, ss may be imagined, was a most without
effect and thus the besiegers were enabled
to pusb their trenches nearer and nearer the
place. They have opened it is stated, their third
parallel at 300 yards from the OntwOrks. We do
not know yet what batteries they have erected in
this third parallel; We can only say that third
parallel in regular seges, is always made at the
foot Of the glaeis of the works attacked, that is,
about so or 60 yards from the ditch. If this dis.
lance has been exceeded before SeyastOpol, we
can but see in this fact confirmation of report
contained in several British papers, that the
rregulsrity of tue lines of defense, instead of Civ
ing the British engineers fresh scope for their
inventive capacities, has but discOncerted these
gentlemen who can demOlish, upon the most ap.
proved principle, regular Fashioned front, but
who seem to be badly of as soon as the enemy
deyiates rom the rule prescribed by the beat
authorities the subject
The southern attack once decided upoo the
parallel and it's batteries should have been di.
rected against one, or at most two well-de6aed
fronts Of the def.nses. Two of the outer forts
next to each other-or, a. the very outside three
should have been attacked with concentrated
forces; and, once demolished, then all the other
outworks would have been useless. In This way,
the allies, by bringing all their artillery to bear
upon one point, could have easily established at
once great superiority of fire, and shortened the
siege considerably. AS far as can be judged from
plans ard msps, the front, from the Quarantine
Fort to the upper end of the inner hsr5Or, or the
. front against which the French nov direct their
sforts would have been the best to attick, as its
demolition would lay the town itself completely
open. The ore hundred and thirty guns of the