The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-12-20
rs1E s,AlLY Dl6fAl41....
WEDNKaD1Y aoRNINo. DEcEssEes = -


WrDN 1saO1Y NORl1lN0. DEck = b = -. -
- : rs,
N-yr,,c Or oyrrcERs AkD soLDtErs ~
,a,o-A meeting has been proposed q me
officers and soldiers Of the var g ls.a, e 9
1sld - ms city today. No place HAVING
naan d.aixuated a which The mseeang snah
..ssuahle. aAn oficsr'' suggests the Aonu-
,.sr. Hotel. tfprmeriy the Washingtonl -
the place Of meeting, and IL O'CLOCK we
hour. S. 81
Trr CRY OF PxrrRsBUR0.-We wsxs
greatly pleased. upon recent visit 70 Pc
tsrsburV, to see that our sistsr city. Aotwifh-
standing the hard times. u sin pushing for
ward In her career Of energy and enterprise.
New buildings are going up, and the sound
Of the mechaaic' j cheerful toll. notwithstand-
ing the pressure. has BY no means ceased.--
The South Side Railroad Depot Is an object
which would attract the attention Of any VI
sitor to Petersburg. u Is IN immense struc-
ture, which would be an honor to much
larger city. but which. large as It is. viii
scarcely meet the demands of the South Side
Railroad, when it begins fully to develop the
treasures Of the rich region Of country which
il commands.
We rejoice to witness these evidences OF
the growth and prosperity Of the gallsnt
CocknAe city. A citizens Of Richmond We
feel no Jealousy Of Petersburg: nowish to
retard her growth or prosperity; but. on the
contrary, pride in her, as noble Virginia
community. which is daily disproving, by
acts Of energy and enterprise, the stereotyped
Islander Of Virginia Incidence and degenera-
cy. The interests of Richmond and Of Pc
tsrsburg are indissolubly associated, and they
are now brought in such close proximity by
the iron horse. that they may be almost con-
sidered the same town. They must be part
ners in prosperity and in adversely and there
fore there ought to be no other feeling be
tween them but brotherly kindness and
love.
There is no city which, from the social viz
tues of its people, more richly deserves sue
cess than Petersburg. It's one of those Vir-
ginia towns, in which the old Virginia spirit
still survives, and the stranger is welcomed
with hands so cordial, and hearts so true, that
he feels as if basking in the genial glow of
his own fres:de. A city of brave men and
beautiful women; Of high intelligence; of
whole.souled hospitality and genuine worth,
is the gallant Cockade
What THE RUSSIANS THINK OF THE WAR.
Under this head the New York Herald pub.
fishes statement made by MIR. r. J. Sekaf-
ner, Secretary of the American Telegraph
Company, who has just returned from st. Pc
tersburg, where he learned the things he CON-
municates to the Herald We give brief
outline of Mr.. SIS statement:
The Russians were amazed when they
learned that the Allies were invading the
Crimes in the face of winter and in the tenn
pestuous season, from which the Allies and
their feet have suffered 80 much.) Nicholas
had no expectation of an invasion there
His danger he supposed lay in Poland and
The Austrian frontiers, and there he had $780,,
boo men to meet it.
The landing of the Allies at Eupatoria il
10 said therefore was near taking the Russian
by surprise. His whole avail
able force in the Crimea amounted to only
q, 900 men, including the garrison at Sebasto-
pol. Delay, however, would give them re-
and Menschikotf determined to
hold the enemy in check by series of en-
gagements, which took place at Alma, Bala- |
klava and Inkermann, and under the circum-
stances the Russians are said to regard those
battles as SO many victories. They were
able to be reinforced by Mprandis command
before they retreated into Sebastopol, and |
thus reinforced, Menschikoff is confident he
can hold the place against the Allies while |
to the Crimea is open during
The winter with sledges, and hundreds of
thousands of men at his command.
Mensohikoff has kept the Gear constantly
of the condition of things. He was
fearful after the battle of Alma that Sebasto-
pol would fall by vigorous advance of the |
Allies; but when he saw them hesitate his |
hopes revived, and accomplishing the OBJ.
jects of his series of battles. he retires within
the walls satisfied.
With regard to the Allies the Russians
think their case almost hopeless. Decima- |
ted by war and disease, with their supplies |
of ammunition and food cut off by the storms
OF the Black Sea. they doubted whether even
. retreat were possible. 1t was considered
almost miraculous when the landing was eff
|ected of infantry. cavalry and artillery at
Eupatoria in calm summer weather; but how
'ould they fare now when it is impossible to
and the wounded from the ships? What
vould become Of the magnificent armament
such tempest Is that which DESTROYED
vessels of the feet ? and IL is said
lat the winter in the Crimea can hardly ha
10 disastrous
Mr.. Schafner entersinto some speculation. I
to the consequences Of defeat of the an
o. before Sebastopol: that the French nav
ON dissatisfaction turn upon NapsDson-l
. alliance Of England and France be blown |
p-Austxia and Prussia join Rnssia- |
spnblican spirit of Europe.is aroused. and
. CONTEST Unchanged 'fraa. its present cha
ctw to struggle betssen Repablicanism