Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-10-20

lriStNcc II II ht1 D|eN trn' mar u sfrhEer coz
vcving the Of this even: 10 Cons;antiDor!r wG;
met outside the BosphOru- bv another vessel which
brought the intelligence. ~ Naras, Official c,:nNl;-
nica,ion would at hav" been despatched bv land
from Constan;inopi 10 Belgrade, which would prcba.
bly, have reached ;h!s country BY this time. We also
know that the Ban-hcc AND the Caradnc. two cf The
fastest despatch boats in the navy. a,cadGs<s
the fleet Of The CrnIra, and that upon the oc>NS.
of any decisive event. such the fall OF S-JaN
topol. of them would be Immediately despatched
Marsclcs direct, un! would reach ha: port in I've
or II, most in SIX days. The communication Icy tc.s-
graph from Ainr.eilrs 10 Paris and London is ns;an.
tanrous. II, therefore, the place haI actually fallen
on Monday, the 18th, now eight days ago. We should
probably haze -Srncd :he occurrence bv this rOu:6
also On the other hand the inrciia aence with wE;cl
tho Turkish Minister hns favored IS most cXp..c
II bears all the stamp OF authenticity, and ssngu.ar&
confirmed in lis statement of the loss IN men an sCHs%
by that which lns reached lis from Paris AMI NisSIs
IT, therefore III th: absence OF precise official nt
maiiOn We entertain sU!nc doubt Us 10 the compIetN
realization Of our utmost hopes On the ?Jti, We car
feel none that this intelligence will speedily Ne con-
fmcd, and that. on. before the present time. Sebas
topol has ceased 10 bo 4 strong hold oi the Russian
empire.
Marshal St. Arnaul. in his brief despatch Of the
Goth from the bivouac OF the Alma, describes thu
course ui that river almost III the terms which
we Ind employed i'll examining the seen" "t thrso
operations before they took place. Inc ChuNncl If
the Alma is woody ravinc studded with houses aud
having steep slopes the lett bank, which wer"
strongly intrc;r!I.,i and covcrd by heavy guns In
front, the river could only BE- passed Al three points
Nevertheless. these formidable. positions wcr" s"r"i
by the niles with the utmost .,aIinntry aud C"mp"tH
succ..a, and the enemy ronlpclrd L. retreat; We
have received reports though still OF II vague and uH
certain character nj subsequent encounters with tho
enemy on the I'D anl Gd. and ii Is highly Tr"bab"
that the allied armies followed up their victory by ai
vancig to the ka;cha and the B"lhrrk nS it>r as cr
cum.tancas would permit. The want ot cavalry IN
the French and English nrn,-, an! indeed the pr"ha
bl. superiority oi the Russians IN that arm. would
render il css easy for tcn 10 harraS the retreat at
beaten army, aud To- complete It's destruction but
il mav be- presumed that If the Russians
mnc any attempt TO take up fresh position on 'r"h
dricnSblc points might be t"und between tE@
Alana und the fortress of S"bast".ol. they w"r'
rapidly dalod.cd ami pursued without dcay 10 ;h",r
chief retreat. Srbastopo rs II is represented To H. m
the numerous plans which have been produced for
th. occasion, j. not of those places fortified t"such
degree bv human nature AMI art that an army may
retire to, icrt remain in safety within H. On III"
contrary i; is admitted all hands that II" po-s'a
sion of ccrn positions in the hills abov" the town
would unnvoi.aby cause the lossor destruction ot tie
par. Ii is by 10 improbable, therefore, thu:
ON the 25h the armies had reachcdthc walls Of Srbas
tnpol. and they mav, as been stated hnvc struck
such terror into the boslcged by the rapdy and sue
crss their progress that acapitulaton nnyhave been
hastily made. II fhs supposiiion IL too iavornbl" 20 oar
operations and if the siege of the place had 10 be coro
menccd in form, some further preparatory +"ps woua
be Indispensable uud for these there could t." scarcely
time. For instance, the sr,e.cGI oi the 'w"aflnl"-
and we certainly cannot imagine that this wns landed
| and planted in position between the 2lst AMI 23d
All the accounts OF S,bas,opol and all III" military
| opinions have heard, concur in pointing 70 th'
North side of TIE hArbor ~ the most assa;lnb" p0.
| in the works From the Superior elevation at tho
ground. ii the allied forces ar" in possession .:
the heights round about, I" Any part q! TN ~ crca
without having r'llrci NJ! thu i"rts which crown
these hills, it s evident that the port. the tice' III Il.
and possibly the town its"lE would he commanded,
and from such n point. if one" attained the whI!'
place az the mercy vi the cneGy for hr feet could
easily be burnt III the harhnr by sics nnt rockets.
and such Il cnnfrgratinn would soon extend 10 tie
town itself. The principal fort OH the North ride Al!
the harb0r is large octa.onal battery the height
which is described unfinished in the plans recent"
published; nearer 20 the end OF the prumontory, ND
still on the height, is the telegraph battery Of u gll-
and probably some other ticd-workS or rn'rcnrl-
mcnts hav- been thrown up nn thr line OF hills But
i, must hc observed thu; this portion of tEc town II
| not defended by any external wall "r by Any inpcGi-
ment which stop the energetic assault ~ our s"'
arrs. The relcbrurrd marine forts OF Constantine
Alexander and Sicons situated on the level OF
the sea, a! of have taken 10 part in re-
sisng attack fr!n III" higher ground behind then
The possession "i THAI upper ground s Therefore, d..
csvc H. 20 The fate OF SeDasfop"'; and with the az.
thtslasm w!!ch pcrvndes the allied army, arrAyrt
against the Of objection and defeat o the Rns-
sianS we bcev. hut this point has been carried with
out hc delay vf regular siege. This would explain
tho immediate rni unexpected fall Of the place, AMI
trust :t'" more hour will give us authentic IN
| formation ot ts great achievement.
fFrD!n lie Lon.ion Cir yuc!c, Oct 81
We feel the fullest assurance that Sebastopo he's
fallen and We look 10 receive. At ANY moment. intel
gence which shall place beyond all doubt that
splendid achievement of the allied armies. The BE-
lief Expressed on Saturday by the Emperor Napoleon
in the truth Of the glorious titngs i, shared we aro
informed by our own government aud by the Inr'
kish Ambassador here; but /, is nevertheless right 70
state that il rests at present on insufficient evidence,
1
claiming intelligence which certainly cannot be long
delayed. The conviction entertained by the aiLicd
governments this subject IL probably felt by ell
well informed persons both in England and France
and il is open 10 every To form his opinion
on the matter from the materials made public by the
Minister OF War. The excellent practice which had
been adopted by the Duke at Newcastle, Ot giving
Immediately the widest possible circulation 20 al!
liable intelligence, is peculiarly suitable 10 A wa
which has 30 powerfully enlisted the synpnth!c' ~
the entire nation. 1t not only evinces consideration
for the feelings of those whose friends and relative.
are engaged in The campaign, but it tend. 10 excite
that earnest national interest in the struggle, whic.
furnishes the surest guarantee of cheerful and saS.
tanned support. By taking this course. the govern
ment also give the most decisive answer {" the pre-
pOYerous charges by which it h!s been attempted
To misead the public Judgment upon their policy Gut
conduct. We are at length coming 10 facts, simple
and ineligible 10 the humbe est mind and no ngcnu;.
ty Of argument can prevent plain men from pufir%
the true and obvious Interpretation upon the events"
the war.
We may safely venture 10 affirm that AZ this mo.
ment doubt - felt at st. Petersburg thnn III
this country the actual or impending capture 0!
Scbnstopol. Nothing is certain than thnf, If am
event had occurred, however trivial which could
have been represented as check 10 the a"h nrny.
we should promptly hnvr heard ni II by m"hn- ~
the Russian telegraph II is believed that nrws Of o
landing of the expedition instantly conveyed by
way of Odessa To Gen. Prince Gorichrkoii; md uH.
Ill the telegraph stations hml been seized by he al.
lics. each subsequent stop IN the progress q" th" rn-
tiers would be reported with the utmost speed W int.
ever effect may be produced OH The purposes "' the
Car by the disasters lie has experienced, lie cannot
coucal from himself that the character of III. armies
has been ruined beyond recovery by the defeat on a."
Alma. In Walincha the Russian generals had Il diff
cult task to pcriorm--bcIng exposed, ut Il dI7fHnc"
from their supplies, II the assaults ot an enemy whom
they could never reach except Ut time and place q"
his own choosing In the Crmca, on the c"ntrHrE'
they were close In q vast sore'hOnse amply proyd"d
with every -ary-thclr position aG been select
rd and fortified with the utmost cArc-anfr IKE iie
Turks on the Danube, they only called upon 10
make Il stuu; defence. Yet, when the Cars forces
are again tested and under circumstances peculiarly
favorable to their cxcrtions, the only result i iInm"-
dinte nnd decisive defeat. We must not undcrvaine,
however even in thought q resistance which cos; III"
ullies 50 many brave and devoted men. The !Tleo
we have paid Tor success, IA heavy enough I" cpl!'
pel us to respect our ndvernares When We COT
slider the naturul advantages of the enemy .
position and reflect that it Was occupied 10y pL
army little inferior i'll strength u the allies. s't"">-
ly entrcnch,d, and covered by d powerful Ai.I''''
we may be sure that the enthusiasm md trnnee' o
the assuiants were taskei to the utuo-.. F"i dH o.
my fresh from such exploit as that 81 tt''iR 80
Russian lines the Alma, II" deed w.'"In me c'''h
pass OF human power can have been found too er4l.
Gus. If tho vc,ors pursued the routed -Hrny 10 th'
forts the nor, side oi the hsrOor' y a'p:e s"
possible that they may have suc';'s.iGty e'or!GcA
them, and the fcet aid CITY would Len have teen
expo,.d wthou, defence. The confidence OF victory
and the rivalry Of the three allied arur'' nusi hay
4: ,if wi
nrnc,ir,II, Surr;thin. mI=t always depend e. u
prcrsous, on acrcn- which may clt!er sSor or o0-
s,ruc, the efforts OF the attacking pariy: but u tEo
absence Of auy unlocked for diihcH!ty, Tie so'Itr,