Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-11-22
THE DEFENCEs or sER.sTopor.

From tue journal des Debats, (Pafis) Oct 2G1
The so OF Sebastopo consists OF q series of platforms
running up steep ACTIVITY from the the high hills
which tower over IL at tho distance of league and
hall. aud nom the top OF which is unlodcd tho whole pa
noraina Of the town aud hirbor. Nearer that ensemble
ceases TO be visible and even the of the mas. are no
longer seem deeply does the sink down ID the level
Of tho ro'd.tead and OF the port From this
OF the ground CONES to that the il built one
part over the other to fOIm ampithoatre Ike
Agie but better bulls A. It's construction /. quite mod.
ctn dating from 1890 Tic transverse streets parallel
20 the ioAi-cld, communicate with each otbgr only by
steep accents; hut a their extIeties there sre lines of
communication of less abrupt character for vehicles
The town contains several monuments and among Others
hs churches, ard principally all the buildings OF the ma.
Wy inc ai-eni', tie barracks aud the hospitals. The
population IL ABOUT 10000 IN ordinary times including
2nO'O fo.dicrs or SAILORS The 10000 civil Inhabitants
are employees OF al knisp from tho nav and the
army on hall pay, few shOpbeepers and workmen
'd fishermen. The reader must bear In mind this fact
that not one Of The great forts situated outside the town
OH the habor can protect L. against attacks by land and
that the two batteries Of the Quarantine, situated al the
lower part OF the outward ground, cannot aid 10 its
defence. When the Russian government conceived
tho plan Of great fortified place command the I,ia
sea, had all these Tort. constructed at immense
pense and the double aud ipe stories of their casemated
batteries give them such formidable aspect that hoy
have been even compared TO the Qualifications Of Mslta
The fOadstesd aud port are in fact almost un
by sea, but the itself never fortified all that
was done being 10 draw round IL weak wall merely ns
fenced TO protect IL against coup do main. The Rus
sian Cabinet could have been imagined then that an
Anglo French army Of 100000 would day land
IN the Cfmea to lay siege to Sebastopo At present.
that extraordinary fact is being realized 10 tho
Gus manner has been necessary TO think Of forying
the town on the land SIDE aud that Is what tho Russians
have been doing for tho last three months.
The Quarantine Bay the west Tho extreme left Of
tho attack is defended by the double battery OF the
banc Near that spot IL Fort Alexander aud by the
side OF that fort battery called tho Battery Of Sebaso
pol because II forms part Of tho town selE Pom this
battery runs crenelIs,ed wall for musketry, about Ave
eghths Of an English milo IN length which up the
steep hill to the top, where il large round fort With 20
guns On the platform, aud surrounded below by battery
Tho rampant OF which Is twenty feet high The wall and
Tie bastiob have ditch IN front, but there IL neither
covered way nor gacis in front Of this ditch The French
being charged with tic attack on the leh will probably
have to lombard the fort, after which they will command
The bay ns well as the Quaantono Battery aud the
Whole Of tho western side Of the town. But they vii
have other obstacles overcome before arriving there
Under the cannon Of the round fort 10 situated large fer