Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-01-10
A Msek Latter from Europe.

The steamer Asia arrived at Halifax on the Sd
inst. with dates from liverpool to the 23d OF De
cember, being week later than previous &C
counts.
The bill for the enlistment of 40, 600 Germans
had civen rise TO angry discussions in Parliament
II was opposed on the ground that the enlistment
of sreion mercenarieS would be violation of tine
principles ofneutrallty and might b taken advan-
tare Of by Russia to hire priyateers in the United
States. The bill was read the third time IN the
House of Commons on the 22d and passed by a
majority of thirty-eght votes. The measure is
said to be repugnant to the feelings OF tue peo-
Lord John Russell hal made speech in which
he anticpa,es an alliance with Austria, offensive
and defensive. before opening the next cam
pagn. me-. -.
has sent a special envoy to L0ndun to establish
conditions lur treaty with England aud France.
Affairs at Sebastopol remain unchanged. lhe
weather. continued very bad. and much sickness
prevailed. The roads were still almost impasSa-
BILE. Reinfurcements, however, continue to reach
9th armies.
The correspondent Of the London Times. VIII
TING from Sch .sopol, gives gloomy picture OF
the condition of the Allies. The siege was prac-
tically suspended, the batteries used up, and the
army exhausted. but quite able to hold It's posi-
ton and chastise its assaIlants.
A dpsperate affair occurred between the ChaS-
seurs de VincenneS and the Russian rtlemen IN
the night of the 22d The French penetrated be-
hind the outer entertainments of the Russians and
established themselves there for time, but, a'
there was no preparation for general assault
thew withdrew. On the 26th OF November an
other conflict took place between the same par
ties. The 9th was quiet, and preparations tor a
renewal of the bOmbardment were pTorreSslng,-
THE RusSiCn deenees were much Strengthened
during the storms.
On the 2Sth and Doth desperate sortles were
made by the Russians upon the French. and
were repulscd with considerable losses on both
sides. During the night of the ooh sortie was
made on the French by the Russians, two thou
sand strong. The French (Seven hun ired) 81
lenily mounted their paraps,, and their battery
having received the Russians with deadly vol
lev, leaped down and attacked them with then
bayonets, compelling them to retreat. On thC
3Oth of November there was heavy fire on the
French during the night. The Grand Duke
Michael was observed making reconnaissance a
distance of one thousand yards. Flags OF truce
were exchanged respecting money Tor the prison
erS.
On the lst Of December there was more rain
The state Of the roads prevented the arrival o
supplies. A part of the British forces were TEN
porarily on short allowance. The deaths from te
yer and cholera amounted to sixty men daily
On the ID there was continued RAIN Deserter
represented the condition OF the Russians In tn
field to be worse thar the Allies. There wa
much bell-rnging and rejoicing in Sebasiopol du
ring the night supposed to be on the account
the arrival Of provisions. The fifth sortie asa'ns
the French was repulsed with much loss.
The Paris Muniteur says that the eslegei's bat
teries have been re-established and before three
DAYS the firing will be resumed, and that the Al
lies are sufficiently entrenched and Provsoned Il
remain throughout the winter.
A Russian despatch of the 18Th December
states that nothing important had occurred; SOME
small sorties were successful. In one the iIuS
slams captured some small morlarS aud spiked 9th
ers that were larger. The fire Of the Allies was
feeble. The Russian delences on the southwark
were estimated to be one hundred guns stronge
than when the siege began.
On the other hand, it is said the British had e
rected powerful new battery, not ye, opened. OF
an eminence north of the valley OF snkermaDn
commanding every house in Se5asioppl. beside
being another step towards the complete invesur
of the place. 1t had been observed that the iIts
SLAMS were arning the ships ut SeHaSioPoi with
view of attempting surprise by sea-