True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-08-08
Foreign Nows.-Prospect Of the seige.

be able to annihilate the vast earthworks
of the enemy with as much certainty as if
they were constructions of masonry, but
by the aid of heavy shells pitched vertical.
ly into their redoubts, we can SO search
their defences that no troops can live in
them. The works Of the opposing armies
are now pushed close to each other, they
range it now to an inch, and under such
circumstances, the ascendaucy in artillery
must be nearly equivalent to the ascendel-
cy altogether. 1t is plain that the Russians
see their danger, and that they are exer-
ting all their ingenuity to avert it. Our
correspondent states that in the Mamelon,
which is good specimen of the works to
be encountered, there were found funnel
shaped pits, into which shells may ROLAND
burst, together with bomb proof excava'
tions, into which the men could retire.
Although, however, the enemy will no
doubt avail themselves of all such expe-
dients with the skill which they have hith-
erto displayed, the means of attack, under
present conditions, must exceed those of
defence. The allies, in fact, have advan-
ced closer and closer to the works of the
place; their artillery has opened, on sue
cessive occasions, with greater and greater
power, and the Russians, who at first ass
erted something like an equality in this
respect, and long maintained the conquest,
are now fain to withdraw their guns un-
der our fire, and to confess or pretend them
selves silenced 1t is scarcely possible,
indeed, that the resources of Scbastopol,
however vast they may have been, should
not be exhausted by exertioRs so prodigious
and SO protractcd; and, while the allies are
constantly receiving accessions of strength,
and improving their communications in all
directions the Russians are becomingmore
eaectually isolated day after day.
DIFFICULTIES OF THE SIEGE.
We do not attempt to disguise either
from ourselves or the public the difficulties
still presented by this unexampled siege.
In strict truth, it is no siege at all--it is a
campaign against a powerful army, acting
on its own territory, protected by chaln
Of strong entertainments, resting upon an
enormous arsenal, and, what is still more
extraordinary, assisted by the guns Of a
fleet. 1t is scarcely correct to speak OF
Sebastopol as Siugle town, so various are
its divisions, and so diversified the divis.
ions they include, In the siege ofan Or
dinary place, however strong, there is u.s.
uAlly but one enceinte or chain ofprotectlng
works to be penetrated, and when an en-
trance is effected at any point of this forti-
fed circumference, the town is taken. En-
gineers select the weakest or most promis-
ing point of the works for their attack; they
make an opening with batering guns, "the
assault is then delivered, and, if success
ful, there is an end of the affair.
But at Sebastopol we may succeed in
efccting an entrance or lodgmcnt without
accomplishing the whole work in hand, for
there are forts and batteries of all kinds,
divided from each other by creeks and ra
vines, and admitting of separate and indie
pendent defcuce. Thus, in the late attack
General Eyre and his brigade actually go'
through the outer line of works, carried the
batteries first opposed to them, and fairly
entered the town. About the gallantry O
this most creditable action there can be nc
question, but the extent to which the sue
cess admitted of improvement was unfortu
nately not put to the test of trial. On thu
other hand, works so disposed as those a
Sebastopol are liable to be commanded Ont
by the other; SO that the capture Of on'
may facilitate, if not Insure, the capture o
more. The Malakof Tower for instance
commands the Redan, and probably othel
works in its vicinity, indeed it is regarded
bv our engineers as the key to the Who'll
position in that quarter.-Ttmes
C,,,o,,,or,1 nc TornioeY, Tntnlliunnnn