The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-09-07
The News from Europe.

waiting the receipt of the Atlantics letters.
The News from Europe.
Once more we have to complain that the
British and French presses, in their anxiety to
keep the spirit Of the people up to the war
point, have ventured upon gross exaggerations
and misstatements Of fact. Neither the attack
on Swcaborg, nor the battle of Traktir Bridge,
on the Tchernaya, were operations of the mag
nitude represented. Nor have the Allies
achieved any such successes as we we're led by
the accounts by the last mail to suppose.
The bombardment Of the Russian fortifca-
ton at Swcaborg, which began on the 9th of
August, and lasted till the 18th, must be
classed with the four commandments Of Sebas-
topol, so tar as net result is concerned.
Though the preparations for the attack had
been in progress more than a year, and it is
fairly to be presumed that both French and
English did their best ; though the fire might
well be called, in the language of the defender
of Sebastopol, an "infernal fire." and for
hours together the rockets were rained upon
the place at the rate of thirty per minute, it
is quite certain that the Russian batteries
were not destroyed or silenced, that the feet
could not penetrate into the bay to attack
Helsingfors, and that the Russian loss was
quite insignificant. So far as strategical con-
sequences are concerned, the operation was a
mere waste of gunpowder. 1t is true that
some buildings we're burnt, and that by using
metal with a long range the Allied loss was q
mere nothing but we have the pregnant ad-
mission of the London Times that the bat
teries-the only really important part Of the
works--are in as good condition as ever. Ill
indeed does our British contemporary conceal
its annoyance at the CALLING fact that the
Allied fleet had not gained single inch of
ground, or advanced q single inch nearer to
the capture Of Helsngfors. How the Russian
loss comes to be so small is incxplicable It is
well known that last winter Sweaborg was garri-
soned by force of $4,000 men, and as no por-
ton Of the works has been abandoned it is not
reasonable to suppose that the garrison would
have been diminished on the approach of an
attack. How can we explain an " internal fre'
raining for five days on a fortress containing
over $4,000 men, and only killing forty, and
wounding 100? circumference is very strong
that the fire Of the Allied feet was not nearly 80
destructive as they represented that the bulk
of the shot fell harmlessly upon the fortress,
or failed to reach it and that the Russian
official journal is correct when it briefly sums
up the net result OF the operation in the
words "All our batteries are intact"
Similar proofs of exaggeration are brought
to light by the. Geographic dispatches relating
to the affair of Traktir Bridge on the 10th Of
August. The mails from Sebastopol contain
ing the full accounts Of this battle had not
come to hand when the steamer left, and our
information is still scanty. But we can CLEAN
enough from the Geographic messages
of Pclissier and Gortschakoff to perceive
that the affair was by no means the great
battle it was represented to be. 1t seems
to have resembled reconnaissance quite as
much as battle dams les regles. Volunteers
we're called for by General Gortschakoif, and
when 1000 presented themselves, strong
force Of foot, horse and artilery-the English
and French accounts say five divisions Of foot,
with 5000 horse straightforward despatched
to support it. The attack was made on the
heights on the bank Of the Tchernaya and the
efforts of the Russians appear to have been
directed to the capture of Traktr Bridge.
Unfortunately for them, they were obliged to
cross ravine before they reached the French
lines, and while there, they were massacred
by the Allied artillery from above. But there
is no need of entering into Typographical des-
criptions to account for the repulse. Rus
slams have never succeeded in capturing a
place defended by Western troops, unless they
were in overwhelming numbers. They were
driven back, and while recrossing the ravine.
we're again severely cut up. Gortschakotr
says that he drew out his men on the other side
of the stream and waited Tor the attack of the
Allies. But no attack was made
1t will be remembered that the telegraph
stated that the Russians had lost 900 men
who were taken prisoner besides a heavy
proportion of killed and wounded. 1t ap-
pears that the total number CT Russian pri-
soners taken on the 10th was only 600s and
though Pciissier figures up the dead at over
5000, some allowance must be made for the
libcraliiy of an enemy's calculation. On the
other side, toward the Malakoni no change has
taken place The Allies complain that it is
very difficult to continue their workings under
so heavy lire. and the best informed cores
pondents despair Of taking the MaakofG
Notwithstanding Queen Victoria's visit to
France, the popular feeling in both France
and England vas sulky New complaints Of
aristocratic Encouragement in the camps had
broken out; and Sir Charles Sapier's letter on
inc hombardment cf Sweaborg bad not con-
uiauted to allay the public d.'~atiaias tion |
With tic ruling powers.