Georgetown weekly news., 1855-05-31
Arrival Of the Sierra Nevada.


The Nicaragua steamer Sierra Nevada
arrived from San Juan del Sur on Saturday
morning, at 8 O'clock having left on the
evening Of the 18th inst with upwards of
500 passengers; and during the entire dis
tance from the Gulf of California has met
with incessant gales from the n W., with
tremendous head seas, retarding her arrival
at least two days.
The domestic news is not very important
but the European news is highly interest
ing.
The SIEGE OF SEBAsToPoL-Fro the
18th to the oath of March there was al
most continual skirmishing and some regu-
lar battles. We have not room this week
for the details, but give the following brief
summary from the London Times Of April
fifth:
The arrival of the Sim0ts from Constan-
tinople at Marseilles confirms statement
which had been in circulation for the last
AS hours, that sklrmlsh or engagement oi
more than ordinary Importance had been
fought under the walls OF Sebastopol on the
night Of the I'D of March. General Can
roberts last preceding despatch, published
by the French government, mentioned that
he was endeavOring to advance by regular
approaches against the fortified MameIon
now occupied by the. Russians in iroIt OF
the Malakhoif Tower, and that repeated
though unsuccessful attempts, had been
made by the enemy to interrupt these works.
The MaiakhOff Tower, and the redoubts
which now protect it, have all spruug into
existence under the eyes Of the yesleging
army; and the interest OF the siege turns al
the present moment on the fate of a single
position. which at the the time of our earlier
operations presented no serious obstacle to
our engineer. No sooner, however had the
superior Importance of the Alalakhoff Tower
been aScertained, and works direct against
it, than the Russians contrived with great
boldness and skill to take up fresh ground,
on which they have hitherto resisted the at
tacks OF the French army. The French, on
the other hand, felt that their honor was
concerned i'll the destruction of work
which had foiled their previous efforts; and
the task of reducing it, remained, at their
desire, chiefly in their own hands. 1t seems.
however, that on the 22d Of March, the Rus
slams thought it practicable to defeat this
attempt by a vigorous sOrtie, and an en-
gagement ensued III which some portion OF
our troops must have taken part, since we
have unhappily to record the loss of officers
of the 34th. the 1th and 9th British regi-
ments. The loss of the French is stated to
be 600; and according to the dispatch print
ed by the MOnteT yesterday, that of the
Russians was about 1900 IN killed and
wounded. We are not, however, at present
informed of any positive result of tins ell
gagement, or for the numerous skirmishes
which are Of nightly occurrence.
Great valor and enterprise have been
shown on both sides, but it is impossible not
to lament with more than ordinary regret
the loss Of men killed in nocturnal affray.
followed by no other consequence than the
repulse Of the enemy. We, the besiegers,
are still endeavoring to prevent the ap-
proaches and resist the attacks Of the be-
sieged; and, although every foot of ground
is tiercely disputed, the lines Of the enemy
oiN Oll Jul entertainments, lIlSltdU
OF our gaining on the outworks of the town.
The number of guns now in position in
batteries is so large, and the stores of anu
milton ready to open the fire upon Sebasto-
pol so enormous, that very large force is
required at all hours to protect these extern
Slve preparations from the sallies of the en-
emy In fact, our own siege material is now
one OF the membranes which clog the op-
eratlons OF the allied armies, and before any
other course of action can be attempted the
engineers must have tried the full effect of
those vast engines which they have had at
last directed against the place The amuni-
ton, solid shot, hollow shot, and rockets,
must be spent, for they can neither be
brought back into store nor left where they
are. The heavy iron guns will be worn out
and comparatively worthless; when they
nave discharged their 300 or 400 ROUNDS
each OF these enormous projectlles. Should
the effect OF this tremendous fire answer the
expectations which the assurances oil the
engineers would lead US to entertain, 1t may
be followed by the tail OF the place; Dut at
any rate the experiment must now be tried,
and we must await the result.
nag Attention is called to the advertise
ment in another column of VIM. q. BADGER,