The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-01-26

L.
FRIDAY MORNING. JANUARY e, lass
AN AMERICAN SEA CAPTAINS OPINION.
The Boston Journal publishes the following letter
from the Captain Of the American steamship Ben.
5smin Franklin, now employed a. a transport In
tho BLACK Sea-
kAMEIsH, CniMEA. Dec l2. 1854 The Mace
from which date this letter, expecting to be the
bSarer oil my own dispatches az far az Constanii-
nope To morrow, ie the post occupied chiefly by
The French, rs Bslaklavs Is by the English, and Il
about seven miles distant from Sebas,opol The
hareor 10 excellent and well projected from the
southwest gales which are the most violent winds
of the Black Sea.
There are now in port $50 transports, besides
some IA or 70 men.of war Most of the former
are stationary store ships, many of which have
been lying here since the occupation OF the port In
October. There are besides now ia the harboT
several stesmers Ia the service OF the government
which IKE my own are discharging or receiving
csrgn and troops. OF the latter, we brought about
400, and every day brings fresh arrivals OF them
Being chartered to give all our capacity to The
service of the government. the full benefit OF th G
term is taken, and after filling nearly the whole
ship with cargo excepting the coal bunkers the
the decks are crowded withtroops.
Now for the "seat of war; Here we arc, where
death shots falling thick aud fast,
Like lghtnings from the mountain cloud"
don't hit very often, however. But the noise is all
around US. by walking three or four miles, a sale
and convenient SPOT may be selected where the
camps and Sebassopol may be seen. Our engineer,
being an inquisitve Yankee and wishing "to see
just how things were, because he knew he should
be asked al home" became very nearly unable to
give the desired information, as q shell dropped
within yard or two of him, and covered him with
dirt He picked up piece of 1t for Barnum, and
has not extended his walks in that direction since
Ihsve no doubt you are all waiting TO hear by the
next steamer" of the fall of Sebastopol. Now
mind, may be mistaken, but you will W ait while
longer. The siege drags heavily. No general at
tack has been made, and none can be made The
force In Sebastopol 10 supposed to be no more than
5000 men, but there are at least 100000 men
lowering abou. within few miles or leagues i
general attack on the fortress would bring this i'm
mense herd down on the protected ports OF Baak-
lava and Kameish. and upon the rear OF the be-
sisgers. In fact the allies may now be considered
as the beseged Sorties CONTINUALLY made upon
their outworks from the forts and the only wonder
is that they are moi more often attacked by the
force outside.
A tremendous firing Yves heard from 5 O'Clock
till midnight last night, and appears This morning
that the Russians made sortie aud were fepGlsed
but carried OF two guns VITA them. AS yet there
are no sigma OF provisions falling IA Sobastopo
and though the aqueducti is cut Oil, they get supplies
by night from across the bay. Ii seens that they
might receive reintorcenlents ths way Ii they re-
quired them, which they do not. There are re-
ports that part OF the outside icrces retiring tor
want OF provisions.
This, however, Is very doubtful. One thing is
CERTAIN that tbs allies are not very Comfortably sit
uated The French fare better than tie English
in tnis respect for have already bsgr til
id eas OF food are peculiar; they more accus
toned to poor diet, ano can be brave OIL a moudy
biscuit and little sour wine whereas beet and
porter have to do with an Euglishman ) pluck. Be-
sides. the French are better provided with tents
ard clothing and hospital stores. Still there is much
sickness among them well as among the En-.
glish, though not to the same extent The Crimea
hereabouts is q dreary, inhospitabe country al
la nd q hay vet oh ~ gar
ried out the Moscow system and RACED every ham
let to the ground that could possibly afford shelter
The great mistake the allies have made, (unlcss
the mistake of und 'rtakng this a greater
one,) was that of not attacking Sebastopol earlier
and with greater force at the outset. There are
now, about 10000 men on foreign soi, badly pro-
vided for, in the winter season, against 125 COO
tough natives, either In comfortable fortress, o'
with their own country behind them.
II is true that the ellies frequently receiving
reiniorcements, but death is busy at work likewise
and doing his utmost to keep the balance in his IA
vor Again, the Russians know that they are de
Tending their own country, whereas the French anC
English troops have very uncertain ideas of wha
they are lighting about, and evince but precious lit
tie enthusiasm
You have now the means of drawing your owl
conclusions.
CoNsTANTINoPLE December IA We left Ka
meish on the evening OF the 18th, and arrived here
to-day. Our destination hence is uncertain. but il
it is to be to the Crinea again, you shall have The
latest news
Yours. truly, RINGBoLT
EXPERIMENT RESPONSES The Toledo Blade, pub
ished in Ohio, tells the following:
Some funny things will happen in meeting few
evenings since widow, who was known by the en-
tire congregation to be gCeatly in want Of husband
was praying with great tervency. ooh! thou know
est what is the desire of my heaeti" she exclaimed
"A ma AM" responded brother, in a broad accent
Ii was wicked, but quite that aeveTa
grave members smiled on the occasion.
pride of appearance, in proof OF which we would
morning, and requested to her, which request he
was refused the grounds that she lot DIRE ssed
properly, promising at the tune to admit him in
the afternoon, when she would be presenta
ble-Atb. Knick., Jan. p
The roof of the Roman Catholic church g
TArrytown was blown off and rear wall thrown
down by the gale on Sunday night.
The stables of Gel r. II. Goodwin, of Columbis
8. c., were destroyed by FIRE Saturday mornin
last This Is supposed to have been the work of al
incendiary.
man OF Friday, states that it il the oplv iourns
IN the State which has hoisted the Whig Stat
Ticket.
The Maine Legislature have indefinitely postpone
susan Things petition for divorce, after learned an
full debate
MEDICINES.