Southern shield., 1855-05-26

sszAs
 These details certainly indicate the steady progress of the scientific opera tions of this most extraordinary seige, under difficulties which may truly bel said to be unprecedented, but we are leftin the dark as to many points which are scarcely inferior importance to that general and final result which mainly interests ourselves and all the world. I've do not know the extent or nature of thersteres and reinforcements which the Russians still receive from the in- terior, the condition of their guns, the lsupply of ammunition, or the realstate lof their army; for in place not yet invested, 1t is impossible to surmise, to what extent the enomous consumption and the frightful losses of such a seize can have been repaired. The Crimea itself is unproductiye, and every article brought to Sebastopol since the sea ! has been closed, must have been trans ported from Cherson, distance of 250 miles, overland.
 It appears to be, on the whole, for tunate circumstance that at the very moment of this attack, the weather again become rough and rainy, for the valley of the Tchermaya, being flooded, completed our line of counteryallation, and protected us from any attack on the side of Balaklava. The Turkish and Egyption forces, which have now arrived, and are under the charge of Omer Pasha in person, prove a valua- ble addition to the allied armies; they efectually cover Balaklava, and, wheth- CT the bombandment be followed by a partial assault of the town or by oper- ations in the field, we have no doubt these troops will perform essential service.
 Happily, the losses hitherto sustain ed by the allied armies in the course of the bombardment are inconsiderable- when compared with the extraordinary extent of the fire on both sides. The object of cannonade of this nature is rather to destroy guns and silence bat teries than to destroy life, and accord ingly the actual loss to tie army, Is 1 frequently less than it would be in an hours skirmishin front of the trenches. It is clear, therefore, that on the ter imitation of this extraordinary fire, which had already been prolonged for more than ten days, the allied army cannot relapse into state of inaction, and that the Generals in command of the expedition must have prepared their plans in the event of the non- success of the cannonade. An attack of this nature never reduces a fortified town which is vigorously defended; and Se- bastopol has long since been exposed to all that can be inflicted on 1t by a storm of projectiles. Everything de- fpends on the vigor of the next step, and the promptitude with which 1t is taken, for the Russians have shown so much activity in repairing their former losses and disasters, that the only chance of success Is to take immediate advantage of the impression made upon their works.
 The duration of such fire as that which opened on the 9th April has its natural limits, and it is easy to com pute the vast consumption of ammuni- tion from guns each firing 120 rounds per day. The moment must, before this, have arrived for different and more enterprising movement against ] tie enemy, If { ;T;'e are to entertain the hope of reaping any. advantage from these vast preparations and long con tinued efforts. The army has not on- 1 ly improved and consolidated its posi- tion Sbefore the town, but it has also the means of action beyond. We have some reason to believe that q success ful cavalry reconnaissance had already been made by Omer Pasha. The 10th Hussars had arrived at in the Criinea; and, although we cannot venture to expect tidings of the immediate fail of Sebastopol, we trust the allied forces have now entered upon a period of active operations which will not end without s decisive and glorious result. DIED At his residence, in this county, on Monday, the 14th inst, MARTIN IlooMis, aged