New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-06-21
THE CRI.rEAy WAR,

10 tntIr proceedings III INC CIilnea WEIGH cer-
tainly offers a favorable contrast to their
previous laundering ard vacillating course On
the heels of Sir Edmund Lyons's exploits in the
Sea Of Azoff We now have the news-broaght
By the arrival Of the Asia at Halifax yesterday
of the storm and capture Of the White Tower
and the Mamelon, with great slaughter on both
sides.
Precisely what fertilization is meant by the
White Tower we do not know. There was
fort known by that name On the southwest side
Of Sevastopol which was reported to have been
destroyed by the Allies last Fall, but afterward
turned out to be in tolerable condition. But
on this point We withhold further remark till
we are in possession of more complete details
from our correspondence and files Of European
journals With regard to the Mamelon and its
capture we can now form some opinion. This
is one of series of three earth works thrown
up in February and March by the Russians far
in advance of their main lires. The first Of
these redoubts is that called selinghinsk on
Mount Sapun, an elevation east of the Careenins
Bay or between that Bay and the head of the
main harbor. For above four months this hill
was neglected, until On the night of Feb. 81
the Russians went there and began to throw
up o reoOubt. On the night of the 3D. the
Allies having paid attention to what was
going on, the labor was renewed, and
with such effect that Gen. Canrobert deter
mined if possible to put an end to the hos
tile enterprise. For that purpose force of
Zouayes and Marines under Gen. Monet CALAMITY
attacked the hill about o clock on the morning of
Feb. "a. The Russians made desperate re-
sistance, but were driven from the redoubt with
great slaughter on both sides, and the French
remained in possession. But when day dawned
the victorious Zouaves found it impossible to
keep their new position. In short, it was COM
manded by the Russian main lines and was d.
rectly exposed to their fire. Sapun was accord
ingly abandoned by the French and was reoc,u-
pied, strengthened and armed with cannon by
the Russians. The latter next proceeded on
March IL to throw up another similar work on
another hill-south of their lines and nearly
600 Yards in advance of the Malskoff bastion-
between the Careening Bay and the inner har-
Dor. To this hill, from its form, the French
gave the name of Mamelon it has been the OBJ
ject of heated conflicts, but the Russians have
maintained possession until now. Between it
and Sapun third redoubt has also been erected
BY them and the three have been connected by
trenches The whole were intended to serve
more as offensive contemporaries against
the besiegers than as adding any positive
strength to the defense. They are all flanked
and commanded by the Russian lines, and espe-
cislly by MalakOff.
The value of the Mamelon to the Allies de-
Ponds entirely on a point with regard to
which we have no definite information. This is
whether they have also erected and armed bat
teries to engage Malakof and the rest of the
Russian main lines. If they have, the reduction
and silencing of the MamelOn will not only re-
lieye them from its harassing fire, but will ena-
BILE them, so soon as they have taken the other
two abandoned works, to carry their trenches
considerably forward toward the main ditch
If they have not, the MamelOn will have to be
abandoned now as Sapun was on Feb. "a, and
may be reoccupied by the Russians the ne1'
night. On this question we must wait for more
complete information. We knew from the cor
respondence of The London Times that as late
az Nav 81 no such batteries were In existence;
according to that authority, the allied lines
must then have been as much as 200 yards or
more from MalakOff but what was done be-
tween that time and the time of the assault we
shall learn, we trust, by the mail of the Asia,
which will be due here tomorrow morning.
How far the capture of these two fortifics-
tons justifes the exultation which our dispatch
shows it has caused in England, it is hardly
necessary to state. 1t is certainly something
toward the reduction of Sevastopol; but CON-
pared with the whole of that immense under
taking it is like grain of sand IN bushel.
Gen. Canrobert thought that to carry the place
by storm, would involve the loss of 10000 men;
and considering that there are three regular
lines of defense, that each street is barrlcaded
and armed with cannon, and each building loop
hooled, and that the Russians would fight there
better and more effectively than anywhere else,
that estimate does not seem exaggerated. But
in spite of all Boosting and excitement at Lon
don and Paris, we do not yet believe that the
allied Generals have an idea Of attempting to
storm the place until after campaign in the
field the defeat Of the Russian army in two or
three pitched battles and the definite cutting
off of supplies and reenfOrcements coming to
the garrison by way of Perekop. Still there is
Just now some show of probability in favor Of
an assault at an earlier day.
With regard to the value of the successes In
the Sea of Azof we have already expressed our
opinion and see no reason to change it. Bat