The Press. — 1855-03-17 (London, England)

THE PRESS.  SATURDAY,  Garden, and Barrack Batteriea, have all been daily more or less strengthened, and there is every feeling in the allied camp that the defence will be as desperate as the means promise. The English troops appear to be daily recovering their health, the number of sick having fallen to 400 a week. The huts are being gradually erected, and we may fairly estimate that by the time the warm weather comes round they will be all up. The Guards have returned to Balaklava, and, relieved from fatigue duty, the men are slowly recovering their strength and health. The wretched remains of our cavalry and horse artillery are once more employed in carrying up shot and shell for the supply of the batteries. The attack is not expected to open until the end of this month or the beginning of April,—scarcely earlier, if any inference may be drawn from the French Emperor having deferred his visit to the Crimea during the past week.  The Baltic fleet is gradually collecting from the various ports at the general rendezvous at Spithead. So magnificent a fleet has never in the history of the world been seen gathered together before. The plan of the campaign is as yet in any other but the positive state. A flying squadron of light steam frigates is, we believe, to be despatched to the edge of the ice the moment the weather breaks; but for the ulterior operations of the campaign nothing is yet decided, and in a week or two more the fleet must be at sea!  From the Cape and Australia we learn that the fears for a renewal of the Kaffir war have subsided, and that the eme►ute on the Victoria gold fields had been put down, the ringleaders captured, and quiet restored. In connection with the news from the Cape is the intelligence that a razzia had been undertaken by the Dutch General PRE • TORIUS against some Kaffir tribes who had committed depredation and murder upon some of the extreme outstations of the Dutch settlers. The details of the Dutch General's operations are very horrible. The Kaffirs, it appears, had taken refuge in some extensive subterraneous caverns, in which the Dutch closely besieged them, and, after having failed to destroy them by blasting the rocks, literally starved them to death, after a strict blockade of some three weeks. Nine hundred dead Kaffirs were counted outside, and it was computed from the frightful effluvia which issued from every part of these vast caverns that the number of bodies within was far greater.  The parliamentary proceedings of the week have not been important. In both Houses Ministers have been called to account for the neglect of the Colonial Department during Lord JOHN'S absence, and have had nothing better to urge than that they believe it will not be long protracted. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER has begun his career by abandoning the Newspaper Stamp Act of his predecessor. He promises an entirely new meaelire, as it seems that in his opinion Mr. GLADSTONE'S bill was too bad to admit of modification. The measure for allowing marriage with a deceased wife's sister gave rise to some amusing discussion on Monday. One hit was made by Mr. DRUMMOND which produced more boisterous merriment than has yet been heard in the new building. He exhorted Mr. SPOONER, who supported the bill, to carry his principle further, and come forth like aman and marry his grandmother. Inextinguishable laughter followed this sally for some minutes. In the same debate Lord PALMERSTON made one of the escapades now common with him. The law of GOD, he said, had been previously settled by Act of Parliament. He was not successful in subsequently endeavouring to explain this strange expression. Last night Sir JOHN PAKINOTON introduced his educational measure, which was cordially received by the House. It is intended to refer this bill, together with that already introduced by Lord Joux RUSSELL, to a Select Committee, with the hope of producing an amalgamated measure, combining the merits of both. Later in the evening Sir. B. HALL produced his often promised bill for the Better Local Management of the Metropolis. He spent two hours in describing its details; the second reading is fixed for 16th April, when a strong opposition to it is anticipated.  The evidence of Lord LUCAN on Thursday was given in great detail, and, at least apparently, without any strong animus against the authorities ; but the Noble Earl's statements bore heavily upon the Quartermaster-Generals department, and with great force against Commissary-General