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FOREIGN CRlMT, AND CREDULI…
FOREIGN CRlMT, AND CREDULI TY. ( Frri.n I he f'uivrrll;(1 Mazuziw ) 'S ,-harac-: are IIO-V ere MW? c, thai b.f, the tr,II,HI •!». A th "1) in every nation tdt" evildoers »\>r r. a class apart, rIt-y .t¡il preserve th- features of their race, ex iggerated and di-to, ted. yet in both -erat-ons a rt distortions trno to themselves, and ;-r<s"iitin.: in full evidence the varied development* of p0pnlar t h it ae'er. Wi;h Wieir misdeeds are broujht into lijht the peculiarities oïtilc society to .vhic;i they hc-loi,g-strip-it d <if tieir atiect.Pion< ami disguises, exhibititiK in their natiie truth the passions, hab t., and feelings, which it woaid be difficult, but Cor this, to discern through the cloak of social conventionalities. In this way thn differences of the British and C01tinenl11 characters reiid'T intelligible the differences ill the regal t- tions which govern tbern, and which are evo y day explained in every way exccpt- the right cnf. Taken, ot course, with due fiMow nee, the great characteristic of:Hriti,1 crime and f., 11y is stupidity; tn*t "f continenal crime is vivacity. < With ug, the criminal and the dupe are commonly the stupidest of thfir kin.i-rhp one a clownish lout, fit tor no- tuinz hut killing sheep, snaring partridges, or robbing gardens the other, a gaping servant-mai l on the look out for a sweetheart, or an ignorant peasant cast into the huge streets of the metropolis, where he finds everything so wonderful tiiat lie is ready to accept any tale that may be Told him. Amid the town bred portion of the knavish eOlll- munity this observation applies with more modifications, but it is true in principle notwithstanding. OrtthcCor)- tinent, on the other hind, the knave. even in the mutiny, is commonly a man whose live'y cleverness has caused him to disdain the ordinary ways of getting a livelihood, or whose physical strength has given him a superiority" hich tempts him to all unrestrained use of the wild passions of the coo- tinental character. As for the dupe, he is usually a person of exalt-'d imagination, wi'o looks out for miracnbuis occur- rences, or who has thought so long on the wonderful and the unknown, that they have become to him a reality, and he is ready to lend a willing ear to any absurdity in his im- patience to grasp them The consequence it, that while crime and folly are simply despised in England, they meet with many sympathies among the population ah'oarf. Crime, more especially, is almost always accompanied either with pecuhar cleverness or great personal a iv images— things everywhere respect- able in t^e eyes of the vulgar, and yet more so on the Con- tinent than with us. The imaginative temperament of the South is equally ready to sympahise with the follies of the imagination. Hence justice abroad is deprived of theassist- ance of the favour of popular feeiiiig-it is forced to rely entirely on itself and on its own organisation, and in doing so it is compelled to measures which only serve to widen the breach, and to render the first unpopularity of justice still more odious. This war of the populace and the administration reacts upon politics; and hence much of the failure of all attempts at the proper ordering of liberty abroad The true foundation of liberty rests on the sym- pathies of the people with the law, rendering unnecessary a system of repression, which, nnder the pretext of destroying crime, is certain to be used in destroyng liberty. And thus, amidst all the boasted enlightenment of the age. not o:ie lolly has disappeared, not one credulity has been annihilated; and crime, so hr from diminishing, has doubled or trebled within the last few years in the most im- portant States of Europe. Taking France as the best speci- men, there is not a district without its sorceress or its radou- leur. The confidence in the supernatural power is mixed up with the popular ideas and the popular action with as little restraint as in the middle ages and the charlatan, so far from dreading modern science, only takes advantage of its discoveries to impose yet further on the vulgar. I f open crime and violence have diminished among the upper classes the knightly robber of old times has been replaced by the "terror of the neighbourhood"— the peasant ef Herculean form, who keeps a whole country in awe, against whom no one dares to hear evidence, and even the authorities proceed with extreme caution. We have selected from a vast mass or case; a few of the most striking, all illustrative of the crime and credulity of modern society oil the Continent. The instances have, without exception, been taken from the judir ial anna's of the last two years, and form in no way the exceptions to the ge- neral character of s;mi!ar occurrences. The tacts they show may be a trifle more glaring and piquant than the co,nnon rtin of such tilings; but they are precisely rhe same in prin- ciple, and cannot be excepted against as unfair represen- tations. Wiesecn», a Prussian doctor, established himself in on- ol the most fashionable quarters of Paris, as a worker of mira- cles. For ten years he succeeded in persuading persons of respectability that he received daily communic itions Irom the good angels." Ifacreditor applied to this ma-i for a debt, he was told thut the "good angels" forbade the pay- in "nt and with tills the creditors of this gent emen actually seem to have been satisfied. He received coinmunicati >ns from S'. John the Baptist, and even from Christ himself. He had a soul above the vulgar, and attempted to impose gpon none of the ordinary victims of charlatans — it was not wurth his while. His messages from above were sent to proprietors and persons living on their means. One 01 these, all old woman, sold a house for neatly lour ttious ind pounds, by order ot the good angels, and gave the doctor the money. He found himself thwarted hy the wife of another of his patients, and ordered the hosba"d to ta'<e from his wife tie management of his money tffairs. He was punctually obeyed, and the said money, a large amount, found its way into his coffers in consequence. In a few years he received nearly thirty-ifve thousand francs in hard cash, by order of his angels, besides satisfying a host of cre- ditors with angelic messages. He formed a p-iityforthe Duke of Normandy." a supposed Louis XVII-told them that the Duke would be restored to his throne by miracle, and that Paris would be burned in sign of the Divine ven- geance. The said res or ation w-is, however, not exclusively t-o depend on miracles; but, as means weere necessary, one alone furnished him with to accomplish it. ft has frequently been observed by French writers them- selves, that even at the same price the French peasant pre. fers the medical charlatan to the qualified practitioner; the supernatural adviser to the skilled agriculturist; and the village la.\yer, whose business is to make simple things complicated, to the Inlt" of character in the count. y town. The reason is, besides the love of excitement, that these men can sp ak the peasant's languag?—eat at the peasant's table —and act upon his sympathies, by means which seldom fail, olsnciol familiarity and good fellowship. The effect of hob- nobbing upon constitution is perfectly magical. Not unfrequently (tie ch;ii Ii!aii mixes up in his own per- son all the three professions—is the spiritual adviser, the doctor, and man of business of the credulous population. Cerberus of a new kind, he has the three mouths at once open for sops. There is 110 limit to the success of an able anventnrer when he has once fairlv started himself in his triple career, as may be proved by the following instance: — M..n sif ur Chesneau, of the Or had already been, to a certain point, made known to the public by a well- known novelist, Alphonse K»rr, when the trihunals com. pleted Ihe tale. This man had a special inspiration from on high,and, no later, than lastyear, lie preached and prophesied to ten shou>and honest peasants at a time. He cured the diseases of the whole country, by rubbing the patients with oil, over which he had muttered a benediction. In despe- Tate cases be would add a few grains olmllstard, and order a potion-instead of a lotion. One of his people brought him some oil for his frictions. Chesneau, a'ways original, said elHt if yas not the right sort for iiiiracle, but that it would serve him v. ry well for his salad. He rubbed the men in one room, and his wife the women in another. For the rest, perfectly honest, he letused all manner of lees. His real offence was preaching against the Roman Catholics; but ju»tice attacked him for illegal practices as a medical man, as they managed to interpret his rubbings and «crtibbings -with his mystical water. At his trial he answered every question out of the Scriptures, of which his knowledge was enormous; besides which, his daughter Mood by a huge Bible, to supply him with texts in case of necessity. Hun. dreds of the poor country people flocked to bear testimony A,, his miraculous cures. The patients were always put in contact, and sprinkled after the ceremony, with wat^r out ol the Cliet, a saered river, accoruing to M. Chesneau. This glorification of the liver added immensely to his popularity amongst the peasantry. Ir appears that no less than ten thousand persons had consulted Chesneau in the space of s x months and that some of the apothecaries of the dio- trict, in cases beyond their own management, had actually •ent their patients to the Prophet or Menetous." Besides curing the sick, C'hes em ct lebrated religious offices of. his own invention. Wearied with perpetual quotations from Scri: ture, the president of the Tribunal c: ied out impatiently We have no Bihie here." I can g ve you one," said Che?neaU, in perfect simplicity. One of the witnesses, wh>. said that he bad b-en c ubfooted, anti been perfectly cured by the aiiointn g of the prophet, produced, by way of proof, a cru:ch. I i the districts bordering upon Germany, at the present m;Miient there is not a community without its sorceress, who performs, ain(nirst other functions, that of confessor 10 the i"h3hi'õlnts. N"t long ago in one of the most peaceable and beaut fu)y valleys oi the Rhine, the valley of Alunster, a family lived togrthtrin the f tshion unfortunately socjimnon 111 France. It consisted of two sisters, the hnshind of om- (Jf them, and the avowed lover of both. The liu-shand 01 tie second sifter was a released convict; his wile ha,1 refused to receive him. lie forced himsell into the house one evening, and wat permitted to sleep th re; the next morn- iu)/ t'ie lover knocked him on the head witn a club, and his sister-in-law Lilt h's tluoat, as she said, ,I to let in the air." His wife, terrified, went soine days afterwards to the so r- ceress for' an incantation against discovery. The »ecr»t was too much for the sorceress; sho spoke about the matter to several persons, and it came at last to the ears of the too much for the sorceress; sho spoke about the matter to several persons, and it came at last to the ears of the authorities. The susceptibility of the peasant exposes him to freaks of imagination, upon which every kind of external action im- presses its effect. A young country buck, one Buron, was in the habit of openly deriding religion; he was in thechurth of his parish, Prunay, one Sunday, with a knot of companions, who all conducted themselves after the most unseemly man- ner. The priest came up to Buron, and striking hlln on the shoulder said— You will repent this, my friend; the good God will punish you." Buron, seized with terror, fell in- continently ill for three years. According to his own word, he nev-r slept and roamed the fields, incapable of working. At last he met with a magnetic sorceress, whoprescnue.) for him some enchanted remedy, and he was -_e in » week. V ietecke mentioned above, had a house full ol dupes, l Klithmant in fine %tyltS waiting for the who kept up an est^n!i»iimenc m uur kingdom of God, which wa* to c«>ne s>>me (Jrl) iiuhrning, and thpn, said one of the part)', ltre \v\ e the end of our riches." The establishment was in *ome re- spects like the Bridg.-water Agapeinone. i lie table was lumptuously served, and an niple supply kept 01 carnages, horses, and other Jux<irie*« But it is lIoublfullf the crt"du- lity of Mr. Prince's Hock would have goue so far as to per- suade them to trust in incantations for making garters for going as far in eight days as others in eighty; for killing a.I the game one meets, without noise and f--r prevent.tig a fellow sportsman trom killing his own. for all this were in this Wieseck repertory. Here is one of them. T.ke a garter composed of two thongs; put between the two thongs the blood of a hare, kil ed the 25th of June, be- fore the rising of the sun at ea,h end of the gartei put the eye of a perch, and fling it in Water, holding in your hand a small siick of green oak, gathered the same day; then raise the stick, beat the air, and pronounce the word Amecl. ana you will be forthwith transported to th# [dace to which you desire to go. Such an inc fntatioft was proposed last year at Paris, and adopted by personso who co ild afford to keep carriages, horses, and a sumptuous table. The party had likewise a mysterious coffee, revealed to them out of a cloud by a girl they called Blanche, who was their celestial interpreter. This coffee had miraculous vimies, which they were willing to impart to the re-t of the woild, arid formed a company for the sale of theii celestial beverage. It cost them a large •am of money, which Oesecke took from thelpiriy, and then Informed them that St John Baptist had expressly lorbid- den him to hand it to th- creditors. It is really a strange spectacle in the nineteenth century, this knot of persons, IIOI more mad iii gt-ii. ral d tne-nour •than tne rest «f the w.>rid, waiting, at one and the game ."file, fi-r the revelation of the kingdom of God 111 a flash of Jigtttning, and the advent of Louis XVII 10 an earthly I ItitigI'ltii; and seasoning the whole with a speculation in .revealed coffee. This L,),,is XVII, by the way, was a maker o' 6'ework» in London—a very different man frrKn As ".JSII11, repeated *ivl daily devotions v. pre tiliilg'erf with vs ol profound un n .ra'ity; and th* d"<-toi coinpsl ed his patient- to read the Bi de, under thif influence of strong ex- citement. till he worked them into a state fit for anything. B,- this kind ot regimen he irritated the nervous sv-t.-m un- til b.' produced the UMIU! sti 01 mingled terror and attraction. His mysterious sei vint maid, Blanch shod- d red when he came near her, and r^n away three or four ti nes, but her exalted imagination noways compelled her to return. ( To be continued in our next)
[No title]
At a General Court Martial, held before Sebastopol, on the 18th of D-cemher, Private Francis Hagerty, 4th Regi- ment, was tried for having struck an officer and a serjeant, while in the execution of their duty. The prisoner was drunk. He was found guilty, and sentenced to 50 lashes and 12 months impi isooment with hard labour, which Lord Ragian confirmed, but remarks The offen -es of winch the prisoner has been very properly found guil y are of so serious a chapter as to justify the infliction of the whole punishment awarded hy the Court bur, in considera- tion ot the youth and inexperience of the prisoner, and the circumstances under which the ct lines were committed, and in the hope that his expressions of sorrow and contrition are sincere, the Comma uler of the Foices is induced to relllit a l punishment, and to award his pardon thus affording an immediate opportnni-y of showing, by his conduct, that he is rot unworthy of the lenity that is now extended to hi. n. The following picture of the Commander in-Chief's resi- dence at Balaklava, is from ".M.-ntt. in the Camp before Sebastopol. (Longman.) Lord Ragian's house was not much above the level of the g-neral wretchedness. Before th- door paced to and fro a hen try. whose gen-up was not a' all out of keeping with his situation, lie had a soiled re I coal; its ragged worsted tags were the reverse of ornamen- tal and its open collar showed neither stock nor shirt. His rusty black trousers gaped vainly here and therefor buttons, and were tuckeu up unceremoniously at the heels to keep dry. Mrs boots ivere the colour of the dust they trod on; so were his Saxon to. ks, and sunburnt face. Nevertheless, there was that about his quiet, honest bearing, which would, I think, hove proclaimed him, even without I the disiinctive red, a British soldier." rTOI. I lie trench soldier is naturally very ingenious, and it is t he who invented the tente-ubri. In Africa he shelters him- self from the heat of the sun by structures in foliage. Here in a new country he lias a new invention it is cold, rains, and blows violently and accordingly he digs in the earth a hole large enough to contain twelve or fifteen men; though wood is rare, he contrives to find it, and with it he roofs the hide, and makes a door. He also foi ms a staircase to the bf)tttijn of the liole, and when yott (lesc erid, you see a fire place and a pot boiling. My company has terminated all its hob s to day and my men Hre digging one for my non-commisiooed officers and myself. They have been nearly three leagues to seek for wood for the roof; they have been to the seashore, where the English vessels per- ished in the hurricane of the 14th ult. — Sebastopol. Letter in the Oourrier de Lyons. THE PIOUS CZAR AND MR. BRIGHT, M P.—T" the Editor ot the Examiner.—Sir—At a recent meeting :-11 Ruch. dale Mr Bright may have misled some of his hearers, by stating that the Czar, having not long since allowed a ship I ment of Binles and Testaments to enter Russia duty free, jjjiust be fairly considered a subscriber to the British Asso- ciation for the Promulgation of the Holy Scriptures. It were well .Mr Bright had been informed of the whole truth. The fact is ibis. The Emperor Alexand-r was ai c instant subscriber to the society, and during his reign. Bibles were allowed freely to circulate in Russia but when Nicholas came lo the throne, he nt oncedismissed the agents of the society who were settled at Moscow, and not only refused to subscribe himself, but prohibited any Bibles en- tering his territories, save in the four following languages, tering hit territories, save in the four following languages, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. I do not f el quite sure that English were excluded. Iu thenatio ;al language, viz., Russ, no Bible was nor is allowed admission, and The possessor 01 such a Bible incurs the penalty of death. As the higher classes alone are taught foreign languages, the pious Czar in this manner prohibits the grem ..ass of his subjects from becoming acquainted with the Scriptures. As to nis motives, they are evident, ani need no comment. Having derived this information tro;n competent Russian authority, I think it right the truih should he generally known, so that Mr Bright may on this subject deceive I neither his hearer* nor hirnfetf.-A LOVBR OF IRUTH.— Dresden, 1st January, 1855. BITTER ALB.—TO make one hundred gallons (if hitt r ale, use nine bushels of malt, or ten, if strength is desired; from Iwrnty-iluee to twenty-seven pounds 01 Kentish hops, ■ccording to the required degree of bitterness; three pounds nf camomile tinkers, stewed in ajar 81111 strained. Put the camomile flowers and hops in at the same time. Boil the malt .mil water till the liquor begins to fine itsell, and that is the time to add the heps and flowers, [i'ubh. nusare no to use
CORRESPONDENCE,
CORRESPONDENCE, ¡r, do not hold ourselves responsible far the sentiments of our Correspondents.
THE ATHEN'HUM AT TENBY. s
THE ATHEN'HUM AT TENBY. s SlR, — Obs- rvbig several letters in the Pembrokeshire rie-all, relative to the proposed Athenaeum at Tenby, and 1 allusion having been made 10 the Tenby Literary and Scientific Society, founded by Dr Wilbraham Falconer, and open to ail classes. I bpg" (o oLserve, 011 ,hat gentleman h-av- iug Tenhy. in 1847, 1 was elected president of the socipiv 1 and fioin that time till its diss dll ion I left no stone un- turned to promote its ol jects. I (j-.v. lectures on literary I and scientific subjects, induced parties to present books for IlIa use of its melll!,pr.. find. "I1"e" the sanction of the corn mittee. side ted and caused'to be purchased thf most useful ."rin'C11. and daily journals in 1.lct, my endeavours w-ve to give eff-et to the benevolent intentions of its learn d f.uoder, by diffusing usetul knowledge, illustrating the ad- I VHticpinent of science, alld inducing a thirst for knowledge, both local and general, amongst its members. The good effects of the "Tenby Literary Society" were becoming apparent, in having rescued sm.it from the ignorance which surround d tin m, as well at contributing to redeem olhus from the temptations ol vice in which they were involved when, for some reason or other (and at that time Tenby society was so constituted that reason was oftentimes contorted to answer partj* purposes and private prejudice*) the ar;niver5ary meeting was inefficiently .lltt>IHI"rl, and the el. ction of future oroLPrs rendere I irn- possible-, til -rehire the Society was declared defunct, although at the lillle of its dissidtniun there was a small balance in; favour of the Society in the hands of the treasurer, Yours, &c. H. B. C. 1 TILLER, M.D. THE FOUR p O I N T S. Sm,—rrosptcts of peace, i: really seeun, are neaier than we imagined. The news which arrived last week, that Prince Gortschikolf lias been put in possession of full powers, by the ( zar, to npgociate for peace on the basis of the Four Poimts. cannot tail to i-,iveexteritive satisfaction throughout Europe. Tie suspicion express»d in some quarters that this proceeding, if not intended to gain time, or at all events to diminish the- ardour with which the anta- gonists of Russia are making preparations for the ensuing campaign, may at least be meant to weaken, iri some way or other, the alliance recently cemented between the three ] Powers—England. France, and Austria, can scarcely be well-founded, unless fit, Autocrat is to be regarded as personally one of the most consummate hypocrites that ever existed. He ha«, but short time since, issued to his own I subjects a manifesto declaring that he will reject no offer of i conditions of pence compatible with the diunity of his empire and the happiness of his subjects; and the fact of his already accepting terms which not lone ago he refused con- lemptuously, has no mean signification as an apparent proof of sincerity on his part." No doubt, before negociations are concluded, and terms of peace signed, he will have to lower his viev\s considerably on some points which he perhaps now d ems essential io the "dignity" of his empire. He has ilreadv compromised it materially, as he and his subjects will find to their cost, and must, however galling to tneir pride, eventually admit. They may console them- selves, however, with the reflection that the sai rifices they will have to endure are necpssary to their future "happiness;" and the sooner the Cz ir c m bring himself to submit to the terms that may be imposed on him l>y England and France. the better, not only for Europe, but for tjie true in,;rrests of Russia, its, It, He certallllV- cannot regard with equanimity I the return of the powerful fleet which last year blockaded his Baltic pass■ ssions, and completely destroyed his com- merce. lis well knows it will now possess immensely in- creased resources for doing him m'schief, und that the people ef Eug'and are determined that they shall be used and that tLat the recent child's play will no: be repeated. Ilaving, then, no longH to expect anything but the most energetic proceeding's on theptrtof Englasd and France, it is just possible that he forsees the stuiggle will be a hopeless one, and thai be considers his best policy is at once to obtain peace on the best terms he can Yours, &c. S. A T THE CONDUCT OF THE WAR. SIR, You will greatly oblige me by inserting the follow- ing in your valuable journal. We havt-jaist arrived at the- commencement of another year, we have, as it were, seen the old year gliding into the aby>s of eternity, with the noiseless step 01 the "slippered pantaloon;" and the new year starting up into being, iejoiciii,- as a giant to run its course." All the doings 01 the late 365 days are done, never to be recilled. We may look back with regret, and a wish that we might re act our old parts; but this regret is un- availing. If we look back at each of our private lives during the past year, how unsatisfactory tncrtbethesfn- tence of our consciences; and to the conscience of each I would leave the audit. But as a nation how grievous are our peccadilloes. Ii has been said, (and in the main helds good) let bygones ce bygones but, surely, it cannot be wrong to hold up to the pit lie mind a few of the ridiculous misdoing- of our most in* ffijient Ministry, during the past twelve months. The Emperor of Rog-i ■, with tl e appetite of a doubb-mouthed eagle, having taken a fancy lor a little Turkev, in ti naied to his friend," the dalt scotch Earl that, as the puir birdie" was sick, nigh to political dis- solution, fio wouid lake immediate uroceedings to lay bold of two wrongs, as a material guarantee," previous to the entire annexation of the sick bird, to satisfy the craving- of a mo-t unsatisfiable maw. It so IliiPlwned that the British lion had an interest in the well-being of the poor Turkey, and so the daft Earl was ordered, in the lion's name, to grotrl dissent to the cutting up nf ihe puir bird;" but the "canf.ieScot"cou)d not. for the memory of auld lain; syne," believe the naughty tilings said ofbisfrenr old friend. So. instead of echoing the roni-of the British lion, he ven- tured to b-eathe a timid ho( e that the dear Emperor would not ruffle the frathers of the sick bird, when it would please | him t. teethe same portion ol the Turkey that lie did of Polish foicl. Taking the friendly "bosh" of the Premier for the voice of the nation, the Royal plunderer eofnm- n es his flagitious undertaking, steals a march on the Turk, whom he finds to be not quiie so sick as he imagined. Forced by the voice of the people of England and France, the antiquated Minister is at length obliged to uusheath the sword against his bosoni friend a lew thousand men are sent to Varna, who, by order of the Government, waste there their time, and are wasled by disease, while the Turks defend the ground, inch by inch, and at last repulse the enemy. The noble Aberdeen next quips a fleet, the most costly and magnificent that ever covered the sea, commanded by a most experienced a m ral, for service in the Baltic another fleet almost as costly was destined for service in the Black Sea and what has been the result? The Hnssian armadas have had their wanderings circumscribed in both seas; the little half-finished fort of Bomarsund has been destroyed (lor which purpose a couple of frigates would have done as ell) certainly, too, a few gnns were dis- mounted at Odessa two or three days after we paid for the damage done, by the loss of the Tiger. We would not destroy Odessa, because it was the pet coin emporium of (he pet Premier's pet Emperor; so the few disinouhtnrf guns have been replaced by some hundreds ol sannon of heavy calibre, with a garrison ot 50,000 men. When loo late in the season, the decimated corps at Varna were ordered off to attack Sebastopol, having first given notice to the Rus- sians that such an attempt was to be made (couldn't think of taking the enemy by surprise). The brave fellows, many just dismissed trom ihe hospital, are landed without tei ts or any defence against the pitiless storms of the Crimea. After fighting the bloody battle ot the Alma, and taking up their position before Sebastopol, it was found that the town could not be taken by a coup de main, and that a winter in the trenches would be necessary. In the month of Novem- ber it came to the mind of the" wide-awake Ministry" that the troops would require rather more shelter than could be obtained in a canvas tent; and at last wooden houses are though of, which said houses should h«ve been at the Crimea long before the want of them had occurred to the obtuse authorities. Here is the first week 01 the new year, and doubtless but few of the wooden houses have arrived at iheir'destination. Meanwhile the stormy blast of the Crimean winter has been spending its violence on our devoted soldiery. We will not say anything of t'>e blunders that caused the loss of the Prince, and other transportr, off Balaclava some might say the Ministry are to blame for that. Persons (I would reply) are responsible tor the neglect ot their servants, or those employed by them. if disastrous results occur, not from unavoidable accident, but from wilful negligenceand in capacity. Although it was expected, that war would be declared between this country and Russia, it was not discovered that gunboats would be wanted for general warfare in the Baltic till three parts of the present campaign in that sea was over. Gunboats are wanted in the Baltic tirgtiiily but it is also now found out that her most gracious Majesty is in immediate want of a new yacllt—500 hands are at once employed; hy day and night, in the building of the royal vessel and so the gun- boats must wait. WI,at shall they do? A brigh: thought strikes the Ministry. They will make an exchange with the Prussian Cove) nment—giving the Thelis frigate, of 08 guns, for the two gunboats. Nix and Salamander, the pro- bable worth of the two gunboats being £lü,fJOO, the worth ot the Thetis ^Jdff,0(!0; giving a douceur (I wiil no! call it | by a harsher name) of £ 22,000 to the King of Prussia-! But, says the First Lord, we want gunboats. Then, why, in the name of common sensp, employ men about holiday trj's, when the public work is neglected? Again, as the nature of the prnposed exchange -hear what is said of the 1 lit tis and -the gunboats the Thetis is a comparatively new j i Irigate (10 years old), ofhandsone build, and in her cruises has deserved the appellation of a smart craft." On the I gunboats (see Naval Intelligence in the Times of the 1st) the following opmins are given •'That although the light and elegant construction of tile Nix and Salamander is likely to make them last boats in rivers and harbours, yet it will pr?vent them attempting an oversea voyage." So of course a preparatory line of rails across the Baltic would be necessary. Again, it is considered that, should it be necessary. Again, it is considered that, should it be possible to Use ihe '.heavy guns, the working of the (im- pounders woul,1 soon tear the stanchions (to which the ring boi's are fastened) and .the bulwarks fhich form the port lhp deck overhanging hy eight feet, iiot iifft)rditig stifficielt; support to stanchions, &c." Again, the decks of the Nix and Sajamander are entirely open and unprotected, the men working the guns exposed to the fire of the enemy, and liable to be swspt off by the first volley." Again, "the greatest de'ects ot the gunboats is their being entirely built of iron (dates, hall an inch ihick, which could not resist a cannon but! of moderate dimensions, and a hole thus n.ade near thi vva-er wou'd completely disable them." So. if we are a i.ation of shopkeepers we make very had bargains. 1" a handsome smart 38-gun frigate, worth A..J8 000, for two gunboats, worth £ 1(»,000, which will not stR'.d a sea, can I fire their guns; can't protect their gun- ners J and are liable to be sunk by the ifisi shot. This is buying and ssfling and living by the loss," with a ven- geance. We are very ready te take pattern by France. in time of peace, And to imitate to a nicety their mode of dress, ore, let us strive to ex-el them in war, (which al-ia is a necessary and unavoidable evil) let us with the new year do away with antiquated "red-tapistt);" take pattern (not from the Hurse Guards and Downit g-street), bui from our n"ble allies, immitate them, in their hospitals, their medical staff, their coininissitriat, their care oi the wounded, Mild unwounded and withal, the chivalrous spirit which recog- nises the hero in the ra/ks, and reMards him on the batlle field. Down 10 the dnst with senseless regulations, and let not any evil become consecrated because it liasexiste(i long. With a hard struggle BrO"'1\ Besss has given in to the M itiic, and the British soldier has shown to the world how he can fight with unshorn lip, unpipeclayed belt, and IIn- choked unleathered neck. The great, the ever-present fault of the Ministry is in their being always "too late," "too late," in their defiance of Russia, loo into at V-.ina, too late at Eupatoria, too Inte with the the tents, too late before Sebasiapcl, too lair with the gunboats, too late with the warm ciothirg axd wooden houses, too late *ith reform ii-g the commissariat, too late in everything, with one ex- < eption, it nut is too laiefar man effUirnt Ministry to resign; betu r late thjn never. Apologising tor t .kit g up so much spare. I am, Mr. Editor, .yours obliged, Tenby, Jm. 2nd. 1H54. ANTI- UuMane. Oi dars hav.; bei n forwa: d?d to the Ca; ta'" ^It'1* endent (it Deptford to prepare liors- hammock^ -^ii^ and paddings for 5,0 -0 horses, to be sent to the die easiest possible opportunity 2000 tons (m^"1 of wooden stabling will also be forwarded ^"fljeif" difficulty j rsivails in procuring steam transports so jjj#* sui h heavy serv ces. The Himalaya, on the coH>P .pjf her repairs, will doubtless be appropriated to cOliveY tion of the above. iiittef"l5 SUNDAY FUNERALS.—A requisition from B body of undertakers has been addressed to the D1 the Abn-y Park Cemetery in favour of disrontinf f((itP day interments. Theloard has declined comp'1*'e(tirf the memorial, but promise to refer it to the ani|Ua of the proprietors in May.. f0* FALSK RUMOUR.—An erroneous imnre,!S',VJ jjjhf6 abroad ernongst the working classes in Bradford, o nfu* this week, that a new tax is ..bop' to be laid, 'n war, upon newly contracted marriages, an the p* 1, 'S \)1'1'11 (,,¡h.d liP"" '0 c,!o" the fears of rw ",w.,r fear stricken appiie n • I TIIR NECESSITY OK LITUIIGIES—An Am r cn I Beview contains an able article on this subject, the lic iI which is openly admitted.. t t(* All order for the non-entry of landsmen jogeri,41 oPt'n rt'sdlld.J hy warralit 01 ihi' Lorris' Cnmll1'S' 18 101 Very lar^e number of fine athletic young men. fr°in ij^ijth'' ♦e^fs of age, and no' less than 6 feet and 6 inches ij1.^ ,|ii have attended at ihe naval rendezvous, Tn*Pr" 's$b'r volunteered for general service for any of her MHF*1' alid Major Knatchbull, paymaster of pensioners i" center district, is said to have absconded a con- defaulter. |cn|r Mr Oliver, the great Liverpool shipowner, "^Jit^ been adjudicated a bankrupt some ot the smaller thinking they would not be fairly treated under tnet' plan of winding up the estate by trustees. mof' Mr Li II, a haberdasher of flrornlev, has been C<,[een, to prosecute his daughter R. bpcca, a girl of seve" up# robbing him. She is a vicious girl in other rePP** lSsib'* the father makes a criminal cbarg ■ against her as for I means of reclaiming her. f')f robbery, COMPLICATED MATRIMONIAL ENGAGES!B>"rjr(ss^ ),tt,.r d' jo, Monday a young man and woman, the latter rather gaily, rushed into Bow street Police court. er- 110 to prefer a charge of bizamv against each oth i'oung woman said that the youim man was a 1 ready1 I when she became his wife, and he had since married rttii» I ill t'e three wives being still alive. He respond statement hy accusing her of being a married worna not!bl ?he married him, to which she replied that this fact, in a legal point of view, because her first '^ly a wife living when he married her, and conseque tfl* was at liberty to marry again. A stormy a"erC n(r t*1' ensuing, when Mr Hall, the magistrate, wrangle, said he could not interfere in the yjrf of legal evidence. They could indict one anothC liked^^mMhey^rnusHlojMegall^
THE LONDON MARKETS. -II
THE LONDON MARKETS. II PROM THE A I K LAMS 9, t V 3 MONDAY, JANUARY 15. 'V There was a fair fresh sllppiy of English e ? m •rnir.g, both t-om the near and distant coun*ie'9t$1. supply of Barlev was somewhat J^-o-e with a fa'r of Beans and Peas. The fresh arrives of from our own coast and Scotland as from rp';1".c'ieiit moderate. There have been limited imports ot pie" Oat«, with no Barley, or any material addition 0 since Friday. The slop to the Wheat trade las' aeei<l^' the course of poliiics was this morning not quite s<> s{j|| fl^ rather more disposition being shown to purchase. millers succeeded in obtaining the best sample* a „)!* per qr. un ier the qnotatbrna of last Mondiy. Ther st short demand for foreign Wheat, and fully J., per qr, gip le ment was taken on the few sales effected, but no business was manifested. Flour m; t a bftt?r sale- p made unaltered prlce. Country marks „et» inquired ior, and Norf.dks not offered so low as Sold at on Friday. There was a steady demand f°r nnjj malting Barleys. Other sorts were in slo>v req9^ f pvices were generally Is. perqr. lower. The ur remains inactive. Prime season-made samples I)(J «>" altered in value. Beans were 2s. per qr. cheaper. a tl«' dull. Peas met a limited demand, at Is. to 2s. Pet chne. The business transacted in Jats was mostlyc to the consumers, who had to pay fully Friday th* Rather more inquiiy was made tor Linseed, o* blockadc of all the potts in the Black Sea and Tn1*' Little Rapeseed offering, and prices were unaltered' ^ii^ have accumulated, and prices were rather lower, 1,1 demand not being on. there was no quotation c" the value of good Clovorseed: a few imports bave place trotn rrancp. flj> Shilling g ',i WHEAT, Essex and Kent, white ..old 70 6" Ditto ditto, red 6.5 66 n -i & Norfolk, Lincoln, & Yorksh., red, 64 66 »» „.j 3' BARLKY, malting, new 3" Chevalier 3' Grinding 7' MALT, Essex, Norfolk, & SurfjIJc, new 6S 67 «* ft Ditto ditto old 06 63 « P Kingston, Ware, iSj tewt. in«Je, new 70 71 P Ditto ditto old 68 70 RYE — 0 oil OATS, English feed, 25 27.. Potato.. *i. Scotch feed .28 29 old 30 31.. Potato.. i\ Irish feed, white 26 28$ Ditto Biack 25 26 if BRANS, Mazagan 40 41 « ft, Ticks 4-2 43 *i Harrow 4.5 46 ,» %$ Pigeon 48 50 ,»$ PEAS, white boilers — —■ »> r "»>■>» Grey — „ FLOUR, town made (per sack'J80 lbs).. — „ V? Households,'1'oivn, 62s 63s..Country — -• » ^,1$ Norfolk and S itfolk, ex-ship — — „ FORK ION FIRAIN. WHEAT, Dantzic, mixed 771 ;78 high mixed— 82?*' Jff BARLKY, grinding$ Distilling Malting FLOUR, Fr.-nch, per s ick — — tin* American, sour per barrel 39 41 sweet IMPERIAL AVERAGES Fj.t LAST SIX i s. d. j* 8 Wheat 73 4 Bye To S Ba/ley 3Ir 8 Beans .7 1 Pats 28 I | Peas
S MI T H FIELD MARKET.-MONDAY.…
S MI T H FIELD MARKET.-MONDAY. JAN. There was a moderate supply of foreign slock he' ^isir* hut its quality was interior, t rom our own grazing ° the arrivals ot Beasts fresh up ibis morning were seas0' u(( goo 1, both as to number and quality. Although the we, h wa< slaughtering, the Beef trade was iri a very slpit state, at barely the decline in the quotations reporte pet Monday last. The highest figure tor Scots was 5s. 8lbs. The arrivals ol Beasts from Norfolk, Suffolk*- and Cnmbridgeshire amounted to 2,000 Scots and shortj1 trom other parts of England 6U0 of various breeds; a" ccot<' Scotland, chiefly per railway, 450 horn and polled 5 There was ra'her a large supply of Sheep in the and most breeds came to hand in full average cond Tile M utton trade ruled very inactive, yet WP have u° Hrtfed decline to notice in prices. The best old Downs _re'' t|i« 5s. per 8lbs. The show of Calves being verv limit" Veal trade was brisk, and prices were on the advance- ( very superior C'a!f would have produced 5s. 8d. to W'Jtfi 81bs. There wai a moderate inquiry for Pigs at l«st quotations. The arrivals of sto> k trom Ireland last direct by sea, were 32 Beasts, 100 Calves, aud 54 p,gIJ, Per 8 lbs. to sink the otials. d „ j s. d. s. d. S. Coarse & inferi- Primecoarse wool- « 8 or Beasts ..3 2 3 4 led Sheep ..44* 2nd quality,do. 3 6 4 0 Primesouth down (1 Prime Oxen 4 2 4 4 ditto 4 10 ■} Prime Scots, &c. 4 6 4 8 Large Calves 4 6 j> 5 Coarse and infe- Prime small do 5 fl rior Sheep 3 4 3 8 Large Hogs ..3 0 4 2nd quality, do 3 10 4 2 Small porkers.. 4 2 Suckling Calves 22s. to 30s. and Quarter-old Store 1 2ls. to 27s. each.
BUTTER, BACON .Si HtMS. —MONDAY,…
BUTTER, BACON .Si HtMS. —MONDAY, JAN- lj:e{ We note a very dull trade in our English butter — Dorset (fine), 104<. to 106s. per cwt.; Ditto mio"1- 94s. to 96s.; Fresh, 10s. to 15a. per doz. There was n° J provement in the demand for Irish butter last week, not much done in any description, nor any material e"ct in prices. The finer kinds were most in request, 81 such holders asked rather more money. Of bacon ther' 8 a rather better supply, and moderately dealt in. Ham8 slightly more saleable, at trom 66s. to 72s.
POTATO MARKETS.—MONDAY, JAN.…
POTATO MARKETS.—MONDAY, JAN. 15. During the paat week there ha.> been a small s,lf |<>r coastwise, but the consumption being extremely the season of the year, last week's prices wers b#f maintained.
HOP MARKET, MONDIY, JAN. 15.…
HOP MARKET, MONDIY, JAN. 15. •„» Our market remains quiet, with a moderate trade o°' in the best qualities ot hops at about the currency wff k.
TALLOW TRADE.— MONDAY, JAN.…
TALLOW TRADE.— MONDAY, JAN. 15. ,g. S.nce Monday last, our market has been in a very pressed state, and considerable decline has taken P'? «t die quotations. To-day, P.Y C. on the spot is 59s. fid. per cwt. Rough fat..3-. 3d. per 81b. „
MANURES.—MONDAY, JAN 8.
MANURES.—MONDAY, JAN 8. Guano, Peruvian per ton zC I) „ first class (damaged) ,,11 0 0 Bolivian Guano Nitrate Soda „ 19 10 Nitrate Potash or Saltpetre „ 28 0 Salt 2 0" Bones, J inch per qr. 0 19 (I ». Dust „ Rape Cakes per ton 6 15 0 Lin see 11 Cakes, American, in bar. or ba»«13 0 0
ORDERS FOR NEWSPAPERS AND…
ORDERS FOR NEWSPAPERS AND ADVERT1^ MENTS, RECEIVED BY THE FOLLOW'^ An ENTS CARDIGAN Mr. Clougher, bookseller CARMARTHKN White and Sons, printer FISHGUARD Mr. Thymus Davies. LONDON Mr Charles Potter, 16, War Place, Kinysland Road ► >• Mr. Jos. Clayton, No. 320,Str&' w Mr.G. Iteynell, 42,Cha!icerv"'af,t t» Mr. S. Deacon, 3, near the Mansion-house- fJ »» Mr. W. Thomas, 21, Cather," stioet, Strand. n Mr. Hammond, 27, Lombard-*1* R. Barker & Co.,33 t leet-stf^'v >» Mr. H. Adams, 9, Parliament Westminster. MILFORD Mr. T. Perkins, Custom- hoi,sP NARBEKTH Mr. Wm. Phillips, Regi-trt' N KwroKir VI r. John Marries P&MUROKK Mr. Ormond, PKJUUROKK DOCK Mr. N. Owen, P. U. Mr. Johi Howell h 1 KNBY Mr.banme..oppositethe Chi f* And by all Poet-Masters and News-Agents throii^h -1' Kingdom: and filed at Peele's CoSetvliousft. and I),'aI.Oflll'/O Cott'ee-holt!;e,;), Walbiook, lionden iViiitedand Published by Josimi i'oTTKu,at tlie O e, I m High-btr««!t, in the jiarish of Saint Ntacv, :n County of the Tl.!wn of Haverfordu>s; on f¿,t' the ]9fH av of JJKUAKY, 14 it
THE WAR.
THE WAR. SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL. [The following, from the Special Correspondent of the Morning Herald, appeared in that paper on Saturday last:—] KNGLISH CAMP, HEIGHTS OF SEBASTOPOL, DEC. 20, 18.540. Fortunlll..ly since my last we have had a few days respite from the i 'ccssant rains, the 18:h, IfJlh, 20th, and 2tsf having been fine, mild, warm days-such weather as we have in England in the beginning of May. Proper advan- tage has been taken 01 this interval to get up as many guns, ami mortars, and as much ammunition as was possible in the Two long 63's, five 33's. and three mortars were placed in our new works at Inkerman. The French have got all their ordnance into their batteries at the same pi ce, and o .ty wait for the completion of ours to open fire. These new hatteries "t Inkerintn are ccrtainly the finest specimens of earthworks we have yet constructed. The two Frpnch batteries in advance of ours have parapets nine feet high and twelve thick. Around each is a fosse 18 feet wide an < nine deep, m iking a tetal of height from base to parapet ol 18 feet. Ours are finished in precisely the same manner, and are about a quarter 01 a mile in rear and to the left of the French, nearer the right nf onr position.. The Knglish works are tit least about a mile and a half. It is owing to their being so much in advance, and consequently distant from succour, that precautions have been taken in their con- struction to guard against a' y sortie from the enemy. With- out their present detenct s of a wide and deep fosse, a sudden sortie might, by cutting them off from our lines, exp ^e them to being captured bv a coup de main. Now such an attempt would be madness, as a strong force is always kept inside the redoubts day and night so that if necessary the four re- doubts. each crossing fire, could stand a regular siege. Without heavy artilWy and scaling-la lders none of the works could possibly be taken, and no troops making a sud- ct-n sortie in the night could bring these with them. fit the day such an attept is out of the question. The rear of these works are perfectly covered. The only path by which they could be approached is that by which the attack of the 5th was made. It is a steep narrow road, wending up the hill side from the ruins of Inkerman. Across the centre of this path a strong breastwork, made by a very deep and broad fosse cut in the solid rock. On the side of Shell-hill, over- looking this path, flanking the approach to the four-gun battery, is another breastwork, mounting two gnns and trenched in front. Behind all these runs the old post road from Sebastopol, by which the Russians advanced. A strong stoni wall, half a mile in length, and trenched in front, intersects this, and in the rear of all are the camp linea of the second division, now surrounded with a breast- work and trench, and defended by 12 guns in batteries. Had half these peecautions been taken before the battle of Inkerman we should not have lost 100 men, and most pro- bably the Russians would never have attacked at all. In the rear of the four Inkerman batteries, which are intended e, to fire upon the north of the harbour, bf-sidfs the defences ( have mentioned, is a line of three redoubts, perfectly square, deeply trenched all round, and only to be entered by a small plank drawbridge. These monot no guns, but are filled with French riflemen, who, firm under cover, could destroy any body of men tempting to advance against the batteries. Breastworks have also been thro.vn up along thp front of the second division, so as to command andproteit the batteries with a flanking fire. With all these defences, our right flank on Inkerman is of course perfectly impreg- nable. On the 5th of November, before it wis fortified. lO.'WM) did hold it against 50,0 d) now that it bristles with cannon and redoubts, 10,000 could hold it against the whole forces of the Russians combined. The great majority of these works have been thrown up by the French, who also garrison the gieatc put of them. Now our only weak point is in the rear of the G"ards' camp. Hera we are most de- cidedly exposed, and unless some works are thrown up, when the Russian reinfoicements arrive we shall have an- other repitition of Inkerman. 1 feel perfectly con fid rut tha, the next grand attack will be on this point,as it is now preg- nable to the assault of a thousand men. All this wbile I imagine your readers musf. be impatient to know the actual progress of the sk'ge, aud huw soon we are likely to recommence operations. VYMi regard to the former point, little, very little is now doing. The French have their new guns a"d mortars in position, but we have si ill many to get tip. Oaly two of our guns in the Green- mound Battery.are now permitted to fire, and those when the enemy fire in that direction. The latier occurs but seldom, as the Russians see the folly of wasti ig their ammunition upon old ea-thworks, and wisely hold off till we recommence ihe bombardme: t Not 2 ) rounds a day are now fired on either si le, and those on'y on special occasions, such as our remarking an unusual group of soldiers in a battery, or the enemy detecting the approach of an ammunition w >ggon. When the former oc- j curs, either the French or ourselves throw a shell among th- soldiers, as a hint to disperse, which they generally do with remarkable celerity, and when tire latter, the Redan Battery generally fires two or three rounds o( rfd-hot shot, and two days ago blew up it French waggon. On the same day a shell from the circular earthwork entered the !;iuz2.)e of one of our new 32-poanders and burst, splitting the mouth of the gun to pieces. As to when we shall be able to re-open fire, none, not even Lord Raglan himself, can tell, for it depends entirely upon the weather. If we now ha-e four or five more fine days, we should undoubtedly be in a condition to commence at (he end of that time; but it on the contrary we have heavy rains, it jitair be a fortnight, three weeks or even a month, before ordnance and ammunition can be got up to camp in sufficient quantities to justify us in continuing the attack. Your civilian readers can have no idea ot the amonut of ammunition a 10-inch mortar requires for4S hours incessant firing. And none of your readers at all can have any notion of the state of the road over which that ammuni- tion has to be conveyed. In 48 hours a 10-inch mortar would fire about 800 rounds of shell. It takes 2 ) horses to ge up '25 roi d is of fodder ai d «'iell to the camp. We have ouiy horses sufficient tor eight such waggons, and they can only pei form one journey per day. If the weather continues fine, six or eight horses could take up 40 rounds, and make two journeys in a day. If we have more rain, and the roads get bad again, it will require 30 horsos to do that which 20 can row perform. This explanation may account to your readers, in part for the delays which have arisen up to the present time in prosecuting the siege. The enemy in the meantime is strengthening his defences -not wherever they are weak, for there are none so but wherever art can make them stronger. I believe, if the French wished, they coul I destroy the town but I do not believe they could destroy the batteries, and earthworks un- less by mining. With th.. capture or rather the destruction of the south side all our difficulties really commence. Tile north side is about ten times as strong as the south, which it commands, and any army engaged in its investment will, from the nuture of the groand, be much more exposed to attacks from a relieving force from without. To invest the nOlth side we should require to occupy the country as far as the Rivor Katchka, as the River B alhek, which is nearest to Sebastopol, is entirely commanded by the out works of Saint Siverniaand S!ar Forts. In case ol such an attack the right of ollr position must reston Katchka, and our left on the north of the vdley of Inkerman. These two positlJlns could be strongly entrenched but the ground in the r. ar is so favourable to the attack of the enemy that we should r quire a covering army of some strength to protect opera- tions in that quarter. However, the allies have ample time to make all their preparations for this attack, as we cannot now do it until we have captured the south side, a contin- gency which is not likely to arise for a month or so yet. I mentioned in my last despatch that the Cossack out- posis still held the Woronaoff road which runs accross the plain to Sebastopol, and its importance to us j:i -1 now. I also expressed my surprise that no attempt was made to re- cover it from the possession of a mere picquet ot 50 or 60 men. To day, as if in justification ot my remarks, General Manrecy made a strong reconnaissance en force, with a view to, eelllg if the Rnssians had retired sutliiiently to enable our convoys to use the ro-td without risk of being surprised. Three squadrons of Chasseurs d'Afrique and two squadrons of Carbillersa cheval accompanied General Manrecy on tsiis expedition. The whole fo.-ce staned from the French camp early in the morning, and around the plain towards the right of our position at ti ilaklava were five companies of the 2nd battalton 01 Rifles, the 42nd Highlanders and a regiment ot Zouaves joined them. The instant the French cavalry showed in the plain the Cossacks dispatched information to the main body of the Russians, who are huttsd on the side of a strep hi at the foot of Tirkahia Mountain, about two miles from the former encampment, in the Tchernaya, and about half a mile from the village of Bd larkan. Tile re- tnaindernt the picquet spread oat in skirmishing line, and fell back ill the direction of Ktmara. As this village is two miles from the Russian position, and s-parated from it by a chain nf steep hills, the main bOlly "I the a'!i"s followed in the direction taken by the Cossacks, while a squa Iron of Cha.-seurs was d. tached to waich any movements which iiii,,Iit take place in the enemy's camp. The picqnet fell back towards Kamara closely followeds by a party of the Chasseurs. s'ight interchange of sholt took place between both parties, but without any result tha I could see. The distance was. evidently to > far for th short cavalry carbine. As the French neared the village' the cavalry halted, in case of troops being hid among the houses, and the Rifl s and Zouaves advanced in skirmishing "rder. There were a few Cossacks among the turns of the hots, who fired as cur men advanced, but they soon fell back. and galloped up the hill in rear of Kamara at full speed. One Zouave was killed, and one Rifleman and two Zouaves wounded in the skirmish. The village was louml almost entirely destroyed, the enemy having pulled down all the houses for the purpose ot erecting huts with the male- rials. One Russian Hussar and one Cossack were killed in the attack, and their boditw stripped by their comrades and left behind. The handsome Greek church was the only buildiii^jn the village which had not been destroyed. The supersti4ion of the Russians appears to have withstood all their pri vatiutLs. The allies advanced about a mile beyond Kamara, but the^atppffed short, as a strong body of Russian cavalry without, 12,000 infantry, and oatteries of artillery came over the hillstowardsour flank. The Zouaves Highlanders, and Riflemen, occupied the remains of the vil- lage, while the cavalry, which were unaccompanied by any artil'erv remained on the open ground on a hill in the rear. The enemy showed no disposition to advarce though, ex- cept in cavalry, hey out-uurnbered us iiearly six to one, and our want 01 guns would have placed us at a serious disad- vantage, in case of all attack. Each seemed to wait for some overt act on the part of the other, and finding the enemy did unt intend coming to action, our infantry lefl hack towards Bilaklava-the French cavalry covering the movement. A squadron of Russian horse then advanced, and breaking into skirmishing order, followed, to watch our movements. In their anxiety to discharge duty they came too n.ar, fni laid themselves open to a smart skirmishing^hre front the cavalry and Zouaves, which strelcl-ied about la or 20 men and horses on the plain. The Russians fired a valley in return (mounding four ot the French cavalry) — and this time gitting another and closer fire from the Zoaaves discontinued the contest, and retired, carrying oti their wounded. » The a lies returned fo quarters in the evening. I believe the full result of the recanmittsance will be that th« Woron- zoft r .ad will again be used by the English. Of course the traffic will be placed under certain restrictions, and only light waggons which cm move with speed be allowed to The appearance and fine discipline ot the French cavalry was the theme ot general admiration during the reconnuis- vine*. Both men and horses were in perfect order, ani seemed as if out lor a review. Every one uk. how it is that the Fren- h have kept their horses in such splended condition whil<- nearly all of ours have died. DBCI MBKR 21. — The garrison of Se.bastopol made two r.ther smart w-te« this worni g. Tha !Ls; was directed against the En_iisil ti> regain that much contested plaee the •'Ovens Among these ruins (which I have lately ha<! occasion to describe) a breastwork has been thrown lip When we recommence our fire it will be here that the; fi-dd pieces and cohirns w II be placed so as to destroy th!- chevaux de frize which surround the enemy's works. A present no ordnance of any kind has been mounted in th, trench, though the R'sians, no doubt, suspected, from the breastwork that a breaching battery was concealed there. Accordingly, at about five this morning, a strong force of the Russians (Irom about 150;) to 2000) made a desperate rush to recapture the place, which was held by about '25') o' the 50ih Regimsnt. As I am informed, our most advanced sentry was, as usual, fast asleep, and he was b.iyon°tted in his blanket by the enemy. They then pushed forward quietly, but with the utmost rapidity, hoping to take the place by surprise. In this attempt they very nearly suc- ceeded, and but for the vigilance of Mejor Molier would most assuredly have done so altogether. As it was, the enemy were close upon the breastwork before any alarm was given. The majority of the picquet were asleep. Those who were not instantly rose, and shouting to alarm the oihers, attacked the enemy, who then scaling the parapet in all directions. Unfortunately, owing to the damp, only a very few ol our ifrelocks would go off, and this, put together with our poor fellows waking up and finding themselves surrounded by Russians, produced a good deal 01 confusion at first, which almost amounted to a panic, as each man seized hi, firelock, and tound it was almost useless. Not more than 20 shots were fired at the Russians, about 500 of whom had now entered the breastwork. They replied with a heavy volley, which, had it been better aimed, would have almost destroyed onr little party. As it was it did but little mischief. Major Moller then rallied his men, and charged the enemy at the point of the bayonet. The Rus- sians seemed quite unprepared lor this act of valour on the part of such a handful of men. They instantly fell into contusion nearly 50 of them were bayonetted as they stood, and the rest began to scramble out of the battery. In the cours- of two or three minutes not a Russian remained within the work. Our feliows instantly jumped on the parapet to pursue the foe, but found that they had rallied, and, far from flying, were in the act of commencing another assault. The picquet, therefore, remained on the parapet, against which the enemy advanced with their whole force. A most desperate struggle ensued. Both parties fought A most desperate struggle ensued. Both parties fought with the bayonet, and the gallant ,) Ith, tholl;!h the enemy were six times their number, still held th* work, though, not being able to fire, their number was rapidly thinning. The contest was s!ill at its height, when another covering party from the 20th, as I am informed, advanced to the assistance of our hard pressed little band. Their a-trival decided the combat. A heavy volley checked the Russians, who stopped attaching, but still did not retire, though the 20th kept up a steady file fire, which cut them down like grass. For a minute or two the Russian officers rallied them so far as to advance a few feet, but the tusilade was too steafly and withering, aed, after a moment's hesitation, they halted, wavered, broke, and fled in all directions. At this first symptom of unsteadiness the 50th cloied up, sprang over the paiapet, and di'shed among the enemy with the bayonet. This completed their rout, and, as I have sa d, they castaway th.,ir arms fled like hares. In the n ar- suit the 50th made about 20 prisoners, and bayonetted 30 or 40 to death. I regret to say the loss on our side was rather severe. Major Moller, while in the very act of ch 'ering on his men, was mortally wounded by a bullet through the spine. A captain of the 50th is alsosaid to hive been killed; and Lieut. Clarke of the same regiment is missing, with 17 men who were made prisoners by the R"ifjans when the, first entered the battery. We had also 48 men killed and wounded. The bodies of two Russian officers, and ablut 150 men. remained in front of the breastwork. Between 30 and 40 wounded men were also left behind. Most of the enemy's wound-d were carried off, except those who fell at the latter part of the attack. The Russian officer in COlli mand wis shot, but whether morally or not of course none can tell. Thus, not (iOOol our gallant troop* defeated a force ot the enemy three times their number, with -ill the advan- tages which could be derived Irom attacking ua hy surprise No doubt the Russians counted upo i finding a h :tiery within th Wirks; syrd if there h id been, they would cer- tainly have had sufficient time while there to h ive spiked an,1 distnouat-'d all the guns. As it liaojen^d. however, they were n ¡r Only disappointed in their hopes, but signally defeated in their atieinpt to capture the place. Latterly the Russians seem quite confident that they can surprise our picquets; and I an sfrry to say that in many instance, their tiopes are well founded. It is not the fault 01 the men, but the fault of human nature, which overpowers every man with sleep, after 240 or 30 hours' incessant work. The men are overwork-d,. ani our picquets cannot keep awake all night. If wo shot a hundred a day "or sleeping on their posts they would still do it. In fact, in the way tney are taxed at present, if they did not sleep they would die. At the same time a knowledge of these reaso.is has, it is said, led the French to be most suspicious of the vigilance ot «ur sentinels, and a short time sin.:e there was a rumour that they were to monnt picquets oirside ours. I do not believe there is any truth in this report, though most cer- tainly in all th.. new batteries at Inkerman, and round the place whe;e we were surprised on the 5th, French sentries are now posted where ours used to be. The French soldier has now one night on duty to four of sleep. Our poor fellows, on the average, have 10 hours off duty and 30 on- an all-important difference. It has been remarked since the had weather set in, that whenever our out picquets have had occasion to use their muskets, not more than 2i) per cent. would go off-the caps of all the rest having become too damp. A little cover for the l.ock (waterproof outside) would soon remedy the evil which at Inkarman caused so serious a loss. The scrtie upon the French was made against their most advinced battery, at about eight in the morning, while a thick mist hung over the ground. A considfrable number of Russians (about 1,000 or 1,203) sallied from the Girden Battery, and made a desperate attempt to capture a new trench in which five mortars and five long guns have lately been mounted. The guard and picquet observed the attempt, and seeing the force in which it was made, retired into the battery to hold it until reinforcements came up. The guns could not be used, as the embrasures were still masked. The enemy ran on quickly, and attempted to pass over the para- pet ot the work, but the tire of the French was too severe. A part of them turned off. and, crossing the covered way by which it is approached, took the battery in the rear. By this means a number were enabled to enter the work, and a desperate conflict ensued with the French, who, outnum- bered by ten to one, could not, I am informed, prevent the spiking of two mortars-some say of all five. Before the enemy were able to do much mischief—or, indeed, before they could well be said to hold their ground against the French picquet, a reinforcement of about 600 Chasseurs came up, and on their fiist appearance the Russians, still superior in nnmbers, retired, firing as they fell back. For about lt)0 yards they retreated in good order, but then, as the fire of the French became more deadly, they grew dis- ordered, and at last fairly broke and fled. The French loss was one officer and between 40 or 50 men killed and wounded. The Rusiians lost five prisoners, and left about 30 dead behind on the ground. Excapt in one or two cases the enemy's wounded were carried off. As usual the Russians tried to revenge the defeat by opening a smart cannonade upon the defending battery which would not be captured but I have not heard of any particular damage being done to it—at least, none that a couple of men with spades could not repair in an hour. It is because I know perfectly well the tremendous cannonade which earthworks will bear unhurt that I have little faith in any mere batter- ing destroying the enemy's. DECEMBER, 22. — Last n'ght there w.s a heavy cannonade directed upon the French lines from the Russian Garden Battery, Mud Fort, Quarantine Batttery, Redan, and indeed from all points from which a gun could be got to bear. I shall not be able to ascertain correctly the reason of this until to-morrow. Whatever was the cause the can nonnde was tremendous, though I do not suppose much' resulted, as there was no musketry. Part of our troops on the left turned out, both in case of attack on themselves, and to support the French should occasion require it.. The weather since yesterday afternoon has, I am sorry to a-y, changed much for the worse. For t e 1 ist 24 hours we have had a perfect tempest of wind, Iriil, and rain, and there is every prospect of its continuance. All our hopes is getting up the rest of the guns and amunition this we k are over, as it will now take at leat three or four days' fine weather to restore the road to the condition in which it was yesterday morning. The camp ground is, of course, in a bail state, and, what is worse, there seeins but little prospect ol the men being hutted for the next two months. We see by the L mdoo journals that all sorts ot efforts are going on in England to try and impart a little comfort to our condition. Everyone here leels grateful to the co mtry; but they feel also not a little bitterly at knowing that the majority of all our pro- mised leliets will not arrive until the necessity for their use has passe.i. Now that there is a )ar;e stock of supplies sent out by private speculators, at B daklava, we he ir that Lord Ellesmere, the Duke of Marlborough, and others, are g dug to send more. The Duke of Newcastle, too. when we have b en robbed of our last shilling by extortionate Greeks, and, above all, by the Maltese, is going to semi out shiploa Is of provisions, when we can no.v get plenty at not very unreasonable prices. In the same way with ih hilts, which a'e being bliilt in England: our men should litve been hutted two mouihs, or, at six weeks ago; 15.!K)0 planks (ibouth.lt a plank for each man) arrived a Baliklava tor the use of the troops » month ag", but the, still remain ihere, as we have no means ot transporting them to the camp. I expect the troops will all he well butted by the time the wars sets in, when our delay will have coa us in sickness some 5000 or 6000 ot »nr best men yet the ministerial organs try to hide the shortcomings of the government by puffing off the efforts of private generosity. For the last month the Duke of Newcastle has been well acquainted with the wants of the troops out here. yet their condition is still unrelieved, and would remain so but that the feeling and patriotism of the country have stung him into action. During the last few days' fine weather the rations of the men have been increased, though half rations have been the lot of some regiments, and all have had half rations of rum. The present wet will tend, I fear, to a furthet reduction in the amount of comestibles issued. For the last few days rumours have been flying round the camp to the effect that a Russian reinforcement of 42,000 men, under Osten Sacken, has entered the Crimea. 1 have not been able to irace this report to any "undoubted" authority, yet still it forms the only topic of conversation and seems generally believed. After the efforts the enemy has made to get up troops, it would be presumptuous to say he cannot send more, yet making every allowance for the energy, perseverance, and ability of the Russian commanders, i do not think we have anything to tear from the effor.s of soldiers, who, however they managed it, still must have come from Odessa in this season of the year. Even supposing that 15.000 or 2d,00ti were transported in arabas, such a force moving in vehicle? wjuld effectually destroy the roads for the passage of any. thing else. An army might possioly march in this weather if tents were carried, but the privations would be so great that of 50,000 starting Irom Odessa not 20,000 would e.ic!i here alive, and of those not 10,000 would be fit for service. On the whole, I think the best thing that could happen lot the allies would be the attempt of the enemy to throw 100,000 troops into the Crimea at this juncture. No mattei how it was managed, a large force marching now must lov half in the course of a fortnight, and, as I have said, tho/n that remained at the end of that time would be, as fighiiiii men, nearly worthless. At the same time, whether the enemy receives reinforce- ments or not, we shall not be long now without a fight ot some kind. As soon as the first remembrance of Inkermai is blunted, the enemy will try again, and with the sain result-of courne. The Russian infantry never nillconque; ours, even if they outnumber us ten to one. By the way, Lord Raglan's dispatch of the battle of In kerman has excited some comments from those who do not think that the heroic conduct of the Guards was samcienlh recognised in the faint praise bestowed by his lordship (I; the Guards at Inkerman fell the brunt of the whole contest and to the Guards the English nation are mainly indebte for the glories of that day. I by no means wish it tn t. understood that other regiments did not do their duty. would net have done as much as the household troops if the were placed in the same position but in every batlie ear regiment has its own post, which may become the c mre thttwaetny's attack) and then, though all re-inents fi^' veil, one has all opportunity ot signalising itsel' i:, a pnni- cnlar mannfr. This was thp casf- with the G iards at in- kerman. Pa-Imam qui meruit ferat To th- hons»'>ol- troops belong the chief laurels of the bloody da He iven knows they bought them dearly. Yoorcoutt mp -rarifw com pare Lord Ra.'l >n's_ dispatches to the Comnvti an s o' Caesar. They differ in this respect, that Cæoar u -r forgot his 10th Leginn, and the Guards have been mo. e ttian 10th Legion to Lord Raglan's vic'ories. It is said that a Turkish division is tn be forme 1, a i:' officered by Englishmen. No one can credit this, though our officers are all indignant ^t the supposition. In 1315. at the close of a 30 years' contest, England h ,d ne irlv 1,200,000 men in a'rn;, of which 500,000 were British. Surely our resources are not now so limited that bi f <r." hostilities have lasted a twelvemonth we are unable 10 !<eef. up a force of 40,000 men ? The idea of a Turkic) division is simply preposterous. After costing the country some £ 300,000 or £ 400,000, it will turn out i failure, and well if it does not result in bringing discredit on our arms. Time will prove the truth of what I sav. DECEMBER 23.—I he cannonade of the nigV-t before !as- WHS caused l.y an attempted sortie on the French lines I say attempted, for, though a larger force of Russians t'lan usual came out, they appeared utterly disheartened, and after watering irresolutely, were dispersed by the fire of the picquets. The enemy then commenced a furious canfronade. principally directed on the new French works, to wh)ch I am sorry to say a good deal of damage was done. Mo t of the English and French batteries fired in reply. The French itiiiis in the Inkerman b.iltery also opened lire for the first time to a night cannonade. One or two shots have been fir d during the dAy from these works to try their range, and the result I a-n told makes all parties more sanguine than ever that the town, arsenal, and harbour can be commanded and destroyed from' this place. It is a pity the discovery was not tnade before now. Batteries so commandingly placed, and of such strength, might have materially affected the result of the general bombardment of the 17th. All onr short comings may he traced to the bad principle on which it is notorious the English sieges are always conducted. Our plan-from the commencement of the Peninsular war—has always been not to invest the whole place, to rely upon the effects of a distant cannonade making a breach, and then to storm. I would be difficult for your rfttdffs to name a single siege of importance which we have not been compelled To raise, "'I least once, and for the successful result of which we have not had to pay twice the price in human life which it would have cost any other nation. The Royal Albert, !21, has nrrived, with 3(0 officers and men of the Grenadier Guards arid 150 men each for the Coldstreams and Scots Fusiliers. Six hundred men are better than nothing, but we want at least 2,000 to fill up the Guards to their proper complement. Five hundred men of the 71st Highlanders b ve also arrived by the same ship, with men for the artillery and sappers, in all about 1,300. The Rov-d Albert brings news that Admiral Dund is returns to England, and is succeeded in the command in chief by Sir Edmu id Lyons. This is a change which every- one has.long foreseen but it is not entirely ia the navy that alteration and improvement is required. By the. way the Lo doii journals inform us that Sir Ed- mund Lyons has been blockading Anapa, Tamana, and K-rtch, and intercepting the Russian communications. rhere is not a word of truth in any of these statements, nor even a reasonable found ,tion for them. A hoot a for-might since I mentioned the .nvful state of the steam-ship Avon, which lay in Bi!skh*a for the recep- rion of wounded. Shortly affr-rwards the Vessel was sC.it away, but, according to the usual style of managrme- t out Jierc, shr-s-arted withou; a-atefj and'it is lost 51 of the unfortunate sufferers on Ihe way down. The gro,s want of proper Card which was displayed in all relating to this vess-l has attracted nonce t veo out here. In a ffeneral order recently issued, D-. Lawless, t|1e senior medicafolficer at Balak'ava is sui ersed id, and iu the same document it i* said, '• nor can tiie principal medu-al offk-er, Dr. Hall, be cons.dertd a»b-ynnd blame." yet no notice appears to have been taken of th- long time -he lay in lia'bo ir here, w th nearly 30 i sick aud wounded on board—.villi, latierly, only one assistant targ-nri to attend liiem, and with the whole ship in --ich a st tte as almost to goison the -itmosphere around her. Everyone her" says truly what is the use of the kindness and philanthropy -f the people at h-~me, when she gros-es! 'Kid tno-t criinitial nii»-:n uia.'euKMit out here renders their effor's of no avail ? I would only nsk. if .ings are well managed, why should our men be -ellitheir new trousers, their flannels—in fact, the whole stock complete for 2- 6d., t. buv bread and clvese a'd spirits. Yet these bargains take p ac all dav, I am informed, between the soldiers and the rascdly Maltese in B luk.-va. All 'he days in the year are alik.. IInto u. Yet we have suddenly become painfully aware that we are to spend our Christmas in the Crimea. Only fancy a Crimean Christ- .ntsi.tW!!)tHr()uarter<. Compared to it a birthday in a veil, or a honeymoon in a spongtru' h»usj, would be lively. Alas, to think of the glories of London at this lestive period -the game —the poultry-the clean sheets and cleaner people. Tne shops generally refulgent with brass and gas, bedizened with holly and mistletoe, with windows fulf of currants, cinnamon, candied lemon, and other rich and bilious compounds— to think of friends-ft home, of bright. Warm, cheerfu! firesides and welcome greetings, and then to the cold, stern realities of dirty Balaklava, where there is mud instead of snow, want instead of plenty, misery instead of rejoicing. No fa'ted calf—no apoplectic-looking pigs for us. No mellow Smlifd" ox has his hind quarters planted with evergreens, and adorned with bright cockades, to catch our hungry eyes. Long, long ago have we eaten the gaunt horned animals which used to draw our < razy arabas. The camels are now doing duty, and I expect it will be their turn to go next. We often wonder if a camel is nice-I mean as an eatable, I have my own opinions on the subject, but 1 do not wish to interfere with the tastes of others bv giving Vt'nt to them. We have had no Christmas carols (a loss we support ourselves under) nor waites,"—except for reinforcements. The IAtter- I mean the waites, not the soldiers—we could dispense with, as the Russian! occasion- aily rouse us up at night with a rough music of their o-vn but sulphur and saltpetre enter far too liberally into their compositions to make such nocturnal serenades at all agree- ,.ble. No overwhelming turkeys tempt our appetiles here but, on the ether hand, vultures and ravens abound, and geese-live geese too-are occasionally sold by the drachm and every feather yields a profit. Onlv on two points do we exceed a Londoner's Christ- ma^r enre ',av'n8 ,e b88t ot pantomimes and farces and if the Russian reinforcements arrive in time, we shall have queh a boxing-day as, I hope, you will never see in England. A correspondent of the Sttlttf Public of Lyons, writes a follows ;— Heights of Sebastopel, Dec. 23.-A long and tediou excursion through every portion of our camp enables me t give you a complete resume of our military position You may rely upon the exactitude of my narration. "Since the tw > attacks which we e made against Sebas- topol-aitacks necessarily limited by the insufflaiency o' our siege artillery-our army has completed immenae works which will double onr means of action. Our batteries, which were only eleven in number, are now tripled, and armed with guns of heavy cal.ore recently brought from France or taken from the ships of the fleet. The armament of all the batteries is now completed. We can oppose 16:1 guns to those of the enemy one half ot those guns belong to"the navy, and are served by the sailors and marines The bat teries have been constructed by engineer officers, assisted by our brave soldiers, with inconceivable rapidity, despite the incessant and well directed fire of !he town "The line of the trenches is ne;irly three Jeagues and a half in extent. riiis will explain t once the amount of energy labour and patience that was required Jo execute so colossal a work in so short a time. We are auite rea.lv tn open fire Unhappily the English have no? been able to push on their works as rapidly as us, Notwithstanding the ardour displayed by our allies, it is impossible that their batteries can be ready to open fire before the 10th or 12th of January. im.rnen'e 8tores of the Russian arsenals give them a notable advantage over us. Thebatter.es which protect •frh °n s,d(! are with about 300 pieces, o which we can only oppose about 2*0. It is only there- fore, a vigorous assault, after a turious cannonade, that can procure us any real success. '•According to rel.a de information, which is justified by he opinion of all competent men, it is almost certain that he commanders-in-chief will not attempt the assault until they have acted in a deceive manner against the enemy's army in tne held. The Turkish army which is landing at Eupatoria, will take the Russians in the rear, so as energetically to s Mnd the attack made in trout by the allies. Pnnce Menschikolf spns to be quite aware ot the difficulties of his position. He has retired with the mam b .dy of his army between the right bank o the Tchernaya, the main road ot the Peninsula right bank o the Tchernaya, the main roadot the Peninsula a id the Belbeck, and he endeavours to make good his position and his communications with Sehastopol by cover- ing his at my by lmme'n.e defensive W(>rks erect, d ,long the hanks of the Tcbern.ya. Hw army at the pre eut moment does not appear t> 8),()()(). "Thegan i on of Sehastopol, on the other hand, is not! inactive. 1-or the last three weeks great activity has et-ni visible in ihe construction of addition,) wo, ks of defence he ween the 1" iau start and Quarantine bastions «; As you are don .ties, aware, Gerierd L'l'ralldj's diviuon, i> B ''a^l iVH, has joined the main body of ;he Russian army nut tne general has ielt fro 5,000 to 6,dill) men 1,1 the mountain passes from th- Tche.nayato.be hi Is before B-ilaklavii. The duty of these 'ro.-ps is. prob- ably. t„ watch o ,r movements; they aie only sep .rated by! the plain of BalaJavi from our ereat line of circumv.il.ation and from General Bo>quet s division, in nddiroi. to the great wo-ks directed against-he city the allied armies have constructed strong defensive works on various p unts. Thus Balaklava is covered bv many redoubts to prevent an attack by ihe Russians "Onourextr.,ne left the trenches have been pushed to the far end of the Qu irautiue Buttery under the guns of the tort so as to assure direct communications with the sea. Such is the complete enneml.le of the works of attack and defence, and the general dispositions of the allied armies. "December 24. I take advantage of the departure of the Pericles, which conveys Admiral Hamelin to Constanti- nople. to say a few words respecting the condition of our troops. "Unhappily, for the last month, rain, accompanied at times by snow or hail, has not ceaa«d to fall in the Crimea moreover, tempestuous south east wind? blow incessantly ?oPif i'n P n:! ?.( ^fsoiiesus. At rare intervals—on the 18ili, 19th, and -0th for instance—the rain ceased, but oniy to pour down «gair. wi,h additional violence. Thus the whole ground occupied by our troops, trampled over hy our beasts of burden, traversed by our heavy waggons and ar- tillciy carnages, is at m?ny points impracticable for pedes- trians This is a sad state ot things, as it delays the siej'e operations, and creates miu.h slL.knpss resulting from cold and the continued humidity of the soil. The moral state of the army could not he better, but the physical condition suffers naturally from the inclemencies of the climate. Reinforcements arrive daily to the French as well a* to the Eiiglisli army. Our allies are worse off than our. ielv-s, and It is sad to behold such valiant soldiers subjected to so many Hardships trom the insufficiency of the adminis- trative organisation. The following is from it leiter written ou boartl the Indiana, and dated," Before the French Cainp, Crimea, Dec. 25, loot. The weather since we came in h <s been very disagreeaols, nothing but gales ot wind and rain, with small amount of cold. Our ship, however, is in a very ,nug harbour there are upwar Is of 400 ships ot different el .sses in the same harbour; it is really a splendid sight, skirting the harbour ill the French camp. The French ump alone extends upwards 01 nine miles inland. Sebas- op.d lies about 11 miles from us. On the 22nd our captain x.-ressed a wish to lea the camp, and off we went at nlln cl.-ck in the morning. Aftrr passing through the French imp, our dpsire to ilee tha entrem hments became very great, o tne citptain went to the hut of the general (it is not a bit er than a hut, being built of nuid) to ask permission; i.- very kindly granted it, finding we were English, and ent a guide u »tb U))i Travelling in these parts is verj 'swg'e. aole for about live iniiea our path w aero t- d iF completely ploughed wiijj l'h..iJ and shot ti.,m tin- enemy. At lengfi we reached he r -i lies. It re lv i> a tonishing to gee what an ex raoidm ,t y am<>uni < f I must be expended in throwing u,> th se wnr-s, it is ju-t like passing through a maze. During the ifisi part of our journey through ihe trench 'S ihe h avv shot and shells ov-r our heads almost like flocks of birds, but by our keep iug close under tiie entrenchments we were tnl. rabl v secure trom ".arm. We at last halted our guide told tis we were 'hen as near as it was prllri"1I1 t > gl).. We inquir- d how far we were from S b istopo' ? He said near y 4-00 yaid-. file captain said, can we go any nearer ? He said but ii you get something for your pains don't blame m- We re-assured him on that point, and on we went. W•• were not sorry we went, nor were we at all sorry to t e clear of it. The po-inon of our men in this entreitclinieu was fearful. We were c-omptdlnd, for about half a 111 :1. to almost crawl along through thick mud up to ourkn.es This trench was tilled with nR"1t'n. wlvs-* duties were to keep a sharp look out, through very small cr- vices, for the purpose of picking off any poor Uussim whoch ncel 10 show ahead. The Russians were carrying on the same sport with out men. One poor Frenchman Oil my left received a shot which ku-ei him instantly, whde another, within four feet of us, had one pissed through bis arm aud side. We now began to think it time to reire.it, but scarcely had w. turned wh»-n a large sb>-|| fell in the trench SO feet in itfivancentus. We lonk-d at each other with astonishment afraid to make the inquiry, who was hurt. The l,itigiiin,(vly ex. laiiiied 'pas loon,' ali(i rt,ttirried iii iriiiiie,iiate answer, discharging three immense bombs, one of which took up its abode in one of the large houses in the town. We had a flue view of Sebas'op >1. I should h ive told you we were within 110 yardso! the town when we turned back. The fields are completely black with the numbers ot shell and snot from the enemy. The suffering our poor troops have to endure, and the difficulties they h.ve to encounter were indescribable. I assure you many of the officers have no better p).c" to lie do vn in than what they make lor themselves, and that is by digging a hole in the earth and roofing it with a lew sticks they may chance to pick liP, ('rem most i f which they are compelled to bale out the water before they can lie down. Those in the trenches have the worst berth. They are on duty 2t hours every thirdly; hut it is the night they so much dread it is during the darkness that the Russians make their fear'ul sorties. I assure you we can see trom our ship's deck most fearful firing all through the night. On the night ol the 20th they made on,3 of these sorties, in which we lost upwards of Ion men, besides a large number wounded. No one can form any nit a unless they visit the trenches of the dreadful na- ture of these sorties. The news tlbt reaches its is anything b-it cheering, but our men have good pluck and steady courige, which is half the battle." The GOllstitutiannel of the 9th contains the following arti- cle on the prospects of the allies in the Crimea We have news from Sebastopol to the 24th of December. Til -y do not contain many new facts. The b siegers quietly pursued their operations, awaiting the order for the assault from their gener ds. A Russian despatch informs us that up to the 30th of December no decisive effort h )d been attempted against the city. This inaction of the Comman- ders-in-Chief, which our correspondents in the Crimea have s une difficulty in understanding, ignorant of the news of Europe, is easily explained. Before striking the decisive blow, the generals w it until the whole of the Turkish divi- sion shall h .ve landed at Eunatnria, so as to combine its mov men's with theirs. What is the ohstacle which has hitherto rendered the capture of Sehastopol impossible? It in, that the have not bet-n ahle to invest the pla. e. that !t was easily supplied with provisions, and that the gaifison could receive continu <1 reinlorcements hy troops from the army of support l tie nave uuty yim^ur to prolongate this state nf things since the battle of Inker- marin taught them th )t they could not raise the si-ge. The allies, on their side, are anxious t > put a i end in it. Eu- patoria has been re-occupied 1-y a European division ar- tillery and engineer ofiicrrs have been sent there to fortify the place and make it a rival 01 Balaklava, so as to become a point d'appui f r an army of operitions. That army ought to be thete ere this it consists ot an Egypv'an d vision and of the best troops of Omr Pasha. It is under the orders of the Tork sh Generalissimo. We n ive said tlist Eupa- toria is to the north of Sebasto: ol what Balaklava is to th" south of that city, Th.:t wil tufflce to indicate in what p s tion the landing of Omai places t1!" °::r.;iA:i arniy. which will he be*.we;'ii two fi ts, Oft.v) things one will happen either he Russian ..rmv will attempt to crush tl.e tioops iftat support themselves upon Eupatoria, with the certaintv .'f being imutediarely -.Hacked in the rear by the Anglo-French armv, and the of that army of support will deprive Sebastopol of all hope of a successful resistance or, to avoid giving battle uudei such disadvanta- geous circumstances and wi'h such contrary chances, the Russian army will retreat froln th. banks of the Tchernaya; it will concertrate on Bakschiserai or on Simferopol, and will abandon Sebastopol to its own rt sources and the chances of an a.ssHult. The retreat ot the Russian army would, in fact, be immediately followed by the complete investment of the place, and the denouement would not have to be waited lor long. Thus, there would bp either a great and decisive battle under the most favourable conditions for the allies, or the retreat of the Russians without a combat and an immediate assault at Sebastopol, Su' h was the position of affairs in the Crimea in the hist days of the year which has just expired. Let us rest assured that the year 1855 has commenced well for the arms "t France and her allies." MILITARY CONVENTION BETWEEN" AUSTRIA AND PRUSSIA. For some days past the German papers have been speak- ing of It military conventiin concluded between Prussia and Austria, which the latter Power had called upon Prussia to fulfil. The version which tiie papers give 01 this conven- tion being erroneous, we are glad to be enabled to lay the text ot the article before our readers. It is as follows Military (Jonrention annexed to the Convention concludc.l between Austria and Prussia, on M<-2(M of April, 185 k Art. I. Au,i ria engages herself to al l 10 the 150,000 men who are assembled in Hungary, on the Danube, and on the Siinr. 100,000 men, who w t) together compose a second army-alltl that as soon as the necessity for the measure shall be fe't, and at periods which she will appoint in accordance with Prussia. The troops mobilised in Gal- licia, in Transylvania, in Moldavia, and joined in Gallicia, as a corps d'armee, or in separate bodies, will remain in intimate relations wid, the military forces of Prussia. Ait. 2—Pittssia fngages herself, on her side, to concen- trate, according to the circumstances, 100,000 men within the space of thirty six days; to wit, one-third of these forces in Eastern Prussia, and the (wo others at Poson or at Breslau. Besides this she binds herself to raise her army to the number of 200.000 men, if the circum- stances should require it, in coming to an understanding each time in that respect with Austria. Art. 3. The military convention of the G rmanic Con- federation preserves all its force as respects Prussia and Austria. Art. 4.- The Minister of War in Prussia and the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperiol army engage them- selves mutually to make to each other ail the communications necessary to insure the maintenance of the troops at the amount determined 011 above, their organisation, and their meeting at the periods fixed, as well as the places of their meeting. Art. 5 -Austria and Prussia will reciprocally accredit superior officers to the two contracting Si-ites, as soon as Prussia shall have commenced placing her army on a war footing, in order to arrive at a complete understanding with respect to the measures which they will have to adopt. Superior officers will be afterwards accredited to the two armies. Art. 6.—The direction to be given to these armies when united shall be based on this principle, that the object of the support which the two Powers are to afford each other reciprocally is merely to repulse aa attack. The present convention has been passed at Berlin on this 20th of April, 1854. O. TH. DE MANTEUFFEL, HENRY BARON DR HESS, General of Artillery.