The Lyttelton Times.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 239, 14 February 1855, Page 4

The Lyttelton Times.

Wednesday, February 14, ] 855. About four months ago we attempted to trace, as concisely as possible, the history of the war from the breaking out of hostilities to the date of the last intelligence which we

had then received from Europe. The Baltic fleet had taken Gustavsvarn, the Black Sea fleet had bombarded Odessa, and the Turks. were obstinately defending Silistria against •; an overwhelming Russian army. Since that time events have occurred of far more absorbing interest than the first campaigns on the Danube could possibly excite in Western Europe. In June, 1854, the Russians raised the siege of Silistria. The heroic defence of the Turks had given time for the English and French armies to advance so near to the seat of action, that the Russians did not deem it prudent to await the issue of a combined attack of the Allies. The loss of the Russians before Silistria was enormous. The Turks also suffered very severely; Moussa Pacha, the Governor, was killed not many days before the enemy were compelled to raise the siege of the town which he had so ably defended for six weeks. England has especially to lament the death of Captain Butler of the Indian army, to whose capacity and courage the Sultan attributes, in a great measure, the safety of Silistria. He was twice wounded during the siege, but continued to fight with unr«laxed zeal. At his instance, and under his command and that of his friend Lieutenant Nasmyth, the outwork parapets of Arab Tabia were successfully defended by the Turks. Within two hours of the retreat of the Russians he died from the effects of his wounds, combined with utter exhaustion. In July, the Russians made their last effort to hold the northern bank of the Danube. At Guirgevo an obstinate battle took place, with nearly equal loss on both sides. The Turks, however, slept on the field, and the Russians retired towards Bucharest. 300 English, under Lieutenant Burke of the engineers, were lauded on. a" low bank under a battery, and were handled very roughly. Lieut. Burke was killed, after a desperate resistance. From this time the Russians gradually evacuated the Principalities. On the 7th August Omer Pacha marched into Bucharest, and by the end of that month an Austrian army of occupation relieved the Turks from the necessity of guarding the Principalities. The latter proceeded in pursuit of the Russian army and were prepared, according to the last advices, either to invade Bessarabia, or to support the Anglo-French army in their attack upon the Crimea. The Danube was finally set free by the destruction of the Russian batteries at the Sulina mouth of the Danube, by the crews of the Firebrand and the Vesuvius, Capt. Hyde Parker fell at the head of "his men, while leading the attack on the principal battery. Commander Powell, upon whom the command devolved, after bringing the heavy guns to bear upon the place, carried it at a run with a detachment of seamen and marines. All the Russian works were destroyed, the Russians thereby losing the last hold they had upon the navigation of the Danube. We must now go back in the order of events to take up the thread of proceedings in the Baltic. In May the fleet had completely blockaded all the Russian Ports in the Baltic and the Gulf of Finland, The Russian navy had ensconced itself- behind the guns of Cronstadt; and any merchant-ships that ventured to appear, were sent to England or France as prizes. The first affair of any importance, was 1b.3 brilliant exploit of Captain Hall of the Tlecla, and Captain Yelvorton of the Arrogant, wiio cut out a Russian prize from under the guns of Ekness, on the 2 1st May, after proceeding up a narrow inlet under the' fire of the enemy. The chief value of this feat was the proof it afforded of the courage and vigour of our officers and men. As Sir C. Napier observed, " It will show the enemy that they are not safe even in their country towns."* On the

Ist June a rash boat attack Avas attempted upon Gumla Carleby on the shores of the GuJ&of Finland. The water was so shallow t^. the ships could not approach nearer than within 5 miles of the place. 200 men wore sent in to attack it in 6 boats. One of the boats was destroyed and 54 officers and men were killed and wounded. The boats were then recalled. Sir Charles Napier censured the attack as rash and unprofitable. In August, Bomarsund, the chief fortress of the Aland Islands, was taken by the Anglo-French fleet, commanded by Sir C. Napier, and the land forces commanded by General Baraguay d'Hilliers. The loss on the side of the allies was very slight. 2000 Kussian prisoners were sent thence to England and France. The fortifications were all destroyed and the fleet resumed its threatening posture at the mouth of the Gulf of Finland. Meanwhile, the Anglo-French army in Tin key had not been idle. Notwithstanding the fearful ravages of the cholera which had broken out in the camps, vast preparations were set on foot for the invasion of the Cri- • mea, as soon as the retreat of the Russians from the Principalities was beyond a doubt. Early in August, such an army and fleet were collected at Varna for the attempt upon Sebastopol, as to "throw into the shade for ever the fame of the Great Armada. The embarkation occupied upwards of a week. On the 7th of September the fleet sailed from Varna, and the landing was effected on ihe shores of the Crimea on the 14th ataplace called the " Old Fort," in the Bay of Kalamita about 30 miles north of Sebastopol. The invading- army, 58,000 strong, landed in peifeet order without opposition. The greatest credit is given to Rear-Admi-ral Lyons, who had charge of the arrangements, and to the Navy generally for the activity and zeal which they displayed in so vast an undertaking. The Army lost no time. On the 20th September they advanced to the Alma, the. passage of which the Russians had determined to dispute. On the heights.to the south of the river they had erected batteries, and had chosen this position to make their stand in preference to opposing the landing of the Allies. A description of the battle will be found in another column. It suffices to say that in three hours the passage was forced, and the Russians were flying in disorder towards Sebastopol. Marshal St. Arnaud commanded in person, although suffering at the time from a mortal disease to which he has since fallen a victim. Lord Raglan led the English division in a manner worthy of his old renown. English and French vied with each other in the impetuosity of their attack, which was sharpened possibly by a generous rivalry. Though the loss of the Allies in one short action Mas very severe, yet we must remember that the suddenness and rapidity with which the Russians were routed, has probably saved a long and bloody campaign. [By the last accounts the siege of Sebastopol has since been prosecuted with vigour 'both by 'and and by sea ; not without hard fighting, ihe Russians seem determined to resist to the last; and it is predicted that the storming will be a second Saragossa affair. .On the 4th November, the breaches had been declared practicable, and the assault was | f-xed for the 6th or 7th Nov. We must 'anxiously await the result. General Canrobnrt has succeeded Marshal St. Arnaud in lie command of the Allied Armies. In tracing the leading features of the war w 'c have necessarily omitted any mention of events of less interest to the general reader, Sl»ch as the campaign in Asia, and the alternate successes and reverses of the Russians ["h! Turks in that quarter. In Asia the Juries have not behaved as well as in Eu-

rope. Indeed, in many instances their irregular tropps have shown but little courage and less discipline. If it had not been for the constant and harrassing attacks of the Circassians under Schamyl, the Russians would have made considerable progress in Abia. As it is, they have had enough to do to Hold their own. We need have no fear in that quarter. No vulnerable part of the Russian dominions has been left unassailed. On the coasts of the White Sea two of our cruisers have interrupted the commerce of Archangel, and destroyed the town of Kola. In September, the fortress of Petropolovski in Kamskatcha was attacked by an AngloFrench fleet, but without success. It appears, however, that the attack is to be renewed with a larger force. We may congratulate ourselves on being a colony of the most powerful maritime country in the world. If" the seas weze left unguarded, the colonies would be a rich prize to enterprising privateers of all nations, who would He sure to take advantage of the first symptoms of weakness on the part of the mother country. Whilst v/e are thus protected, it behoves us in common honesty, if not impelled by any other feelings, to contribute our share, however small that may be, towards the enormous expenses that the present war will entail upon England. However small our contributions may be in comparison to that of older and larger colonies, it will be a proof at least of a wish to do all we can towards taking our part in the defence of the empire. ;:,The fondest hope that we may cherish from the more liberal policy lately adopted athome in the Government of the colonies, is the gradual formation of a mighty empire with common rights and a community of interests, Instead of a number of smaller states, divided among themselves, and jealous of each other's progi-ess. We hope that during the next session of the General Assembly a liberal vote may be passed in furtherance of a war which we are as much interested in as the payers of the doubled Income Tax in the old country.