MALTA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 241, 21 February 1855, Page 5

MALTA.

November 14, 1854. I send you files of the papers, which will give you particulars of the late affair at Balaklava, also of the progress in the bombardment of Sebastopol. The following copy of a letter from an officer of tbe expedition will probably be read with interest:—The little harbour of Balaklava, has hitherto served as an excellent place for disembarking our artillery, stores, &c, for the army, and it is so sheltered by the town at its entrance, that the ships in it are safe in any weather. It has steep hills on both sides, and opens out into a piece of cultivated undulating country, some miles in circuit, which is bounded on the left by the steep descent from the plateau, where our camp is; in front by some small hills, and to the right by some rising ground, on which a Turkish force was posted with some 24 pounders in a battery. There is a good road from the little fork to the camp, and the distance is about four miles : so whilst the French have made use of tbe Greek near Cape Cheronese, it has seemed a fortunate thing that we should have been in possession of Balaklava. There are, however, other considerations now. From having high bills to tbe eastward it is necessary lo occupy them, or shot and shells might easily be pitched into tbe vessels iv the harbour; then, that the road up to the camp should be safe, the undulated ground from the top ofthe creek has to beheld in force, and this is all outside the steep descent which forms a natural defence for the position on which our army is encamped. The Russians have been known for days to be in great force not far from Balaklava, and, on the 25th, they made an attempt to get the undulating ground of which I have spoken and which would have given them command of the road leading to the camp. At 7 a.m., on that day, some battalions of Russian cavalry and artillery attacked the position held by the Turks, and these fellows, instead of offering any resistance at once left their guns and ran for it. The.-Russians,-'of course, rode into ibe battery, and came on, but were fired into by the marines, m posi-

tion on their left, which made them keep inland a little. The next obstacle was tue^93rd: regiment, and tbe gallant Highlanders not caring to form square for Russian cavalry, stood in a line and poured in such a fire from their Minies when the enemy were at hundred yards, that they at once withdrew out of range. A charge was then made by our heavy cavalry (the Scots Greys and Inniskillens.) It was seen by many from the hills close by, and all are in raptures at its gallantry, they dashed clean through the Russian Tanks, reformed on the other side, and then swept through them in return, cutting down all opposition. Shortly after this Captain Nolan came to Lord Lucatt with a message from Lord Raglan—he told him he was to charge with the light division. When he asked what he was to charge, he was told the Russian works. They were out beyond the fort which had been occupied by the Turks and there were infantry and artillery at hand. However away the light division dashed for the Russian guns. On their way they were fired into by other guns in position, and ,by infantry. They reached the works, shot down the gunners and many of the horses there, and then reforming to return, those who were left of them saw that there were two regiments of Lancers drawn up across their road. Across the same fire as before, and through these Lancers they had to go, and the consequence was that out of 650 men full 300 are killed and wounded. The Russians took possession of the place occupied in the morning by the Turks, and captured the guns (12 I hear). Since then they have entrenched themselves there, but as they are too far off from the road to iuterfere with it, it has not been thought worth the cost to disturb them- , ".':■' It is now said that Captain Nolan entirely misunderstood the order given him by Lord Raglan. But what evidence he might have given on the subject is now lost for ever, as he was among the first to charge and die. All blame the attempt, but whose fault it was is the subject of bitter feeling and recriminations. Worse, perhaps, than the loss of 300 gallant men who fell, is the conviction that we have with us 12.000 Turks who cannot be trusted. In another part of the ground the French were eno-ao-ed with the Russians, and I am happy to say with some success, for they captured two of their "-tins. But what was the loss on the other side no one can tell us. It becomes a grave question now for military men to decide whether we have sufficient force here to expend so much, of it in defending Balaklava, and so leaving our camp, and means of attack on Sebastopol so much the weaker, whilst we might land our supplies with but little more trouble, in the creeks where the French are at present landing theirs. , On the 26th, I am happy to say there was a fio-ht of a different result. The Russians in bebastopol tried the strength of the right of our camp, where General Evans's division is placed, and suffered severely for it. They came out of the town with seven thousand strong, and had to advance up a steep hill, covered with brushwood. As they came up our pickets fell back very slowly, making terrible use of llieir minie rifles as they did so. By degrees however the Russians arrived at nearly the top of the hill. The artillery which bad been kept iv readiness, then opened fire, and General Evan's division also poured, some musketry into them. In a short time the Russians were going back m a hurry. They seemed to have an idea of taking one of the Lancaster guns fr.-ra which they were separated by a small gully, but a well-timed discharge of grape from the said Lancaster settled the question as to their ability, and they went down to the town much faster than they had left it, followed by the redcoats almost up to their works. Some of the enemy's guns fire on the hill side where this affair took place, so that it is not safe for our men to go beyond a certain distance within that. However they have buried more than one hundred Russians that were killed, and bow many remain unbuned between that point and the town remains a matter of conjecture. It is, however, agreed to by all, that the eneinv's loss in killed must have been above six hundred men. There were a few'prisoners taken, but I cannot tell you the exact number. We are landing more seamen to work ibe guns in the batteries, aud between seamen and "marines, there are now about five thousand- men landed from the fleet. The French ships have also contributed a' good vnauv men to tbe besieging force. The Algiers joined the fleet on the 23rd, and on the2Jt_ her

marines were landed, and are attached to,those already under the command of Sir C. Campbell at Balaclava. ■'■' ■■': ' The firing atithe town still goes on, but it.is now a very, weak affair on both sides. Both seem rather tired of it. Malta.-—Several wounded officers reached this/hy the French steamer, on the llth, and proceeded to England by the P. and O.S.N. Cq's shipATaifia. The Orinoco came in on the same day. She brings dates up to 14th from Constantinople, but nothing of consequence. She left again at noon on the l2th, with the 3rd buffs and a company of the 14th Foot, to repair; she brings down 150 wounded seameni who had been expected by the^Ortnoco. Preparations have been made in the Naval Hospital here for their reception.