EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 284, 21 July 1855, Page 3

EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE.

tß' (From the Sydney Empire). B The Imperial Parliament adjourned on the ■30th of March to the 16th of April. The state apartments of Windsor Castle are closed, to be re-opened on an unprecedented occasion— the arrival of a French Emperor," and that - Emperor a Napoleon. Verdun is avenged; St. Helena is assoilzied. *S?The visit at once gives birth to a crowd of reS§Jflections, remarkable for one common characte-jSristic--that they ought all and instantly to be in presence of the'few simple and || really grand incidents of this visit. French H Monarchs have been in the habit of visiting g England ; one came here to escape a Napoleon ;. g next a Capet, to escape the consequences of atHtempting taf'revive Capetism : then a "Mr. ft Smith" to avoid the consequences of attempting ft to place La France under the Bourgeoisie, and f, the Bourgeoisie under Mr. Smith. But the ft reigning Monarch comes to ratify an alliance k against invasion and foreign dictation, and to £, ratify that uniou of great powers which is a guarantee for wiser government in Europe. I Paris, April 4. ? It is positive that the Queen of England and \ t the Prince Albert will visit Paris immediately I after the return of their Imperial Majesties, the * Emperor and Empress of the French, from ' England. I A large quantity of Mr. Hale's war-rockets are *. now being manufactured, by order of the Governj'finent, for the use of the British army in the ■; Crimea. These missiles can be projected at a |, distance of three miles, with the certainty of aim p of the Minie bullet- * Captain Hall, of the Nemesis, has presented ; to Her Majesty the guns captured from one of ' the forts at Eckness. The Queen ordered the " guns to be placed in the Park, fronting Osr borne Palace. . The Moniteur de l'Armee contradicts the re. >. port that the Russians have from 170,000 to 200,000 men in the Crimea, and states that the „ whole force of the Russians there does not \, amount to more than 115,000 men, including /* the garrison of Sebastopol, the corps on the ' Tchernaya, and those at BakschiseraijEupatorid, y Simpheropol, and Perekop. ', The command of the floating batteries, says " the United Service Gazette, now just ready for launching, is exciting much competition and ' rivalry among young captains. Three have al- \ ready been appointed. Captain A. Inglefield, ' Arthur Cumming, and Frederick B. A. Seymour, have been selected for this purpose, and three - more dashing characters, could not, perhaps, be i< found. . r No soldier under 18 years of age is to be sent i to the Crimea on any pretext. Advices from Odessa state that the report of * the death of Prince Menschikoff is false. From Eupatoria we have received the intelli- '* dence that the son-in-law of Prince Paskiewitch was killed in the last affair there. The Sultan has conferred the order of Abdul Medjid on Field Marshal Lord Raglan and Lieutenant-General Sir F. Burgoyne, G.C.B. From Paris we learn that the Emperor presented the colours to seven thousand soldiers of the Imperial Guard on the 20th, and addressed them as follows:—" Soldiers, —The army is the true nobility of-the'country. It preserves intact our national traditions of honour and glory. Our genealogy is here (shewing the colours to the troops) tbe army marks every generation with a fresh victory. Receive these colours—l confide them to your honour, courage, and patriotism." The Cent Guards marched on Saturday, the 17th March.— Northern Daily News. The Jamaica Dispatch complains that the war duty on sugar will stop the cultivation ot that article in the West Indies. ' The editor observes—" It is useless to blink the question. Sugar cultivation is in extremis. Sanguine expectation may endeavour to direct public attention from this state of things, by conjuring Uj-v prospective affluence from undeveloped reitiirces ; but reason is opposed to any such deception. We saw yesterday some account sales of sugars of a very high quality—taxed, a large portion of it at the higher rate of duty, 12s.— which netted just 7s. 6d. per cwt. Its production could not have cost less than 12s probably much more. It is unnecessary to say that under such circumstances sugar cultivation cannot go on. The increased value of rum is spoken of as atoning for the depreciation of sugar, hut a short time will prove this to be a fallacy. It is true at the present moment the price of ruin is

remunerative. Every one knows, however, that the state of the spirit market is fictitious ; and, judging from the increased supply, it is clearly impossible that present prices can-long be maintained." . The commandant, Colonel Eden, of the'garrison, at Chatham, received by yesterday's train a large box, containing upwards of 150 volumes of books, which was forwarded to him by desire of her most gracious Majesty. The whole of the books are beautifully bound, and are of the most interesting kind. The Queen has also sent some drawing paper, pencils, india-rubber, and other articles for the use of drawing, for the sole use of Private William Cunningham, 7th Fusiliers, an inmate of the hospital, Who, at the time of Her Majesty's visit to the wards, was amusing himself sketching, which attracted her Majesty's attention. He then produced some of his sketches, which:he had made in the Crimea, and the Queen was so pleased with them that she requested the commandant to apply for them for her. This was done. On Friday, at three o'clock, an order was received in Belfast, for the immediate despatch of two companies of the 15th depot, stationed here, to Dairy, where disturbance was apprehended. Accordingly, at. half-past four they left by rail for Ballymena, under command of Captain Guthbert. They had instructions there to " press" couveyances, if necessary, to be enabled to proceed by train thence to Deny. There are, we believe, no soldiers of the line in that town at present. We are not aware of the cause assigned for this sudden movement; hut it is very probably attributable to the excitement consequent upon the approaching trial there of some fifty or sixty parties charged with participation in the late disgraceful " religious" riots in Newtownlimavady, on Sunday, Ist September last.

We give below a chronological account, as far as ■we are able, of the proceedings in the Crimea, taken from the English and Colonial newspapers received by the Zingari. Camp before Sebastopol, March 12. Sir John O'Neil and General Simpson, who are to superintend the working ofthe staff and commissariat departments, arrived to-day. But for the positive obstacles '.thrown in his way, Mr. Filder would have kept the troops on ample rations. Yesterday evening Omar Pasha arrived at Kamiesch, and, accompanied by Admirals Lyons, Bruati and Stewart, immediately proceeded to Lord Riiglan's head quarters. Shortly afterwards Generals Canrobert, Bosquet, and Sir George Brown arrived, and a Council of War was held. It is generally believed that the Turkish Commander-in-Chief came to ask for reinforcements, and also to represeut the impossibility of defending Eupatoria against a regular siege. The council had lasted nearly four hours, and Omar Pasha returned to Eupatoria this morning. Neither French or English troops can be spared for the defence of that place. During the whole of to-day the church bells in Sebastopol have been tolling heavily, it is presumed for some religious service for the departed Emperor. For the first time our tramway was used to-day for the conveyance of shot and shell to the general depot, in course of formation about a mile and a half from head quarters. For some time past the line has been used for the conveyance of rations of all kinds ; but hitherto no very heavy traffic has been attempted. About 6,000 shot and shell were to-day sent up to the heights over Karani, and thence forwarded in our own and the French waggons to (he trenches. None of the stationary engines are yet at work. March 13. To-day the enemy at Balaklava made a smart attempt to cut off the wood party of French who are employed in making gabions on the heights beyond the marine and rifle camps. About a thousand French march down to this place each night, cut the wood, make their gabions, and return about the middle of the following day. Their usual route to camp is across the plain of Balaklava, and to-day, while the whole party were quietly trudging along, each man carrying his gabion, they w_ere surprised by the sudden appearance of about 500 Cossacks along the ridges of the Woronzow road. A musket was fired, and at the signal the Cossacks instantly closed up, and charged down upon the French at a tremendous pace. Straggling in disorder |'over the plain, and encumbered with their gabions, our allies still showed a bold front, aud tried to collect in time

to oppose their assailants, who came on with loud shouts ; but, as it happened, the Cossacks had got too near, so that, in spite of themselves, the French were compelled to throw down their gabions,-and run towards tlie shelter of our iines. The thousand gabions thus suddenly thrown in the path of the enemy impeded their movements considerably; but still the consequences might have been serious to the French, but that the batteries of the Marines and Highlanders instantly opened upon the Cossack line. The first shell fired fell right amongst them, killing two men and wounding a third. The other guns were too much elevated, but still poured such a storm of shot over the heads of the Russians as made them immediately wheel threes about and retire with all speed. At the first alarm a regiment of Zouaves on the heights were under arms, and advanced to the relief of their comrades. Supported by this force, the French gathered up all their gabions, without molestation from the enemy,_ who remained upon the hills. Only one Cossack advanced upon the French within 300 yards, and he was killed by a random shot which a Zouave took at him. All to-day the Russian guns over the northern heights of Inkermann have been firing heavily at the few stragglers who have ventured beyond our lines in search of wood. No casualties have occurred, as the enemy rarely fire at a nearer range than 3000 yards. The Russian riflemen, in part of their works, annoy the French much, and have lately caused them some loss. Beyond this, and the usual preparations which we are making to open fire, in the way of getting up guns, shot, and shell, there is nothing to report about the progress of the siege. The last of our 13-inch mortars was brought up to head quarters to-day, and the electric telegraph between head quarters, Kamiesch, and Balaklava completed. The appointment of Generals Simpson and O'Neil to exercise supervision over the Commissariat and Staff has given deep offence to the latter. Yesterday, Lord Raglan, accompanied by General Canrobert, visited Balaclava for a short time. (From a Supplement to the London Gazette, March 27.) War Department, March 28. Lord Panmure has this day received two despatches and their enclosures, of which the following are copies, addressed to his Lordship by Field-Marshal the Lord Raglan, G.C.B. Before Sebastopol, March 13. My Lord, —The enemy commenced working upon the mamelon in front of the tower of Malakoff in the night of Friday, but the nature i of the work, from the thickness of the atmosphere, could not be distinguished. Great progress, however, had heen perceived on Sunday, and that night a strong working party of the British troops was occupied in commencing a parallel from the advanced point of our right attack, with a view to form a junction with the corresponding parallel to be made on their side by the French, who began it on the following evening; and much was done to forward the operation before daylight this morning, and it is hoped that the object will be completed tb-ni<rht. The weather is generally fine in the early part of the day, hut towards evening heavy sea fogs come rolling in, aud wholly obscure the view of the place. The enemy have shown a battalion and some Cossacks on the heights above Balaklava and towards Katnara, probably with the view to interrupt the French and English wood-cutting parties for the construction of gabions in the immediate ueighhourhood, but the allied detachments have not been obliged to discontinue their work. I enclose a return, of casualties on the 10th instant. ' - I have, cScc, Raglak. The Lord Pauinure, &c. March 14. Twice during last night the whole camp was disturbed by :a tremendous live from the enemy's works. All the picquetsand outposts were kept continually on the alert, and twice the Light and 2nd Divisions were turned out under arms. The firing was caused by our allies making attempts to dislodge the riflemen who, hidden in the enemy's lines, have lately inflicted considerable mischief. The first attempt was only made by a party of about 100 Chasseurs, who, after skirmishing with the Russian niurks-

men for some time were, in the" end, overpowered and driven back by vastly superior numbers. The second attempt was made by a strong body of Chasseurs, supported by 200 of the covering party from the trenches. But during this time the enemy had received large reinforcements, and the second attack was repulsed with a loss to the French of fifty killed and wounded. The firing completely alarmed the whole camp, and within 5 minutes after the second attack had failed, two French regiments, one of Zouaves and one of the line, advanced upon the contested point. Before this force the Russians, 'though still superior, or at least equal in numbers, instantly gave ground, and commenced a rapid retreat upon their batteries. During this retreat they suffered heavily from the musketry 'of our allies. As if they apprehended an immediate storm, the whole of the Russian lines opened fire. Their batteries discharged in regular volleys, which rent the air and shook tbe earth as if some terrible convulsion of nature was taking place. The shower of shot and shell literally fell like hail, and from the state of the ground on the following morning, it is calculated that 100 tons of ammunition were fired during the half hour the alarm lasted. Mere chance shots, fired in the dark, almost completely destroyed one of the English advanced work's, and the whole remainder of the night was occupied in repairing it. During the heal 'of this iron shower the French lay close in the holes and broken ground, from which they had , driven the enemy. These they occupied till morning, when, from the position of the Russian batteries, they were compelled to retire. In these encounters the French lost in killed and wounded nearly 200 men, The loss ofthe enemy, who 'fought under cover, was probably much less. During to-day our right attack has fired some ten or twelve rounds to which the enemy have not attempted to reply. This unusual quietness has excited much speculation, as the Russians generally give us twenty guns for one. Ali Bey, tbe celebrated Turkish gunner, has arrived here from Sinope, to superintend the management of some of the heavy artillery in the trenches. A new 32-ponnder has been added to tbe battery at the head of the harbour of Balaklava, and still stronger additional batteries, it is said, are'contemplated to secure our depots at: that place. " March 15. A heavy fire was kept up by the enemy's batteries during the whole of last night, so as to completely shelter their riflemen from any fresh attack from the French. Beyond tbis nothing worthy of notice occurred, except that, for the first time since the siege has commenced, " the batteries atlnkerma'nn fired during the night against our lines. All their shot fell short. The weather continues fine and hot, and feyer becomes more and more prevalent each day. During the middle of the day, when the sun is warm, the stench in camp is positively sickening. Some efforts are now beginning to be made to cleanse the ground : but like all other Tefonns, they come too late. The Russians seem very busy in Sebastopol, especially in their advanced work in-front of Malakoff Tower, 'which it is supposed they are mounting with guns. Lord Raglan and General Canrobert made a ■' minute inspection of the works near Balaklava 'to-day. Official 'rumours speaks of the probability of a serious attack on this part of our defences. March 16. Five heavy guns were brought up to the batteries by the French to-day. Two were long 32's, and three long 36-pouuders. Four 13-inch mortars' were also gut into position in one of our batteries, which I need not further specify. Lord Raglan visited our right attack (Gordon's Battery) and remained'in-it during the whole early part of the morning. While bis lordship was present the battery fired repeatedly upon the enemy, and succeeded in shelling out the riflemen who lay verdu in front of the lines. Three of them were killed by a shell as they rart in towards their own trenches. His lordship expressed himself highly pleased at the high state of efficiency in which both men and guns appear. Strange to say the Russians scarcely returned oue gun for ten of ours. A week ago, and a single shot fired from any of the English works svould have been replied to with such a volley as would have levelled our works ; and to-day,, to the surprise of every one, their riflemen were driven in almost without their batte-

ries offering! any resistance. About an hour after our lines had ceased firing, the enemy fired a lew shot, but all fell some 500 or 800 yards behind our batteries. The Russian works appear in splendid condition, and quite crowded with troops, who show themselves without hesitation, even in the midst of the French fire. General Canrobert visited Balaklava to-day, and inspected the whole of our line of tramway. He also'visited the depot aud sanatorium on the hills, and afterwards rode to the out-picket post, from whence a ?good view of the Russian position on the Tchernaya can be obtained. FBOM GENERAL CANROBERT TO THE FRENCH MINISTER-OF-WAR. March 17. "Monsieur de Marechal—l have the honour to make you acquainted with some of our doings in the trenches connected with our siege works. " On tbe night between the 14th and 15th of March, we took by assault, in front ofthe parallel which is opened before the Mamelon which is in advance of the Malakhoff Tower, and where the Russians have established their new work, a first line of ambuscades,- from which the enemy's riflemen annoyed our workmen, and from which, on the morning of that day, they killed Captain Quilhat, of the engineers, whom we all regret extremely. "The troops charged with this operationcarried it out with much vigour and daring, under .the fire of the musketry and cannon of the place. It was necessary to continue the operation on the night between the 15th and '16th. As on tbe preceding night, it was vigo- , roubly executed. The ambuscades were razed. General Bosquet speaks in terms of the highest praise' of the energy of the troops employed in these two actions, which offered most honorable cases of individual valour. "General Niel and Bezot reconnoitred the parallel openedcluring the night, and they prepared the works of another parallel, nearer the Mamelon in ad vance of the Malakhoff Tower. We are about to undertake it to-morrow night on ground where, unhappily, the rock is very near the surface—an obstacle which we have had continually to struggle against nearly everywhere since the commencement of the siege. " On the left we have continued our works • before tbe central battalion. During the same nights, between the 14th and 15th and 15thand J6ih, notwithstanding a heavy fire of grape and <musketry, we connected with the old works, by a- new parallel of more than 400 metres, the trench forming an advanced angle iv the direction of that bastion. "These operations cost us some 30 men killed and wounded, among the former Captain Adin, of the 2nd regiment of the Foreign Legion. " During the night between 15th and 16th the besieged, wishing probably to make a diversion on our extreme left, and supposing, doubtless, that-the works undertaken on our right absorbed all our attention, directed towards that left a sortie consisting of 450 volunteers from different corps. This attack was met by a company of the 10th battalion of Chasseurs-a-pied and a company of Voltigeurs of the 2nd regiment of the Foreign Legion. The combat was very brilliant ; the assailants were welcomed by a rattling'fire of musketry, and were driven back at'the point of the bayonet to beyond the parapet of the trench, leaviug 29 killed and wounded in our bands, and as many upon the ground which separates the trench from the ambuscade from which they issued. A great number were carried away by a detachment provided -with stretchers. This little skirmish must have cost the Russians one-third of the force engaged. We had five killed and 12 wounded. " During the last eight days we have tried tbe fire of a little [battery constructed by us, armed and manned by the English, which opens upon the great port. We observed that one of the war steamers whose fire annoyed us, the Gromonosetz, was struck by our balls. We now learn that they had scarcely time to tow her into the inner port, when she sunk. This incident is not without value, especially as regards the moral effect it is likely to produce on the garrison. The port is, in fact, tbe line of retreat of the garrison, and the more threatening our action becomes in that line the greater will-be the anxiety and discouragement of the troops. " The brigade of the Imperial Guard has been very vigorously constituted. The best

soldiers of the army of tlie East have naturally found a place there and a noble recompence. Yesterday, with great solemnity, I presents! i Q the Zouaves of tlie Guard the standard sent to them by the Emperor. His Majesty and you Monsieur le Marechal, may be assured that it will be well preserved. Notwithstanding the sudden and extreme change of the climate of tbe Crimea, the iium-/'----her of sick is on the decrease. Can Robert, Before Sebastopol, March 17, My Lord, —The progress of the parallel which I reported to your Lordship in my despatch of the 13th intaiit (No. 205) has not been as rapid as'was anticipated, the ground being extremely rocky, and the difficulty of procuring cover consequently excessive, and rendering jt almost impossible to carry on the operatiori during the day. Both the English and the French have now, however, succeeded in establishing^ the communication between them. Her Majesty's troops have not been assailed, but our allies have been keep constantly in action, and they have succeeded in driving the enemy from the rifle pits in which they had established themselves, in their immediate front, with distinguished gallantry and great perseverance. They, however, bayesnstained some loss, though not equal to that which they have inflicted upon their opponents. A steady fire has been maintained upon the mamelon in the occupation of the enemy from tlie guns in our right attack, and the practice of both the navy and the artillery has been conspicuously good, and reflects the highest credit on those branches of her Majesty's service. ! Although no positive attack has been directed against our works, our approaches are carried so close to the enemy that the casualties are greater than they have lately been, as your Lordship will be concerned to remark in examining tbe returns I have the h mi our to enclose; and it is my painful duty to announce to your Lordship the death of Captain Craigie, of the Royal Engineers, whose zeal and devotion to the service could not be surpassed, and who was killed on the 13th, after he had been relieved from the trenches, and was on his way to the Engineer-park, by a splinter from a shell, which burst close to iiiin. I have the honour to report the arrival ol Lieutenant-General Simpson, who joined my head-quarters yesterday, and that of Sir John M'Neill and Colonel Tulloch, who reached Balaklava a few days before. I have, &c., Raglan. The Lord Panmure, &c. " Before Sebastopol, March 20th. " Mv Lord—ln my despatch of the 17th instant, I reported to your Lordship the progress made in forming the parallel constructed to unite the right of our right,attack with the left of tbe French on the Inkermann. "The contest of the latter.with the enemy fy' the possession of the rifle pits in their immediate front was renewed after dark on that night, and was continued for several hours, the fiv being excessively heavy, particularly of mus fcetry, and considerable loss must have been sus taiued by our allies, I fear, as well as by tin enemy, who continue to bold the ambuscades: but the French persevere, notwithstanding, i; - working forward, and are approaching the Ma melon, on which the Russians are busily en gaged in building a formidable work, though frequently interrupted by,.our batteries ant! those of the French. " Oh the .night of the 17th the English parallels were not attacked ; but the fire to which I have above alluded was so .continuous, that.the whole force was either under arms or ready to turn out. " I enclose the returns of casualties to the Bth inst. "It was currently reported yesterday that Prince Menschikoff had died on his ,\v.a^.to Moscow. I have not been able to. asceru.^ it this report be well founded, but it was so fullycredited as to have been despatched to Constantinople. "Prince Gortschakoff is stated to have arrived at Bakshiserai, and to have assumed the command ofthe army. " Reinforcements' are reported to be on their way from Russia, and the 9th Division to have reached the neighbourhood of Eupatoria. The position of the Russian troops in the vicinity of / the Tchernaya remains unaltered.

"The progress of the railway continues.to be satisfactory, and we are already enabled to use it with considerable advantage, both for the conveyance of supplies and hutting, so far as the high ground some way on this side of Kadikoii " Mr. Beattie's exertions deserve every commendation. " I have, &c, " Raglan.'' latest intelligence. Before Sebastopol, March 20. My Lord—lt is with deep concern that I transmit for your Lordship's information the copy of a letter which I received on the 18th instant, from General Canrobert, announcing, with every expression of concern, the death of a British officer, who appears to have wandered into the French camp, and, not answering the challenge, that was repeated three times, was shot dead by the French sentry whose post he had approached. This officer, Surgeon Le Blanc, of the 9th Foot, occupied the tent near the hospital huts of his regiment, situated at some distance from the encampment of the regiment itself. He was a gentleman of most temperate habits, apd was occupied in reading, when, suddenly, upon the alarm sounding, he rose from his seat, leaving his candle lighted and his book open, and walked out —he was never seen alive afterwards. It should be explained that shortly after the close of day on the 17th there was a:very heavy fire on the left of ihe French right, vyhjch was maintained for several hours. None of the English posts were atta2ked,hut it was considered prudent to get the greater portion of our troops under arms. Mr. Le Blanc was shortsighted, and probably mistook his way from the first, the night being excessively dark, for be was found far distant to the left, and must have wandered from our position without knowing the direction in which be was going. Being anxious to ascertain the facts of this unfortunate case as correctly as possible, I have set on foot an inquiry, to be conducted by Eng- . lish and French officers, in association with each other; and I propose to do myself the honour tosend you their report. T have addressed a similar letter to the General Commanding in-Chief. I have, &c, Raglan. The Lord Pamuuvc, &c. Head* Quarters, March 18,1855. My Lord—l am grieved to have to inform you of an event much to be regretted, which painfully ■engrosses the French army and its Commander-in-Chief. „ Lastnight, while the tiodps were kept perpetually on the, alert, an English officer presented himself before the line of the 18th Regiment, established near the ...watch-tower behind our tienches ofthe left attack. Although summoned three times by the gui vive the officer did not reply; .the.sentinel fired, and he was killed on the spot. I can hardly understand how this unhappy ofaficer found himself at such an hour so far from the English camp, I believe that his death can only be attributed to his own imprudence; but I do not the less deplore this event, which must also,be attributed to the natural emotion of-a young soldier, who, in the midst of the events which marked last night, rigorously executed the.military regulation. I have, &c, Canrobert. General-in-Chief of the French Army. Field-Marshal Lord Raglan, &c. " Before Sebastopol, March 22nd, 1855. "We are advancing towards the Mamelon which covers the Malakoff Tower. The enemy has at different limes attempted to destroy our works of.approach, but without success. The health of the troops is excellent. Admiral Istouin, commander of the fleet of the place, has been killed. "Canrobert." Night Attack,—-Tremendous Slaughter *. of Russians.—Official accounts have been re/ceived,. which state that a desperate engagement * took place before Sebastopol, on the night ofthe 22-23 rd March, originating in a sortie of a garrison against the French works. Several thousand men must have been engaged in this nocturnal combat. The Russian Commander-in-Chief, in his estimate of loss, merely stated that the " loss on both sides was considerable ;" but the French Commander, while he acknowledges a loss of 600 jmen, claims to have killed or wounded no less than 2,000 of the Russians. We have not yet received Lord Raglan's accouut.

The Russians were the assailing party, and therefore were exposed to the dangers of attack-" ing a strongly-fortified position, and they were finally repulsed and driven into the town. As the Russians claim to have taken aii English captain prisoner, it is probable that the English, as well as the French, were engaged in this desperate action, in which the loss, both of the allies and the Russians, seems to have been greater than at the battle of Eupatoria, in which from 70,000 ot 80,000 men were engaged.