FRANCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 326, 15 December 1855, Page 8

FRANCE.

(From the •' Times" correspondant.) Paris, Aug. 2. I alluded the other day to a rumour, or rather a conjecture of au individual, (for it had not yet acquired the dimensions of a rumour), that the great preparations going on at Kamieseh were perhaps with a view to some daring attempt against the harbour of Sevastopol ittelf. The following details from the Courier de Marseilles of the Ist inst., seem to give an appearance of probability to that rumour, strange as it was :— We have already stated that the Government intended to purchase the Rhone steamers, for Use in the Black Sea operations. The fact, at first questioned, was afterwards denied in a Parisian correspondence of the Independence Beige; but we can now affirm that the purchase has been concluded. Captain Magnan, of our port, who has loug navigated the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, and is perfectly well acquainted with the many obitacles attending the approach to the coasts and entrances of the rivers emptying therein, particularly for our military navy addressed some time ago to our Government a memorial, in which he demonstrated the impossibility of efficaciously operating on certain important points of the Russian territory with the means at the disposal of the allied Powers. He then showed the immense advantages thai might accrue from the application thereto of a special materiel, which it was easy to borrow from our river navigation. D. Ducos, then Minister of Marine, and Marshal Vaillani, Minister of War, appointed a committee to examine the questions treated of by the writer of the memorial, and whose decision was entirely favourable to the plan suggested by Captain Magnan. Some doubts remained as to the inconveniences that might result from a long sea passage effected by these flat-bottomed boats. Those fears were unfounded. The paddles insure to these boats sufficient stability in the open sea. They derive, moreover, from their light dnught of water a degree of rapidity which lessens the chances of accidents on the passage, and enables them to seek refuge in the smallest ports when meuueed by a storm. The Rhone and Saoue can alone supply this new fl>et, numbering 97 boats, ready to proceed to tlie Black Sea. It is not our province to mention on what terms the different companies consented to part with their floating stock. Ail we can say is, that the affair was settled to the *atißfaction of the parlies, interested and of the Government, which thus finds availed unhoped for means of action. Reasons of discretion and

patriotism, which our nailers will appreciate, do not permit us to divulge tln» plan connected with the co-operation of this valuable auxiliary fleet. We can only say that on point* where the allies could only appear in a lew light vessel", escorted by a small number i»f gun boats, and carrying rt few humlreil men, they nniy now unexpectedly show themselves in our large river steamers with 2J.000, 30,000, «ml,. if necessary, 50,000 men, ready to disembark, in spile of shoals, aud without being obliged to havy recourse to light, ers or other lauding apparatus. Our soldiers will .-carcely wet their feet on quitting the decks of these boats to occupy the slk re. The miallest of these vessels can easily accommodate 500 men, and mount lour IB pounders, which is fully sufficient to protect'a landing without any other assistance. These vessels will approach every Russian beach, however low it may be and enter into the mouth of every liver, how-' ever intricate or obstructed its channel may prove. Our readers can form au idea of the extreme mobility buch vessels will impart to our army, and of the frightful rapidity with which our generals can effect diversions or land troops where.-least expected by the enemy. This it all' we are at liberty to say with regard to the efficiency of this coasting aud river squadron. Our readers will easily conceive the immense advantages our army will derive from its co-opera-tion, and the dreadful effects of its intervention for the Russians. One of these steamers, commanded by Captain Mangan himself, hasalreadj left the Rhone, and arrived in our port, whence •he will shortly sail for the Crimea. Between the mouth of the Rhone and Marseilles the Cyffne, No. 10, averaged a speed of 12 knots, in a heavy sea, and a strong breeze. This trial is very satisfactory. The Government will wait the report which Captain Magnan is to forward from Constantinople as to the navigable capabilities of these vessels before it sends out the entire light squadron."