English and Foreign.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 353, 19 March 1856, Page 8

English and Foreign.

ENGLAND. Tiie Hon. Mr. Lahouchere, Secretary for Ireland .1 firing- " the famine" trouble, and' President of the Bi«ard of Trade in the Russell Ministry, has been gazetted as Secretary of State for the Colonies. The United Service Gazette says Mr. Fredrk. Peel, Under Secretary of the War Department, lias resigned, and we understand that it is nut the intention of the Government to appoint a successor. The Cabinet App. istment.s—Tne best of Lord Pahnersti.n's recem additions to his cahjuet is the Right Hon. Matthew Talbot Baines. With regard to the war, the declaration of the new Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, in his address to his constituents at Leeds, is frank, straightforward and satisfactory. Bin apart from the consideration of this question of the day, the accession of Mr. Baines to Her M.ijesn's Council* will be a gain. There is a solid, uii'-stt-ntatious sagacity about the man th.it is invaluable in the tr msa'ction of important business. Of theapp nminenlof Mr. Laboucliere we expressed our opinion on a previous occasnui. We do not pretend to see what is to be gained by pitchforking Lord Stanley of Aldeiley, into the Cabinet. And as to' the D-.:ke df Argyll, we are disposed u> concur in the rattier malicious remark of the Spectator, that his Giace dues not appear to be a person of such magnitude as to he booked for two places. But ho a- is the business of the country to he carried on, since Mr, Frederick Peel—irate at tne disregard of his r«d-:ape accomplishments— has resigned ?— Times. THE WAR. The Manilcnr of the 24th Nov., publishes tlie iiillowiii«r: — '" Mdisijfi! Peiis.sier, in his last report to the Minister of War, gives the following account of a succ^3.-»iul ciup de main effected un the 3rd i)f N jveruuer by ihe expeditionary corps of Etijiatoria, uii'ter the otders of (iein.M-.il (''Aiionville : —General D'Alionville having

received information that large flocks, destined for the »<e of the Russian army, were collected near El-Toch, eight leagues north of Eupatoria, attempted to capture them by a coup de main, which perfectly succeeded. With this object in view, ho sent in the direction of Ei-Tooh General AH Pasha, commander of ths Ottoman cavolrv, with the Irregulars, and some Turkish squadrons, as well as two French and two English squadrons. At the same time he left the town with the remainder of the French and English tmops, to support the operation. The English cavalry brigade advanced on Djollach, the French cavalry brigade on Tiotimen; De Failly's division, formerly the reserve, took up a position between Orta-Eami and Schiban. Meantime General AH Pasha advanced on ElToch, ineeti.li>- only a few Cossacks, who fled on his approach, uhhnngh they were supported by a force of some squadrons. At 5 p.m. Ali Pasha sent forward to General d'Allouville that his operation had succeeded, and at 9 o'clock he returned to Eupatoria, bringing with him 270 oxen, 3,450 sheep, 50 horses, !0 camels, and 20 wagons, captured from the Russians.1' The Indus, which has arrived at Marseilles, britisrs the following heads of intelligence : — '• It was reported' at Constantinople ou the 12th, on the strength of the news from Asia, that the sie<re of Kars was raised, and that the Russians were falling back on Teflis. 0 oar Pasha has arrived within 20 leagues of Kntais. Selira Pasha had leftTrebisond with Egyptian cavalry and artillery, for Kars. The Courrier de Marseilles of the 22nd iust., publishes the following letter, dated Kamiesch, the 6sh instant: —

" The Squadron of Admiral Bruat has imparted extraordinary aoiiviiy to our roads. On the morning of the 3rd, the Admiral came ashore, and immediately left for head quarters with a fe-v officers of his staff Admiial Lyons also landed at an early hour from the Hannibal, and waited upon General Simpson. All subsequently met in the. house of the Marshal, who highly complimented his colleague of the navy on the result of the brilliant expedition to Kinhurn. The breakfast was followed by a Council of war. Tins fact, which was quite natural, gave some credit to a report circulated on the arrival of the English Squadron, namely, that a new expedition was contemplated. I have reason to believe that such an expedition was intended, for the purpose of destroying some extensive provision stores belonging to the enemy, and making a diversion on his left; but it was afterwards abandoned. It was also rumoured a few d:iys ago that the Anglo-Turkish contingent at X Ttoh was closely pressed by General Wrangel. I have heard that some trifling engagements occurred between ihe advanced posts •. but it appears that General Vivian considered his position so seriously meiiauced that lie sent to Balaclava for a reinforcement of cavalry. The Genera], however, being in the service of the East India Company, and, as such, not authorised to command troops of the Royal army, General Simpson refused to comply wivu his request, and the steamer despatched from Kertuh immediately started for Constantinople to brinsr up the cavalry of the English contingent. There exists between those two aimies a deplorable anomaly, and this circumstance is a striking proof of it The navy is happy to have had it in ifs power to strike a decisive blow at the close of this arduous and fruitful campaign. It was well entitled to that satisfaction after the fatigues, perils, and inglorious labou s imposed upon it by the events of the war. Our position at Sebasiopol has not changed. Tlie city and the northern forts conti.iue to exchange shells. The fire of the Russians is more active than ours. In spile of the vigilance of the eneniv, ■ur daring seamen often play tricks upon him. Under cover of the darkness, boats enter the roads at Sebastonol, take soundings, and survey the opposile coast They also silently visit the masts of the sunken ships, which alone appear above tlie surface of the water, and examine ihi-ir poHiiiin. From the iiih'l of one of those -hips still floated ihe Russian fl.ig, forgotten, no donbi, in ihe precipitate ruljeu of'the crew. Officers and men more il liUl once determined on jajing hold of it ; but the ship was lying nearly in the enure of the roads, and completely protected by ih» enemy's guns. The attempts made during tin: fine cold nights of October had Wen unsuccissiul, mi account, of the mooniight, the ilndians ai tin; mast stir, pouring in ihut uueiniun v &ijowei oi projectiles, which

rendered the operation, if not impossible.ut least very perilous. Finally, suine nights ago, the attempt succeeded. The Ru^siin .colors weie removed and presented to the admiral. The army corps on the Tcliernaya is constantly kept on the quivivc, expecting to be at tucked by the Russian-, who are m no huirv to descend from their positions. The general opinion, however, is that they cannot remain on the plateaus of Mackenzie and Bellieu. The French and Sardinian outposts continually exchange '•'hots with those of the enemy. The best possible understanding exists between the Sardinian troops and ours. Everybody professes the greatest esteem for ihe soldiers of the army of General del hi Marmora, who are as active, intelligent, industrious, and vigilant a* ours. The Engli>h are executing stupendous work**. Any person venturing to speak of the evacuation of t,ie Crimea would be laugl.ed aI. There is evidently no such intention on the part of the Allies, for why should the Enylish be constructing inaguificr-ni roads, building a up\v town'" with stone in the neighbourhood of Bdaclavii,* repairing pan of the old -town, and extending liie railway, if ihe.countrv wu* to i>e abandonee ? Every day 6,000 men are employed in th;se works. The English army is at present niuie flourishing; and numerous than ever. It numbers aboiu 50,000 men, and reinforcements are daily arriving. Our last accounts from Kiuburn were brought by the squadron. The place is covered on tiie land side by formidable works, and, if Liinan of the Dniepier .should freeze, and the Russians be tempted to retake the position, the 95th regiment and its brave Colonel, Mr Duuuer, will give them something to do. The garrison of Kinburn is exclusively French. The brigade of (General Spencer has been partly landed at Eupatoria. " Independently of iho.se fortifications,which, defended as tney will be. could detv 50,000 as-ilnnts, Kinburu will be protected by the squadron of commander Paris, consisting of several frigates, vow anchored along the coast of Oczakoff, and the floating'batteiies Devastation, 'lave, and Tounante. I have been IoM by a naval officer that the reconnaissance made in the Bug had produced excellent results, and most useful information for our future operations. The remainder of the brigade commanded by General Bizaine had returned. The division of General Chasseloup Luibat is arriving by degrees, and occupies the former quarters of the foreign legion. The importance of the port of Kamiesch daily increases, and its command is now confided to Captain Maussion de Cande."