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Leader (1850-1860), 6th January 1855, Edition 2 of 2, Page 5, CONTINENTAL NOTES. Foreign Enlistment.—T...

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      Notes Of The Siege. Most? Interesting Ac...

      revolving pistol , and taking advantage of the bushes I succeeded in wounding the two others . The cowardly officer threw down bis sword . I took him prisoner , and marched him off to the right amongst the bushes , and got up near our lines when I was getting w ^ ak from the loss of blood ,, when ,, seeing one of our men fying dead , I stooped down for his water-bottle . This cowardly dog took this advantage , snatched his own sword out of my left hand , and inflicted a slight wound on the fleshy part of my arm ; he never dreamt of another shot being in the pistol , which was in him in less than a second . This ended my dreadful work for that day , and I hope forever . " .

      THE BAI / AKXAVA KAIL WAY CORPS . The second London detachment of the men engaged by Messrs . Feto and Befcts to construct the railway from Balaklava to the trenches before and the heights around Sebastopol left Blackwall on Tuesday . They go out in the fine new vessel the Hesperus , 800 tons , built in the Tyne by Messrs . Marshall , and seemingly in every way admirably adapted for this particular purpose , combining compactness with great capacity . She carries her full burden , 800 tons of rails , sleepers * and other materials , with fuel for 12 days , but presents no appearance whatever of being unduly laden ; and , should the weather be but moderately favourable , it is

      anticipated that she will reach Malta without stopping at Gibraltar to coal , and accomplish the entire voyage to Balaklava in . three weeks . She is commanded by Captain Crookshank , an able and experienced officer , well acquainted with the seas he is about to navigate ; and on Thursday was followed by the Prince of Wales and the Earl of Durham—the former carrying 80 and the latter 50 navvies .. The number now taken out by the Hesperus is 80 , nearly all young men , in the prime of manhood , and presenting all those evidences of stalwart strength and endurance for which their class is proverbial . They are amply provided with warm and durable clothing of the most suitable description ; and , apart from a little of the confusion and excitement consequent upon their first experience of a sphere so entirely new to

      them as that of the deck of a steamer , they appeared in the best possible spirits , and thoroughly satisfied with everything that had been done for them . A large crowd assembled on the Brunswick Pier to witness their departure ; Shortly after two o'clock the men were mustered on the foredeck , in their new clothing , to hear addresses from Captain S . "W . Andrews , managing director of the North of Europe Steam Navigation Company , and Lord Henry Clintfrn , who , with a party of gentlemen connected with the enterprise , were on a platform amidships . Captain Andrews , to whose practised vigilance and general activity so much of the efficiency of all the arrangements of this noble undertaking is due , addressed the navvies in brief but homely and energetic terras , Which elicited hearty plaudits from his hearers . a

      ^ ir _ FrancisJHeadJhias ^ addressed , Jette ^ tolthe Duke of Newcastle , referring to the Railway Expedition , in which he describes with what ease in Canada muddy roads were rendered as solid as was desirable : — "Now , these miry , boggy lines , along which people had been seen for months crawling like flies across a plate of treacle , are suddenly , and I may almost say magically , converted into a road as hard and as good as Regent-street by the following simple process , which is usually adopted as soon as the feeble funds of the young colony can purchase the blessing : — " A small gang of men with spades and rammers quickly level one end of the earth road .

      "As fast as they proceed four or five rows of strong beams or sleepers , which have been brought in the light waggons of the country , are laid down longitudinally , four or five feet asunder , and no sooner are they in position than from other waggons stout planks , touching each other , are transversely laid upon them . From a third series of waggons a thin layer of sand or grit is thrown upon the planks , which instantly assume the appearance of a more level M'Adam road than in practice can ever be obtained . " Upon this new-born road the waggons carrying the sleepers , planks , and sand , convey with perfect ease these three descriptions of materials for its continuance . Tho work advances literally about as fast as an old gouty gentleman can walk , and aa soon as it ia completed there can scarcely exist a more striking contrast than between the two tenses of what it was and what it is .

      " Waggons of all descriptions and horses of all ages walk , trot , canter , and gallop over it with indescribable delight , until , coming to the point at which the funds of the new settlement have been exhausted , at a single atop they plungo from the last plank into the mass of mud already described . "

      January 6,1855] Tie Leadeb, 5

      January 6 , 1855 ] TIE LEADEB , 5

      Incidents. Lord Carpioan At Balaklava.—C...

      INCIDENTS . Lord CarpioaN at Balaklava . —Corpornl John Robinson , of the 13 th Light Dragopna , thus describes saving Lord Cardigan ' s life in tho celebrntcil charge of the Light Brigade : —

      ¦ " Just as I was unpruning one of the enemy ' s guns , and passing another , there were three pairs of horses in it , and there was one man mounted on the centre pair : he was in the act of dismounting when I gallopped past him and gave him a cut and a draw across the throat , which I thought was the quickest way of getting rid of him . I did not ride many yards further before I ; saw our commander , Lord Cardigan , very nearly thrust off his horse , and if it had not been for me , the old boy ' s life would not have been worth , a row of pins . I saved him , for I directly saw a Russian bad marked him , for he drew his lance and made at his lordship , but I was too expert for the rascal . I parried the well-meant stroke , and then he bolted as if Old Nick was after him . "

      New Siege Gun . —The Liverpool Journal says : " We have seen the model of a gun , which , we believe , will supersede all others now in use . This gun is the invention of Mr . Williams , formerly of Everton , Liverpool , * but now of Pembroke , and the contractor for executing the government works at Milford Haven . Mr . Williams ' s gun can- be made either of wrought iron or cast steel , and of any size . The cost will not be great , the efficiency undoubted . But it has one most desirable advantage over all other guns . At Sebastopol siege guns were removed with great difficulty —in bad weather not at all . Mr . Williams ' s gun can be carried on men ' s shoulders 1 It is made in pieces , which pieces can be put together in a few minutes by a mere labourer , and when put together will be stronger than any gun cast or fabricated whole . The model will be laid before the Minister of War next week .

      English Governesses in Russia . —Private letters , says the Morning Chronicle , have been received from English governesses in Russia , which state that it has been intimated from high quarters that it is desirable for them to return immediately to their own country . The cause of this measure is said to be , that the Czar thinks that , as the war will reduce a great many wealthy persons to poverty , their daughters ought to find employment open to them . of what

      As most of the noble families are quite aware " the gentleman with mild eyes" means by a hint , they have advised their governesses to take it—however unwilling to lose their services—while they have the _ ppportunity of quitting in comfort , as by waiting for an official order they might have to do it with inconvenient haste , or possibly not be permitted to leave at all , and be favoured with an opportunity of verifying their geographical studies under disagreeable circumstances . . ' ¦ ' ¦

      Activity in the Armoury . — -The proof-master and other officials in the small arms' department . Tower , have been busily engaged in proving Minie rifles , rifled carbines , and other firearms . The number sent in by the contractors since Saturday last by far exceeded any week ' s supply since the contract commenced , and has kept the men employed in the proof-house busy from seven o ' clock in the morning until eight o ' clock in the evening . Notwithstanding this large supply ,-there-isan-immense-deficieney-yet to be made up by the contractors . The Sappers and Miners now proceeding to the seat of war are armed with Mr . Lancaster ' s new carbine , capable of execution at 1000 yards . ,

      Something , it is to be hoped , in Names . —On Sunday last , the wife of Private Hunter , of the Royal Sappers and Miners , presented to the military chaplain at Liverpool , for baptism , two children , of which she has recently been confined . When the minister asked the sponsor to " name the child , " the answer was " Inkerman ; " and when he took the second , asking the same question , the answer was " Alma , " The former was a boy , and the latter a girl , and their genuine military mother wished them to bear the names of the great battles which their father had witnessed on his march to Sebastopol . Colour Seroeant Da vies . —This valuable warrior is meeting recognition . Messrs , Grutter and Co ., of Nienburg , write to the T imes as follows : —

      " Most esteemed sir , —Urged by the desire to prepare a small pleasure for a brave warrior in a just cause , and having no acquaintances in England , we took the liberty to-day to address to you , worthy sir , a box ( No . 625 ) of sparkling Moselle from our establishment , franco by the Bremen steamer , with the humble request that you will kindly undertake to see it forwarded to her Majesty ' s Sergeant , Davies , before Sebastopol . Wo hope you will excuse the liberty we have taken , and that you will accede to our request the more willingly as you will thereby contribute to procure for tho brave soldier , in his almost superhuman endeavours , some jovial houra in the circle of his comrades . "

      The Quekn's Hundred . —Such is the title of a corps of a volunteer squadron of lancer cavalry , which a gallant baronot near Banff proposes should be raised for the defence of the country . The force is to be composed of noblemen , merchants , bankers , arid gentlemen of such independent fortune as m ; iy enable each to provide himself with uniform , horse , armp , and equipments at his own expendo . Tho headquarters of the squadron to bo London , but

      removable to . the provinces as yeomanry cavalry . It is proposed to ask the Queen to allow the . Prince of Wales to accept the office of colonel commandant . The gentleman who is its chief , promoter is a gallant Highland proprietor , who was formerly a captain of the 17 th Lancers . * ; War Notes from California . —TVTien the news reached San Francisco that the Allies had taken Sebastopol , a salute was fired from the British

      and French war vessels lying in San Francisco Bay in honour of the event . One week after intelligence arrived that the announcement of the success of the Allies was a hoax , and that Sebastopol had not yet fallen before the besieging armies . It was then Mr . Kostromitinoff , the Russian consul ' s turn to show some signs of rejoicing , and accordingly he made preparations for giving an entertainment and firing a grand salute , which is thus noticed by the San Francisco Herald : — -

      "A large crowd collected on Broadway and Pacific wharves yesterday , to witness the firing of the salute on . board the Zenobia , in honour of the affair of Petropaulovski , and in joyful recognition of the fact that Sebastopol is not taken . At noon precisely the Russian , flag was run up and saluted with , twenty-one guns , and seven were afterwards fired as a mark of respect to the Consul , M . KostromitinofF , / on bis departure from the vessel . A collation was spread on board , a number of toasts were drunk , and the festivities passed off with great eclat The Zenobia is an American ship , sailing under American colours , and commanded by an American captain . " The intelligence of the affair of Petropaulovski , says the same Californian journal , was received with joy by the American citizens in Honolulu . The sympathy among them is all on the side of Russia .

      The Sultan Visiting the Duke of Cambridge . —The Journal de Constantinople of December 24 , says : — "On Friday last his Imperial Majesty the Sultan , accompanied by his ordinary suite , proceeded to the palace of the Embassy , to visit his Kpyal Highness . The Sultan was received at the entrance of the- palace by Lord Stratford de Redcliffe and the whole personnel of the JBfitish Legation in full uniform , and by the Duke of Cambridge who waited at the head of the grand

      staircase . Introduced into the chief saloon , the Sultan entered most affably into conversation with the Duke . After the : interview , which lasted twenty minutes ^ and in which the Sultan ^ expressed to the Duke his sentiments of friendship and sympathy for Queen Victoria and the English people , and his _ satisfaction at the improvement in the Duke ' s health , his Majesty then visited Lady Stratford , who , with her daughters , was in thie ball-room , and conversed with them in the most friendly manner . "

      Good News for the Highland Brigade . — Sir J . Maxwell , Bart ., of Pollok , pending the decision of Government with respect to his offer of a contribution of 500 tons of coal for the use of our brave feltow ^ countrymen ^ in thejQjrime . a , _ ha 8 jordej : edj 5 . fl ( y : tons to b 6 shipped by the Cicero , about to sail for Balaklava , to be placed at the disposal of Sir Colin Campbell , for the special behoof of the Highland Brigade . The Marquis of Breadalbane has forwarded four puncheons of fine Scotch whiskey for the use of the Highland Brigade in the Crimea . It is understood that this generous contribution is to be consigned to Sir Colin Campbell , the brave and esteemed chief of this gallant corps .

      Continental Notes. Foreign Enlistment.—T...

      CONTINENTAL NOTES . Foreign Enlistment . —The Suabian Mercury states that in Spain , Holland , and Hamburg , de * p 6 ts for receiving volunteers for the Foreign Legion which England is about to raise , are being established under the direction of English officers . The old English reputation for liberality is bravely maintained by the Suabian journal , which says , each volunteer ia to receive 25 fr . on entering and 300 fr . when he shall have joined his regiment . He is also to receive " as much tea , liquor , & c , as he likes . " Elsewhere the case ia altered . The Governor of the province of Poson announces that recruiting agents will be visited with from three months to three years imprisonment according to Prussian law . If the agents are foreign ers , they will bo conducted over the frontier after tho term is expired . The Peace of Italy . —Tho Killnische ZeUnng , under Mate Vienna 26 , contains the following . — *»"* " £ before yesterday a separate convention * » *^™ £ concluded between Austria and Franco , with "to ™" to the maintenance of peace m Italy . Tho o * change of the ratifications will probably not bo delayed long , on the odMr hand , it b doubted that this treaty wul bo mudo public . " Paris Universal ExmniTioN , — The demands for . „ * i ' * £ Parisian Crystal Palaco are bo . considerable , Sat the c ^ SiSS ioa ho possibility of satisfying all t o clahnatitH . ' There itf scarcely a foreign manufacturer of ny ¦ Importance who docs not propose to figure at . tho Kxb bition ; and tho main gliding and its » PP «^ £ icing doomed insufficient , an additional gallery ia to be

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 6, 1855, page 5, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_06011855/page/5/