EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IV, Issue 226, 30 December 1854, Page 3

EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE.

(From the " Home News.") London, Oct. 3,1.854. .-.^jijON'S^itimliiy, the 30ih ult., public expeotation rose^o a painful height, as upon that day it was calculated that intelligence of the progress of the allied annie.s in the Crimea would arrive-in London. The morning passed over, however, without any announcement from official sources; but a flying rumour prevailed throughout the day that an action had taken place, which was finally confirmed in. the afternoon by the publication o? <\ Gazette Extraordinary, containing1 the following important particulars:—• Copy of a Telegraphic Despatch from Viscount Stratford de Rede'ifFo to the Earl of Clarendon, dated Constantinople, Sept. 23rd, 1854, and tran«mitted by her Majesty's Consul General at Belgrade, under date September 30th,.7 a.m. The entrenched camp of the Russians, containing 50,000 men, with a numerous artillery and cavalry, on the heights of the Alma, was attacked on the 20ih inst., at 1 p.m., by the allied troops, and carried by the bayonet at halfpast 3, with a loss on our side of about 1400 killed and wounded, and an equal loss on the side of the French. The''Russian army was forced to put itself in-full retreat. The Duke of Newcastle feels it his duty, in publishing this te/egraphic despatch, to caution the public against expecting any details for several days. He fears none can be received before the 6th of October. Everything which is received by the Government will be published immediately. War Department, September 30, 1854. On Sunday, Ist inst., another Gazelle Exraordinary was published, containing another despatch from Lord Raglan. War Department, October 1, 1854. The Dnke of Newcastle has this day received a telegraphic despatch from Lord" Raglan, G.C.8., of which the following is a translation: — Copy of a .Telegraphic Despatch from General Lord Raglan to the Duke of Newcastle, transmitted through Belgrade (not dated, but evidently written fromthe Crimea on 21st Septen her). The allied armies yesterday attacked the position of the enemy on the heights above the Alma, and carried it after a desperate battle, about an hour and a half before sunset. Nothing could surpass the bravery and excellent conduct of the troops. The position was very formidable, and defended by a numerous artillery of heavy calibre. Our "loss, I regret to add, is very considerable; but no general officer has been wounded. The main body of the array of the enemy was estimated from 45,000 to 50,000 infantry. A few prisoners, amongst whom are two general officers, and two guns, have been taken by the English army. (Signed) Raglan. In addition to the foregoing intelligence the usual telegraphic despatches in the morning papers give some additional facts of great interest. According to a message from Vienna, dated September.3o, the battle on the 20ih was followed by another on the 22nd, on which day Prince Menschikoff was attacked by the allies in the Plain of Kalantai, on the Katcha. After a sanguinary battle, which lasted some hours, the Russians were totally defeated, and pursued to their entrenchments before Sebastopol. The few minor details that have as yet arrived will be read with interest. In the engagement of the 20th the French General Thomasson, who arrived at Constantinople on board the Magellan, was wounded in the abdomen ; and General Caurobert was wounded in the shoulder. It is stated that Lord Raglan and Marshal St. Arnaud commanded personally. The passage,of the Alma from the sea was protected by English steamers. According to one account one Russian General and two Colonels were killed, and General ChnmutolF wounded. The Russian loss is estimated at 0000, killed and wounded. The Daily News of the 4th publishes the x following' despatch from its Paris Correspondent :— Paris, Monday Evening. EXPECTED ATTACK ON CRONSTADT. On this important subject our Paris correspondent writes:— "I.learn that an attack upon Cronstadt is

seriously contemplated almost immediately. General Niel, the general of engineers, who distinguished himself in the Baltic by the prominent part he took in the direction of the siege of Bomarsund, reported personally to the Emperor that he believed the attack was practicable this year. The report lias been communicated to the English Admiralty, and I. have reason to believe that the movement of Admiral Parceval Deschenes, already mentioned in a telegraph despatch, portends a more serious enterprise than a fruitless sacrifice of life at Revel."

(From the Melbourne Argus, Dec. 7 .) The intelligence is as complete as we can obtain from our present files. TELEGRAPHIC DESPATCHES. THE CIIIMKA. Berlin, Tuesday, Oct. .3. A telegraphic despatch lias been received here direct from St. Petersburg. It says that Prince Menschikoff has telegraphed under date of September 26, that he has withdrawn his troops unmolested from before Sebastopol towards Batschi-Serai. There he will await reinforcements from Kertsch and Perekou. He adds that Sebastopol had not been attacked up to the 26th of September. (fUOM OUR VIENNA COKEESPONDEST.) Vienna, Tuesday, Oct. 3. Several private despatches received here today confirm the intelligence received here from various quarters relative to the fall of Sebastopol. No official confirmation, however, has yet reached us, but an official despatch from St. Petersburg, dated the Ist. inst., stating that advices from Prince Menschikoff of the 261h made no mention of disastrous events causes some anxiety here. Vienna, Tuesday, Oct. 3. Prince Menschikoff's despatch to St. Petersburg is doubtless dated the 20tb, not the 26th, for his last despatch was eleven days en route. Vienna, Tuesday. Oct. 3. The local papers publish the following:— Five hours after the bombardment, Fort Constantine blew up : 10,000 Russians were buried in its ruins. Prince Menschikoff fled to Fort Alexander, where 18,000 Russians shortly surrendered. The allied fleets simultaneously destroyed the outer harbour, forts, and vanguard of the Russsian fleet. . Prince Menschikoff is reported to have unconditionally surrendered on the evening of the 26 th. (From the Times' Correspondent.) Paris, Tuesday Morning. At length all doubt as to the fall of Sebastopol is set at rest. The telegraphic despatch transmitted by I\f. de Bourquency from Vienna, has removed all doubt, and the destruction of the Russian power in the Black Sea is a fait accompli. But, notwithstanding the certainty of the fact, the French Government is still without the official announcement of it, and the cannon of the Invalides continue, consequently, their silence.

It will be some days yet before the exact details of this grand event can be known, but already the telegraph brings us some slight but interesting particulars. According tn the accounts which have reached here from Bucharest, the Fort dv Nord, notwithstanding the new lines of defence recently created, was not able to resist the impetuosity of the attack made by the allied armies. But the success, as I stated to you yesterday, was greatly aided by a revolt of the Poles who were in the Russian service, and who fortunately formed a main portion of the garrison of the Fort dv Nord. The number of Russians killed on this occasion was no less (as you are aware) than 18,000 killed, and wounded, and upwards of 20,000 prisoners. ■At the same time that this great attack was proceeding, Fort Constantine was successfully attacked by sea as well as by land. The fort was taken, and six of the Russian ships of the line were sunk in the outer harbour by the iiro from our ships. It was then that Prince Menschikoirretired with the remaining shipping to the inner port, whore, according to tin* latest accounts, he was allowed six hours to deliberate whether he would surrender at discretion, or blow himself and the fleet up together. According to the latest accounts, he was disposed to adopt the latter alternative ; but it is proba-

We that six hours' calm counsel would hare induced him to alter his determination. The Constitulionel gives the following particulars of the-battle of Alma.: It has been seen by the despatch, of Marshal de St. Arnaud, with what impetuosity the position of the Aima was carried. We now give from private information some details of that important aflair. The Russians had kept their ground for several hours; they had eren obtained an advantage over the English in a charge of cavalry, when the latter, seconded by their dragroons, recovered their advantage. During that time the Russian entrenchments were carried at the bayonet, and the overthrow of the Russians had become a suave gui peut. But this victory could not have been gained without our suffering sensible losses. Th« General of Brigade Thomasson, who has been recently promoted lo that rank, is spoken of as being dangerously wounded. It is added that General Canrobert has received a slight wound, and that Prince Napoleon has had a. horse killed under him, Now, if we endeavour to comprehend what followed; we must not forget that the field of the battle of Alma was situated scarcely more than five leagues from Sebastopol, and it may be presumed that our troops, pushing the Russians tSpie dans les reins, may have penetrated at the same lime with them the first lines of defence on the side of the Fort dv Norcl. This fort itself, vigorously attacked, would not have been able to resist, especially if the diversion occasioned by the revolt of the Poles be admitted, while the combined fleets must themselves have lent powerful assistance in attacking Fort Constantine, which completes the defence of the coast. These two points occupied, all was at an end; and if in fact Prince Menschikoff has retired, as is stated into the inner port, commanded as it is on all sides, he can only capitulate or blow himself up, for all serious resistance is impossible.''

I mentioned yesterday the report current that the brave General Canrobert had been killed. I have since learnt, and it will give satisfaction not only in France but in England, thai the rumour is now stated to be only partly true. It is said that General Canrokert is only wounded, but that General Thomasson is killed. There appears to be no doubt that two French Generals are hors de combat, and that at least one of them is killed : but in the midst of so many conflicting rumours, it may turn out that there is a mistake as to the names. I also hear that three Russian Generals are killed. The Chasseurs de Yincennes are said to have distinguished themselves greatly. It was that distinguished corps which carried the heights in front of the French position at the point of the bayonet. The following telegraphic despatches have been received here to-day -.— " Hamburg, Sunday, Oct. J. ''Admiral Parseval Deschenes, who has arrived at Kiel, has ordered th 3 scattered ships ut" his fleet to join him there. The officers assume that the French squadron is going again to join Admiral Napier in the Baltic." " Madrid, Sept. 20. c; The Madrid Gazelle announces the dispe.sion of the Cariist bands which had shown themselves iv Catalonia." " St. Peterburg, Sept. 2(>. " The Emperor of Russia has published a ukase which p-oliibits the exportation into Austria of rye, barley, or oats. The ukase will co*ne into force from the day it reaches the hands of the administrators of the Customs."