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Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 283, 18 July 1855, Page 4

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Kbrtch.—The London Gazette contains a despatch from .Rear-Admiral Lyons dated off Sebastopol, February 27th, with an enclosure from Captain Giffavd, of the Leopard, giving details of the proceedings at Kcrtcb, on the 24th February. After three hours' work, the boats of the Leopard and the French ship Fulton, returned to the ships, having- captured and destroyed ten new 50 cwt. six-inch guns, and burnt 7 large boats, two ranges of barracks and buildings, and also a quantity of military stores and provisions. The Fulton received one shot in her hull, hut no casualties occurred. The loss of the enemy must have been considerable. The Crimea, Balaklava, March 6th. Weather fair asid mild. A bright moon impeded operations by night. The French had not renewed their attack on the Russian works near the Malakhoff Tower. There were 8,000 Russians at Tchorogoum. The Russians were advancing towards Inkermann, and were constructing new batteries. The English position is well fortified. At a Council of war, held on the 3th instant, it was resolved to recommence active operations. General Burgoyne remains in the Crimea, at the request of Lord Raglan. A continual fire was kept up between the French ,and Russians. The health of the troops is satisfactory. The Russians are said to have received reinforcements. The second edition of the Morning Post states that a military report had reached Paris from the seat of war, and that it was not so full of promise, nor so cheering, as could be wished. From the Liverpool Mercury of March 20th we extract the following telegraphic despatches :— THE BALTIC. Advices received from Nyborg, under the date of March 34thi describe the ice in the Belt as still fast, not a bit of open water to be seen, and from three to four degrees of frost. At Frederickshaven the sea was covered with ice as far.as the eye could reach ; the light vessels at the mouth of the Weser and Cuxhaven had returned to their stations. The opening of the Baltic navigation, it was considered, would be later than usual this season. A letter from Hamburgh, of the 12th inst., states the English Consular agent at Helsingor, (Elsinore) on the island of Seeland, had received a communication on the 6th inst. from the Admiralty, announcing the proximate arrival there of a steam-frigate and four corvettes, as an avant-garde, to await the arrival of the English fleet, as soon as the breaking up of the ice would allow it to enter the Baltic without danger. Stores of coal are to be constantly ready for the use of the steamers. The deficiency of coal during the campaign last year in some of the ueutral ports was a great drawback to the fleet. The Finland journals state that the commanders of the second and third divisions of the ' Russian gun-bouts have been since February at the different ports where the gunboats are stationed. The -crews! which consist chiefly of volunteer old sailors, were assembled at Abo and Helsingfors to resume their duty. The road from St. Petersburg to the latter place was covered with long rows of sledges, conveying arms to the army in Finland, the organisation of whifjh was rapidly advancing, and materials of war for the fortress. Since the departure of the allied fleets last year, no Russian military force has occupied the Aland Isles. The position is not regarded as tenable, and the islands remain as they were left. The Russian authorities in Finland", however, are prosecuting such of the inhabitants as were suspected of having entertained relations and furnished provisions to the allied fleets. The Russian flotilla of row boats ;it Sigu was being completed by tho enrolment of volunteers, and was to be ready for eervioe by the 13th. General de Berg has returned from Heisingfors, from his journey of inspection in the north of Finland. He has caused new batteries to be constructed on different parts of iha coast, and has strengthened those already esicting. The battalions of Finland, recently formed, will shortly be completely equipped. THE POPE'S EMBASSY TO THE EMPEROR ALEXANDER. Rome, 10th March.—Here as elsewhere everybody was thunderstruck by the unexpected intelligence of the Emperor Nicholas's death, which reached the ear of His Holiness through the recently completed telegraphic line from I Boiugna to the capital eighteen hours after the

event, but 'only communicated two days later to the public, by the arrival of the Tuscan Monitor. The sudden demise of the Czar ap. pears to have afforded some degree of satisfaction to the Court of Rome, both on account of the increased probability of the peaceful solution of the Eastern question, without the necessity of great successes on the part of the allies and also the possibility of some concessions' being obtained in favour of the Roman Catholic Church from the new Emperor, who was a great favourite with old Pope Gregory, and whose amicable deportment during a visit to this city, fifteen years ago, has left a most pleasing souvenir in the minds of all classes. To effect so desired a result, to urge the advantages of peace, and to congratulate the Emperor Alexander upon his accession to-the. throne, Pio Nouo has determined to send, an envoy extraordinary to the Court- of St. Petersburgh. The prelate who is to be charged with this commission, is not as yet named, but it is to be expected that he will prove as skilful a diplomatist as. Cardinal Bernetti, who undertook a similar task upon the accession of the late Emperor. THE SIEGE. The following aresomeof the facts connected with the siege of Sebastopol :— The work of constructing batteries goes on with great vigour on both sides. The front of Sebastopol looks like a huge graveyard, covered with freshly made iiaounds of dark earth in all directions. The activity of the Russians is so great that the strenuous assurances that " our fire will positively open next week are received with an incredulous smile. The Russians (says one account) mount three guns to our two, and if they have only artillerymen to man them, the only effect that we can reasonably expect to gain by our fire, when it does open, is a sileucing of a certain number of the pieces which bear on our advance with the most injurious effect. Every material, for carrying on a siege is at hand in abundance. The artillery-force is highly efiicient; our engineers, if not quite so numerous as they ought to be, are active and energetic, and our army must now consist of nearly 20,000 bayonets, owing to the great number of men discharged from the hospital, and returned fit for duty, and the drafts which have been sent out The light division can now show 5,000 men fit for duty, but instead of six regiments it contains ten regiments. With the exception of the Guards, nearly every brigade can muster many more men than they could a month ago. The weather has effected a marked improvement in the health of the men in the field hospital. The artillerymen are in excellent condition. The cavalry and artillery horses are beginning to look a little better—the mange and sore backs are decreasing. So far, then, the condition of the army is vastly improved, and what is more, it is beginning to look like an army. Again, as regards food and shelter, our men are better off every day than they were the day before ; but it is unfortunately just in * proportion as they do not want them that comforts and luxuries are showered upon them. For the weather that now prevails a tent is as good—-some say better —than a hut. Mutton and beef are so abundant that the men can get fresh meat about three times a week. Vegetables are also served out pretty frequently. The private bounty of the nation has most liburally contributed to the comforts of the araiy, and the public funds have been lavished, aye squandered,-in the attempt to make up for lost time. Speaking of the condition of the Russian armies in the Crimea, the Militarische Zeituiig says that Baksclii-Serai y.ow resembles an enor-mous-lazaretto. I'hmisuixis and thousands of sick and wounded soldiers are quartered in the town. The'grand highway ■ from Porekop to Bakstihi-Serai is covered with ammunition waggons on their way to Sebastoool. The number of Russian troops in the is calculated at 170,000. A Varna correspondent of the Oestereichisse Zeitung, writing on the 6th instant, states that Oaiur Pacha's army at Eupatoria will eventually be 56,000 strong. Turkish tToops continue to be transported thither from Varna. There are 9000 men at Schumla. The Governor is nowbusy in routing out the numerous robber bauds infesting the neighbouring country. A reserve force is to be established at Varna, and some French engineers are planning v fortified camp which is to be constructed on the heights oom- ■ raandiug the Devna Lake.

The correspondent of the Morning Herald writing on the 2nd of Mavch, says ; — " To-day I walked all over the valley of Inkermann, where the famous battle was fought. The whole field for more than a mile broad is covered with pieces of shell and shot, caps and belts, old coats, aud other pieces of clothes of r^ihe Russians. There are also, in one ravine, >, where a tremendous struggle took place, hundreds of dead horses lying packed one over the other, and a little further up the hill lie the bodies of about a dozen dead Russians, just as they fell on the field. It is a sight no one would wish to look on a second time. These bodies were left unburied because the Russians fired upon our soldiers, while they were burying the dead. Our works at Sebastopol are going on very slowly ; in fact, we have done nothing for the last three months; and I fear there is no prospect of doing anything for some time to come. In fact, I do not think we shall ever take it, unless we get round to the north side, and regularly besbge it, and before we can do that, theve must be another engagement. Every thing of interest connected with ' the siege' has ; hitherto been looked for from the front: now, I think, we shall have to look in another direction—that of Inkerrnann and Careening Bay. Here, I fancy, will be some hot work on both sides shortly; the enemy will annoy the batteries we have thrown up to have a command of the shipping; and they have commenced some strong works opposite—on the heights over ln-kermarin—-from whence they will play across, I think, in good style. To meet the new batteries which the French and us are erecting in front of Gordon's battery, the enemy are constructing one of-ioiinense strength. The attack of the French has not stopped them. All interest on the left of the French lines seems t y be gone. Every one now looks to the right; and depend upon it, on the right will be the greatest struggle. 1' - - Berlin, March 15. We learn from Coningsberg, under date of the 15th iastant, that the Empevor Alexander has ordered that the part of the Crimea from Theodosia to Kertch, hitherto under the command of General'Ghomutoff, shall be placed under the military command of Prince Gortscbakoff. Despatches from Balaclava of the 3rd state that the railway now extends halfway to the camp, and the position of Balaklava has been strengthened, and that the weather and the health of the troops has improved. We learn that the Russian nobles are opposed to the State project of arming the s«rfs. They are wise in their generation. The day in which , those Northern tyrants put arms into the hands > of their slaves—they sow the ineradicable seeds tof national independence. Who has not heard of the horrors of the knout? Who has not heard of the coldblooded murders, the brutal rapes, the countless exactions, the heartless cruelties of these legitimate lords of the soil? Can such things fail to bring forth fruit in their • season ?— Hobarton Mercury.