powers. Prince Menchikoff has exhausted every means
of defence in order to render Sebastopol impregnable by
sea and by land. Between Sebastopol and Balaklava
five strong detached forts have been built, which are
manned by a corresponding number of troops. The
road from Balaclava to Jalta has been broken up here
and there, and mined. The reach of coast from Sebastopol
to Eupatoria is defended at irregular intervals by
six batteries. Round Eupatoria three forts have been
built—north, east, and south. This place is garrisoned
by 15,000 men. The heights round Sebastopol are
surrounded by trenches and ditches, crowned with 18
batteries, and defended by 20,000 men. The garrison of
Sebastopol amounts to not more than 10,000 men; and if
you add to them the crew of the fleet, the place itself
will be defended by 25,000 men in all. Prince Menchikoff
has prepared his people for the worst in a proclamation
he issued on the 3rd instant. I am not able to send
you the text of it, but I can be answerable for the tenor
of the contents, which I have from a military man who
is a friend of mine. The prince begins by enumerating
all the victories the Russians have gained in the course
of this century, and exhorts the soldiers, by their valour
and power of resistance, to win similar victories over
the enemy. Should the latter, however, by an unalterable
decree of heaven, press onward and gain the victory,
then all the powder magazines are to be blown up. Sooner
death than yield to the foe, is the sentiment that winds
up the proclamation. Our army is much dispirited.
The news of the fall of Bomarsund has not failed to
cause a depression of tone among the military of all
ranks. Rather large reinforcements have arrived within
the last few days from the interior of Russia, particularly
from the district of Novgorod. They don't remain here,
however, but go on to Oczakov and Cherson. Troops
have also arrived from the army of the Danube."

By the intelligence from the Seat of War in Asia,
it appears that several sanguinary battles have been
fought, in which the Russians have had the advantage.
The accounts are chiefly Russian and not to be
depended upon. Of the most important of these battles,
however, which was fought at a place called Kurouckdere,
on the confines of Armenia and Georgia, on the
4th of August, distinct and graphic details are given by
the correspondent of the Morning Chronicle, who was
present and shared its perils. The Turks had previously
been worsted at a place called Bayazid, and the news
of this defeat having reached Zarif Pasha, the Turkish
commander at Kadji veli Khoi, on the 3rd August, he,
fearing that the victorious Russians would unite with
General Bebutoff and attack his army, determined on
assaulting the Russian camp. To effect this, on the
night of the 4th he advanced his army, amounting to
20,000 infantry, 3700 cavalry, and 78 guns. These he
divided into two divisions; the right under Kerim
Pasha, 9000 strong; the left under Vely Pasha, about
13,000. Each was to march during the night, and,
uniting before the Russian camp at daybreak, to fall
upon their front. It so chanced, however, that the left
wing was belated, and lost its way; and therefore the
right wing was upon the ground first. Bebutoff, seeing
only one division before him, quitted his camp and
assailed it with nearly all his force. After a sanguinary
combat, this wing was defeated; but the left arriving,
somewhat turned the course of the battle, and held the
Russians in check for a time: the Russian cavalry
restored the fortune of the day, and the Turks fled in
disorder to Kars. The Morning Chronicle correspondent
thus describes the battle:—"At five o'clock the
cannonade began, and orders were given to the left wing
to hasten forward. As I perceived that at least two
hours must pass before it could take part in the action,
I galloped off, and never saw it again. As I proceeded
in the direction of the fire, it increased; and soon the
rattling of musketry announced that the belligerents
had come to close quarters. It was now broad
daylight; and as I galloped over the fields of corn trampled
down by the soldiery, I came upon some fifty skulkers,
who had taken advantage of the night to slip off. Some
were concealed behind rocks, whilst others were making
off in the direction of Kars. The sight was not at all
reassuring. One man I asked what he was running
away for. To which he naïvely replied, 'Because I am
afraid.' In about ten minutes more I came upon the
scene of action. The cannonade was conducted with
stubborn energy on both sides, but the superior number
of the enemy's pieces rendered the contest hopeless.
The ground here was covered with flying cavalry, who
had cowardly given way before the Russian dragoons.
I then passed the reserve of the redifs or militiamen,
who had never been in fire, and now presented the
picture of agonised terror. Five minutes more brought
me to the side of Abdul-Kerim Pasha, the reis, or
second in command of the army of Anatolia, who
commanded this wing. How the soldiers could have fled,
with the example of this glorious old warrior before
them, is beyond my understanding. In the hottest fire
the figure of Kerim Pasha, hardly bent by age, with
his flowing white beard and snowy hair, was seen. In
his hand he held an Arab spear, with which he cheered
on the men to the fight. All hope was now passed.
The Turkish artillery was slackening its fire, the cavalry
had fled, and the Russian guns were committing sad
havoc on the Turkish rank and file. At every successive
discharge of grape the Turkish battalions would
waver and open. It was now the moment to bring up
the reserves, and Fezzi Bey (the Hungarian General
Colman) started on that errand. The redif battalions,
composing the reserve, no sooner heard that they were
to be conducted into close fire, than they broke their
ranks and disbanded; the officers set the example. A
more disgraceful scene could not be imagined; not two
men remained together. One or two battalions alone
stood their ground. I met Colman haranguing the
men; who answered with shouts of 'Allah!' He
ordered the Major of this battalion (it was of a Stamboul
redif regiment) to advance. The Major trembled with
fear and refused to obey. 'I have no orders from my
Colonel,' he replied. 'I order you to advance in the
name of the Mushir—coward!' shouted Colman. The
men were indignant at the hesitation of their Major,
and threatened him with their bayonets. He thereupon
turned his horse and fled. General Colman then
commanded the senior Captain to lead the men; which he
did. I had spent some time in a village where this
battalion had been quartered, and the men recognised me
with shouts of 'Englis Bey.' A junior Captain, an Arab,
as black and as brave as Othello, whose hospitality I had
once shared, rode up to me, and we went ahead. A few
lusty strides brought the men into fire; and to work
they went. It was, alas, too late; for the artillery
were flying, and the remaining battalions were hesitating.
A body of dragoons, visibly inflamed with drink,
now dashed into one of the breaking battalions, and in
a few moments cut it to pieces. This decided the
contest. The remaining battalions, after a fight of two
hours and a half, then turned and dispersed. A battery
opened against the battalion I had accompanied, and
decimated its ranks. A shell burst over it, and a fragment
entered the side of my Arab friend, and he fell
dead from his horse. The battalion then also disbanded
and fled. The Russian batteries opened a tremendous
fire upon the retreating Turks, with murderous effect.
A perfect scene of carnage ensued. The cowardly
redifs, who had already fled, suffered greatly. A flank
battery poured in on them. Fortunately at this
moment the left Turkish wing appeared, and covered the
retreat of the flying right. I had turned with the
others, and galloped in search of my groom, who was in
the rear with a led horse. The ground was covered
with wounded and dead, and riderless horses galloping
wildly about. I must here pay my tribute to the kind
hearts of the Turks: the wounded, as they fell, were
instantly seized by a comrade and carried off the
ground. The Turkish left wing had now engaged the
enemy and driven him back. The dragoons soon
re-established the balance in Russian favour; and, after a
short conflict, the left wing, in its turn, attacked by
the whole Russian force, gave way and fled. In my
letter of yesterday I described the operations of the
left wing: and as I arrived too late to note any
individual observations I will not make any further
remarks. I had approached already to the first band
of fugitives when I saw the whole line break. The
same happened on the left wing as on the right—