The position of the contending pai'ties at this period was as follows: — The enemy held Sebastopol fl-om the sea north of Quarantine Bay to Careening Creek, their communication with the north side being kept up solely by boats and rafts. They were overlapped by the French, who were in possession of the works at Mount Saporine, and who held trenches and works on the south-western side of Quarantine Bay; but the Saporine works were much exposed to a cross fire from the Eussian works across the Tchernaya, at Inkermann, from the north side, from the Little Redan, and from the shipping. On the rear of our position the Turks held the south-eastern defences of Balaklava, from the sea to Kamara, where they lay ■with their left on the Highland Division.
The Highlanders had the Sardinians on their left again, facing towards the Tclicvnnya; and the French army of observation was encamped on the left of the Sardinians, along the Fedioukine heii^ht.s, on the plain of Balaklava, extending along the Woronzow road till thej' communicated with the French army on our right ilank at Inkerman, and on the verge of tlie plateau in our rear. The Kussians held the northern side of the Tchernaya, the Mackenzie ridge, the mountainous couutiy from Mangoup-Kale towards Ozembash, the position at Aitodor, and the mountain ridges overlooking Ourkusta Chution and other Tartar villages. Here thej' were watching the French corps, which had been pushed be3'ond our lines into the valley of Baidar. The high mountains between the enemy and the sea are not suitable for the passage of artillery, which could only be brought against us from the coast by way of the Phoi'os pass.
This pass was occupied by the French, and the road was deeply scarjjed; but it was nevertheless necessary to keep a constant watch on the enemy in this direction, as he was known to have a force of infantiy and artillery at Alupka. On the 21st July, General Simpson published the following order: — " General Simpson announces to the army that he has had the honour to receive from Her Majesty the Queen the appointment of Commander-in-Chief of the Army in the Crimea. •' The Lieutenant-General, though deeply impressed with the responsibility of the position in which he is placed, is most proud of the high and distinguished honour, and of the confidence thus reposed in him by his Sovereign. " It will be the Lieutenant-General's duty to endeavour to follow in the steps of his great predecessor, and he I'eels confident of the support of the generals, and of the officers and soldiers, in maintaining unimpaired the honour and discipline of this noble arm3^ (Signed) "James Simpson, " Lieutenant-General Commanding." The personal Stafi" of His Excellency consisted of Captain Colville, llifle Brigade; Captain Lindsay, Scots Fusilcer Guards; Major Dowbiggen, 4th Foot (appointed by electric telegraph).
Lieut.-Colonel Stephenson was appointed ]\Iilitary Secretary, although Colonel Steele still remained at head-quarters; and Colonel Pakenham was confirmed as Adjutant-General, at the request of Lord llaglan, in the last dispatch he ever penned. CASUALTIES. 1 1 On the 21st, Captain LusLington, who was promoted to the rank of Admiral, was relieved in the command of the Naval Brigade by Captain the Hon. H. Keppel, a most zealous, cool, and energetic officer. Commissary-General Filder, at the same date, returned home to England, on the recommendation of a Medical Board. Frigid in manner, unsj'mpathetic and chilling with his officers, Mr. Filder possessc.'d very great administrative talents — a thorougli knowledge of his duties and business — unwearying assiduity, and immense personal activity. If he failed, it was from want of co-operation on the part of others, and from the pressure of circumstances too great to be borne.
His successor, Sir George Maclean, a careful and prudent man, reaped the fruits of Mr. Filder's labours for many a day afterwards. On the night of the 22nd, the Russians, who were either trader the impression that the Allies were about to make an assault in the dai'k, or wished to stop our working parties, opened a heavy fire of musketry along their line, but it inflicted no loss upon us; and after a great expenditure of ammunition, they retired from the parapets. From the middle to the end of July, the casualties in our army became so heavy, that the Commander-in-Chief, in several dispatches, was obliged to express his regret at the loss, Avhich he attributed to the proximity of the works, the lightness of the nights, and the rocky nature of the ground.
On two nights from the 27th to the 29th, thirteen men were killed, and five officers, and 108 men were Avounded, in addition to which, there were some casualties in the Naval Brigade. However, some little progress was made; our advanced parallels were strengthened, and our unlucky fifth parallel was advanced and deepened. The French engineers were pressing on with indefatigable energy on the j'ight and left of our position, and were close to the Malakhoff on the right, and the Central and Flag-staff Bastion on the left; and it was evident that, at the next bombardment, it would scarcely be possible to preserve the town from destruction. The only hope left to the Russians was, to attack our rear, and threaten Balaklava and Inkerman, and they prepared to strike a blow, the influence of which would be felt in the councils of Vienna, and in the cabinets of every state in Eui'ope.