When they perceive that their retreat is seriously endangered, it is not improbable that they will altogether abandon the southern side, whicli they can hardly hope to hold should the allies be able to command the harbour. They, no doubt, count at least on being able to prolong their resistance until the winter sets in; if that be impossible, they will most likely withdraw to the northern side, to which it may be impracticable to lay siege before the spring of 1856. What may be done during the interval by the Russians to strengthen the woi'ks, we may judge from the industry and skill witli which they have laboured in the defence of Sebastopol Proper. To-day, Major-General Barnard was appointed Chief of the Staff', in the place of General Simpson, who is our acting General-in-Chief.
Rumours prevail that a new Commanderin-Chief is to come out from England. Whether this be true I have not yet learnt, but it is to be hoped that the Peninsula and Waterloo, at twenty-three or twenty-four years of age, will not be the only qualification. It seems to all here that the best school for Sebastopol is Sebastopol itself, and that a man who has been six months in the Crimea is more likely to be an efficient general than any one who may be sent out in reliance upon vague reminiscences of campaigns in the field forty years ago. It takes some little time to gain an acquaintance even with the ground, and as autumn is drawing on there is no need for delay.
The onty reason that can be conceived for sending out a general from England is that some man of European reputation may be appointed, who may give a status to the British army beyond what its present numbers are calculated to obtain for it in the eyes of the world. There is no doubt that Lord Raglan did this. His rank, his high character, his manners, his superiority to pett}'' jealousies, and his abstinence from petty intrigues, commanded the respect of even those who were disposed to question his capacity and energy. If this war be prosecuted for any length of time, and England be not prepared to embark more fully in the struggle with men as well as money, there is some danger that the British army will be looked upon as a mere contingent.
A general of established reputation may add a lustre to the British name, but, after all, the best reliance is upon skill and energy, and there are many men at present before Sebastopol on whom the command might devolve with satisfaction to the army, and with the reasonable hope of a creditable performance of the duties of the post. The Commissariat, both in the Crimea and at Constantinople, is making laudable preparations to keep up a regular supply of provisions during the coming winter. Depots are to be established at Ismid and Sinope, and a regular transport service will be organized between various places on the coast and the port of Balaklava. Sheds for 4000 cattle will be constructed near the camp. The chief difficulty is in the land transport, which wUl require all the care of the authorities to render it complete when the season of mud and snow again recurs.
The railway is not so firmly laid down as coidd be wished. The late storm washed away several portions of it, the sleepers being merely placed on the soft yielding soil, and this after tlie heavy rains oi'Novemher, becomes a mass in which horses' hoofs sink to the depth of eight THE enemy's tactics. 19 or ten inches. A Commissariat should have a special transport service at its own command; but under the actual system requisitions must be made on the Land Transport Corps. Even iu the present summer weather this branch often cannot supply mules, other requisitions having been made on them for carrying up ammunition. Some persons go so far as to prophesy for the ai'my an irregularity in the provisioning, similar to that which caused so much sufi'ering in the past calamitous v/inter; but the very fact that such dangers are foreseen and discussed, ailbrds the surest ground of confidence that proper measures will be adopted for their prevention.
At any rate, our men will not be overworked, for we have the French on all sides of us to take their share of the labour of the trenches. A singula*- fact elicited by Sir J. McNeil, but known to all acquainted with the army, is, that during the winter every man cooked his own food. The cold and weary soldier, creeping back from the trenches, found his piece of salt meat. In order to cook this, it was necessary to light a fire, often with wet wood, and this was probably the work of more than an hour. The consequence was, that the food was often devoured in its raw state, or the tired soldier contented himself merely with rum and biscuit. A better system has begun to prevail with regard to cooking, which, it is to be hoped, will be developed and perfected before the return of inclement weather.