Oi\ the other hand, the French, i2 11 § THE LULL BEFORE THE STOEJL •with tlioir usual energy, are constructing extremely strong redoubts on the site of the old redoubts in the plain, which were so miserably made by us, and to which, among other causes, Ave may attribute the disastrous loss of the 25t]i of October, when they were abandoned by the Turks. These woi'ks are in coimexion with the outer line of defence from Kamara, Traktir, and Tchorgoun, and the Sardinian and Turkish batteries towards Baidar, and behind them are the old batteries and redoubts defending Balaklava, wliich is now one of the strongest positions in the world. The attack on the Malakhoff may possibly talce place within a few weeks after these lines are penned — if so, you will learn the result ere they reach you.
Our gallant and admirable allies are losing heavily, I regret to say, in the White redoubt which they captured on the 7th of June. The 12-gun battery on the nortli side takes them in flank and reverse, the Malakhoff enfilades them on the other side, and they are exposed to the direct fii'e of the shipping in front. They gaily call the place " r Abattoir," and it is said they lose one-half of the men who go into it every day. As for ourselves, the Adjutant-General's lists show what our losses are, and I hope impress on the authorities at home the necessity of keeping our depots full, and our draughts constantly en route to the Crimea. About fifty men Jiors de combat in every twenty-four hours soon tell on the efficiency of a small arn>y.
It is in effect the demolition of a regiment in ten days. However, these rumoui's to which I have alluded, give hope once more that this endless camionading may soon be silenced in the shouts of victory. Certainly the spirit and morale of the men are excellent. As for Jack Tar, he shall speak for himself. This is the bill of his play — Theatre Royal, Naval Brigade. On Friday Evening, 31st of August, will be Performed Deaf as a Post! To be followed by The Silent Woman. The whole to conclude with the laughable Farce entitled Slasher and Crasher. Seats to be taken at 7 o'clock. Performance to commence precisely at 8 o'clock. God save the Queen! Rule Britannia! And right well they played.
True, the theatre was the amputating house of the Brigade, but no reflections as to its future and past use marred the sense of present enjoyment. The scenes were furnished from " The London," the actors from the Brigade. There was an agreeable ballet girl, who had to go into the trenches to work a 6S-pounder at three o'clock in the morning, and Rosa was impersonated by a prepossessing youngboatswain's mate. Songs there were in plenty, with a slight smack of the forecastle, and a refrain of big guns booming down the ravine from the front; but they were all highly appreciated, and the dancing was pronounced to be wortliy of Her Majesty's ere Terpsichore and Mr. Luniley retired from the concei'n. Nor were fashionable and illustrious person;iges wanting to grace the performance with their presence, and to relieve the mass of 2000 connnoners who cheered and laughed and applauded so good-humouredly.
Your elegant contemporary's types need not have blushed to print such names as the " Duke of Newcastle," who paid marked attention to Deaf as a Post, and led the encore for a hornpipe of the fii'st force; as " Lord Rokeby," who was as assiduous as his Grace, besides those of generals, brigadiers, lords, and honourables. The sense of enjoyment was not maiTed by the long range guns, which now and then sent a lobbing shot near the theatre and never did any harm; and if the audience were amused, so were the performers, who acted with surprising spirit and taste. What would old Benbow or grim old Cloudesley Shovell have thought of it all? It is rumoured that Kertch and Yenikale are in danger of being attacked by a large force of Russians.
The " Himalaya" came round from Kasatch this morning, and tliey are in such a huiTy to get her off again that they are watering her out of the ships in harbour. It is believed she will take a party of cavalry round to Kertch forthwith. The cavalry are sickly — many men ill, but not dangerously so. No wonder that they are ill, for the recruits sent out to us are miserable. When in full dress they are " all helmet and boots." The Army Works CJorps have lost twelve men by cholera. There was a sortie early this morning on the advanced trenches of our right attack, and the Russians kept up a very heavy fire on our working parties. Colonel W^alker, Scots Fusilier Guards, was slightly wounded, and Lieutenant Wolseley, R.E., received a small contusion from a piece of stone.