All these preparations are being made to enable the army to exist comfortably in its winter cantonments, to bring up huts, food, clothing, and fuel, and to remove guns, mortars, &c. from the front. The trenches will be left as they are, except in so far as the parapets will be affected by the removal of the gabions which the men are permitted to take awaj"^ for firewood. For these peaceful labours we have been blessed by the most lovely weather. The days are warm, and the air is charmingly fresh and pure. The autumnal or second summer of the Crimea has shone upon us with all the delightful influences of repose. The earth teems again with herbs and flowers of autumn. Numerous bulbous plants are springing up over the steppes, among which the " Colchicura Autumnale" holds a prominent place, and the hill sides ring with the frequent volleys directed \ipon innumerahle quail, against wliicli our army wages fierce battle at present.
The demolition of the houses in Sebastopol goes on, but it is not so safe to visit the place as it was formerly, inasmuch as the Kussians now shell vigorously, and throw shot at any considerable groups which they notice in the streets. The French have two mortars, which once belonged, I believe, to the Russians; they are placed among the ruins of the Karabelnaia, and bombard the barracks in the citadel with great success. Subjoined is a short diary of our proceedings smce last mail-day -.-^ Sunday. The enemy, having discovered the preparations for throwing up batteries near Fort Alexander and the ruins of Fort Paul by the French and English respectively, commenced a heavy fire from the northern works and forts this morning, which they continued throughout the day, and which, at times, amounted to a cannonade.
The French mortars, aided by some guns on the left, replied with vigom-. The Russians fired fi-om Fort ilichael, from Little Severnaya, and from the Harbour Spur Battery, and theu" shot went crashing through the ruined houses, but did not do any very serious injury. An enormous convoy was seen going out of the northern camps towards Simpheropol, but it was impossible to ascertain whether the carts were full or empty. As it was an exceedingly clear day, we could see into the Russian camps as plainly as if they had been our own, and through my glass I could make out the faces of the gunners on the top of Fort Catherine, who were working the guns en harbett&i The enemy were labouring with great energy at new batteries all over the extensive series of sloping hill-sides south of the Belbek.
Their Kadikoi, or Donnybrook fair, had, like ours, revived again, and was well attended, and in the distance large herds of oxen ranged at will. On going down to the town I heard that our 17-gun battery, begun last night by Lieutenant Graham, R.E., had been stopped by order. Possibly we may be going to do something which will render such works of no utility. The progress of the men in removing wood from the houses is so rapid that there will scarcely be a stick of the place left. At four o'clock a serious accident occurred, which has inflicted some loss on the army in depriving them of a considerable magazine of wood. A shell sent by the Russians bm-st close to the barracks, and a merchant sailor ran to look at the crater q2 which it formed in the ground.
He then entered the building itself, and sauntered about smoking his pipe till he came to some loose gunpowder, on which, being of a scientific and experimentalizing turn of mind, he tried the effects of dropping several sparks from the burning tobacco. The powder, as is not unusual in such cases, exploded with violence, and blew up the sailor and a sentiy outside. They were both dreadfully burnt. As the floor was covered with cartridges and loose powder, the fire spread, and went leaping on by fits and starts to a large quantity of the same combustible matter. No one could get near to stop the fire. At last it reached the magazine, and the explosion blew out the walls and ceilings of the central barrack.
The flames set fire to the dry woodwork, and in a short time the whole pile of buildings, which were of admirable construction, was in a blaze. The conflagration lasted till all that could be burnt was consumed, and lighted up the sky at night to a great distance. All that remains of the Imperial Barracks of Sebastopol is a mass of charred and blackened stones, split by the action of fire. The Russians, thinking that the accident had been caused by their own fire, plied their guns with increased vigour, and threw shot and shell around the place, but did no damage. It is not quite certain that the man who caused the accident was a sailor. Some people say he was a navvy of the Army Works Corps.