Then he shouldered his arms and marched stiflly up through the trenches and across the open space till he reported himself to his regiment. lie was, I believe, tried for being absent without leave, and for stealing his comrades' cartridges, but Minos himself could not have condemned a soldier like this to any severe punishment fur a crime which Minos's jurymen would have called heroic. We have heard of Captain Osborne's renewed successes in the Sea of Azofi' with the greatest satisfaction. The news arrived last Satm'day that he had succeeded in destroying, at Gheisk, fodder and grain of various kinds, piled up in sacks for the distance of no less than two miles, and that the efforts of the 30(X) Hussians stationed on the spot for the protection of these prodigious stores were unavailing.
The fiii'e of the " Vesuvius" and of the gun-boats, and the precision of their shell and shot practice, drove those grej'-coated gentry away in confusion and dismay, and they were unable to fire a shot in defence of their magazines, which our men burnt before their eyes. Olficers and sailors are said to have displayed great coolness and zeal in the aflfair, which has more importance, perhaps, in Russian eyes than it will have in our own, bearing as it does so materially on the position of the enemy in the Crimea and their supplies during the winter. The exploit is all the more welcome that it was quite unexpected, as no one imagined our gun-boats would be able to remain in the Sea of Azofi" after the first week in November.
Indeed, the weather has been very severe there; VOL. II. A A violent gales, producing tlie short hacking waves which distress small vessels so much, have prevailed constantly, and although the flotilla under Captain Osborne appeared off Gheisk on the 8th inst., with the view of destroying the stores, the Avind and surf were so high that they could not execute their intentions till the 13th. It is in such circumstances, it is said, that a gunboat, by its general qualities as a sea-boat, ought to be more efficient than rafts or floating batteries, but our despatch gunboJlts are fearful " rollers," and in the least seaway tlie guns cannot be cast loose. The " Fancy" is so unsafe that she must go home, attended by another vessel for fear of accidents.
She strains in the smallest pressure of sea, and lets in water to such an extent in a breeze of wind that it is difficult to keep in the fires. A Board has sat on the rafts invented by Captain Coles, of the "Stromboli;" and has, it is understood, forwarded a favourable report to the Admiralty on the principle. Among the members of the Board were Sir Houston Stewart, Captam Ingiefield, and Captain Cumming, and the experience and scientific knowledge of these officers are guarantees that an attentive consideration has been given to their report. The squadron, under the command of Admiral Stewart, is on its way to Malta, where most of the fleet will Avinter; but before it sails for its final destination it will take a careful cruise among the Greek Isles, and call at Smyi-na and various isles in the ^Egean.
Sir Edmund Lyons will remain with the " Royal Albert" in Kasatch or Kamiesch for the winter. The " Cyclops" is in Ivasatch, dismantled; and if matters can be arranged Avith the French, the post establishment will be removed to Kamiesch, in which case the " Firebrand" AviU be stationed there till the spring opens. Before Sebastopol, JVovember 24. The statements Avhich you copied fi"om an evening paper respecting the strength of the British army next year were received here with satisfaction, not altogether free from apprehension that the writer may be mistaken. On one point he certainly has miscalculated, and that is the strength of the regiments oiit hero. He has assumed an average Avhich is considerably too high. For example, the 30th has received very few drafts, and we all know how it sv\ffered at the Alma, at Tnkermann, in the trenches, and at the tAVO assaults on the Kedan.
Its present effective strength Avould tell on an average very materially. There are several regiments in the same category, while others are very stront^ in men, though not perhaps containing so many old soldiers as covdd be desired. There ai'e four months, however, before us, and the drill-sergeant is busy all day. Every camp resounds to his voice and to the tramp of the awkward squad. Recruits have little time to spend in idleness and drinking, and steps are being taken to provide soldiers with the means of reading, which they will so much need and enjoy in the long winter nights before us. But cannot Government be a little more liberal in the matter of candles.'' The issue of light is one ration to every twelve men — that is, one ration for each tent or sergeant's guard.