The capture of Kinburn, which was, I believe, altogether a French notion, is now generally regarded with the dislike I ventured to express of it at the time, and is thought to have had the effect of rendering Nicholaieff and Cherson inaccessible by water. It will be observed that in the account of the Czar's visit to his troops in the Crimea, which appeared in the Invalide Riisse, and was copied into The Times of the 6th of December, the cor2Ts d'armee which are mentioned are the 2nd (posted on the Alma), the 3rd (on the Belbek and Youkari Karaleze), the 4th (at the Katcha, and on the heights between Inkermann and Mackenzie), and the 5th (in the lines and forts of Sebastopol North and on the Belbek).
The 11th Infantry Division, which belongs to the 4th Infantry Corps, is mentioned separately, as having been stationed at Duvankoi. Now, if that account be true, as there is no reason to doubt it is, it would appear that four out of the six corps d'armi'e into which the Russian army is divided were then in the Crimea, leaving available for the defence of the empire only the Guards corps, the Grenadier corps, the 1st (and (Jth?) Infantry corps, and the Finland. Siberian, Orenburg, and Caucasian corps, the latter four of which may be regarded as localized ill the districts where they are raised. To this foree must he added tlie raw levies of militia and the cavalry reserve, hut it will he seen that the flower of the Russian army (comprising the 4th and 6th corps, which were selected for the invasion of the Principalities) are in the Crimea, and that an active, energetic, and successful enemy might have put an end to the war in this peninsula, if he could have cut them off from Perekop and Tchongar.
It is stated that in the month of September last the 16th and I7tli Infantry divisions were at Mackenzie, and, if that be true, it follows that a portion of the 6th Infantry eor^js d'armee was also in the Crimea, and we have reason to believe that regiments of Guards and Grenadiers were also at this side of Perekop during the campaign of the past summer. According to the same authority, the following was the position of the various divisions before the fall of the south side: — The 4th and 5th Divisions at Inkermann, the 6th Division at Koralis — 2nd corjjs d'armee. The 7tli Division at Koralis, the 8th and 9th Divisions posted between Mangup Kaleh along the heights to 8implieropol — 3rd corps iVarmee.
The lOth Division, ditto; the 11th Division at Duvankoi, the 12th at Savernaia — 4th. coi'jys d'armt'e. The 13th Division reserve at Duvankoi, the 15th Division near JMangup Kaleh — 5th cor]JS d'arniee, mimis the 14th Division. The 16th Division at Mackenzie, the 17th Division at Mackenzie and Belbek — 6th corps d'armee, minus the 18tli Division. There is no doubt that a portion of the Grenadiers, at all events, passed through Cherson last September on their way to the Crimea, for an officer of ours, who was prisoner there for a month, assured me he saw them march past, and says they were great hulking fellows, just like the other troops in dress and equipment, with the exception of the colour and marks on the facings.
These statements are the most singular evidences of the exhaustion of Russia, and of the falsity of her paper returns, which do indeed " crumple up" very readily in the gaunt grip of war. But now she has rest and leisure to recruit herself, to fill up the cadres and reserves, to drill her savage population, to plot new intrigues. Having beaten their man down, the allies permit his seconds to take him on the knee, to give him restoratives, to get him into training, and to bring him into the ring once more. He is moving his muscles all along the Mackenzie heights to-day, and is getting himself into fine training condition for his new fight. 390 CAMP ElIPLOYJIEXTS. Lieutenant Dawson, R.A., who was so terribly injured in the explosion of the loth of November, is dead; and Lieutenant Frazer, 63rd Regiment, was buried yesterda3\ Both officers are deeply regretted by their conn-ades.