SCAIICITY OP NEWS. 39 D CHAPTEH XLII. DESTEUCTION OF THE DOCKS. Division of the docks — Means taken to destroy thera — Au unfortunate accident — Effect of the explosions — The Kussian fire — xiccidents — Thorough destruction of the docks — Rumours of peace — An explosion — The French complete the work of destruction — Quantity of powder used — Destruction of Fort Alexander. Camp before Sebastopol, January 1, 1856.* There can hardly be a more perfect example of a sinecure than the office of a newspaper correspondent in the camp before Sebastopol at the present time. No man's occupation was ever more completely gone. He may lay his pen upon the shelf with a quiet conscience — nay, he must do so, unless he resign himself to chronicle the small beer of the camp.
As to finding anything of importance to write about, it is out of the question, and, for any present use that he is, your correspondent might almost as well be spendmg his Christmas holidays at an English comitryhouse or on a Parisian boulevard. As to the Russians — pho! are there such people in the neighbourhood? True, some signs of them may be seen on yonder heights, and occasionally (of late but rarely) the boom of a gun reminds us of their proximity. I doubt if one man in a hundred of all in camp gives them a thought. There seems little chance of their meddling with us at present. With the ground in its present state, it would be difficult to move artillery.
Perhaps they, like their adversaries, are doing their best to kill these long winter nights with private theatricals, musical meetings, dinner parties, and glee clubs. That they are as comfortably off as we are I greatly doubt — better oft" they can hardly be. When we refer back to your special correspondent's letters at this time last year, and consider the many miseries there described, it is doubly gratifying to be able to record that now health, abundance, and comfort reign throughout the camp. The men are well clothed, well fed, their quarters are as good as circumstances will permit, they appear contented, and have every reason to be so. The weather continues frosty, but not so severe as it was. Yf e * This and the following letters to the date of Jlarch 22nd, were written by a Colleague of Mr. llussell's during the latter gentleman's absence from the Crimea. have had white frosts the last two nights, and the sky loolcs very like snow.
It is expected that the docks we have mined will be blown up this week, but no day is as yet positively fixed. January 28. The destruction of the docks will, it is fully expected, bo completed this week. Only one of them, the westernmost, partly retains its original aspect; the others are mere chasms, almost filled up with ruins. Although to most persons the general aspect of these docks has probably become well-known from descriptions and di-awings, I will briefly explain their position and arrangement. They extend nearly due north and south (a little to the east of north and west of south), and consist of three inner docks, a basin and two outer docks, with a lock between them. The French undertook the destruction of the outer docks, the lock, and the northern half of the basin; the English that of the inner docks and the southern half of the basin.
The lock, although capacious, was easier to destroy than a dock, its circumference being a plain stone wall, instead of heavy stone steps fit for a giant's staircase. The French have done their share of the work very effectually, and I see nothing that remains for them to destroy. For various reasons the English works were more gradual in their progress, but have not been less thoroughly carried out, and, if a non-professional, but highly-interested observer may express an opinion, they do great credit to the scientific skill of the engineers to whom they were intrusted. I believe the fii'st idea was to blow up the whole at once, which would probably have given a more picturesque appearance, and have produced a more thorough ruin. 13ut this plan was abandoned by reason of the dampness of the ground.
Water Howed in from the ravine in the rear of the docks, and rose in the shafts of the mines. It is probable that, had the engineers waited to explode the numerous mines until all of them were complete, the powder would have become damp in many of them and Avould not have ignited; so it was resolved to blow np a little at a time. It is difficult for any one who has not seen these docks both before and since their destruction, fully to appreciate the magnitude of the operations, and the force that must have been applied to root up and utterly overthrow such massive constructions, such huge blocks of granite so firmly cemented, such mighty timbers, which He snapped asunder like reeds or rent into huge splinters.