other; and like one large family, relying upon the paternity of all its members, they deliver themselves up to the most perfect security in their free-and-easy arrangements and mode of life. The ladies pass the whole day in the open air, either in the verandahs, porticos, or galleries attached to their houses, where they have meals served; or, strolling away in separate detachments, find themselves miles from home, unattended, and without the least fear of intrusion, even from a drunken man! In what other part of the world could one meet with the same privilege? THE BATTLE OF ALMA.-A commanding position, selected with great strategic skill, and defended by 40,000 men and 100 guns, was carried, after decisive and bloody encounter, by the most determined and brilliant valour of an inferior force of the allied armies. In no battle, ancient or modern, was the cool courage and bravery of the British soldier ever more fully and gloriously displayed. On the morning of the 20th, ere daybreak, the whole of the British force was under arms. They were marshalled silently; no bugles or drums broke the stillness, but the hum of thousands of voices rose loudly from the ranks, and the watchfires lighted up the lines of our camp as though it were a great town. When dawn broke, it was discovered that the Russians had retired from the heights, but had left their camp-fires burning. The troops lay on their arms for about an hour, while the Generals were arranging the order of their advance. Lord Raglan had made his dispositions the previous evening, and the Generals of Division, Sir George Brown, Sir De Lacy Evans, Sir R. England, and Sir G. Cathcart, aided by their Brigadiers- General, went from colonel to colonel of each regiment under their command, giving the instructions with respect to the arrangement of their men in the coming struggle. It was was known that the Russians had been busy fortifying the heights over the valley through which runs the little river Alma, and that they had resolved to try their strength with us in a position which gave them vast advantages of ground. Early in the morning the troops were ordered to get in readiness, and at half-past 6 o'clock they were in motion. It was a lovely day; the heat of the sun was tempered by a sea breeze. The fleet was visible at a distance of four miles, covering the ocean as it was seen between the hills, the steamers on the right as close to the shore as possible. The Generals St. Arnaud, Bosquet, and Forey, attended by their staff, rode along in front of the lines, with Lord Raglan and his Generals at second halt, and were received with tremendous cheering. At 1.20 the steamers in-shore (French) commenced throwing shells up to a height in front, and the enemy replied by a heavy fire, but the distance was too great for any effectual result. The action became general at 1.45 on the part of the French and Turks, who carried the heights on the right, which were but weakly protected. At 2.30 the British advanced down the slope towards the valley of the Alma, above which rose the lines and redoubts of the enemy. As we advanced they set fire to a village at the base of the descent to the valley at our side, and, covered by the smoke, opened a tremendous fire of 9 and 12-pounder guns from their earthwork batteries. Our artillery replied with shot, shell, and rockets, while the men advanced through a storm of bullets, and rushed across the stream-the Light Division on the right, the Second Division next, the First Division in the centre, and the third supporting them. Amid a most tremendous fire, the Guards rushed up the hill and stormed the heaviest battery. Once they were driven back, but the Duke rallied them, and led them to the charge in person. Sir George Brown had a horse shot under him. Sir De Lacy Evans led on his division under the very thickest of the mitraille. The Russians threw spherical shot, marked with a cross, which inflicted terrible wounds. At three the French had moved up solid columns of infantry to the heights, and turned the guns against the enemy. Our men struggled through the flames of the village, and the river under a continuous roll of artillery. At four o'clock they charged in three divisions up the heights. The Light Division suffered fearfully, particularly the 7th and 23rd Regiments, which Sir George Brown led in person. The 55th, 95th, and 30th, also suffered severely. The Rifles, second battalion, though the first, suffered least of all, as they got over before the enemy caught the range. At five o'clock the Russians were flying in every direction, ploughed up by the splendid fire of our guns, leaving on the field an immense number of dead, three guns, drums, and ammunition. The want of cavalry prevented our getting more prisoners, or captnring a greater number of guns. In reference to the gallant young Duke, an address from the inhabitants of Kew has been forwarded to her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge. Mr. Hooper, who formerly kept a brewery, and who left Ipswich about three years ago, on account of difficulties, has written to a gentleman in the town, stating he has just purchased the Prince of Wales Hotel, Melbourne, for 20,000l. Admiral Sir Charles Napier, and Admiral Dundas, educated at the High School of Edinburgh, were class-fellows. They entered on 1st October, 1793. Admiral Dundas is entered in the class-book as "James Deans;" Dundas having been subsequently assumed. We learn that the Phoenix would not have been home so soon had it not been for the discovery of a coal-mine by Captain Inglefield, on the Waygat side of the island of Disco, from which eighty tons of Arctic coals were taken on board, free of expense, which enabled her to steam to Cork. The coals have a close resemblance to cannel coal. The ruins of the fortress of Bomarsund are now the property of a Swedish master tailor, M. Claes Berggren, who acted as interpreter to the General-in-Chief of the French troops. The General per mitted him to dispose freely of them, and he has entered into contracts with several persons residing at Stockholm to convey the materials into Sweden. THE TOILETTE.-IRISH POPLINS.-This is the season when all eyes are abroad for the most recherché materials for winter toilette, and as much difficulty exists in obtaining the real article, together with Broché, Tartan Plaid, &c., we have much pleasure in introducing to the notice of our fair readers the old established atelier of Messrs. Griffiths and Crick, 1 Chandos-street, Covent Garden. BOTTLE-NOSE WHALES.-Several of these creatures recently made their appearance off the Prior's Haven, Tynemouth. They appeared to be from twenty to twenty-five feet long, and sported about, throwing up water for nearly half an hour, but were at length driven off the coast by a steam-vessel and other boats. BECOMING ATTENTION.-We are happy to record a striking instance of the thoughtfulness of the Duke of Newcastle. One day he called at the Army and Navy Club, and appreciating the anxiety of the members to obtain information of the progress of affairs in the East, he left a copy of the London Gazette Extraordinary for their perusal. Such considerate behaviour needs no eulogy. ALTERATION IN THE PRICE OF MUSIC.-We see by general announcement that Messrs. Ewer and Co., 390, Oxford-street, Foreign music publishers, have come to the determination of selling music by the sheet, a system which is new to this country, though adopted for many years in the German states, and there conducted in every way satisfactorily to the public and the profession. Messrs. Ewer and Co. have fixed a rate of charge of sixpence per sheet for their new publications, as well as their varied and select stock on hand, by the first authors in the world. THE BEAUTIES OF THE WEST-END, UNDER THE DOME OF ST. PAUL'S. The ordinary passer-by that vast emporium entitled the Crystal Warehouses, which for distinction sake we shall say is under the dome of St. Paul's, Nos. 61 and 62, St. Paul's Churchyard, is at once overwhelmed with amazement. For on these magnificent crystallized premises, may be seen the concentrated talent of the world, in one grand mass of fabrics appertaining to ladies and families, in costly mantles, shawls of every manufacture, most dazzling to the beholder, silks from all nations, dresses of the most recherché description, and furs of great beauty. One grand feature more particularly struck us en passant: viz.; the newly-designed mantle so highly favoured by the Empress of the French, and the noblesse of France; and also we must not forget to mention the department of robes, which offer to the eye every lovely pattern imaginable. LUCIFER MATCHES.-The internal consumption in France, together with the quantity required for exportation, is set down as demanding a supply per day of 76,800,000 matches. UNMARRIED. The Registrar-General announces that the British population contains "a reserve of more than a million unmarried men, and of more than a million unmarried women, in the prime of life, with as many more of younger ages." THE LADIES' ALMANAC FOR NOVEMBER, 1854. Calculated for the Meridian of Greenwich. Days of the Month. 1 Fair. Births. - On the 4th ult., at Sketty, near Swansea, the wife of Arthur Currey. Esq., barrister-at-law, of a son.-6th ult., the wife of Rear-Admiral Murray, of a son. —3rd ult., at Rutland-gate, Lady Clarence Paget, of a daughter.-29th Aug., at Girgaum, Bombay, the lady of Sidney Cousens, Esq., Lieut. 13th Regiment, Bombay N. I., The Weather. of a daughter.-6th ult., at Blackheath, the lady of the Rev. W. E. Light, of a son.7th ult., at Robin Hood's-bay, Yorkshire, the wife of B. Woolley, Esq., of a daughter. 2 Rain. 3 Fair, wind. ...... Rain, fog. 9 Fair, fog. 12 Changeable. 15 Fair, frost. 16 Fair. 19 Rain. .... 20 Fair. 21 Fair 22 Fair, fog. 25 Hazy. Marriages. On the 23rd ult., at St. Marylebone Church, by the Rev. H. Sandham, George Ramsden, Esq., of Holme Island, Morecombe-bay, to Louisa Jessie, relict of Captain James Remington, of the Bengal Native Infantry, and daughter of Lieut.-General Watson, E.I.C.S., to Mary Elizabeth, eldest daughter of William Nokes, Esq., solicitor, of Woolwich.-7th ult., at the parish church, Sunning-hill, by the Rev. A. M. Wale, James de Reimar, youngest son of Thomas Cope, Esq., 37, Carlton-hill, St. John's Wood, to Eleanor Barrick, youngest daughter of Lieut. Jefferson, R. N., of Virginia-water, to Berkshire. Deaths. On the 3rd ult., after two days' illness, William Ewbank, Esq., formerly Captain in the 90th Regiment.-30th ult., of apoplexy, at his residence, Portlandterrace, Southsea, Colonel Charles Johnson, eldest surviving son of the late Sir John Johnson, Bart., and Seignior of Argenteuil, Canada West, and late Assistant-Quartermaster-General of Kilkenny.-7th ult., on board the Bentinck, near Aden, Maxwell William Munro, Esq., youngest surviving son of General Munro, of Teannich, N.B., aged twenty-seven years.-1st ult., at the house of her brother-in-law, Commander Tinmeuth, R.N., at Charlton, Kent, Elizabeth, eldest surviving daughter of the late Lieut. Colonel Wingrove, of Tichfield, Hants.-10th ult, at his residence, 25, Norfolk street, Park - lane, General Sir Gordon Drummond, G.C.B., Colonel 8th Regiment, in the eighty-third year of his age. - 8th ult., at St. Leonard's-on-Sea, Sussex, Mrs. Hockley, of 35, Howland. street, Fitzroy-square, in the seventieth year of her age. 5th ult., at Wandle-house, Mitcham, Peter Loudon, Esq., of the Admiralty.-8th ult., at the Rectory, West Harling, the Rev. C. J. Ridley, only surviv ing brother of the late Sir Matthew White Ridley, Bart, and of the late Lord Colborne, aged sixty-two years. BEYOND business, there are very few new topics to write about. The stirring excitement of politics, newspapers, literary works, social meetings among friends, national amusements, balls, operas, the society of ladies, and all that tend to enliven and render life agreeable in England, are not in existence here; and beyond an interchange of a quiet dinner party among ourselves, and digesting that meal by a discussion of the sales of the day of long-cloths, in barter for teas or silks, seasoned perhaps by a little scandal, or some not over-refined jest (the natural complexion conversation assumes in a small community with almost a total absence of females), the course of life is very monotonous, and leaves very little to talk about in a letter home, Still, in the hope that it will afford you some entertainment, I will give you a picture of Shanghae, as far as my limited powers of description permit. In my last I described to you Hong Kong, which is literally a bleak N. S. VOL. XXXVII. D D |