UNTIL the last twelvemonth opened a new page in history, it could not have been anticipated that the battle-field of Europe would be a little arid peninsula in the remotest corner of the Black Sea, and that the armies of Britain, France, Turkey, and Russia would be concentrated in direst strife around a fortress, whose very name was hardly known in this country before the present war broke out. It speaks volumes for the far-seeing sagacity and indomitable ambition of the Czars, that they should have created in a spot so dis. tant, a fortress and fleet so formidable, as to compel Western Europe to an unprecedented effort for their destruction. Connected with the barren steppes of the mainland of southern Russia only by the narrow strip of flat and sandy land, not five miles across, which constitutes the Isthmus of Perekop, the Crimea stretches out in a nearly southerly direction, in the form of a rhomboidal or diamond-shaped peninsula, about one-third the size of Ireland. At its western point is Cape Tarkban; at its eastern, Kertch and Kaffa; and in the south, the bay, town, and fortress of SEBASTOPOL.

At least two-thirds of the Crimea consists of vast waterless plains of sandy soil, rising only a few feet above the level of the sea, and in many places impregnated with salt; but all along the south-eastern side of the peninsula, from Sebastopol to Kertch and Kaffa, there extends a chain of limestone mountains, the highest summit of which is the Chatir-Dagh, rising to somewhat more than five thousand feet in altitude. Beginning at Balaclava, nine miles east of Sebastopol,

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precipices fringe all this south-eastern coast; but at the foot of these limestone precipices extends a narrow strip of ground, seldom half-a-league in width, intervening between the hills and the shore, and resembling on a large scale the under-cliff of the Isle of Wight. It is in this picturesque and delightful region that the Allied army has now established its base of operations. "A luxuriant vegetation descends to the water's edge. Chestnut trees, mulberries, almonds, laurels, olives, and cypresses grow along its whole extent. Numbers of rivulets of the clearest water pour down from the cliffs, which effectually keep off all cold and stormy winds. Thickly studded with villages, and adorned with the villas and palaces of the richest Russian nobles, this tract offers a most striking coutrast to the remainder of the peninsula, or indeed to any other part of Russia.'

The possession of the Crimea, and the construction of a maritime fortress of the first order in the magnificent harbour of Akhtiar (for such was the former name of Sebastopol), were prominent parts of that vast scheme of policy by which the genius of the Czar Peter, and his successors, transformed Muscovy into the Russian Empire. The Tartar princes of the Golden Horn still reigned in the delicious gardens of Bakshi-serai, under the titular supremacy of the Porte, when the political intrigues of Russia first penetrated into the peninsula; successive invasions followed; a protectorate was established by that very treaty of Kainardji, which Prince Menschikoff invoked in support of other demands; and a few years later the annexation of

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the province was consummated. Empress Catherine passed a night or two in the deserted palace of the Khans; and in preparing the future strength of Sebastopol, she might, with more truth than at Cherson, utter that proud boast, "Here lies the road to Byzantium." In course of time the Euxine became a Russian lake, owing to the magnitude of the naval forces assembled beneath the batteries of Sebastopol; the extensive plains of the Crimea provided copious and cheap supplies of food for the troops; while the absence of population and trade left the peninsula as a sort of natural fortress, which hardly attracted the notice of other countries.

The ever-memorable Expedition of the Allies, designed to wrench this fortress and fleet from the possession of the Czar, set sail from Varna in the first week of September. No naval expedition ever before equalled it. The renowned Spanish Armada is reported to have been numerous; but in those days there were no steamers of 3,500 tons, and sailing-ships of like burden, so that no comparison can be instituted. In the Bay of Baltjik, where the expedition first rendezvoused, the sea was literally covered for a space of eight miles long with splendid shipping. Thirty-seven sail of the line-ten English, sixteen French, and eleven Turkish, - about a hundred frigates and lesser vessels of war, and nearly two hundred of the finest steam and sailing transports in the world, lay at anchor, in one immense semicircle nine or ten deep. The great line-ofbattle ships, with lights gleaming from every port, looked like illuminated towns afloat; while the other vessels, with position-lights hoisted at the main and fore, shed a light upon the sea, twinkling away, until lost in the distance. Each Division of the army carried lights corresponding to the number of their division; and at night, when every ship, say 400 in number, was lighted up, the scene was of the most extraordinary and interesting description. The sailors called it "Regent-street," but Regent-street never showed so many lights since it was built. Con

stantinople, during the feast of Bairam, or the Feast of Lamps, described in Moore's poems, would have been a more worthy illustration.

On the 9th, leaving the expedition anchored off the Isle of Serpents at the mouth of the Danube, the Allied

commanders proceeded on a tour of inspection to the coasts of the Crimea, running along the shore from Kalamita Bay south-eastwards, as far as Balaklava. At the mouth of the Belbek they found an encampment of Russians, and the Caradoc, with the Allied Generals on board, ran so near the cliffs that the Russian officers were distinctly seen, telescope in hand, observing the newcomers; and on the English officers taking off their hats and bowing, the courtesy was duly returned. On the morning of the 11th, the Allied commanders rejoined the fleet, upon which the vast armada once more got under weigh on the 12th, they first sighted the shores of the Crimea; and at three P.M., next day, the whole fleet came to an anchor off the clean and wellbuilt little town of Eupatoria. To the south of the town were seen innumerable windmills; and several bathingboxes, gaily painted, along the beach, gave an air of Western civilisation to the place, despite the old Turkish minarets which peer above the walls. Four or five hundred Russian soldiers, in their long grey coats and caps, also sauntered along the shore. The Spitfire ran in to take soundings and examine the place; and an eyewitness on board gives the following graphic sketch of the coup-d'ail that presented itself: "As we passed the Russian quarter, drifting very slowly and sounding every minute, we had ample time and opportunity to admire the handsome gardens and houses which are near the sea. The balconies of the latter were crowded with ladies and gentlemen-Russians, of course who, sitting in chairs, were laughing, chatting, and talking with a sang froid and good-humour which we were certainly at a loss to understand.Some of the gentlemen were in uniform, but the majority were in the plain morning-dress of London or Parisian society. The ladies were handsomely dressed,-nearly all of them, however, in that peculiar melange of costume which prevails so much at this time of the year at Southend, Boulogne, or Margate. Some of them were eating cakes or fruit, pointing out the colossal line-of-battle-ships, thirty-seven of which were now in the bay, and occasionally laughing immoderately. The invasion had no terrors for them, though they seemed wrapped in astonishment at the enormous extent of the fleet."

Eupatoria having surrendered at

discretion, the Expedition made sail twenty miles further to the south; and at daybreak next morning (the 14th) came to anchor off Old Fort, at which place it had been resolved that the disembarkation should take place. The landing of the troops was commenced without delay. The small war-steamers of the French fleet went much nearer the shore than those of the British, and a little after seven o'clock the first boat put off from the French menof-war. Not more than fifteen or sixteen men were on board, and she was rowed quickly ashore. The crew leapt out, and, forming into a knot on the beach, seemed busily engaged for a few moments over one spot of ground, as though they were digging a grave. Presently a flag-staff was visible above their heads, and in another moment the tricolour flag was run up to the top, and fluttered out gaily in the wind, while the men took off their hats and shouted, "Vive l' Empereur !" Thus our brave allies were the first to take seisin of the Crimea. Their whole infantry, 23,000 strong, were landed in the course of the day. The instant a French regiment landed, a company was pushed on to reconnoitre skirmishers or pickets were sent out in front; and as each regiment followed in column, its predecessors deployed, and advanced in light-marching order en tirailleur, spreading out like a fan over the plains, and astonishing their more slow-going allies by the rapidity with which they appropriated the soil. buff

The landing of the first British boats was attended by a somewhat picturesque incident, which had well-nigh resulted in the capture of one of our best officers. An eyewitness from the fleet has thus described it :

"There was no enemy in sight; but long before the French had landed their first boat's cargo the figure of a mounted officer, followed by three Cossacks, had fallen within the scope of many a glass. The Russian was within about 1,100 yards of us, and. through a good telescope we could watch his every action. He rode slowly along by the edge of the cliff, apparently noting the number and disposition of the fleet, and taking notes with great calmness in a memorandum-book. He wore a dark green frock-coat with a little silver lace, a cap of the same colour, a sash round his waist, and long leather boots. His horse, a fine bay charger, was a strange contrast to the shaggy, rough little steeds of his followers. There they were, the Cossacks' at last!—

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stout compact-looking fellows, with sheepskin caps, uncouth clothing of indiscriminate cut, high saddles, and little fiery ponies, which carried them with wonderful ease and strength. Each of these Cossacks carried a thick lance of some fifteen feet in length, and a heavy-looking sabre. At times they took rapid turns by the edge of the cliff in front of us now to the left, now to the rear, of their officer, and occasionally they dipt out of sight, over the hill, altogether. Then they came back, flourishing their lances, and pointing to the accumulating masses of the French on their right, not more than half a mile from them on the shore; or scampering over the hill to report progress as to the lines of English boats advancing to the beach. Their officer behaved very well. He remained for an hour within range of a Minié rifle, and while the Highflyer stood in close to shore, he was coolly making a sketch in his portfolio of our appearance.

"Meanwhile the English boats were nearing the shore. A small boat from the Britannia, immediately preceding the 7th Fusiliers of the Light Division, was the first to land, and disembarked some men on the beach, who went down into the hollow at the foot of the cliffs. The Russian continued his sketching. Suddenly a Cossack crouched down and pointed with his lance to the ascent of the cliff. The officer turned and looked in the direction. We looked too, and lo! a cocked hat rose above the horizon. Another figure, with a similar head-dress, came also in view. The first was Sir George Brown, on foot; the second we made out to be Quartermaster-General Airey. The scene was exciting. It was evident the Russian and the Cossacks saw Sir George, but that he did not see them. A picket of Fusiliers and Riflemen followed the General at a considerable interval. The Russian got on his horse, the Cossacks followed his example, and one of them cantered to the left to see that the French were not cutting off their Tetreat, while the others stooped down over their saddle-bows and rode stealthily, with lowered lances, towards the Englishmen. Sir George was in danger, but he did not know it; neither did the Russians see the picket advancing towards the brow of the hill. Sir George was busy scanning the country, and pointing out various spots to the Quartermaster-General. Suddenly they turn, and slowly descend the hill the gold sash disappears- the cocked hat is eclipsed

-Cossacks and officer dismount, and steal along by the side of their horses. They, too, are hid from sight in a short time, and on the brow of the cliff appears a string of native carts. In about five minutes two or three tiny puffs of smoke rise over the cliff, and presently the faint cracks of a rifle are audible to the men in the nearest ships. In a few minutes more the Cossacks are visible, flying like the wind on the road towards Sebastopol, and crossing close to the