in a small vessel to every creek and harbour, collects ten
here, twenty there, and so on, and returns in half the
time, besides insuring the troops a supply of fresh meat
regularly. If our present system is followed, and the
troops have so much salt meat, scurvy will do as much
this winter as cholera did last summer."

The superior administration and greater comforts of
the French troops are described by the correspondent of
the Daily News:—"The East shore of Kamiesch Bay
now presents a very animated scene. The distance
between the head-quarters of General Canrobert and
the port of debarkation is between six and seven miles.
An excellent macadamised road, with a trench on one
side, and drains running beneath at intervals, has been
nearly completed the whole way; and along this route
may be seen constantly passing lines of mules carrying
well-balanced packages of biscuit from Marseilles or
Toulon, or other 'vivres militaires,' destined for the
respective divisions of the army, and trains of waggons,
'equipages militaires,' also drawn by mules, bringing
planks, chests, forage, and every description of army
stores in the same direction. Up to the very end of the
harbour itself, as far as depth for anchorage can be
obtained, almost from its mouth, is densely packed a long
line of merchant-vessels, ranged side by side in rows
varying in depth according to the variations in shape and
capacity of the bay, from eight or ten to five-and- twenty
in number in each row. Stretched across the wider
part of the bay near its communication with the sea are
several large line-of-battle ships, between which from
time to time is sailing in or out some of the smaller
merchant craft. Several large vessels are lying in
Double Bay beyond; and from the point of Cape
Chersonese, with its white lighthouses along the coast
towards Sebastopol, other war-steamers and ships are
moving along, or lying at anchor. The new town is
built, or rather encamped, towards the southern end of
the harbour; the military stores, landing-places, and
offices being nearer to the seaboard. The principal
street, the 'Rue de Commerce,' consists of two lines of
booths and stalls of every imaginary shape and
contrivance for answering the double object of protecting
the articles from the weather and at the same time
exposing samples with an inviting aspect to the gaze of
the visitor. Masts, beams, rigging, and canvas from
the ships, have been the chief materials used in the
construction of these shops and dwelling-places. Every
house is numbered, and placards announce the name
and place of connexion of its merchant proprietor, and
the principal wares to be sold. Articles of clothing,
preserved provisions, and groceries, are the staple
commodities. Wines and French liquors are to be obtained,
but generally of an inferior description; the better sort
can only be purchased on board the vessels in the
harbour. Among the shopkeepers are several French
settlers; and the regimental 'cantinières,' in their
trim military attire, may be seen busily following their
active occupations. Some of the shopkeepers are
Maltese; there are a few Germans also. Some very
large stores with stone walls, and others of considerable
extent made of wood, are rapidly advancing towards
completion. In a short time the Rue de Commerce
will be put into the shade by its broader and more
solid neighbour, which is stretching up the hill and at
right angles to it.

"Great activity prevails at the military end of the
port. Stores are being landed from the ships, and
packed on the beach, or are being carried up by the
troops into temporary storehouses and depôts. Mules
are coming down with empty pack-saddles, others are
passing on their return to the camps laden with their
respective burdens. Large piles of timber planking are
stacked up, and there are heaps of grain and forage,
casks and boxes of provisions. A number of Ottoman
troops are encamped close by to assist in the labours of
the port. These troops have made long lines of ground-
huts for themselves, which appear sufficiently snug and
warm."

The Rev. J. E. Sabin, in charge of the Chaplains'
Department at Scutari, has written to Mr. Gleig, the
chaplain-general, a very interesting letter on the
condition of the hospitals there, from which we make the
following extracts:—"A walk through our vast corridors
now, crowded as they are in every part, fills me with
lively satisfaction, for I see how much has been done,
and how rapidly, for the welfare of our soldiers. One
corridor alone contains 225 beds, every one occupied,
and the wards leading out of the same corridor contain
313 beds. The whole of this corridor has been repaved,
and every ward had new floors and windows within the
last month, and now it is occupied from end to end.
Surgeries are built on the wide staircases, boilers for hot
water are erected at intervals, stoves are kept constantly
burning in each ward and down the corridor, which, to
lessen the cold, is divided by wooden partitions; large
tin baths are standing at the corners and entrances ready
for use, and every man has a wooden bedstead and
comfortable bed and bedding. Groups of men are sitting
round the stoves reading, talking, and some few smoking,
and altogether there is an air of comfort and enjoyment
which I feared once never to see here. I have selected
this one corridor to tell you of, because one month since
it was unfit for use, and now is all that can be expected
or desired. It has been rapidly completed under Mr.
Gordon, an engineer officer; and the Turks, under our
Sappers, have worked well. It has been completed, too,
just as it was most needed, for we have had a great
increase of sick during the last ten days, and without this
corridor should have been sorely pressed for room. Our
numbers now amount to 4200 sick and convalescents;
distributed in barrack hospitals, 2500; in general
hospital, 1000; on the two hulks, 700. Besides this,
some 350 have been sent to Abydos. The medical staff
seems now very efficient, and the number considerable
—I should suppose nearly 100; and Dr. Macgregor, who
had so ably and energetically worked the barrack
hospital, is still at his post, and active as ever. While
the men are cared for, the officers are not forgotten. A
kitchen has been built for them, and a good cook placed
there, who cooks all they send down, and also prepares
jellies and broths when needed. No less than fifty officers'
dinners were cooked there on Christmas-day. The
expenses of this establishment are kindly defrayed by
Mr. Macdonald out of the Times' fund. The men have
their usual food cooked in two immense cooking-houses
in the barrack-square, each containing eleven large
coppers; but then comforts are supplied from the nurses'
kitchen, and one meets at every turn immense bowls
of arrowroot, sago, broth, and other good things.
Every man who needs such nourishment is, upon the
request of the medical officers, promptly and constantly
supplied. This is most valuable help to the medical
men, and I always feel thankful that no one can now be
long without the food or wine required. A considerable
change is taking place in our band of nurses, in consequence
of the arrival of fifty new ones, under Miss Stanley.
Miss Nightingale and Mrs. Bracebridge have gradually
established the original band of nurses here, and this in
spite of many and serious difficulties. What we all
feared would be an impossibility has been admirably
accomplished, and will, I doubt not, be continued with
success. We have now, I am thankful to say, seven
clergymen at work here, and one Presbyterian preacher,
and five Roman Catholic priests—not one more than is
needed, since 500 sick is a large number for one man to
see and speak to, and almost impossible for him to know
personally; but I hope more will be spared of the many
who are coming. There are four regular services each
Sunday, and holy Communion is administered each
Sunday. Besides these, services are held at the general
hospital, and on board each hulk, and in various corners
of the barrack where a few of the invalids can be got
together. The books we hear of as being sent out from
the religious societies come in very slowly, but, perhaps,
it is not time for them yet. The books and papers from
the War-office come regularly, and are much used. It
is very pleasing to see the groups of men collected round
the stoves to hear one man read, or a poor fellow with
one arm gone steadying a paper or a book with the
other, and I am glad to say that the most frequent book
in their hands is the New Testament. Copies of the
Queen's letter to Mrs. Herbert have been made and
distributed, and also posted on the walls in various
places. One of the clergy went into most of the wards
and read the letter, ending with the prayer 'God save
the Queen! ' to which the response was almost startling,