The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-09-25 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

ADMIRALTY, Sept. 22,

Despatches, of which the following are copies, have been
received from Rear-Admiral Sir Edmund Lyons, G.C.8., Com-
mander-in-Chief of Her Majesty's ships and vessels in the
Mediterranean and Black Sea :
ROYAL ALBERT, OFF SEBASTOPOL, Sept. 10.
Sir,—Of the operations on shore, which have produced the
successful result of the singular and memorable siege of Se-
bastopol, Her Majesty's government will be informed by
General Simpson; but it is my duty to report to the Lords
Commissioners of the Admiralty what has taken place afloat
and on the seaboard under my own observation.
It had been arranged by Generals Simpson and Pelissier,
Admiral Bruat and myself, that precisely at noon on the Bth
instant, the allied fleets should open fire upon the Quarantine
Batteries that enfiladed the approach of the assaulting co-
lumns ; but, unfortunately, the weather, which had been fine
for some days, changed on the morning of the attack, and a
north-west gale and heavy sea rendered it impossible for any
vessels to act upon batteries situated upon the lee shore of
this exposed roadstead. It will, however, appear by the en-
closed reports from Captain Willcox, of the Odin, and Captain
Diby, of the Royal Marine Artillery (whom, as well as the
junior officers mentioned by them, I beg leave particularly to
recommend to the favourable consideration of their Lordships),
that the mortar-vessels attached to the fleets kept up a very
effective fire from their position in the bay of Strelitzka.
As the day closed things in the harbour seemed to be in
the same state as they were in the morning, but during the
night several heavy explosions were heard, and at dawn we
observed that the fortifications on the south side were in
flames, and that the six remaining ships-of-the-line had been
sunk at their moorings, leaving afloat no more of the late
Russian Black Sea fleet than two dismasted corvettes and
nine steamers, most of which are very small,
Soon afterwards the enemy were seen retreating across the
newly constructed bridge, until the south side of the harbour,
on which the naval and military arsenals, the public buildings,
and the town of Sebastopol are situated, appeared to be com-
pletely evacuated, and then the southern portion of the bridge
was hauled over to the north shore. _ _ _

It is now my pleasing duty to render justice to the ad-
mirable conduct of all whom I have had the honour and
happiness to command during the last nine months of this
arduous struggle, and whose duties I shared in before ; for,
although, with the exception of the Naval Brigade in the
camp, whose gallant bearing from the beginning, under the
command of Sir Stephen Lushington, has been beyond all
praise, and never more so than during the last two bombard-
ments, under the command of the Hon. Captain Keppel, it
has not fallen to the lot of the navy on this occasion to per-
form distinguished deeds of arms such as those of their gallant
brethren in the army. Still, while straining every nerve,
night and day, under very trying circumstances, to supply
the means for carrying on the siege, in the glory of which
they could not share, the generous cheer of encouragement,
unalloyed by envy, has aways been heartily given in the day
of triumph ; nor have sympathy and assistance ever been
wanting in the hour of distress and suffering. The same
sentiments have pervaded all ranks—captains, officers, seamen,
and marines, all agreeing with each other in following, as I
believe I have said once before, the excellent example set
them by my able second in command and coadjutor, Rear-
Admiral Houston Stewart.-

Perhaps in closing this letter I may be permitted to indulge
in the expression of the gratification I feel in reflecting that,
under all the circumstances to which it relates, my gallant
colleague Vice-Admiral Bruat and I have gone heart and hand
together, and that the most perfect understanding and hearty
co-operation in the great cause of humanity in which we are
all engaged have invariably prevailed throughout both fleets.
I am, &c., EDMUND LYONS,
Rear-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief.
To the Secretary of the Admiralty.

STRELITZKA BAY, Sept. 8.
Sir,—l have the honour to report that, in pursuance of the
orders which I received from you this morning, I opened fire
from the mortar vessels at 8.30 a.m. upon the Quarantine Bat-
tery, and a general and more rapid fire from noon until 7 p.m.
upon the Quarantine Battery and Fort Alexander. The two
outward vessels were much exposed to the swell which set into
the bay, rendering a large object desirable, and I therefore
directed their fire between Artillery Bay and the Bastion de
Quarantine, where I bad been informed that Russian reserves
were placed.
The force of the wind and heavy swell which prevailed were
singularly unfavourable to accuracy, and the general satisfac-
tory nature of the firing was due to the ability exercised by
the officers of Royal Marine Artillery who conducted it ; and
I beg to submit to your notice the names of First-Lieutenant
Starr, First-Lieutenant Hewett, First-Lieutenant Brookes,
First-Lieutenant Felting, and First-Lieutenant Pitman, the
officers employed.
The non-commissioned officers and gunners also performed
their duties in a most satisfactory manner; and I may espe-
cially mention the services of Colour-Sergeant Horner, who, in
the absence of an officer, undertook the 'firing of the Firm,
mortar vessel.

Owing to the state of the weather and the smallness of the
means at their disposal, the officers in command had to over-
come great difficulties in maintaining the position of their
vessels; and I beg to be allowed to'express my high opinion
of the services of Messrs. Leet, Creagh, Pearson, Brent, Hart,
and Vaughan (mates), who so ably performed these duties, and
greatly contributed to the success of the firing. I have, &c.,
G. DIGBY, Captain Royal Marine Artillery.
Rear-Admiral Sir E. Lyons, Bart., &c., G.C.B.

HEE MAJESTY'S SHIP ODIN, OPP SEBASTOPOL, Sept. 8.
SIB,—I have the honour to acquaint you that acting in
pursuance of your directions, and in conjunction with Capt.
Backm, commanding four French mortar-vessels you did me
the honour of placing under my command, till 7 p.m., against
the Quarantine Fort and outworks, as well as upon Fort Alex-
ander and the upper bastions, (where, near to the latter place,
a large number of the enemy's reserve were posted,) keeping
their fire so completely under, that only a few shot and 41011
were returned, and but !VW nrea into the French battery and
advanced works before us. A small number of carcases were
also successfully thrown into the town and upper bastion,
which produced a conflagration of some extent.
To Captain Digby, Royal Marine Artillery, and the artillery
officer in each vessel, I must attribute the successful practice,
and lam glad of the opportunity of bringing to your notice
the indefatigable and zealous conduct of Mr. H. K. Leet, mate,
in charge of the Firm, who, from being the senior officer of
the mortar-vessels, has always ably carried out my instruc-
tions ; and I am happy to bear testimony to the praiseworthy
conduct of Messrs. J. B. Creagh, T. L. Pearson, H. W. Brent,
A. F. Hart, and Henry Vaughan, mates, in charge of the other
mortar-vessels.

I have also great pleasure in stating that no casualty oc•
curred ; and that neither the mortars nor vessels were at all
damaged by the heavy firing.—l have, &c.,
J. A. WILCOX, Captain.
Rear-Admiral Sir E. Lyons, Bart., &c., G.C.B.

PROCEEDINGS OF NAVAL BRIGADE.
ROYAL ALBERT, OFF SEBASTOPOL, Sept. 10.
Sir,—l beg leave to enclose, for the information of the
Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, copy of a letter from
Captain the Hon. Henry Keppel, reporting the proceedings
of the Naval Brigade under his command on the 7th and Bth
inst., and enclosing a list of casualties.
I am, &c.,
EDMUMD LYONS,
Rear-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief.
The Secretary of the Admiralty.

ROYAL NAVAL BRIGADE, BEFORE SEBASTOPOL, Sept.,9.
Sir,-1 have the honour to inform you that, in pursuance
of instructions, a vigorous fire was opened from the batteries
at six o'clock on the morning of the 7th, and was maintained
throughout the day ; the fire was recommenced yesterday
morning with increased vigour, preparatory to an assault to
be made by our allies on the Malakhoff, and subsequently by
ourselves on the Redan.
At noon the French were observed to start en masse from
their trenches and possess themselves in gallant style of the
Malakhoff Battery, on which the tricolor flag was hoisted and
the imperial eagles planted within 10 minutes of their quitting
their trenches.

The French flag was no sooner displayed on the Malakhoff
than our storming party issued from their trenches and
assailed the salient angle of the Redan, but the enemy were
by that time prepared to meet them, and as the supporting party
advanced a heavy fire of grape and canister was opened on
them, in spite of a brisk fire kept up from our batteries on all
parts of the Redan not assailed, as well as on the flanking
batteries.
After maintaining the footing they had gained for some
time, our troops were obliged to retire, the killed and wounded
left on the ground sufficiently testifying how gallantly they
had fought.
The fire from our batteries was kept up until dark, and at
about 11 o'clock the enemy evacuated the Redan after having
fired a train that exploded the magazines.
This morning's light showed how successful and complete
had been the victory gained by the allied forces.
The enemy had evacuated all their positions on the south
side of the harbour; the town, Fort Nicholai, Fort Paul, and
the dockyard were in flames, and their line-of-battle ships had
been sank in the positions they were last seen in when at
anchor.

The conduct of the officers and men of the brigade under
my command has been such as to continue to merit the high
opinion you have been pleased to express of them.
I have the honour to enclose a list of casualties for the 7th
and Bth.---I am &c., HENRY KEPPEL,
Captain Comanding Royal Naval Brigade.
Rear-Admiral Sir Edmund Lyous, Bart., &c.,
Commander-in-Chief.