The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-11-27 00:00:00

OFFICIAL DESPATCHES.

'HE OPERATIONS IN THE SEA OF AZOFF.
ADMIRALTY, Nov. 20.

Despatches, of which the following are copies, have been
received from Rear-Admiral Sir Edmund Lyons, G.C.8.,
Commander-in-Chief of Her Majesty's ships and vessels in the
Mediterranean and Black Sea :

Royal Albert, off Sebastopol, Nov. 6.

Sir,—The accompanying copy of a letter from Captain
Sherard Osborn, of the Vesuvius, with its several enclosures,
will place the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty in pos-
session of a detailed account of the active and energetic pro-
ceedings of the squadron in the Sea of Azoff, under the com-
mand of that valuable officer.
The enterprise, which was undertaken and so successfully
carried out by Commander J. E. Commerell, of the Weser, in
crossing the Isthmus of Arabat, and in destroying a large quan-
tity of forage on the Crimean shore of the Sivash, reflects great
credit on that officer, and adds still further proof of his having
deserved that promotion which their Lordships have lately
been pleased to confer upon him. The gallantry o: William
Rickard, Quartermaster of the Weser, deserves to be particu-
larly mentioned ; and I beg leave to recommend him to their
Lordships' favourable consideration for the medal and gratuity
for distinguished service.

Lieut. George F. Day, commanding the Recruit, has also
displayed his usual activity and zeal in harassing the enemy
on the north-east coast of the Sea of Azoff; and I regret to
find that his foot has been severely injured by the recoil of a
gun. I am, &c.,

EDMUND LYONS,
Rear-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief.

Her Majesty's ship Vesuvius, at Sea, Oct. 26.

Sir,—l am now returning westward towards Genitchi,
having been employed with Her Majesty's ships named in the
margin* since the 9th of October, 1855, along the north coast
of this sea as far as Taganrog.
On Crooked Spit, as well as Bielosarai or Whitehouse Spit,
the enemy had established a large force in the remains of the
old fishing establishments, and constructed a series of rifle-pits
and breastworks, from which they opened fire upon any of our
vessels taking shelter under those points ; and, as the enemy
had a number of boats with them, with which they could
easily board a vessel in distress, I thought it right to destroy
the latter and dislodge the men.
The Recruit, Lieut. George F. Day, came in collision with
them on the 15th instant, and although he could not dislodge
the riflemen, he succeeded in destroying seven launches and
five large fisheries, in spite of the enemy's cavalry and in-
fantry.
Lieut. Day, I am sorry to say, received a severe injury of
the foot, by the accidental explosion of an 8-inch gun, but he
speaks in high terms of the satisfactory manner in which Mr.
W. Parker, second master of the Recruit, executed the service
intrusted to him.

On the 20th of October the Ardent, Lieut. Hubert Campion,
drove in a large force of cavalry which attempted to prevent
him approaching Crooked or Krivaia Spit, and he likewise
destroyed three boats.

On the 24th of October, the weather was sufficiently favour-
able to enable me to get the Vesuvius close enough to force
the enemy from their riffle-pits upon the Bielosarai Spit ; at 1
p.m. the small-arm men and marines of this ship landed, under
Lieut. C. H. Strode, Mr. R. R. Armstrong, mate, and Mr. H.
D. R. Farquharson, midshipman, supported by the ship and
boats.

Directly the enemy saw their escape threatened, they beat
a rapid retreat, though fully 150 in number, and effected their
escape by a superior knowledge of the paths through the
swamps.
Lieut. Strode then destroyed their posts, which had been
recently re-constructed ; they were eight in number, and
calculated to house 200 men; besides these, 11 fine boats and
an extensive fishery were set fire to, near the town of Alti.
The Recruit, Lieut. Day, at the same time destroyed, in the
neighbourhood of Marianpol, two large fisheries and some fine
launches, mounted on regular travelling land-carriages, and
in the evening we were complete masters of the only portion
of the coast the enemy have attempted to re-establish them-
selves upon ; and, as the frosts have already set in, I am in
hopes that they will not be able to recover their ground be-
fore next spring.
The extraordinary efforts made by the enemy to prosecute
their fisheries upon this coast are the best proof of their im-
portance.
They sometimes move down 200 or 300 soldiers, who escort
large launches placed upon carriages and arabas drawn by oxen
laden with nets and gear, as well as fishermen to work them.
The fish directly they are caught are carted off into the in-
terior; and when it is remembered that we have destroyed
some 100 and odd launches upon one spit alone, some idea can
be formed of the immense qnantity of fish consumed on this
coast ; and, in proof of its being a large item in the suste-
nance of Russian soldiers, I would remind you that hundreds
of tons of salted and dried fish were found and destroyed by
us in the first destruction of the military depots at Genitchi
in May last.
This report is closed at Genitchi, where I had the satisfac-
tion of learning, as the enclosed letter from Lieut. Commerell
will show, that he had succeeded in destroying a large collec-
tion of forage and corn at the entrance of the Salghir and
Kara-Su rivers.
The zeal and enterprise displayed by Lieut. Commerell on
this occasion, as well as whenever any service has to be per-
formed, are most conspicuous ; and his judgment in seizing
the only good opportunity that has occurred for some time to
cross Arabat Spit, and traverse the Putrid Sea, deserves to be
particularly called to your notice. The Quartermaster, Wm.
Rickard, praised so highly by Lieut. Commerell, was one of
my boat's crew. I fully concur in the high character given
of have, &c., SHERARD OSBORN,
Captain, and Senior Officer in the Sea of Azoff.
Rear-Admiral Sir E. Lyons, Bart.

*Curlew,-Reciuit, and Ardent.

Her Majesty's steam gun-vessel Weser,
Genitchi, Oct. 12.

Sir,—l have the honour to inform you that on the evening
of the 10th instant I determined, in obedience to your discre-
tionary orders, to launch a boat across the Spit of Arabat and
destroy large quantities of corn and forage stored on the
banks of Kara•Su and Salghir Rivers, on the Crimean shore
of the Sivash. The proximity of a guard-house and signal-
station, also the distance the corn lay from the beach, ren-
dered anything but a night surprise impracticable.
Having left the Weser in charge of Mr. Haswell, second
master, and accompanied by Mr. Lillingston, mate, a quarter-
master, and two seamen, assisted by a party, we hauled a
small prize-boat across the Spit, embarked in her, and at half:
past 4 a.m. reached the opposite shore.
Landing with the petty officer and one man, I forded the
above-mentioned rivers, and at a distance of about two miles
and a half from the boat arrived at the corn and forage we
were in search of, stacked on the banks of the Salghir river,
evidently for transmission by water, as the river was perfectly
navigable for barges, the sides being cut, and towing paths
on either bank.

In a short time the forage and corn, amounting to about
400 tons, were totally destroyed, not, however, without alarm-
ing the guard, and from 20 to 30 mounted Cossacks, who were
encamped in a village close at hand. On our retreating we
were so hard pressed by them that, but for the circumstance
of the last 200 yards being mud, and the cover of rifles from
Mr. Lillingston and a man who remained in the boat, we
could hardly have escaped capture. Having recrossed the
Spit, we returned to the Weser by 8 a.m.
I must bring to your notice the excellent behaviour of the
small party who accompanied me, more especially that of
William Rickard, quartermaster, who, though much fatigued
himself, remained to assist the other seaman who, from ex-
haustion, had fallen in the mud, and was unable to extricate
himself, notwithstanding the enemy were keeping up a heavy
fire on us, at the distance of 30 or 40 yards, as we crossed the
mud.

Trusting my proceedings will meet with your approval, I
have, &c., J. E. COMAIEBELL, Lieutenant Commanding.
Captain Sherard Osborn, Senior Officer.

Her Majesty's ship Recruit, off Berdiansk, Oct. 18.

Sir,—l have the honour to forward you a report of my pro-
ceedings since leaving Her Majesty's ship Curlew at this place
on the 15th. According to my orders, I steered for my cruis-
ing ground between the Dolga Bank and Whitehouse Spit.
When off the latter place, observing a number of men and
boats engaged in fishing, and also that many large fishing
storehouses had been built since my last visit here on the
14th of last mouth, I hauled close in to the shore, anchoring
the Recruit about 700 yards off, with the intention of landing
with my boats and destroying all I could, as soon as I had
driven back the troops, who were coming down in great num-
bers, both cavalry and infantry, to prevent us ; the former we
soon disposed of, but the latter, scattering themselves about
in twos and threes, threw themselves on the ground, creeping
along so that we could not see them to stop their advance
with our shells from the ship; I, therefore, resolved to land
at once, in hopes, by the quickness of our movements, to get
our work over before they could possibly close on us. Unfor-
tunately for me, I regret to say that while directing the point-
ing of an 8-inch gun to where I believed some of these rifle-
men to be (just as I was on the point of going into the boat
to land), the gun, from some unaccountable cause, went off,
and, in recoiling, whole weight of both gun and carriage
came down on my left foot, injuring it very severely, and
breaking several bones, which I fear will lay me up for some
time.

Cwas thus rendered incapable of landing, so sent Mr.
Parker, second master of this ship, on shore in charge of the
boats and landing party, who succeeded in carrying out my
instructions as to the destruction of all the boats there (seven
in number), many new fishing nets of great length, five large
new fishing establishments, full of quantities of fishing
tackle and other gear. This service he performed in a
most gallant manner, and much to my satisfaction, as they
were the whole time exposed to a very smart and annoying
fire from the enemy's concealed infantry (at a very short
distance), who, in spite of our fire from the ship, had
managed to creep down close to them, favoured by the
inequality of the ground and the long grass, so that our
party had to make a long detour (covered by a hot fire of
rifles from the Recruit) to prevent them being cut off, and to
get to their boats. The Russians kept up a constant fire of
rifles from the lighthouse, in which they had succeeded in
lodging themselves, upon the boats, and then upon the ship,
which we returned with rifles only, and I think to some pur-
pose, until we weighed and shifted further out. Not a man
was hit, though ship and boat were many times. As I did not
wish to injure the lighthouse, I did not attempt to fire, so as to
dislodge them, with shot or shell from the guns.
On the 17th I stood along the Spit to see if any more boats
or nets could be found along the shore where I could destroy
them, as also to drive away a number of troops I saw hidden
behind some banks, and at the same time to try and set fire
with carcases to a number of new stores built on the broad part
of the Spit, high up, but too far off for me, with my small
force, to attempt to land and destroy.
I could see no more boats, but their perseverance in thus
rebuilding these houses, boats, and nets, with the fact of so
many troops being there to protect them, tells its own tale—
that they must be much in want of provisions.—l have, &c.,
GEO. F. DAY, Lieutenant-Commander.
Captain Osborn, Senior Officer.

In consideration of the services mentioned in the above
despatches—

Lieut. George Fiott Day has been promoted to the rank of
Commander ;
Mr. William 11. Parker will be promoted to the rank of
Master, as soon as he shall be qualified; and
A medal and £l5 gratuity, for conspicuous gallantry, have
been awarded to William Rickard, Quartermaster of H. M. S.
Weser.