The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-09-11 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD

biscuits. One of them was brought away by Commander
Rosencoat, of the Obligado. The parties were divided into
companies, proceeded to burn, blow up, and destroy the arse-
nals, storehouses, and all government buildings. Not a ves-
tige of any public work was left standing, except the hospital,
which, with the church and the dwellings of the poorer classes
of the inhabitants, was left untouched. The inhabitants com-
menced deserting the place shortly after the garrison embarked.
Accompanied by the authorities, they started on or about the
20th April towards Tchinsk ; but the Governor's wife being
enceinte, the flight continued only to the small fishing village
of Avache, some twenty miles inland. The following day, after
the arrival of the allies, the destruction of the fortifications
commenced. These were fascines, constructed of immense
logs—the walls being sixteen feet in thickness. Such was
their strength, they resisted all efforts for some time, and were
finally razed to the ground by the agency of powder. It ap-
pears that the policy of the Russian government had changed
rather suddenly in this matter. After the battle of last
year orders came for strengthening the forts ; and though at
that time such a resistance was made as to repel the assail-
ants, there being but one tier of guns, it was ordered to in-
crease it to a double tier. The destroyers found embrasures
for fifty-one guns of heavy calibre. Why this sudden change
of policy took place may, perhaps, be explained by that on
which the Russians have always acted—of retiring into the in-
terior from their invaders, and avoiding decisive engagements.
This time, however, they have made nothing by the movement,
and, with the increased strength of the place, it would seem
that they might have made a more obstinate resistance than
before. The fleets did not leave the place until the demolition
was complete. The fleet sailed, with the exception of the
Trincomalee, on board of which were left two Russian prisoners,
whom it was proposed to exchange for a French sailor, whose
arms were amputated after being taken prisoner in the battle
of last year. The American residents there report that they
have lived in perfect peace and friendship with the inhabitants
up to the day of their departure, and that the French and En-
glish prisoners were treated with humanity. We have been
shown a despatch dated in Petropaulowski, from Rear-Admiral
Fourichon, of the French fleet, in which he states, after briefly
recapitulating the facts above enumerated, that the Russian
garrison (as Le Journel informs us) some 1,200 men, had
doubtless sailed for the mouth of the Amoor river, which drains
the southern portion of Siberia, and flows into the Gulf of Sag-
halien, an arm of the Sea of Ochetsk. They left for this point
on the 17th April, and were doubtless there before the French
and English arrived at Kamschatka. This river is regarded
as the dividing line between China and. Asiatic Russia, and at
its mouth is a very strong series of fortifications, which have
been greatly strengthened from time to time by the Russians.
It is thought by some of the officers of the Obligado that
the immense armament of Petropaulowski was carried there
with the garrison ; and if this be true, there will be a
western Sebastopol, which may puzzle the allies as much
as the stronghold of the Crimea. The fleets have gone to cruise
for the present among the Aleutian Islands, and will probably
look in at Sitka. An English and French squadron have
proceeded by the China Sea to the mouth of the Amoor river,
where, the despatch says, there will soon be severe fighting.
There are about ten ships of war in these fleets, which would
be joined by the steamer Brisk, now at Petropaulowski. The
line of battle-ship Monarch is the flag-ship of the English
fleet. We learn that the above squadrons will join at Petro-
paulowski, whence they will proceed to this port for provisions;
they may be expected in about three weeks. The officers of
the Obligado think they will separate,. the English making a
rendezvous at Vancouver's Island, and the French here ;
both fleets, however, will come directly to this port. Their
arrival will increase business to a considerable extent. The
English frigates Pique and Amphitrite have sailed for the
Sea of Ochotsk, to join the rest of the fleet; also the two
steamers which were formerly employed in blockading Petro-
paulowski. The French steamer Prowy will be here in a few
days. The fleets will sail to the Amoor river after provision-
ing and fitting out at this port. Rear-Admiral Bruce, while
at Petropaulowski, caused a handsome fence to be erected
around the cemetery in which were buried the bodies of the
killed of the Russians and Allies, in the battle of last year.
A large tablet, bearing a Russian inscription in commemora-
tion of the fight, was erected, which, as it refers to all alike,
will doubtless be respected when the Russian inhabitants
return. The country, when the fleets approached, presented
a grand and sublime picture. The lofty mountains, from their
peaks down to the very shore, were clad in a mantle of snow ;
the cold was not severe. All was gloomy, silent, and desolate.
It snowed almost incessantly for three weeks while the Obli-
gado was there. The brig left Valparaiso for the Sandwich
Islands ; proceeded thence to Kamtschatka, and thence here.
She has seen some very severe weather at the North."
The Alta California, of a later date, adds the following
particulars—" We learn from the Russian consul, M. Kos-
tromithoff, that the intelligence published in the morning
papers of yesterday is untrue as regards the evacuation of
Sitka by the Russian residents. It will be remembered that
there is now a convention existing between the Hudson Bay
Company and the Russian American Company, which was
celebrated at St. Petersburg and London, by the provisions of
which this portion of the Russian possessions is exempted
from hostilities. Consequently, there could be no danger of
the Allied fleets committing any depredations ; nor is the
Governor of Sitka, or his officials, so ignorant of the chivalry
of the French and English marine as to suppose that they
would override the stipulations of the British government,
and attack a defenceless place. True, the French have not
entered into this treaty, but the very inhumanity of the
destruction of a trading post, occupied by harmless in-
habitants, and almost defenceless in guns and men, would be
enough to ensure its safety. The movements of the allied
fleets in the Pacific, up to this time, have been characterised
by a commendable regard to the behests of humanity. On the
arrival of the fleet, the Brisk was sent in to communicate with
the shore. The Governor sent off his secretary to state that
he hoped the provisions of the convention would be observed,
as the place was without the means of defence, and unprepared
to make any resistance. The commander of the Brisk replied
that they had only enteredthe place to ascertain if the Dwina or
Aurora were there; in which case the French fleet would
have cut them out; but no harm was intended to the town.
The reports regarding the starving condition of the Russian
American Commercial Company we learn from Mr. Beverley
C. Sanders to be also unfounded. Provisions were plenty.
Mr. Berlin, one of the directors of the company, went on
board the Alceste, on her arrival, and obtained facts which
are at variance with those published on the following morn-
ing." The climate at present of Sitka Island is mild and
agreeable, though occasional fogs appear, like those seen off
our own coast. The mountains rising from the immediate
vicinity of the coast are clothed with dense forests of pine
and cedar. Farther back, they ascend into the regions of
perpetual snow, and in clear weather present the grandest
scene imaginable. The town contains a population of about
1,000, a mixture of whites and Indians. This country was
taken possession of by the celebrated Russian buccaneer
Schelehoff, in 1778. The harbour is excellent, and will
easily accommodate hundreds of ships. We learn that the
operations of the Ice Company have produced a marked
effect upon the business of the place. The inhabitants
were peacefully pursuing their daily avocations when the
fleet left. No panic had existed, nor had any of them
fled into the interior. It was reported that Sitka was in
virtual possession of the American Ice Company, who reported
that the Russian inhabitants, after learning the intended visit
of the allied fleet to the place, notwithstanding the treaty of
protection, abandoned the place and fled into the interior.
We learn that the Ice Company was in a starving condition,
having been in daily expectation of a vessel from San Fran-
cisco loaded with provisions. This was nine days ago, and the
vessel had not arrived when the fleet left. Nothing had been
heard at Sitka of the ship Zenobia. From the above facts
we presume no ice will be received in town for several days to
come, and a similar state of affairs with that of July, 1852,
be experienced.
The San Francisco Transcript furnishes some further
particulars. " The fleet arrived at Sitka in twenty-three days
from Petropaulowski, and sailed on the 13th instant, for this
port. The number of soldiers in the place never exceeded 100
men, who were kept there merely as a protection against
the Indians, and the fortifications, it was well undestood, were
intended for no other purpose."
H.B.M. frigate Pique, Captain Nicholson, had sailed for the
river Amoor, the Russian possessions in Asia, and thence for
China. The British frigate Dido and steamer Brisk. were to
touch at Vancouver's Island, thence to San Francisco.

THE BALTIC FLEET.

(FROM THE PRESS.)

IN the Baltic the fleet are beginning to shift their cruising-
ground. The bad wheather has commenced, the blockading
squadron before Cronstadt has already experienced a heavy
gale of wind, and has shifted its berth. The vacillation of the
Government, and the imbecile management of Sir Charles
Wood and his Board, seem to have metamorphosed all our
fighting Admirals into the meekest and most timid of men.
" Impossible," a word unknown in the vocabulary of the last
war, appears to be imprinted on the mind of every Admiral in
this. The Government have spent milions on this Baltic
fleet; they had all the vast resources of the country at their
disposal, and all the experience of '54 to guide them, and yet,
in a whole summer, they can only achieve a single bombard-
ment of an arsenal and capture a few paltry vessels !
Sir Charles Wood and his Board seem bent upon blunders.
No sooner do they discover, in the last week of the season for
active operations in the Baltic, that the contemptible supply
of mortars which they originally sent out to demolish all the
Russian fortresses have been used up in a partial bombardment
of the first, than they immediately order a ship round to
Woolwich, load her with mortars, and despatch her to the
stction. Very admirable energy, under ordinary circumstances,
but, in the face of their Admiral's declaration that the season
was too far advanced for any further operations, and that the
mortar-boats were en route for England, very questionable
management. Arrived at Kiel, this ship, the Sanspareil, lay
there for some days with the mortars in her hold, when,
as might have been expected, came an order from Admiral
Dundas for her to return home at once, as the mortar-
boats had left the station, and the weather was too bois-
terous for further operations. So, home comes the Sans-
pareil, no market for their mortars being found in the
Baltic. This playing at cross purposes between Admiralty
and Admiral betrays a want of unanimity of action and con-
formity of plan disgraceful to the administrative ability of
"My Lords. The official " cat," in this case, clearly resides at
Whitehall. Admiral Dundas, some weeks before, had stated that
the season was over for operations ; but the Admiralty hoped,
by this display of unwonted energy, to cover their primary
discreditable mismanagement in not having supplied the fleet
with an ample reserve of mortars in the first instance. This
very "weak invention" is seen through at a glance. We
never had a very high opinion of the administrative talents of
the present Board of Admiralty; but their management of
the home resources for the supply of the Baltic fleet this year
inflicts more disgrace upon them than any of the previous
many maladministrations they have been guilty of in their
official career.

MR. CHARLES DICKENS is expected to give a reading for
the benefit of the Mechanics' Institution at Sheffield, during
the month of December.
A BALLOON, sent up at Sheffield a few days ago, travelled
as far as Chard, in Somersetshire, a distance of about 200
miles, and occupied only about two hours and three quarters
in the voyage.
THE Bristol Gazette states that a skeleton, supposed to be
that of woman, has been discovered by some workmen, about
a foot below the surface of the ground, at Banwell. Some
suppose the person to have been murdered, but there is at
present no evidence to warrant the conclusion.
THE Paris Pointe says that the Czar is endeavouring to
re-establish his former friendly relations with the Helvetic
confederation, which have been estranged since 1848, when
the Emperor Nicholas refused to recognise the new federal
constitution..