The Press.
London, England, 1855-10-06 00:00:00

948

THE BALTIC FLEET.
(Fran our Own Correspondent.)

NARGEN, Sept. 25.
♦u sorry to have to begin thi:3 note by telling you
that two of our line-of-battle ships have been on
shore, and are very much injured. The first was
the Hogue, who got on a rock near Barosund. She
has by great exertions been got off, and now lays at
anchor there. She makes a little water even now,
and probably when she gets into a seaway will leak
to an alarming extent. The Hastings started from
here for England, and was working down the Gulf
with a westerly wind, when she struck on a rock
unmarked in the chart. She had five fathoms of
water under her stern and as far forward as her
forechains. Great anxiety was felt regarding her, as
a strong westerly wind, with a heavy swell, set in,
and she bumped heavily. Edinburgh, Driver,
Bulldog, and Magicienne went to her assistance. A
collier brig was got alongside, and her guns got into
her. All her coals were taken out, water started,
shot and shell removed, in fact nearly five hundred
tons-weight was got out of her, still she would
not move. At last, by a violent tug of the steamers
made fast to her, she slipped off into deep water, to
the great delight of all hands, who had almost made
up their minds that the old ship would leave her
bows on the rocks. She was brought back to this
place, and on examination, strange to say, her bottom
was found to be much less damaged than was antici-
pated. About fifty feet of false keel and a large
amount of copper were off, but further than that she
does not appear to have suffered. Great activity was
shown in getting her ready for sea again; and today
she has started with a fair wind homeward bound.
It is to be hoped that the Hogue will get off as well:
when she comes to face the sea will be the critical
moment.
The bad season in the Gulf of Finland is com-
mencing : currents, fogs, and changeable fresh winds
are becoming prevalent. And it is necessary to use
great caution in allowing vessels to cruise about,
particularly the old blocks, who do not shine as sea
boats, principally, I think, on account of the error•
mously heavy guns they mount.
A whole guard (an outpost consisting of twenty
men and a corporal) deserted some days since from
the enemy near Sweaborg, and arrived on board the
Amphion at this place yesterday. The sentry abso-
lutely brought his musket with him. They say that
the discontent in the Russian army in Finland is
very great, and that many thousands would desert if
they bad a good opportunity.
At Hango some of our officers have nearly again
been severely punished for their temerity. Being
out shooting, they had just discharged their guns,
when a volley of Minis balls whistled from an island
within two hundred yards of them, to which some
troops had waded. They (our officers) made a rapid
retreat, and on their arrival on board the Blenheim,
Captain Hall despatched a gun-boat to throw grape
into the island. But the Russians were not so easily
caught, for they had made off before she was in
range of them. One can only hope that next year
we may have 'more employment found for us than
risking our lives out shooting among the islands.
This remark cannot, however, fairly be applied to
our little squadron at Hango, where Captain Hail,
in the Blenheim, with two or three gun-boats, has
been harassing the enemy most effectively. He
declares he will revenge us on the troops quartered
in that neighbourhood, who we understand have not
been moved since the massacre of the Cossack's
boat's crew.

All store-ships mortar-vessels, and several small
vessels are already gone, and the campaign is de-
cidedly at an end, excepting little affairs such as I
have referred to. Pray bear in mind in your judg-
ments of our commanders that this is not a naval
war. I do not acquit them of all blame; but, "if
you are strong, be merciful," for many a poor fellow
up here, who is not in any way answerable for, or
had anything to do with, the plan of operations, feels
hurt that his humble services should be severely and
unkindly criticised. To obey orders is the first idea
of a naval or military man ; and it i% well known
what the Baltic fleet have felt at being out of the
really grand operations of this glorious war. How-
ever, say what people may, we need not blush to
,meet our brother officers of the Black Sea, for, at
all events, we have done as much as they have; nor
do I think that either here or there more could have
been done by the wooden walls of Old England,
except that here, had we been better supported, we
might have carried on the destructive system of war
we commenced at Sweaborg with greater effect.
The body of poor young Storey, who was supposed
to have been killed by the explosion of a rocket in
the Magicienue and Arrcgant boats, has been found
by the Russians. It appears he was shot through
'l4O TbiCh Mist hate occarTesi about the 841110

lortign eLorrgspnatatt.

FRANKFORT, October L

Apres avoir en connaisance tie la chute de Sevastopol,
le tour de Berlin seat atiresse aux Guuveniements de
France et d'Angleterre pour demander i ces puissances Si
le moment ne leur paraissait pas opportun pour reprendre
lee negociations tie pais. tine reponse negative a ete
immediatement expediee par le telegraphe de Paris it

This affords a key, or rather explains openly, the
particular policy of the Court of Berlin,—thereby
meaning the " parti de la Croix." It must be re-
membered that the King of Prussia does not dictate
to the " parti de la Croix," but that he is altogether
in their hands, and was confided to their express
guardianship by the late Emperor Nicholas. When
the King wanted a large sum to be voted by the
Chamber for military purposes, General Bonin, at
that time Minister of War, would have altogether
failed to procure it had he not appealed to popular
feeling and acknowledged the justice of certain
popular demands. Pleased with the Ministerial
admission, the Chamber voted, unexpectedly, the
required amount. It is correct to say " unexpectedly,"
since the " parti de la Croix " despaired of obtaining
the financial acceptance. A service of this nature
induced General Bonin to anticipate an expression
of royal gratitude, and, according to the usual course
of a grateful sense for Ministerial success in attain.
ing a difficult object, the expectation was not immo-
derate. The general was nevertheless painfully
surprised in being loaded with reproaches instead of
thanks for having officially expressed liberal opinions.
"But, sire, had I acted otherwise, the Chambers
would have refused the grant." "True," replied the
King, "but you know "—and the sentence was not
completed. The general continued in office some
time longer, with every mark of royal favour. One
morning he received even more than the usual
demonstrations of kindness, and on parting the King
shed tears, and embraced him after the continental
fashion. The tears of a king are ever equivocal.
General Bonin, on his return home, found that he
was dismissed from the Ministry of War, and that
General de Waldersee, of the " parti de la Croix,"
reigned in his stead.
The German party that in Russia contends with
the Muscovite counts on the submission of Prussia
as its right ;—iu fact, it may be said that a Pi usso-
Russian cainarilla would reign at St. Petersburg, and
a Russo-Prussian at Berlin. The end and aim of
both are to subdue Germany and to make it secondary
and accessory to Russian dominion. According to
the Muscovites, the ascendancy of Russia is to be
gained by the re-establishment of a Byzantine em-
pire, and the legitimate alliance to affect it would be
with Danubian Austria. The Prusso-Russian, with
the same intent, wOrdd convert the Baltic into a
Russian lake, by enslaving Germany and weakening,
by contrivance or by force, the Scandinavian king-
doms. To both of these policies for the exclusive
aggrandisement of Russia, the party of Prussia
proper or of the Prince is opposed. An alliance
with Protestant England is deemed to be the surest
safeguardfor Prussian independence ; and Prussian
independence will lead imperatively to that of
Germany, in the teeth of the Russianised princes of
the Confederation. _ _

J. E. L.

Sims, September 28.
THE Jesuits are now leagued with Mazzini and the
King of Naples. Strange as this alliance may appear,
it is one that has been anticipated by those who have
paid attention to the progress of events in this
country. For some time the influence of the Repub•
lican bravo has been on the wane, and his agents
have found no sympathy among the more educated
of the middle classes, upon whose support they for-
merly relied with security. The Jesuit confessors
have become sensible of this change, and, at the
dictation of Austria, have appropriated the Mazzi-
nians fer their especial use against the moderate
constitutional party now dominant throughout Italy.
Vienna is the focus of this great Jesuit league—it is
there that the councils are held for the subjugation
of the peninsula, and it is on this account that the
Aunrian journals are loud in tha ?raise of yrwre

SATURDAY,

and the I:mperor Napoleon, and decry England. The
French are popular everywhere in Italy. Eugere
Beauhamois the Princess Elise, and Murat, from
their amiability and good conduct in a public Bente,
have left reminiscences that are lively even at this
hour, and one word of encouragement from France
would revolutionise the entire country. It becomes,
therefore, of vital importance that Austria should
conciliate the Emperor Napoleon, in order, if pos.
Bible, to prevent his interference in favour of Italian
Constitutionalism whenever the rising takes place,
which is inevitable. The Jesuit junta of Vienna re-
present to him the fidelity of the Jesuits in France
to the imperial cause, that their opposition would Le
fatal to his dynasty, and that he owes the preserva-
tion of his life to the care with which they watch
over the conspirators against his person, and risk in-
curring the Divine wrath by betraying the secrets of
the confessional to his Minister of Pollee. In retuin
for this affectionate regard, they claim imperial pro-
tection for the Holy Father and the Church of Rome,
which are imperilled by the constitutional aspirations
of a self regenerating Italy—they recal to his retol-
lection that the presidential expedition to Rome in
favour of the Pope secured him the grateful adhesion
of the Jesuits and the "tiara pretre," and smoothed
the way to the imperial diadem—and they pray him
not to undo what he so nobly performed. This is the
substance of the message conveyed to the Emperor
Napoleon by M. De Prokersch Osten, who is now at
Paris. The principal obstruction to this Jesuit con.
spiracy, planned by Austria to subjugate Italy, is
held by the plotters themselves to consist in the
Protestant party in England. One of the secretaries
to the archbishop of this place said that Lord John
Russell when at Vienna had expressed opinions re-
garding Italy and the Pope which were highly satis-
factory to the Jesuit party.
At Naples matters are getting worse. The dis-
missal of Mazza, Minister of Police, caused a lazza-
roni jubilee. Many of those, however, who openly
showed their satisfaction by word and deed have been
imprisoned for sedition. Prince Ischitella, Minister
of War, informed the King at a special audience that
unless Mazza was removed he could not answer for
the regiments stationed at Naples remaining quiet,
and the First Chamberlain, the Duke de San Cesano,
corroborated the state of disaffection and joined in
the intreaty. In reply, the King heaped upon them
every insult that the lowest terms of the notoriously-
profuse vocabulary of the lazzaroni could convey,
dismissed them from their offices, and told them that
they merited ejection from the palace by " calci net
sedere." This royal language speaks for and befiti
the man. The letter of Prince Murat, which has
been designated as imprudent, has nevertheless had
the effect intended, and renders the state of affairs
still more difficult. It is related that when Bombe
was apprised of its publication he burst into a violent
passion, unlocked the cabinet where the head of
Murat is kept in a glass jar of pickle, and bestowed
many a hearty curse on "Re Gioacchino" and his
" maledetto figlio." This brute brings all kingly
office into contempt, and places an additional weapin
in the hands of the Republican.

M. T. A.

lortign an golonial (itttiligtute.

FRANCE.

The French papers throughout the week have been
entirely absorbed with discussions 941 d speculations
upon the probable and possible movements of the allied
generals. The Constitutionna takes the most favora-
ble view of affairs, and declares its opinion that the
most energetic measures will be adopted, and no
time be allowed the Russians.
The fate of the Crimea the Constitutionnel con-
siders sealed, despite any efforts of the Russians :
The Crimea is lost fur Russia. The resistance of the
Russian army may retard but it cannot prevent the cop,
quest of it. From the day when the allied army entered
Sebastopol, that conquest has become only a question of
time. The fall of Sebastopol will have another result
equally immediate. it will render disposable the admira-
ble fleet which France and England have in the Black
Sea. That feet certainly will not remain inactive. It
may act against the Isthmus of Perekop as well as iu the
Sea of Azoff; it may, in short, now that there does not
remain a single Russian vessel of war in the port of Se-
bastopol, complete the destruction of all the establish-
ments which Russia possesses on those shores, only a
short time since the witnesses of her power and of her
pride, and now the scene of her ruin and humiliation.
We cannot say whether peace will be at the end of these
triumphs of the West and of those disasters of Russia.
But what we well know is that one campaign in the Crimea
and one year's war will have sufficed for the liberty and
civilisation of Europe to have nothing more to fear froW
the despotism and the ambition of the Czars.

The Pays, alluding to a remark of the German
papers, that the allies should define the basis of the
war, denies that it is possible to do so, and reasons
that although the Western powers have in the last
two years made the most generous efforts to localiso
the struggle, yet their will persevere ill the pai4 01

M,M