The Press.
London, England, 1855-07-21 00:00:00

STATE OF SEBASTOPOL.

In a letter from the camp of the sth inst. we are
told .
The deserters and prisoners report that the Russian
line-of-battle ships anchored in the roadstead opposite Fort
St. Nicholas begin to suffer from the fire of the mortar
battery on the side of the Quarantine Bay. On the 27th a
shell passed through the three decks of the Tchesmi,
killing and wounding several men, and then bursting in
the hold set fire to her for a short time. Some days before
a projectile, fired by a French vessel, berating in a work-
shop near the Artillery Bay, caused the explosion of a
number of loaded shells, killed several artillerymen, and
caused such damage that the Russians have not since dared
to collect together such a quantity of combustibles in one
place. The shells from the allied vessels occasion much
damage to the place and severe losses to the garrison.
Their effects are more feared than those of the rockets.
The number of naval artillerymen in the place has been
reduced from 111,000 to 3,501), and there are now only
three artillerymen for each gun. The rations of vegetables
and brandy have been diminished one-half on board the
Russian vessels, and the captains of them have received
orders to economise their consumption of salt pork as
much as possible. The commander-in-chief has ordered
the inhabitants to quit the town. The opinion that the
place must infallibly fall into the power of the allied armies
is more and more general among the besieged, and that
feeling has greatly increased their discouragement, parti•
cularly during the last few days.
THE BALTIC.

The news from the fleet, which reached Dantzio
yesterday, announces that Admirals Dundas Sey-
mour, and Penaud were at Nargen. Admiral Baynes,
with the rest of the fleet, was before Cronstadt.

On the 14th the Raby gun-boat, with the boats of
the Arrogant and Magicienne, had a sharp affair at
Wiborg. One officer and one man were killed, and
ten wounded.
According to a correspondence from the northern parts
of the Gulf of Bothnia, inserted in the Aflonbladel, nu
vessels of the allied fleets had arrived as far nurth as
the Umea by the 4th inst. In Wasa there were at that
time 200 to 900 Russian troops, and in Ny-Carleby only
twenty to thirty Cossacks. Gamla-Carleby, where they louk
forward to another visit from our countrymen, has a
garrison of 2,000 men in the town and th 4 neighbourhood ;
earthworks also have been thrown up round the town.
All pilots that formerly had their stations in the outer
channel had been compelled to take up their abode in the
town.

The fortress of Svartholm and town of Lovisa
were destroyed on the sth by an English squadron.
The latter was burnt by accident, it appears, although
the Russian journals speak of the occurrence as an
act of wilful and useless barbarism. An authentic
account of the affair is transmitted by the following
despatch
Duke of Wellington, Tolboukin Lighthouse, July 7.
The Magicienne returned this morning from Lovisa, and
I have received a report from Captain Yelverton, of her
Majesty's ship Arrogant, who has been again successful in
destroying a well•constructed fort at Svartholm, in the
entrance of the Bay of Lovisa; but their lordships will
observe with regret that, notwithstanding the humane
desire of that officer, the town of Lovisa was unfortu-
nately destroyed bt fire, which occurred acnitlentally, on
the night following the visit of her Majesty's ships. Cap•
tam Vansittan. informs me that the authorities of the town
have themselves admitted and explained the accidental
origin of the fire.

SIR CHARLES NAPIER received a summons to attend
at court for the purpose of being installed. He,
however, declined the proffered boon. The United
Service Gazette adds that the reason assigned by the
gallant admiral, if not officially given, is well known
to his friends. " I have been," he says " censured
and degraded, and have been denied the opportunity
of clearing my reputation. Yet am I now offered a
G.C.13,"

Jny 21, 1855.

THE BALTIC FLEET.
(From our Own Correspondent.)
OFF CRONsTADT.
JULY 3.—This morning we heard, by the arrival of
the Lightning, that the Magicienne has destroyed
twenty.six vessels of the large description of coasting
traders. In all these affairs, the Russian troops
Who are distributed along the coast decamp rapidly,
not choosing to come within range of grape anci
canister from our vessels' broadsides ; so that, when
there is no landing indiscreetly attempted, we have
it our own way. There is no change in the position
otherwise of the squadron to-day.
JULY 4.—The Cuckoo arrived this morning from
the Gulf of Bothnia, and reports that our block
ading squadron there have destroyed thirty thousand
tons of shipping of all sorts and sizes. The in-
habitants in the islands, and on the mainland in the
neighbourhood of Uleaborg, deserted their villages
on our ships coming in sight, and but little could be
procured in the provision line at any price. This is
to be accounted for by the poor wretches who, to
save themselves from absolute starvation (which
would have been their fate, from the coasting trade
being stoppod) sold their little stock to provide for
their families, and who were barbarously punished
for so doing on the allied forces being withdrawn
from the Baltic. This last affair—viz., the destruc-
tion of their vessels—must have been a severe blow
to the inhabitants; but it is one of the melancholy
effects of war, and I fear, if looked on in a right
view, is unavoidable. There has been considerable
correspondence carried on lately between the com
mander.in-chief of the allied forces and the Minister
of War to the Emperor of all the Russias, principally
regarding the Hango Head affair, which of course
the enemy wishes to repudiate. A flag of truce has
always been hoisted, and great ceremony been ob-
served, on the part of the officers charged with the
correspondence, as to keeping at a respectful dis-
tance from the guns of, on our part the batteries at
Cronstadt, on theirs of our ships. Mucti good-
natured badinage has passed between the English
and Russian officers, and they appear to have been
very friendly in their manner. Two soldiers, who
had been made prisoners at 13otriarsund, and ex-
changed with English prisoners in the East, were
then returned to their country. They did not ap-
pear to relish the idea of the change they would
experience in their diet fiom beef and pudding to
sour bread and oil.
JULY 6.—The James Watt and her gun-boat
returned to-day from her blockading position on the
north side of the Gulf. She has dispersed all the
encampments of troops that were collected along
the coast, and burnt four telegraph-stations, with no
loss on our side. On the south the Royal George
has been employed in the same manner. Her gun-
boat got on shore : one gun opened fire upon her,
and others were being brought down at an immense
rate by horse artillery, when she fortunately was got
off—having gained her object, which was to destroy
a large telegraph. This evening Much excitement
was caused by all the gun-boats being ordered to
prepare for immediate service. All the launches
and pinnaces were armed with the brass guns,
rockets, &c. The captain of the Duke of Wellington
was ordered to take comtnand. Every gun-boat
weighed immediately alter the signal was made, and,
taking a string of these boats in tow, steered in to-
wards the barrier on the north aide. Everybody was
in a state of excitement and expectancy—the Rus-
sian gun-boats began to move abmit—signals innu-
merable were made by the block-ships outside the
harbour—when, however, the gun. boats, &c., were
within two miles of the enemy they were painfully
reminded that we warriors of the Baltic fleet are not
seriously at war, by the recal being made; and back
they all came.
JULY 7.—To-day, at four o'clock in the afternoon,
two Russian gun-boats, I presume encouraged by our
hitherto pacific proceedings up here, came out, and,
after dodging about for some time, got into a posi-
tion which cer',ainly endangered their being cut off
by our light vessels. Two of our captains (I won't
mention names, as opinions are diverse concerning
the result) went on board their gun-boats, and, in
spite of the recal being hoisted on board the flag
ship (the admiral was away, reconnoitring on the
south side), they (our gun.boats) went on at full
speed. At last, all hands were certain that shots
would be exchanged. The Russians moved but
slowly, apparently waiting for us. In a quarter of an
hour our vessels were within shot. They turned
their heads towards the enemy and tired. There
was a universal cheer throughout the fleet, as every-
thing looked like business; when, to our astonish-
ment, we saw them turn back, and steam at full
speed for the fleet. I shall make no comment. All
I hear are expressions of disappointment at the re-
sult. The Russians steatned quietly into harbour.
Had the lieutenants of the gunboats disobeyed

THE PRESS.

openly the signal (which was enforced by four guns),
and then, having taken the responsibility on them-
selves, not given some account of the enemy, they must
have been cashiered. With captains (unfortunately
for our service) it is very different. The admirals
have been reconnoitring in every direction lately. We
hear that Admiral Baynes (without his squadron) is
coming here; so I suppose a grand council will be
held as to our future proceedings. The weather is
most beautiful, though hot, and the crews of the
ships are all well, generally speaking. Admiral
Seymour has nearly recovered, though he still suffers
a good deal from his eyes having been affected by
the explosion of the infernal machine. Apropos of
machines, they are now a dead letter, though there
must be plenty of them close to us. I regret that 1
cannot give you more interesting news. Indeed, we
are all heartily nick of this inactivity; and many a
man would give a quarterly to exchange to the
Black Sea fleet. Several experiments are being
made in the long range, some of which are very suc-
cessful ; but it is better not to expose them as yet.

THE NEW FRENCH LOAN.
THE plan to be adopted by the French Govern-
ment for raising the new loan of 30,090,000/. is to
be the same as on the last occasion—by a direct
appeal to the nation, who will have the option of
taking either the Four-and-a-Half per Cents. or the
Three per Cents., as follows :—The Four and a-
Half per Cent. Rente at 92f. 25c., with interest from
the 22nd of March last ; and the Three per
Cents. at 65f. 25c., with interest from the 22nd
of June. The capital subscribed to be paid as fol-
lows :—One-tenth at the time of subscribing, and
the remainder in monthly instalments, in eighteen
equal parts, of which the first shall be due on
the 7th of September next. These conditions
will give the subscribers various advar t ages,
equivalent to 2f. 79c. on the Four-and a-Half per
Cents., and of If. 98c. on the Three per Cents.
Those who pay up at once will receive a discount
equivalent to this profit. These combined advan-
tages reduce the price of the Four and-a-Half per
Cents. to 891. 46c., and that of the Three per Cents.
to 631. 27c., and are calculated to give to the sub •
scriber a profit of 3f. 29c. on the former, and of 21.
C3e. on the latter. In case the amount subscribed
should exceed the sum required, the subscriptions of
501. of Rente and below are alone to be exempt
from reduction, and all those above 50?. to undergo
a proportionate reduction. As in the former loans,
the minimum of the subscription will be fixed at 101.
of Rente.

THE PARIS EXHIBITION.
TEE fbreign commissioners of the Paris Universal
Exhibition, at their sitting on the 10th inst., under
the presidency of Baron James de Rothschild, unani-
mously passed a resolution that the Exhibition is
now complete, that it is in every respect worthy of
the hopes which had been conceived of it, and that
it presents interesting improvements, the study of
which cannot be but useful both to special men and
to those who examine in a general manner the
development and the progress of the human mind.
Special trains are now being organised between
London and Paris, to take to the Exhibition the
greatest number possible of Englishmen workmen.
It is al,o said special trains will go from Berlin,
Vienna, and Frankfort, to Paris.
The Exhibition is giving a great impetus to trade,
not only in the French capital but elsewhere; in tact,
many of the large houses of France are unable to
complete the extensive orders which have originated
from the exposition of their goods in the Palms de
l'lndustrie.

IN addition to the honorary distinctions bestowed
on some of the colonels of the regiments in the
Crimea, Lord Hardinge has conferred, in several
instances, the more substantial token of a good-
service pension. Colonels Cameron of the 42nd,
Shirley of the SBth, Cobbe of the 4th, O'G. Hely of
the 47th, H. Daubeny of the 55th, Hon. A. Spencer
of the 44th, and Lord G. Paget of the 4th Dragootis,
have come in for 1001. each, as a " reward for dis-
tinguished service."
Ax exclusive concession for a submarine telegraph
from the Dardanelles to Alexandria has been granted
by the Turkish Government. The communications
from India will be accelerat d from five to six days
when this and the general system of telegraphs now
constructing in European Turkey shall have been
completed. Proposals are on foot for extending the
project to India by carrying the communication via
Suez and Aden to Kurrachee, at the month of the
Indus, where it would connect with the lines already
in operation, et in course of construction, by the East
India Company throughout the various Presidencies.
The entire line to India may, it is estimated, be corn
pleted in two years.
THE probability that Lord Melville, at present
Commander of the Forces in Scotland, will go out to
to the Crimea to take the command of a division is
stated by our contemporary the Scotsman.