The Press.
London, England, 1853-12-31 00:00:00

THE FLEETS, AND THEIR MISSION, IN
TILE BLACK SEA.

Tut: report that the Anglo-French fleet had been
ordered to enter the Black Sea, with instructions to
protect the Turks, but not offend the Russians' is
made the sultiect of a piquant pasquinade by the
Charivari. It may be remarked, also, that, even iu
jest, our Parisian contemporaries are not allowed to
touch upon contemporary and political topics unless
the joke be not only laughable but agreeable to the
high authorities. The jeu d'espit in question takes
the form of a conversation supposed to pass between
a couple of bourgeois over their game of dominoes in
a cafe : _ .

"it is your turn, my dear Monsieur Trudhomme. Have
you seen the newspapers this morning?" "itis my daily
custom—l put down the ace four, my dear Monsieur Caw
mud." " The situation is grave." " I cannot deny that—
and yet it does nut seem to me to be desperate. I have
confidence in the efforts of diplomacy." " Don't talk to
11W of diplomacy !" "Do you deny the science of the
Talleyrands and the Capefigues?" " Heaven forbid ! but
it is arms which will decide !" " Who says so?" " All
the newspapers. The fleets have entered the Black Sea."
" Happily ! " " You cull that happily ; have you by chance
become a demagogue ?" 'rite conduct of all my life
blaces me out of the reach of such a suspicion. Six at
oth ends." " Play on—however, you see war wtth plea-
sure." " What makes you think so?" " The indifference
with which you receive the news I give you." " The news
gives me pleasure, I confess—two-four." " I perceive it
clearly—l block the four." " 1 am sure that you would
he as much charmed as i am if you bad read the whole
despatch. Ilow is it drawn up : We are assured that the
combined fleets have entered the Black Sea, not to attack
the Russians, but to defend the Turks.' Is that what you
have read ?" " Perfectly." " Now, follow carefully my
reasoning—double•five." " I don't play." " The English
fleet and the French fleet enter the Black Sea—that is ad-
mitted. They meet the Russian fleet at sea. Immediately
the English admiral makes signals, to which the Russian
admiral hastens to reply. The two admin.'s go on their
quarter-Reeks, and take their speaking•trumpets. They
ask each other news of their health, and if they have had
a pleasant voyage. The Russian admiral invites the Eng-
lish admiral to breakfast. lie accepts. The boats are put
out. The breakfast finished, the admirals embrace, and
separate after having mutually wished each other a pleasant
voyage. During this time a division of the Russian fleet
meets a division of the Turkish fleet, It would, perhaps,
desire to attack it, but a French squadron escorts the
Turkish fleet. and the Russians seeing that they are nut
the strongest avoid the combat, and take another direction.
In not attacking the Russians, war is not declared. In
protecting the Turks, peace is maintained. Thus are veri-
fied the terms of the telegraphic: despatch. You see, then,
that von are wrong in being alarmed." " You are right."
" And that I was perfectly right in expressing pleasure at
the entrance of the fleets into the Black Sea." " Perfectly."
" t;o to the Bourse, and you will see that all people of
common grilse think absolutely as I do. The entrance f
the fleets will prove the good nnderstanding which has nut
cea.ell to reign between Russia and the great west, rn
powera—since the English and French vessels will titt
endeavour to burn the Russian vessels. It will equally
testify to the profound wymt.ntlay which France and Eng-
land feel fur Turkey., since the allied fleets will present
the vessels of the Sultan from being destroyed. In this
way war becomes completely impossible. Three and five."
" 1 can't play." "'Then do m ino." " Now that lam tran-
quil let us play another game." " Willingly."

DECEMBER 31, 1853.

THE MASSACRE AT SISOPE.

Foli.owiNo the telegraphic reports, and the vain-
glorious Russian bulletins, announcing the eatas.
trophe, or victory," at Sinope, we have received the
following narrative, founded upon the investigation
conducted by the officers of H.M.S. Retribution,
which vessel, as we have already stated, was des-
patched from the British tteet in the Bosphorus to
collect intelligence anti afford what aid was possible
to the defeated Turks. The source from whence
they are derived renders these details more authentic
than any that have previously appeared :
" on the lath of November a Turkish flotilla. consisting
of seven frigates (one of sixty gluts I. three corvettes, and
two steamers, anchored in the Bay of Simi's.. Ott the 21st
a Russian squadron of three twosleckeis, a ffigate, and a
brig, stood in for Shape, and, after reconnoitring the
Turkish position, cruised off the harbour, maintaining the
blockade in spite of very heavy weather. It wits suggested
to /salmi Paula, the commander-in-chief, that, as
au acti 111 l would be unavoidable. the best coins,. would lie
to force the bleicks.le, and make a runmimg tight of it ;
not contemplating any reinforcement of the Russians, he
unfortutistely rejected the advice of his sulhoolinates, upon
the consideration of some of his vessels having been
damaged in a recent gale, and on tilt' probability of a slit,
cessfid result it' the sellout were dough( at umlaut.. on the
11111910011 Or November atoll a large Russian 144111:11111)11,
composed of three three-deckers and three twosleekers,
under the command of Vice Admiral N0v11111144, having
also the flag of a rear-admiral, stood in for the bay under
fall sail bet we the wind, and took up a position close
alongside the Turkish ships, the latter not firing upon them
while doing so. Two frigates and three steamers remained
outside to cut off the retreat of any Turkish vessel
attempting tit escape. /spent hwita forthwith signalled
his fleet to fight bravely to the last in defisice of their
country. and at 1101111 a despentle actital .111 1111 l FOE
ups ants of an hoot• soul a half the Turkish frigates resisted
these fearful odds without flinching. The first of their
losses was the Novick frigate, whose captain, Ali Bev, being
menaced with boanling by a huge threesleeker, anti having
abandoned all hope of a successful resistanee, with desperate
devotion blew up his vessel. At the end of the above
period the destruction of the Turkish twee was frightful
and complete. Some of the ships were loom by the
enemy's red-hot shot ; others blew up ; and the others,
whose sides wen- literally beaten in by the em-Items weight
of the Russian metal, slipped their cables, and, with the
exception of two, drifted on shore. The Russians now
manned their yards, and cheered in !amour it' t heir' 1111141Ily
victory. Having done this, they intmediately immeneed
tiring upon the helpless wrecks, trout which a feeble
dropping tire was still ' tabled with unequalled fortitude,
and did, not cease until they had completed the work a
destruction and butehery. They then took possession of
the twit vessels which had not gone on shore, but, front
their battered condition, abandoned and destroyed them
the following day. 4Me of the Turkish steamers, the nil,
alone escaped. She had slipped her cable shortly after the
commencement of the battle, and, atter tiwcing her way at
some risk throtwit the three cruising outside, brought the
first intimation of this fatal event to Constantinople. Be-
fore the action couuuenced the Turkish crews numlwred
4, WO men ; of these 3AS have survived, the others having
been slain to a Mall at their posts. Most of the survivors
are Wlmittled ; among them are HO prisoners, whit were
taken by the Russians on board the frigates abandoned by
them, lota who lowe been canied off to Sebastopol. (haulm
Pstchit, the tsitionateler-in-thief, who was w dell in the
soil at. is aiming the prisoners. Hussein Paella, the MINIM'
in eolllllllUld. while trying to escape from his burning
vessel, was struck by a grapeshot on the head, and killed.
The loss on the Russian side is not accurately known, as
they retired immediately after the battle ; but four of their
ships were disabled in their spars. and were towed out by
steamers. The support 'drooled to the Turks by the land
batteries with ineffectual, owing partly to the lightness of
their guns, and partly to their fire being intercepted by
the Turkish ships. The town of Sinop*, is completely Ile-
stroyed, either by shells or bunting timbers, and the whittle
coast is strewn with dead bodies. A few survivors have
made their way, by swimming. to the town : but such is the
consternation among the local authorities that all acti4lll till
their phut is paralysed, and they can scarcely find means
even to procure food or medical assistance for the sufferers.
These latter found speedy alleviation at the hands of the
medical officers brought by her Majesty's steamer Retribu-
tion and the French steamer Mvador, who were zealously
assisted by three of the survivors, surgeons on board the
Turkish fleet."

It is r, lated besides that Ali Bey, commander of
the Narick, seeing that his ship could not stand against
the three-decker opposed to him, and with which
he is said to have grappled, ordered her to be blown
up, and, not feeling certain of the execution of that
order, threw, with his own hand, a lighted match
into the magazine. The explosion involved both the
Navicl,• and the Russian three-decker in a common
destruct

The following is the official list of the Tin-kis!'
fleet and their fate at Sinope :
Nizamie frigate, 60 guns, tiou men ; blown up—
Commander Rear-Admiral Hus,,ein Paella and Com-
modore Kadri Bey, both killed.
Navick frigate, 52 guns, 500 men ; blown up—
Commander Ali Bey, killed.
Neasini frigate, 52 guns, 500 men; sunk—Com-
mander Hassan Bey, killed.
laid Zafer frigate, 50 gun, 500 men ; sunk—
Commander Edham Bey, killed.
Avni Illah frigate, 40 gun-, 41N1 men; sunk—
Commander Rear-Admiral 0-•oicui Paeha and Com-
modore Reehid Bey, prisoners.