The Press.
London, England, 1855-09-15 00:00:00

THE BALTIC FLEET.
(From our Own Correspondent.)
NAROEN, Sept. 4.
SONE little excitement has been caused by the
following occurrence. I told you in my last that
Admiral Seymour's fleet had moved to the Island of
Seskar, on account of the bad weather making the
anchorage near Cronstadt insecure at this season of
the year. The Colossus and Impirieuse were left to
cruise and watch the enemy's movements. Some
few days since a heavy fog came on, which lasted some
hours—in fact, for a whole day and night they could
hardly see their own lengths. A sudden clear off of
the fog showed these vessels, to their astonishment,
a Russian squadron, consisting of a steam line -of-
battle ship, four steam frigates, and several gun-
boats, absolutely outside the Tolbouchin Lighthouse.
Chase was immediately given by our ships, who
made sure that the hour for the first trial of corn
parative naval skill between the belligerents which
has occurred during this war had arrived. To their
surprise, however, the Russians, who had a great
superiority of forces and their immense batteries
under their lee (and it must not be omitted to state
that no other English vessels were in sight, or
within twenty miles, of our ships), beat the retreat,
and made all haste into their port. Their having
done this appears a most unaccountable proceeding,
for the Russians certainly cannot be accused of want
of courage. We are led to hope that before the
season closes our cruisers off Cronstadt may be
brought into contact with the enemy. And we all
envy the lucky men who have a chance of fighting
the first naval engagement in this (to sailors) irri-
tating war.
The Royal George, Blenheim, and Hawke (the
latter from Riga) have joined the fleet here ; and it
is supposed that Captain Codrington, in the Royal
George, will remain here as senior officer during
Admiral Seymour's trip to Stockholm.
It is now well known that the admirals here have
decided on the inadvisability of attempting anything
more this year, as, although it is not to be doubted
that we could throw some thousand rockets into any
of the great positions held by the enemy in these
waters, it certainly appears to be more reasonable to
wait until, by having the command of an overwhelm-
ing force, destruction dire, certain and decisive,
should be hurled against them. Why, ay why (one
sighs to ask the question), was there not a force
large enough for this purpose here this year? why
was money, time, and labour wasted on the monster
Marlborough and useless (as far as we have seen)
floating batteries? why was not the whole energy of
the country thrown into one point? But it is useless
now to ask these questions. It merely adds one item
to the grand system of humbug which has been the
order of the day throughout. Russian tendencies
may have had something to do with all this, but I
am inclined to put it down to Ministerial imbecility.
No news from the Gulf of Bothnia. The enemy's
troops no longer appear in such quantities on the
shores and our officers frequently land (not with
flags of truce) in places where some weeks since it
would have been certain destruction. The mortar-
boats have arrived safely as far as the Skaw, and
the Euryalus has returned here : she sails to-day to
cruise off Cronstadt, as do two or three gunboats.
Magicienne is still in the Sound, and will see the
mortar-vessels well on their way before she returns.
Cressy has damaged her rudder, and has gone to
Faro to get it put to rights. Vulture has got so far
put to rights after her late serious accident that she
is going to take the mails. Dragon also appears to
have been made serviceable, and will probably be
used by the admiral if he goes to Stockholm.
The Russians are throwing up numerous earth-
works in front. of Helsingfors. But I think they
must be wonderfully astonished that we have not
burnt the town. Maybe we were right—it is quite a
matter of opinion. Many here say it is a most mis-
taken philanthropy.
All are well in the fleet. The weather has again
set in fair, the climate now being cool and de-
lightful.

ABANDONMENT OF PETROPAULOWSKT.

The allied fleet, which sailed from the Sandwich
Islands in the spring to attack Petropaulowski, has
returned to San Francisco, having found that the
Russians had abandoned the fortress. The fleet con-
sisted of eight war vessels and steamers, and arrived
off Petropaulowski on the 15th of May, but the gar-
rison had already left for the Amoor River, in the
Russian frigate Aurora, corvette Dicina, and two
merchant vessels. The escape of the garrison
seems to have been a masterstroke on the part of
the Russians, who availed themselves of a dense fog
which set in on the night of the 17th of April, and
so eluded the English war-steamer Encounter (screw ),
of fourtson guns, and Barracuda (paddls-whsol),