The Express.
London, England, 1855-03-29 00:00:00

DESPATCHES FROM SIR EDMUND LYONS.

(mom Lion mires

TO Til " OAZITTI.")

DESTRUCTION OF THE LOWER OF DJIMITEIA
BY HER MAJESTY'S STEAM•VESSEL VIPER.
ADMIRALTY, MAACK 211,1866.
Despatches, of which the following are copies, have
been received from Rear. Admiral Bir Edmund Lyon.,
Bart., O.CH., Commander in-Chief of her Majesty's
Ship. and Vessels in the Mediterranean and Black
Bea:

Royal Albert, off Sebastopol,
March 17,1866.
Sir,—l have the honour to enclose, for the infor-
mation of the Lords Commissioners of Admiralty,
a espy of a letter that I have reosived from Captain
°dart), of her Majesty's ship Leopard, enclosing one
from Lieutenant Armytsge, reporting his having
destroyed in her Majesty's steam-vessel Viper, under
his command, the Martino Tower and Barracks of
Djimiteia, which had been recently erected for the
defends of the direct communisation between Anapa,
and Leitch. _ _ _ _ _ _ _

-11is;ery useful service ham been performed by
Lieutenant Armytage in the manner that might
have been expected from an °Sow of his acknow-
ledged merit.—l am, &c.,
(Signed) EDMUND Lyose,
hear-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief.
To the Secretary of the Admiralty.

Her Majesty's ship Leopard,
off Kertcb, March 8,1835.
Sir,—The wind being off shore this moraing, I
sent her Majesty's ship Viper to examine the &ghee
of the Konban Lake, and also the coast aa far as the
Tower of Djialiteia, and bars the honour to enclose a
letter from Lieutenant Armytage, reporting his hav-
ing, in the latter place, destroyed the new tower,
with two guns, also the barracks and other buildings.
Lieutenant Annytage deserves great credit for the
able manner in which he has performed this service
with his small veasel.—l have, &c.,
(Signed) Otto. GIFFARD, Captain.
Rear-Admiral Sir Edmund Lyons, Bart, 0.C.8.,

Her Majesty's Steam Vessel Viper, off Hertel,
March 8, 1863.

have the honour to report that, in obedience
to your instrections, I left this anchorage at 5.30 this
morning for the purpose of examining the month of
the Kuban Lake. I arrived off there at nine, and
observing a small force of Cossacks on the north spit
opened Are and dispersed them, then examined the
lake in the whale boat of this ship, but observing
nothing of isonsettuence proceeded along the coast to
the south eastward.
I had just previously taken possession of a small
vessel laden with charcoal and other goods, which I
brought in with me, with three prisoners on board.
I enclose you her papers, ate.. as they may be useful
to his Excellency the Commander-in-Chief, and re•
quest your directions in reference to the prisoners.
At 1.50 p.m. I arrived off the Martello Tower, at
Djimiteia, anchoring bow and stern at a distance of
500 yards from the beach, and at 2 .m. opened fire
upon the fort, dispersing the few Cossacks that re-
mained. _ _

It is now my pleasing duty to inform you that I
have effectually destroyed the fort, barracks, and
granaries (having set fire to the latter), spiked sod
disabled the two guns, destroying the ammunition ;
and all, I am happy to say, without any casualty on
board the Viper.
I beg to bring under your notice the conduct of
Mr. James Roche, second muter, who commanded
the lauding pestles ; and Mr. John R. Moss, muter's
assistant, who aided him in destroying the guns ;
both having performed their duty much to my atie•
faction.—l have, &c., ,
(Sigma) WK. ARMITAGE,
Lieutenant and Commander.
Captain George Gifford, H.M.S. Leopard,
Senior Officer.

ATTACK UPON SOUJAX.
Royal Albert, off Sebastopol,
March 17, 1856.
Sir,—l have the honour to enclose, for the informa-
tion of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. a

letter which has been addressed to me by Captain
Oiffard, stating that while making a reconnaissance
near Soujak-Kali:, with her MAjesty's ship Leopard,
under his command, and accompanied by her Ma-
*Ws ships Hightlyer, Swallow, and Viper, and also,
by H.I.M. steam ship of war Fulton, he was in-
formed by the CircassMas in the neighbourhood that
the enemy had so reduced the strength of that for-
tress by the removal of men and guns to Amps that
they were ready to attack it by land if he would do
so by sea; and that he, wishing to encourage the
natives, and to embarrass the Russians, had assented
to the proposal, and moved the ships to within 1,000
yards of the south face of the fort, where he
performed his part, but that, on finding the Cir-
cassian/ did not perform theirs, he withdrew,
after having driven all the garrison out of the
place, with the exception of a few gunners in the
earthen batteriee, and having also dismounted several
guns, and done considerable damage to the arsenal
and public works ; leaving the garrison about a mile
from the place, surrounded by Circassian', who were
collecting reinforcements.
The ships appear to have been well placed, and to
have fired with great effect; and Captain Oiffard ex-
presses his thanks to Captain Le Bns, his able coed-
litter on former occasions, as well as to Captain
Moore, Commander Cranford, and Lieutenant Army-
tage, and their rmpective officers and ships' companies,
for their support.
Of Captain Oiffard himself, I may perhaps be per-
mitted to observe that this is not the first time that
his seal and gallantry have been conspicuous sines
he has been ander my command.
I am, &c.,
(Signed) ED. LYONS,
Rear-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief.
To the Secretary of the Admiralty, London.

Her Majesty's Ship Leopard, Soujak Bay,
March 13, 183.1.
Sir —I have the honour to acquaint you, that from
the hkormation I had repelled from the Circassian,
INT:ajik, and also from the observations of
le Brie, of his Imperial Majesty's statun-1
vomeilelton, as well es my own me the Bth instant
be Ileojek Bay, I was led to believe the Russians had
Mat masy guns, stores, &o. away frose.ool tat, and
would probably leave if a force ap if it.
Wishing tolave more owed" titiaden for you,
en my return to your fies,l, on theovening of the
11th instant, when the Ifighlipw jibed me, pro-
ceeded with the venal' reamed in a. isargin• to
Sonjak Bay, where we anchored on the morning
of the 12th, but a fresh gale, with heavy
swell, prevented our clotting the batteries. I
therolare threw some shells into the place r and the
Ciremnians, who soon, appeard In, numbers, at the
some time attacked the small fort at the head of the
bay, apposite' the torn, drove out the werrisou, and
,horot it 8 a.m. This morning the Cheamians in-
formed me they had a milleient ham and would
attack Soojek.Kali by land, if I wadi do so by sea,
and wishing to encourage them and embarrass the
enemy, I inuntdiately moved the spear= to within
1,000 yards of the Booth Face, and spoked fire on it.
From this point the enemy only had bp pm tobsar
oa the ships, but the light mad and demporeather
made the smoke bang over and•simessi-lbses from
oar fire, while our masts above wen osloadonous td
them.
We soon drove all the inhabitants end troops
oat GI the plat" except those ju the .earths.
but I was mesh disappointed to find the*
the Okotedens did not advance to attack them when
out of the town, as they had promised. I, therefore,
moved, out sawn, as, with our small force of men, it
would have been too great a risk to lend, the male,
body of the garrison being close at band.
The arsenal and public buildings are much injured,
and several of the guns were silenced and die-
wonted. Oar loss, lam happy to say, has bee;
small; and some injury has been dose to the masts
and halls of the ships.
I was much pleased with the able way in which all
the ships took op theli assigned positions, and have
to thank Monsteur is .Brie, of the Fulton, Captain
Moore, Osaimander rentafard and Lieutenant Army-

• Leopard, Higher's', Swallow, Viper, end Fulton,
Flash mama.