The Express.
London, England, 1855-11-05 00:00:00

THE BALTIC FLEET.

(noic °us own

Kiel:, Ocr. 31.
The homeward-bound ships of the fleet are now
making their appearance here. The Ajax, Captain
Warden, and the Hague, Captain Ramsay, anchored
in the bay this morning. Their mews are reported to
be in a herald), state, but the ships appear to have
suffered from the series of gales which they have lat-
terly encountered, and if their services are required
in 'the Atlantic or the Mediterranean, they will need
a considerable overhaul at the dockyards before they
can be rendered available. Altogether the fleet
appears to have met with more accidents this year
than they did last. Sir Charles Napier, with apparent
justice, boasted that none of the ships met with any
damage while they were under his immediate com-
mand, and that it was only after they left him OM
any casualty occurred. Admiral Dundee cannot make
the same declaration, for at the very tented the Date
of Wellington was run foul of, and had to return to
England : and there are several otherewhish on their
arrival at home will be found to have esitsiseimaeh
injury.
- There appears to be only one opinion in the fleet
u to the attack on Sweaborg, for all agree in sayibg
that if the bombardment by the small craft had been
followed up by an immediate attack by the large
ship, the destruction of that fortress as well as of
Helsingfors was inevitable. Next year the business
must be well done, and the errors of the past mitst
serve as lesions for the future.
Great preparations are making to be ready to take
part of the contracts for provisions for the English
navy for the ensuing season, and those engaged in
this trade in Hamburg, as venom in Holstein, reckon
on their being able to offer the requisite supplies en
better terms than any of the great Irish curing
establishments. This ought not to be ; and there is
reason to believe that the Irish houses did not com-
pete lest year became conditions were imposed with
which they found it impossible to concur. This error
should now be avoided, as from there not being the
ordinary competition, prices were paid which
were quite exorbitant ; but, if the foreign ten-
ders be accepted, arrangements should be made to
take delivery abroad, and the great expense of send-
ing from Hamburg, &a, to England, and then return-
ing the identical provisions to the same neighbour-
hood would at all events be saved.

THE CRIMEA.

ODESSA, Ocr. 20.
Accounts received here from Simpheropol state
that the inhabitants were in great commotion, as it
was believed the allied armies were approaching. A
good many people bad left the place. taking with
them their most valuable property, and all the hospi-
tals had been sent northwards—to Perekop, Rico-
laieff, and Kherson ; whilst the wounded and sick
that bad been undergoing. treatment in those toeing
were transported further into the interior—to Woe-
nessenek and Elizabethrad. Great complaints were
heard of the immense ruse in the price of provisions
and other commodities, occasioned by the number, of
troops stationed there.
Since the lest cavalry affair near Eupatoria the
enemy's operations have been confined to unimpor-
tant reconnarmanees into the interior. The Russian
army of observation is said to consist of 60,000 men,
including 20,000 cavalry, under the command of
General Bhabeiskoy, whom. advanced posts extend on
one side to Kontogar, and on the other to the neigh-
bourhood of Karagurt. The opinion of intelligent
Russian officers is that the enemy have no chance of
succeeding in an advance upon Baktohi Serai and
Simpheropol from Eupatoria, unless supported ,by
heavy mama of cavalry and a strong force ot field
artillery.
Nothing of importance is reported from Sebastopol.
The enemy continue to fire shells against the battery
of St. Michael and the Star Fort, but with little or
no effect. The statement that Sebastopol contained
the great arsenal for the Russian army of field opera-
tions is not correct, for months ago—long before it
fell—ill the ammunition was consumed, and it was
only by the greatest exertions and with immense
difficulty that they could be renewed from time to
time and kept in an effective condition. From the
let of March to the 16th of August this year no less
than 2,700,000 shells, grenades, 96-pound hollow
shot, and other projectiles were forwarded to Sebes-
' topol from the fortress of Kiew alone. The transport
of these articles was paid for by government at the
rate of 6 roubles 30 kopecks silver per good (40ilis.)
for the distance from Kiew to SebsatopoL
Now that the operations ot Prince Gortchakoff in
the field are no longer hampered by the considera-
tions which formerly prevailed, he is at liberty to
cover his communication with the great line of mili-
tary road from Perekop, and it is considered
here that any attempt to break through the strong
Russian line of defence between Maukenzie's farm
and Davaokoi would only expose the enemy to cer-
tain destruction. They appear to feel this, and
thence their attempt to turn the line, by constructing
a new road through the wild and impracticable (skein
of the Taurico mountains.
Otchakoff contains, according to the last mopes,
2,706 inhabitants, living in 478 houses. The works
of defence, formerly of importance, had been allowed
to run to ruins, and were only armed with 16 oldland
rusty pieces of cannot Near the fortress Wit a
bastion Galled St. Nicholas. The mercantile port is
roomy; and formerly the place carried on an active
trade with Nioolaieffi Kherson, and Odessa.

et lb

In a letter from Wares*, of the 27th ult., in the
Augsburg Gazette, it is said " Some Russian corps
have quitted the. Crimea—for example, the first bri-
gade of the 14th division of infantry of the reserve,
which formed part of the garrison of SebastoPol,
lately arrived at Nicolaieff. Artillery has also arred
in that place from the Crimea, and it te probable that
other troops will likewise be taken from the Crimea
for its detect*. But these are considered as only
temporal y measures, natured necessary by the move-
ments of the allies, and they in no respect indicate
the intention of evacuating the Crimea."