The Express.
London, England, 1855-08-21 00:00:00

THE BOMBARDMENT OF

SWEABORG.

OFFICIAL DFAPATCHEIL

(room ♦ sornixixT To Tat o•ztrra)
DESPATCHES FROM ADMIRAL DUNDAS.

ADMIRALTY. AUGUST 20, 1866.
Despatches, of which the following are copies, have
been received at the Admiralty from Rear-Admiral
the Ron. R. S. Duadas, Commander-in-Chief of her
Majesty's ships and vessels in the Baltic.

Duke of Wellington. before Bwitaborg,
Await 13, 1836.
lilir,—l have the honour to report, for the informa-
tion of the Lords Commiesiosers of the Admiralty,
that, after my arrival here on the 6th instant, with
the squadron under my orders, I was joined the same
evening by Rear-Admiral Nona, in the Twarville,
and on the following day by tie Nomaisder of the
Fatah shades., basladlai, in addition to the ships
of the line, five mortar vessels and five gunboats,
with store ships and steam-vessels.
On the 7th instant, the Amphion arrived from
Nargen, completing the British squadron, to the ships II
and vessels named in the margin', and the intention
of Rear-Admiral Penand and myself being to oren-
mance operations against the fortress and arsenal of
Bweaborg, no time wee lost in making the neoewrary
preparations.

- former reports will have informed their lord-
ships, that during the past year, and in the course of
the last the months, the enemy has been actively em-
ployed in strengthening the defences of the plane
and completing the NS defences, by erecting banal',
on every advantageous position and commanding
every practicable approach to the harbour in this in-
tricate navigation.

It has th;refore formed no part of my plan to at-
tempt a general attack by the ships on the defences;
and the operations contemplated by the Rear-Admiral
and myself were limited to such destruction of the
fortress and arsenal as could be accomplished by
means of mortars.

The intricate nature of the ground, from rooks
•-wash and reefs under water, rendered it difficult to
select positions for the mortar vessels at proper
range. In completing the arrangements for this pur-
pose, I have derived the greatest advantage from
the a►ilities of Captain Bulivan, of her Majesty's ship
Merlin, and the positions ultimately chosen were in
• curved line on either side of the Islet of Oterhall,
with space in the centre reserved for the mortar ves-
sels of the French squadron, as concerted with Rear-
Admiral Pentad.

The extremes of the line were limited, with refer-
ence to the extent of the range and the distance from
the heavily armed batteries of Bak-Mohnen to the
eastward, and of Store Rantan to the westward of
Sweaborg ; and a most effective addition to the force
of the allied squadrons consisted in a battery of 4
lighter mortars established by Admiral Penand on an
islet in advance of Oterhall.
To carry these arrangements into effect I directed
Captain Ramsay, of her Msjesty's ship Euryalus,
with Captain Glasse, of the Vulture, Captain Vansit-
tart, of the Magicienne, and Captain Stewart, of the
Dragon, to anchor to the southward of Oterhall, and
the mortar vessels, under the charge of Lieutenant
the Hon. Augustus C. Hobart, of the Doke of Wel-
lington, being distributed to the oars of those officers,
the whole were anchored on the evening of the 7th
instant in position, in readiness to warp into action,
and hawsers for that purpose were lard out before
daylight. Much assistance in towing was rendered
by the offloers of the gunboats, and great praise is due
to all concerned for their active exertions.
In the course of the same night Rear-Admiral
Penaud had commenced the establishment of his bat-
tery with sand bags on the rocks within Oterhall,
but the active arrangements could not be completed
before the morning of the 9.h host.
Daring the whole of the previous day the royal
standard of Russia was eying upon the citadel of
Gostafsvard, but was not afterwards observed.

The success of our operations being dependent en-
tirely on the state of the weather, and the rapidity with
which shells could be thrown, no time was lost in
trying the ranges of the mortars, which proved to be
accurate, sod general firing commenced soon after
seven o'clock. The direction of this service was con-
fided to Captain T. M. Wemyes, of the Royal Marine
Artillery, assisted by Captain Lawrence and Captain
Schoenberg, and every exertion was used by these
officers to press the fire of the mortars to the fullest
extent which could be deemed proper.
The gunboats, having been previously armed with
additional guns of heavy calibre, removed temporarily
from ships of the line, and the Stork and Snapper
gunboats being armed with Lancaster guns, I availed
myself of the experience of Captain Hewlett to direct
the fire of the two latter vessels to the greatest ad-
vantage, and his attention was specially directed to
a three-decked ship of the line moored to block the
peeing* between Oustatsvard and Bak-Holmen.
Commander Preedy, of the ship bearing my flag,
was directed to take the Starling and four other gun-
boats under his orders, and to mancenvre and attack
the batteries in front of the mortar-veeeels towards
the west extremity of the line.
The remainder were distributed in &similar manner
to steams assigned to them, with orders to engage
the batteries and protect the mortar-vessels under the
general direction of Captain Ramsay, assisted by
Captains Glasse, Vansittart, and Stewart
On the evening of the Bth instant, I had des-
patched Captain Key in her Majesty's ship Amphioo,
to proceed off Store M145:6, and to place himself under
the orders of Captain Wellesley of her Majesty's
ship Cornwallis; and I instructed the latter officer to
employ the Hastings and the Amphion, and to take
advantage of any proper opportunity to engage the
enemy at the east end of the Island of Sandhamo.
Captain Yelverton, in her Majesty's ship Arrogant,
was detached to the westward with the Cossack and
Cruiser under his orders, and was directed to occupy
the attention of troops which were observed to be
posted on the Island of Drumsio, and to watch the
movements of small vessels which had been noticed
occasionally in creeks in that direction.
Early in the day I observed that the detached
squadrons in both directives had opened fire upon
the enemy, and the action was general upon all
points. A rapid firs of shot and shells was kept up
from the fortress for the first few hours upon the gun
boats, and the range of the heavy batteries extended
completely beyond the mortar vessels; but the con-
tinued motion of the gun boats, and the able manner
ii which they were conducted by the officers who
commeaded them, enabled them to return the fire
with great spirit, and almost with impunity, through-
out the day.
About ten o'clock in the forenoon fires began first
to be observed in the different buildings, and a heavy
explosion took place on the Island of Verson, which
was followed by a second about an hour afterwards;

• Duke of Wellington (beads/ usy Sag), Bzutoutb
(bowleg the Sag of Rem-Admiral Sir Miettael So ),
Eitryales, Arrogant, Pembroke, Cornwallis, Cosook,
Mastiage, Edinburgh, Romblon, Magicians',
Drops, Belisisle, Cruiser, Geyser, Locust, Ligbuting,
Roles, Prineem Alice, Volcano ((arrived es the 1001
Gunboats —Starling, Lark, Taut)., RedmiuS, Mg*.
Badger, Pater, Seep, Dapper, Wass., Stork, Plucker,
C 1....,, Biter, Skylark, Similar.
Mortar Vesseb —Rocket, May, Pieklo, Bluer, Mastiff,
Maly, Drake, Porpoise, Prompt, Sinbad, Canon, Red-
breast, Hama, Grappler, naval', Growler.