The Express.
London, England, 1855-08-24 00:00:00

TO Tal IDITOZ 07 TNT =PI M.

Sts,--Last year the Admiralty thought proper to
oast reflections on me because I did sot attack Sees-
berg in the latter end of last October. I felt indig.
nant at suck reflections, sad replied as a British
admiral ought to do. This led to an angry cor-
respondence, and subsequently to my being deprived
of the command of the Baltic Fleet.
I demanded inquiry on my conduct, which was re-
fused. I appealed to the Cabinet, and received no
reply ; and, finally, to the House of Commons. The
papers were refused under the plea that it would be
injurious to her Majesty's service.
As Sweaborg has now been bombarded, that plea
is at an end, and the time is come to tell the " reason
why " it was not attacked last year.
After the capture of Bomarsund, Sweaborg was
again examined, and it was the opinion of the French
marshal, the admiral., and myself, that we had not
the proper means to, attack so formidable a fortress
—we had neither gun or mortar vessels—and that
the season of the year was mate too advanced.
General Jones was of opinion that by landing
6,000 men on the island of Bak-Holmen, throwing
up works, and then making a simultaneous attack
with the fleet, it might be reduced in seven or eight
days. This plea was unanimously rejected. General
Niel was of opinion that it might be knocked down
in a couple of hours by seven or eight sail of the line,
but he added that it would be an operation fres hank
that such an operation had never been attempted, and
it was not his province to recommend it.
These opinions were sent home ; the people of
England were not satisfied, and I was instructed by
the Admiralty to hold a council of war, to inquire
whether any farther operations could be attempted.
The French marshal and his army were gone ; the
council was therefor* limited to the Allied admirals,
who replied that no further operations could be at-
tempted at that season of the year, and with the
means at our dimpoeal
Before this report was received, another order was
sent out to examine General Jones's plan ; the French
marshal being gone, the council was not held.
A few days after atlas a third order to amemble a
council of war to examine General Niel's plan.
The French admiral was justly indignant at being
spin called upon, even before the first report had ar-
need, and declined attending. The council was in
consequence limited to the British admirals, and
'they reported that they saw no reason to change their
opinions.
Shortly after this, the French admiral received
orders to withdraw the French fleet from the
Golf of Finland, which order was communicated to
the English government on the let of September.
Oa the 18th the French fleet sailed, and I proceeded
to Nargen, that I might again examine Sweaborg,
and see if there was the smallest probability of
making a successful attack on it without compro-
mising the safety of the fleet.
Up to this time things had gone on smoothly
enough with the Admiralty. I received nothing bat
praise and approval of my conduct, except in one
instance, that I was checked for leaving Wiogo
Sound, their lordships having forgot that they had
directed me to follow Lord Claren&n's orders, which
I had doae.
Sir James Graham's praises were also fulsome to a
degree, but when he saw the people were becoming
dissatisfied, he began to cast about, and see who he
could blame, and his "My dear Sir Charles" was
turned into "My dear Admiral." I guessed what
was coming, but I certainly did not expect the
treachery I experienced, and though he returned to
" My dear Sir Charles," I saw he was no longer to be
trusted.
On the 28th of September, I went off Sweaborg in
the Lightning, piloted by Captain Saliva°, through
an intricate passige of sunken rocks, little more than
a quarter of a mile wide, and stopped abreast of
Goharn Island, about two miles south of Gustavus'

Sword.
The sunken rocks are shown in the small Russian
charts only. From this position the fortress appears
like batteries perched one on the other, pointing
towards the sea.
On the southern faro of Gustavus' Sword and Var-
gen 77 guns cover the approach of a fleet from the
southward, besides 29 guns on three batteries at Bak-
Holman. The three-decker lies on the entrance of
the p sgs between Bak-Holmen and Gustavus'
Sword, and her broadside also covers the approach
from the south. _ _ _

iirecorldat pt a slew of the western defences,
and I think Gemmel Niel, having only seen the
western part of the fortifications fora short time, sad