The Express.
London, England, 1855-09-10 00:00:00

DESTRUCTION OF PETROPAULOWSKI.

The correspondent of the New York Journal of
Commerce, writing on August lit from San Fran-
cisco, where bertMaJosty's ship Monarch and genital
ships of the French Pacific fleet were at that date,
says:
The allied fleet, which sailed from the Sandwich
Islands in the spring to attack Petropaulowaki, has
returned to San Francisco. They found that the
Reagens bad left Petropaulowski for the Amoor
River. The allies destroyed the fortifications on the
Bay of Avatscha, and after cruising in a vain search
fee the Russian frigates came to San Francisco.
There are now at San Francisco the British ships
Monarch, 84 guns, and President, 62 guns; also the
French ships La Forte, Eurydice, Aloeste, and brig
Obliged*,
Admiral Bruce and staff were on board the Presi-
dent, but designed transferring his flag to the
Monarch, the flag ship of the squadron.
The allied fleet, consisting of eight war vessels and
steamers, arrived off Petropeulowski on the 15th of
May, but the garrison bad already left for the Anson
River, in the Russian frigate Aurora, corvette Dwina,
and two merchant vessels. The escape of the garri-
son was a master stroke 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 14 guns,
and Baracountre (side-wheel), of 6 gone, which had
been blockading the harbour for 50 days previous.
The orders to evacuate were received from the Rue- I
sian headquarters in Siberis. On anchoring in the
harbour, a detachment was sent on shore by the com-
manders of the fleets—Rear-Admiral Bruce, of the
English, and Rear-Admiral Fourichon (a newly-ap-
pointed and exceedingly energetic man, of only 45
years of age), of the French. They lauded and found
the town deserted, save by about 100 Kamchatka
dogs, a French naturalised American, and two Ameri-
cans, who raised the stars and stripes over their houses
when the forces landed, claiming that, as the
Russians had abandoned the plans and left it to them,
they wen the possessors of the soil. These men are
engaged in trading, and are represented as doing a
good business. The dogs were in a starving condi-
tion, and followed the invaders about town for bits
of biscuit.
The following day after the arrival of the allies
the destruction of the fortifications commenced.
These were fanzines constructed of immense logs—
the walls being sixteen fret in thickness. Such was
their strength, they resisted all efforts for some time,
aed were finally rased to the ground by the agency
of powder. It appears that the policy of the Russian
government had changed rather suddenly in this
matter. After the battle of last year orders cams for
strengthening the fort ; and, though at that time such
a resistance was made as to repel the assailants, there
being but one tier of guns, it was ordered to increase
it to a double tier. The destroyers found embrasures
for 51 guns of heavy calibre.
We have been shown a despatch, dated in Petro-
nulowski, from Rear-Admiral Fourichon, of the
French fleet, in which be states, after briefly TOW
pitulating the facts above enumerated, that the
Russian garrison, numbering (as Le Journal intones
us) some 1,200 men, bad doubtless sailed for eel
mouth of the Amoor River, which drains the southern
portion of Siberia, and flows into the Golf of Sagha-
lien, an arm of the Sea of Ochotsk. They left for
this point on the 17th of April, and were doubtless
there before the French and English arrived at Kam-
sehatka. This river is regarded as the dividing line
between China and Asiatic Russia, and at its month
is a very strong series of fortifications, which have
been greatly strengthened from time to time by the
Russians. It is thought by some of the onions of
the Obligado that the immense armament of Petro-,
paulowski was carried there with the garrison ; and,
if this be true, then will be a western Sebastopol,
which may puzzle the allies as mesh as has the
stronghold of the Crimea.
Misreport that Admiral Bruce had entered the
harbor of New Archangel in the British steamer
Erik i coefiresed. Whilst there he mended in
elbedier with She Rugs= ea exchange et e few
pinem 'now imam be.. bees ezebseged ter
Freeehmee, the latter being
ilki.°4l=lll..r°that be iree.set expiated to re•
NIP* •

The inhabitants of Sitka had an abundant*. but u
they had not for a long while heard from the numer-
ous trading posts on the adjacent islands, they were
apprehensive that those who filled them were
suffering.

The Bon Francisco Herald says :

The fortifications "'recomposed of logs of wood, fascism,
and earth, about fifteen feet in thickness, and the embra.
MIMS indicated the fact that no less than 61 gums were
mounted, and these of the heaviest calibre ; but strange to
my, not one of the guns, nor any of the ammunition and
stores could he found by the allies when they arrived there
last May. They were either carried to the Amcor River, or
buried. The probability is that they were disposed of in
the latter way. The arsenals, magazines, &a., which were
principally frame buildings, were teamed dews by the
allies, and all the property belonging to the government
which could be found was destroyed. The stores and pri.
vat* dwellings were, however, scrupulously respected.