The Press.
London, England, 1854-11-11 00:00:00

1064

of Sebastopol. Late on the preceding night it had been
agreed by the combined admirals and generals that the
fleets should on the same day make a grand attack on the
forts at the month of the harbour. During the night top-
gallantmasts were lowered, spare spars and boats handed
over to her Majesty's ship Vulcan, and early in the
morning steam was up. The paddlewheel and screw
frigates lashed themselves alongside the sailing line-of-
battle ships, and all was got ready for the fight. The
French were to occupy the right as you enter the harbour,
—that is, the southern side—and the English the left, or
northern side, in one line, about 1,5(X) yards oft.
The French first got into their places, about half-past
twelve o'clock, and immediately commenced a heavy fire,
which was vigorously returned from the batteries. The
distance, however, was certainly greater than originally
contemplated, and, as far as 1 can ascertain, it was over
U,OOO yards. By degrees the English ships successively
took up their stations, passing in rear of the French and
anchoring to the left. The Agamemnon, Sanspariel, and
London (lashed to the Niger), however, took an inside
station in advance—perhaps about 1,000 yards from Fort
Constantine. Nothing could be more noble than the gal-
lant way in which the Agamemnon and Sanapariei steamed
in amid a perfect hail of cannon balls and shells, preceded
by a little tug-steamer, the Cireassia, commanded by Mr.
Ball. This little bit of a cockleshell, which looked as if
she might have been arrested by a fowling-piece, delibe-
rately felt the way for the large ships till her; services were
no longer required.
The firing soon became terrific. At the distance of six
miles the sustained sound resembled that of a furious loco-
motive at full speed, but, of course, the roar was infinitely
grander. The day was a dead calm, so that the smoke
hung heavily about both ships and batteries, and frequently
prevented either side from seeing anything. From about
two till dark (nearly six) the cannonade raged most
furiously.
Towards four o'clock Fort Constantine, as well as some
of the smaller batteries, slackened somewhat in their fire ;
but towards dusk, as some of the ships began to haul out,
the Russians returned to their guns, and the fire seemed as
fierce as ever. There was one explosion just behind Fort
Constantine, which appeared to do much damage. At dark
all the ships returned to their anchorage. The change
was magical—from a hot sun, mist, smoke, explosions,
shot, shell, rockets, and the roar of 10,000 guns, to a still,
cool, brilliant, starlight sky, looking down upon a glassy
sea, reflecting in long, tremulous lines the lights at the
mastheads of the ships returning amid profound silence.
What damage has been done to the forts we don't yet
know. Three of our ships have been roughly handled, and
the killed and wounded amount to forty-six English killed
and upwards of '250 wounded. No captains have been hit.
The blue jackets showed all their ancient valour. Eight
or nine men were swept away at a forecastle gun on board
the Sanapareil by the explosion of a shell ; the two remain-
ing men coolly went on loading, with their sponge and
rammer, as though nothing had happened.
Another naval correspondent writes to the same
journal :
At six o'clock yesterday morning (17th) the discharge
of heavy batteries announced that at last the long-expected
moment had arrived, and the allies had begun firing.
Every report—and they succeeded each other with mar-
vellous rapidity—was only a signal for greater exertion
among the sailors to get ready for action.
Soon after the prisoners, who had been on board the
different vessels since Alma and Balaklava, were sent off
to the Sintnem, and the captains and masters summoned
to come on board the flag-ship to receive their last instruc-
tions.
At the same time the signal was made " Prepare to re-
ceive a steamer on the port side."
About nine o'clock everything assumed more and more
the aspect of activity. The steamers got their steam up
and weighed anchor. The liners struck their topgallant-
masts, signals chased signals on holed the flag-ship, and
several of the large screws—for instance, the Sanapareil and
a French screw—went first.
The steamers came up gradually, and began to pair off
with the liners to which they were to be lashed in the
following order :
Queen, lashed alongside the Vesuvius.
Vengeance, „ Ilighflyer.
Albion, 1) „ Firebrand.
Britannia, „ Furious.
London, „ Niger.
Arethusa, „ Triton.
Bellerophon, „ Cyclops.
Rodney, „ Spiteful.
Trafalgar, ~ Retribution.
The steamers approached all on the port side, and
were lashed Owe and aft by cables fastened on the lower
deck, and passing through the fourth porthole from bow

and stern.
The Agamemnon, Sanspetreit, Terrible, Sampson, and
the newly-arrived gun•boat Sphinx, were left on detached

service.
It was nearly noon before all these preparations had
been made and the ships had weighed anchor. The
French led, the Turks followed, and last came the English.
As it would have been impossille to approach the forts on
the north side without having to suffer from the south forts
under great disadvantages, it was determined that the
French ships and Turkish ships, which were the first,
should engage the south forts. while the English men-of-
war should have to do with the north forts.
The Napoleon led the way, and approached under a heavy
fire, followed by the Henri 11%, lashed to a steamer. At
one o'clock the firing was opened, and soon after the de-
tached English steamers, which had to engage the
northernmost forts, among others the Wasp Battery,
so called because she sent some heavy shots into the
Wasp, approached their destination and joined in the
firing.