The Express.
London, England, 1856-02-06 00:00:00

DESTRUCTION OF DOCKS AT

(mot •

CAMP BEFORE SEBASTOPOL, JAN. 22.
Os Friday aftermath at about 6 o'clock, our engi-
neers blew up moot samesehdly the bottom of the
west dock, which was one foot under water, by
means of eight *bargee of 181 lbs. of powder each.
Unfoetuaststy they were not so successful the fol-
lowing day, for out of the eaves eherges plaited in
the east paw between the entrances to the east and
centre docker only fear went off; Mr. Dean's elec-
tric wires having got disarranged by the French
explosion of half the entrance or lock just previously.
The seven charges in the pier consisted of three
on each side of 400 lbs. of powder each and one at
the knob of 800 lbs. The three charges that
missed were the last mentioned, and two on the
right side of the pier. The French demoli-
tion of we half the entrance, both sides and
bottom, wee most complete and perfect. In the
sides were twelve ohs, gee of 600 lb.. of powder, and
at bottom, under 18 test of water, one charge of
2,000 lbs. When this tut exploded, it cast a volume
of water 30 feet up into the air.
Tomorrow oar allies are to complete the demoli-
tion of their half portion of the docks, by blowing up
the treat half of the mimes and the right half aide
of the basic. The Kaglish are plug to have two
more explosions, if everything m sessonstal,
to complete their half peruse. Ilis Stet is to
consist of the right side et the east desk
and basin as fee ea the abeam to meet the Numb,
sad the second to le mode up of the two sides of
time west desk with Weser. pier, and the left
skis of entre deck. The 800Jb. charge and two
IN lb.. dunes that missed fire oa Saturday may
be Seed at say sassest; I dee% therefore, include
them in the two great explodes, to come. The
Cameauaderda-titiet was present on Saturday. but
was to late on Friday to witness the destructions.
There ma be se desk that we ran the powder
meek mole See tee Yeomanry than the French.
Oar heed engineers amidst' no science is displayed
if a single tome is hurled toany slight dietetics. The
French segieeere appear to be of opinion, that as the
old Russian powder is sot of meek vale., it may jest
as well be used as net. The coesequence is that
their demolitions ewe mesh owe violent, and appear

to the ignorant mach sore complete. It may be a
fault on their part, but it is a good fault. The whole
of our three docks are 40ft. wide at bottom and 29ft.
deep. The went dock is the shortest of the three, being
oily 233 feet long at top, whilst the centre dock is
238 feet, and the suit dock 238 feet. The entrance
gate to this last dock, which with immense labour was
taken to pieces, still lies inside the dockyard wall.
If England is proud of this trophy, which happens
to have been the only gate of our three not riddled
by our round shot or shell, no time should be lost in
getting it conveyed to Baleklava and shipped home,
for its weight is about 60 tone. The French have at
last succeeded in getting up their dock gate, and
they will, of course, convey it, like their portion of
the shot and guns, to within the strong lines of
amiesch.

THE TRADE IN

OF WAR.

HAMBURG, Pia. 3.

After a short but severe winter, the frost has now
disappeared, and the bustle of commerce has again
recommenced in this city. It is not of the numerous
cargoes of coffee and sugar that I wish now to speak.
I feel it my. duty as an Englishman once more to call
the attention of your readers to the fact of the Oen-
taut cargoes of contraband of war with which we
continue to be supplied, arriving in the Elbe without
let or hindrance, although a few days ago the arrival
of a British war steamer at Cuxhaven was an-
nounced.

To enable your readers to judge for themselves of
the very large quantities of lead, saltpetre, and sul-
phur imported at Hamburg during the lut few days,
I subjoin the following list of ships and cargoes, taken
from our official import lists :

Union, Hasoverian schooner, Captain Jansen, from
Trieste, 248 chests of sulphur. Bernadotte, Swedish brig,
Captain Westerberg, from Messina, 600,000 lbe. of sulphur.
Aida Catharida, Dutch !pallier, Captain Van der Wal, fuss
Terranova, 2,100 centers (est.) sulphur. Margaretha Ala-
paha. Dutch senior, Copula loosens, from (breast',
1,447 canters sulphur. Eagle, British barque, Colamas
master, from Catania, 5,337 caatsrs sulphur. Paulus, Hol-
alai& *chooser, Captats Montreal, from ManeiHes, 897
chests sulphur. Sylphide. Danisa schooner, Captain Ash%
from Malaga, 200 pigs of lead. Frisklie, Hamburg barque.
Captain Thomann, from Iquique, 2,388 bags of saltpetre.
Trio, Holstein berg, Captain Jot amen, from Malaga' 200
pigs of lead. Blies American barque, Pike master, from
New York, 2,203 hiss of saltpetre. Hunks, Datil brig,
Captain Leeches, from Triton, 939 chests of sulphur. Tri-
ton, Norwegian brig, Caraiti Notwig, from Oirpati, 3,000
stanuure sulphur. Lucy, British brig, Hanlon muter, from
Girgenti, 3,660 canters sulphur. JObILISDIS. Holstein brig,
Captais C. von Hirers, from Palermo, 160 canton sulphur.
Prime Geom. Swedish barque, Captain lasses from
Iquique, 6,168 bags of salti etre. Faulk e, British solemn,
Jaime= master, from Lasts, 3,384 cantars sulphur.
• • -

- .
Thus, in less than a week we have received no less
than eleven cargoes of sulphur, three of saltpetre,
and two of lead, and I regret to add that several of
them were brought in British vessels.
It is no secret here that the newly appointed resi-
dent minister of the Hanse Towns, Mr. Alfred Rucker,
experienced a very cool reception on the part of Lord
Clarendon, who even upbraided him with this city's
breach of neutrality in permitting such a flagrant
abuse of the privileges of free trade as the open eye-
tens pursued by the Hamburg merchants of sending
the raw materials for the manufacture of gunpowder
—sulphur and saltpetre—together with lead, in such
large quantities to Russia. It is also stated here that
his lordship even went so far as to hint at a threat of
stopping this trade in contraband of war effectually,
by a blockade of the Elbe. This woad certainly be
the sleet way to do it, by cutting off the supplies,
and co time should be lost in taking such a decided
step. lied Lord Clarendon sent three or four ships
of war to the mouth of the Elbe immediately, they
might have seised, or, at all events., detained the
above sixteen cargoes, which are now half-way on
their road to Rums.