The Sun.
London, England, 1855-06-07 00:00:00

THE BALTIC FLEET.

The annexed extracts of a letter received yesterday by
a mercantile firm give some late details of the proceed-
ings and prospects of the Baltic fleet :
"Her Majesty's Ship Duke of Wellington, on
• passage up the Gulf of Finland, May 27.
`• It appears the enemy has not allowed the grass to grow
during the absence of the fleet last winter, as is only too
evident from the many new and formidable additions
to the fortifications of Sweaborg and the islands com-
manding the approaches to Helsingfors and the inner
channels to this hornets' nest. These additions chiefly
consist of batteries built of stone, with a thick frontage
of mud and sand, mounting on an average ten to twelve
guns ; our reconnoitring vessels could not distinctly,
make out the number of guns, but sufficient has been ob-
served to convince us of their activity, and of the advan-
tage taken by the mistakes committed last campaign in
sensing in steamers without any particular object, by
which means we pointed out their weak points and the
places whence their guns could mst bear on us, deficiencies
they have now effectually remedied.
" The fleet of 14 ships of the line stationed here last year
has also effected a junction with the main body inside of
Cronstadt, a movement evidently made after our departure
from these waters last November. One three-decker and
two liners, besides a few steamers and gun-boats, alone
remain. The prize to be gained by an attack is conse-
quently considerably lessened, and we must look to Cron-
stadt, where the whole of the naval power of the Empire
is now concentrated, for what last year might probably
have been accomplished in detail. It certainly limits our
space of operations, although it increases the risk and ren-
ders the result more dubious.

" A couple of our men-of-war have returned from the
Aland Isles, and bring information of the doings of the
Imperial Government since our departure, which reflects
little to their credit, and lowers them considerably in our
opinion, owing to the mean step% they adopted to revenge
themselves on the poor unprotected natives. As soon as
our ships were withdrawn last autumn, police agents were
despatched to Aland to act as informers against any one
known to have favoured or held communication with us.
Now, considering that we took possession of these islands
with upwards of 12,000 men, how could any reasonable per-
son suppose the natives could offer any opposition ? And it
would have been equally unreasonable of them to refuse to
supply us with provisions when it would have been useless to
resist; nor can they be blamed for receiving money as an
equivalent for the articles we deprived them of. Upwards
of 20 individuals who were found with British money have
been carried off to Russia, probably Siberia ; others have
had fines levied on them, and several have been confined
for various periods.
"Prices of all articles'of foreign produce have increased
faimensely ; salt, for instance, on the island of Nargen,
formerly cost four or five silver roubles per barrel (nine to
a ton), azid now the same quantity costs 14 to 15 silver
roubles, at Z... 2d. One or two Americans have run cargoes
on the strength of it, and made money.
"We have had upwards of 60 cases of smallpox in the
flag-ship, and the mea have consequently been landed at
the French hospital on Fa: o•
" We are now proceeding, with 14 sail of the line and six
steamers, up the Gulf of Finlani.i, and propose to-night to
anchor off Seskar Island, 24 miles from Cronstadt.
" The French are on their way up the Baltic, and in
another week we expect to see them.
" The Gulf of Bothnia has as yet not been blockaded,
not being free from ice."

THE SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL.

The Austrian Military Gazette contains the following
letter from Sebastopol. which, although dated as far
back as the 13th of May, gives some particulars of in-
terest :
" In spite of all the efforts which the enemy have made
our bulwarks stand as fast as ever. Long before the bom-
bardment began the journals of the. West informed us that
our walls and forts were speedily to be put to a new proof.
This made us re iouble our precautions, and we bore firmly
the truly hellish (hollischz) fire which threatened all
with destruction. Nevertheless, thousands were devoted
to death, and it made one shudder to see the Elborus (the
steam-boat) pass every two hours during the bombardment
from the south to the north with so many wounded that
she could scarcely carry them. While standing in Bastion
No. 4—the bastion which suffered most of all—l forgot
the danger to which I was exposed in admiration of the
cool and stoical conduct of our sailors. They fell, and ex-
pired without a cry, though racked by the most fearful
agonies. The southern aide of our town has suffered most se-
destroyed, and grass is growing on their ruins.
wooly, and is scarcely to be recognised again. 500 houses have
town are not so much damaged, yet there
bTeheen
fill theatre no longer exists. Though the upper
'':hooe to be seen which does not bear mani-
festmbardment. The streets are every-
idsisntoritcataof
singletn
and the pavement is totally de-
ells and exploded shells,
corner stand whole pyramids
w hr
oeyr eter traces
rootedhoifl
eutphaet bybebs:hreor;
re the opening of the
fire. In many streets five or six' such pyramids are
)'-‘p,:r lb. The
Nevertheless business is continued, and booths are opened
tofo which
b teh e were
seen, enemy
daachlsy ofe collectedtnhn eomn from:b' e to ten
n feetor mho gs hl
y.
froarisetdh,easnadlesuofgagrocoodssis
013 Brie cseisl,vehrorwouevbeler,(2asr.
supply of meat is more than abundant, but brew
is ex-
ceedingly scarce. The streets are filled with people:- and
crowds of children run to and fro, assisting at the u:ln-
struction of barricades, and pelting each other watt'
balls of clay. Our life in Sebastopol is agreeable to
us, for use is a second nature. The greatest activity
prevails in the harbour of Ekaterin, where cannon
balls, powder, fascines, sacks, and provisions are landed
in astounding quantities, as they are forwarded from the
northern forts. In a word, neither the thunder of the
enemy's cannon nor the siege of Sebastopol are suffered to
disturb us any longer; we mourn over our adversaries,
who are shedding their blood without result before our
brazen walls. We read many absurd statements about
)
the condition of the besieged; but the absurdest of all is,
undoubtedly, the news that we suffer from want of sup-
plies, and thath ni.i wdrehl;h n and
d traco.ishundr t
hundreds of
bofe eeussan,r.e,
33 35 I daily cut
off by death—of
al
31.41:KET NEIVIS—•!. THIS DAY.

MEAT MARKETS.

Mutton,
otmo
783s0d4d;i,eozi4,8446dthi
to
580 d ;
NEVAIATE AND LEADENHAtic.—The tracle :Yu tolerably
Ln nBd, as
t o 5 a follows
2d ; -
lamb,—B esest6fdr
Pork, 38 6d to 4s 4(1 per 81bs, by the carcase.
SOUTEIALL, June 6.—To-day's market was bat mode_
lately supplied with stock, and the trade ruled brisk, as
follows s—Beef, from 3s 10(1 to 4s 10d; Mutton, 38 ma to
5s 4d; Lamb, 51 10d to 7s Od ; Veal, 4s Od to 5s Od; Pork,
3s 6d to 4s 4d per Sibs, to sink the offals.
ROBIFORD, June 6.—We had a brisk market, at a con-
siderable advance in the quotations. Beef, from 3s 10(1 to
5s Od; Mutt" 4s Od to ris 6(1; Lamb, 5s 101 to 76 4d;
Veal, 4s Od to 5s Od ; Pork, 3s fkl to 4.8 4d per 81bs. Quarter
phl Store Pigs, 22s to 27s each.

pe cloves
r load.
HAY MARKETS.
4s to
toit 51/012s
s
Smrrinrism.—Meadow hay, 3/ Os to 5/ 108.0 d ; clover
,m3BIESRsLAtoND6. 1 —6331;
aditto, 3/ 5s to 6/ 10a ; and straw, 1/ 3s to 1/ 9s per load.
A moderate supply and a steady demand.
ditCtou
Trade firm.
WHITEOHAPEL.—Meadow hay, 3/ Os to 5! 10s; clover
ditto, 3/ 5s to 6? lOs ; and straw, 1/ 3s to 1/ 98 per load.
Supply good, and trade firm.
eaandow straw,hay 11341 Os

ABZIVAL OF BALTIC CAFTUBICS.—Nine foreign ves-
sels, which have been detained by her Majesty's cruisers,
have arrived in the West India Import Dock, to await
the decision of the Court of Admiralty. They are the
Ackbar, of Kniphausen, from Venice for Hamburg ; the
Mecklenburg (linseed and hemp) ; the Paul Freiderich
(hemp, &c.) ; the Ballance galiot (rye and hemp) ; the
Johanna, Ahrens (hemp and tallow) ; the Danish brig
Benedict (linseed and hemp) ; the Otto Olaf, of Copen-
hagen ; the Brion, Joroir, of nostook ; and the Betty,