The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-31 00:00:00

KERTCH AND YENIKALE.

(From Galignani's Messenger.)
What is called the Sea of Azoff is in reality no-
thing more than a vast pond or golf, noted for its shal-
lowness, and united to the Black &a, by the Strait of
Yenikale. The Sea of Azoff is inaccessible to what would
be properly called vessels of . war ; it is defended on the
south by Kertch and Yenikale, and on the north by
Taganrog and Azoff. It will be now no longer traversed,
as it has hitherto been, by a multitude of small vessels,
conveying troops and provisions for Sebastopol, for it is
without doubt part of the plan of the allied commanders
to send in a number of their own vessels and maintain
the command Of;the whole sea. Kertch is a small town,
the chi:f place of the peninsula of that name. It is re.
markable for its commanding position on the Strait of
Yenikale. Its roadstead is fine, and it is celebrated for
its fine museum of antiquitieQ, medals, sculpture, &e.,
found in the neighbourhood. There are several construc-
tions of enormous size near it, which are known by the
name of the Hou=es of the Cyclops. Yenikale is a small
town, but important on account of its citadel, which com-
mands the Strait, and which has always been highly con-
sidered by the Russians as a fortress. The distance from
Yenikale to Kertch is about nine miles, across a verdant
plain. Kertch is completely built of stone, and the
houses are handsome. It contains a population of about
10,000 souls. It was a place of only sight importance
when it was ceded by the Porte to Russia in 1774, but
it soon after partly recovered its original splendour, to
th 3 detriment of Theodosia, the ancient Kaffa. All the
commerce carried on at Theodosia was removed by the
Russiati Government to Kertch, where all vessels boand
to the Sea of Azoff were compelled to undergo a quaran-
tine of four days. The larger vessels had their cargoes
brought to them in lighter 3 from Taganrog or from Roe-
tof, but those of lighter draualit of water crossed the bar
and loaded at Taganrog. On their return thkeyeTneroe
obliged to transfer half their cargoes at Yenikale 1 t
olivgehrtetrhs,e
the commerce of Kertch and of the Sea of Azoff
Tassels
increased, and in 1851 not fewer than 1,000
andsha shallows. wress.hipNiottavotittetratnedbinagfter thesehav difficulties, -arap passed__
y
entered the Sea of Azoff.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
Sir,—At the present moment, when everything
connedted with Kertch becomes interesting, many
of your readers may be gratified by having
their attention directed to a few antiquities
portion of a wooden
brought from the ruins of theiccaiityk specimens,n own t o the
ancients as Panticapmum. according to Strabo the capi-
tal of the di,trict of the European Bosphorus, and now
the site of the modern Kertch. These curious relics
are exhibited in the British Museum in the same room
of all others which most
oi
anrsai sett se
r of
aan d , singularly
with the Assyrian t,nd Egyptian pottery, and several
cases of miscellaneous archoolog
The
most
theccio on e
of all the Correspondinr, fragments I have had enough'
opperte.
nmi
to; mouldingse ts i
ofm
satisfactorily exhibits the old practice
painting classical ornaments of an of gilding and.
The leaves which form the ornamarchitectnral nature.
e
en-
tirely covered with thick g,,ld leaf,
upon nt are stilt almost
a vermillion ground, the that
of and are relieved
and obscured by dirt, is which, where no covered o covered
laid on more than a as brilliant as if it had not been
month ar-,o
The largest specimen con is- .
in wood, of an c,ant d -ts of the leg of a chair, also
e'il design, and spiritedly carved.
It is remarkably w
similar remains of preserved, considering that most
appeared from th fancient woodwork have long ago dis-
appeared
classical furniture ace of the earth, leaving our notions
tations in paint' ure to be mainly bw3ed upon represen-
tations
addition paintings and bas-reliefs.
to the
, the living, there
above, which have appertained to
1 t_,_
_n uto are several relics which have been
k fibula, from
the resting-places of the dead. A golden
a neck string of glass heads, a wooden comb, and
portions of a garment, which have been but partially
carbonised when the body of the occupant of the tomb
was burnt upon its funereal pyre, are so many records
of the nationality and habits of those who may have
fought and bled to win from the successors of the Mile-
sians the very sail which British valour has now 60 aus-
piciously secured. Who can tell -whether, after the
lapse of as many con fillies as have passed away since
the cohorts of victorious Rome kid their strong hand
upon Panticap
some enthusiastic antiquary may
not gather up from the grave of some hastily buried
English soldier analogous evidences of enterprise and
daring ?

M. D/GBY Wy.m.
54, Guildford-street, Ruuell-square, bitty 30.