The Sun.
London, England, 1855-08-21 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY, EVE:NIStk, AUGUSr 21, 185 E

holds. They have seen the immense store of
materials collected at such considerable expense
completely destroyed under the very guns of the
" Gibraltar of the North," which proved utterly
unavailing for their protection, or even to inflict
any -injury worth mentioning on the assailants.
That they were thoroughly astonished at our suc-
cess is certain. It never entered into their cal-
culation that we could have done so much, and it
is highly desirable, even if no great effort i 3
to be made, that they should receive a
few similar lessons as to the practical con-
sequences of an aggressive policy, and
should be made to feel the stern realities of
war, which they have been so willing to inflict
on their neighbours. It is said that Riga has
also been bombarded, but of that we have no
official intelligence. Revel still remains un-
touched, and even Cronstadt itself may receive
considerable damage, although the larger vessels
remain at a safe distance waiting for the foe that
will not come forth to meet them. We shall
await the next accounts from the Baltic with con-
siderable anxiety, in order to know the character
of the hostilities for the remainder of the season,
and whether anything is to be attempted during
the few remaining weeks to redeem the inactivity
and apathy of its commencement.

" The Traveller in Italy"—to whom even the
Times concedes almost three columns of its larger

type, and to whose elevated political morality ii
replies with red-tape arguments well worthy o

Mr. FREDERICK PEEL—observes that " English
Statesmen are a century behind the English
people." The remark; indeed, is not new. Every
enlightened measure of modern times has, as he
adds with truth, been forced upon them by the
pressure of public opinion ; and hence the obser-

vation also has been forced from thousands of the
most intelligent and active men in the nation,
while struggling with the of the families
born, as JEFFERSON used to say, booted and
spurred to ride us. We of the present generation,
however, have witnessed this dullness or obsti-

would turn your indignation against an Austro-
Coburg policy to the account of Russia, and to
the injury of Poland. Be straightforward and
practical. Demand what you really want. Insist
on Polish aid, and an honest energetic Ministry to
use it. Do not go to sleep again during the pro-
rogation of Parliament to the tune of an autumn
victory. Bomarsund and Sweaborg, perhaps the
Alma too, were meant, not to hurt Russia much,
be sure of that, but for a lullaby to you. Make
a war song of them ; meet, speak out at once ;
compel Lord PALMERSTON to follow them up.
Be assured of this, we shall have no vigorous War
without a vigorous people. Our belief is that the
people and the Press could make another man of
PALUZRSTON himself.

The enemy returned our fire vi ry ken-kly with red.hot
shot -and but, although their range was goed,
the damage inflicted was c rnparatively ti,fliog, owing
principally, to the excellent handling of the
gun-boats and mortar vessels, the former being con•
tinually on the move, and the latter hauling tad
veering on their 400-fathom cable, as soon as they found
the Russian shot falling too close to be pleasant. At
10.20 the first Russian magazine exploded, and a fire
broke out in the Arse.:oal, About noon a second maga-
zine exploded ; an.a. at 12.15 a most terrific explosion
took place, followed by a succession of minor ones.
The force of this was so immense tbat a battery of guns
em barbate was literally blown to pieces by it. At
12.40 more magazines exploded ; at this time, the dock-
yards, arsenal, barracks, all the Government buildings,
storehouses, &c., were burning furiously. The sight
was most grandly imposing. The yards and poops of
the line-of-battle ships were crowded with the ex-
cited "tar's," who cheered vociferously after every
explosior„ as only British sailors know how to cheer.
To add, to this frightful din, the liners Cornwallis and
Hastings, and steam frigate Anaphion, opened their
broadsides at the same moment ; and, as if to crown
the whole, the Arrogant, Cossack, and Cruiser chimed
in with this bloody chorus, by commencing a heavy fire,
with good effect, on a large body of troops which they
chanced to espy on a small island to the eastward of the
fortress. The cannonade continued with little abate-
ment up to 8 o'clock p.m., when the gun-boat recall
was hoisted. Several of the mortar vessels were
also found to be injured from the quick and inces-
sant firing, and, bad to be brought out to undergo
repairs ; those, however, which were not damaged still
kept up Vaeir fire, in conjunction with the French
mortar 'oattery, until 10.30 p.m., at which hour the
rocket boats from the fleet went in and kept up their
part of the performance until daylight. The scene
deAring the night was grand beyond description ; the
whole of Sweaborg appeared one mass of flame, the
rockets and shells adding not a little to the awful splen-
dour of the fiery landscape.

At 5.30 a.m., on the 10th, the fire again opened from
our whole line, and continued throughout the day, at
the end of which little appeared left to be done ; all the
mortars, French and English, were more or less injured.
Some idea, however, of the services rendered by these
vessels may be gathered from the fact that during the
two days' bombardment not less than 1,000 tons of iron
were thrown into a space of about hal f a mile in diameter,
and that upwards of 100 tons of powder were expended.
This, incredible as it may appear, applies only to the
English mortar vessels, and does not include the
quantity (which was •equally large in proportion) used
►by our gallant allies on that occasion.

On Friday night, the 10th inst., the rocket boats again
went in and played with great effect. On Saturday on
firing took place, and Sunday was a day of rest. On
that day everything was quiet and in rep .se ; even the
mighty deep bowed in reverence to a holy influence,
and was still. The tolling of the bells at Elelsingfors
was distinctly to be heard ; the dull and plaintive sounds,
mingled with the strains of sacred music from our men-
of-war, came floating over the calm waters, and offered
a strange bulb soothing contrast to the noise, turmoil,
and excitement of the two preceding dayr.
O❑ Monday morning, the 13th instant, the two fleets
got under way, and returned the same day to Nargen.
having performed in a❑ incredibly short space of time,
with comparatively no loss, one of the most glorious ex-
ploits recorded in modern times, and proving, that with
the judicious application of the great maritime power
and means at our disposal, how mistaken those are who
imagine that great deeds can only be achieved at enor-
mous sacrifice of human life. This expedition also proves
beyond a doubt that the proper and only arm of attack
which can be brought to bear effectually against the
strongholds of Russia is the mortar and gun vessel,
provided, however, that these are always supported
by a due proportion of large ships. The unparalleled
success which has attended the arms of the Allies on
this occasion, is mainly to be attributed to the excellent
arrangements and great foresight of the Allied Com-
manders, and to the skill and unwearied exertions of
those under them ; too much praise cannot be bestowed
on the officers in command of the gun-boats and mortar
vessels. Our Marine Artillery has also shown that, in
skill and knowledge they are second to none.
The subjoined order of the day, issued by Admiral
Dundas, immediately after the bombardment of Swea-
borg, will sufficiently establish the truth of the foregoing
remarks :

" GENERAL MEMORANDUM.
" Duke of Wellington, off SweAborg, Aug. 12.

"'Tie Commander-in-Chief is anxious, on the present
occasion, to convey to Rear-Admiral Sir Michael Seymour,
K.C.8., to the Captain of the Fleet, and to all the cap-
tains, officers, seamen, and marines of the squadron, •spe
cially to the Royal Marine Artillery and those employed
in the gun-boats, mortar-boats of the squadron, his sense
of the zealous and creditable manner in which they have
executed the various services allotted to them, by which a
very important success has been obtained, and severe in•
jury inflicted upon the naval resources of the enemy.
" The Commander-in-Chief congratulates all upon the
success of their efforts, and will not fail to represent to the
Lords Commissioners of the Admizalty the services which
have been rendered.

" R. S. DUNDAS, Commander-in• Chief."

When the Allied fleets left Sweaborg on the morning
of Monday, the 13th, what little remained of that for-
tress; once so renowned and formidable, was still on fire,
having burnt, almost without interruption, during the
space of three days and a half.