The Sun.
London, England, 1855-06-14 00:00:00

Enclosure.

Before Sebastopol, June 2, 1855.
My Lord,--I have the honour to enclose a return of ad-
missions and deaths from cholera, from the 26th May to
the Ist of June, inclusive, by which your lordship will
observe that the divisions in front, where the disease first
made its appearance, and proved most fatal, have become
healthier, and the complaint has attacked the Sardinian
Contingent, the English and native drivers of the Land
Transport Corps, and, within the last 48 hours, the brigade
of Guards encamped on the heights near Balaklavh. As
yet the Cavalry Division has nearly been free from it,
which is a remarkable circumstance, as it occupies a shel-
tered valley near Kadikoi.
In the Guards it was noticed that the attacks were con-
fined to the newly-arrived recruits, and to men who had
been employed either on duty or fatigue in Balaklava.
Yesterday the admissions were fewer, and the cases that
presented themselves of a milder character; and I hope
the epidemic will pass off, as it appears to be doing in
front, for the present.—l have, &c.,

J. HALL,
Inspector-Genoral of Hospitals.

ADMIRALTY, JUNE 13.
Despatches, of which the following are copies, have been
received from Rear-Admiral Sir Edmund Lyons, Bart.,
G.C.8., Commander-in-Chief of her Majesty's ships and
vessels in the Mediterranean and Black Sea :
SNAKE'S ENGAGEMENT WITH RUSSIAN STEAMERS.
Royal Albert, Straits of Kertcb, June 2.
Sir,—ln my letter of the 26th ult., No. 393, I had the
pleasure of bringing under the notice of the Lords Com-
missioners of the Admiralty the gallant, able, and success-
ful way in which Lieut. Henry F. Maillop had conducted
her Majesty's steam gun-vessel Snake, under his command,
on the day the allied forces obtained possession of the
Straits of Kertch.

I have now to request you to lay before their lordships
the enclosed copy of a letter which I have received from
Lieut. M`lii:lop, reporting his proceedings on that day ;
and their lordships will observe that ho speaks in high
terms of his officers and ship's company, and particularly
so of Mr. Nathaniel B. Herbert, Second Master, and Mr.
Sydney E. Wright, A ssistant-P ay master in charge.—l
am, &c.,

(Signed) EDMUND LYONS,
near-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief.
The Secretary of the Admiralty, London.

(Reported Engagement.)
Her Majesty's ship Snake, off Yenikale,
24th May, 1855.
Sir,—l have the honour to inform yon that in obedience
to your signal granting me permission to intercept a Rus-
sian war-steamer, that I proceeded into Kertch Bay, ex-
changing shots with the batteries at Akbourno in passing.
I succeeded in cutting off the steamer and engaging her,
but not until she had placed herself under the protection
of the forts of Yenikalo; after a sharp fire on both sides
for three quarters of an hour, I was fortunate in succeeding
in setting her on fire with Lancaster shells, from which
she blew up—the crew with difficulty getting away. She
had apparently soldiers on board. During this engage.
ment the forts at Yenikale hulled the ship, and kept up a
well-directed and continuous fire the whole time, which
was returned with apparent good effect, with our heavy
shell.

Three steamers also came down from the entrance
(to the Sea of Azoff), and opened fire on us with very
long-range guns, their shot frequently passing over us
at about 4,0J0 yards. I continued. to engage the batteries
and steamers after the arrival of the ships sent up to my
assistance, until recalled by signal from the Miranda.
The whole of the sailing vessels standing towards the Sea
of Azoff were intercepted, and afterwards captured ; two
steamers, also intercepted in Kertch Bay, were blown up
by their own crews, and a gun-boat sunk.
The batteries along the coast, which fired upon us whilst
chasing a steamer, also were blown up.
I should feel I was neglecting my duty unless I men-
tioned the zealous and creditable manner in which the
officers and crew performed theirduties ; being very short-
handed rendered working the guns for so many hours a
work of great labour.
I beg to recommend for your favourable consideration
Mr. N. B. Herbert (Second Master iu charge), who with
much skill conducted the ship through the intricate and
comparatively unknown passage, und,r the guns of Ak-
bourno,-and inside the shoal of Yenikale, without any
accident.
I am equally indebted to Mr. S. E. Wright, Assistant-
Paymaster (au officer of long and meritorious service), for
his assistance as a volunteer executive, who, with Dr.
Roche and Mr. George Wilson (Senior Engineer), manned
and worked the 12-pounder howitzer, Oinking a gun-boat.
I am happy that no casualties occurred, and the Snake
received but little damage—one shot through the mizen
rigging, carrying it away, and ono through the hull at the
water-line.—l am, &c.,
(Signed) H. F. APKILLor, Lieut. and Commander.
Rear-Admiral Sir Edmund Eyons, Bart.,
G.C.8., Commander-in-Chief.

OPERATIONS IN THE SEA OF AZOFF.
Royal Albert, Straits of Kertcb,
June 2, 1855.
Sir,—l have the honour to transmit to you herewith
copies of two letters that have been addressed to me by
Captain Edmund M. Lyons, of the Miranda, in which he
reports the proceedings of! the allied steam-squadrons,
under his orders, during the first four days of their appear.
ance in the Sea of Azoff.

In that short space of time the squadrons forced the
enemy to run ashore, burn to the water% edge and abandon
four steamers of war, under the command of Rear-Admi-
ral Wolff, they bombardedArabat and blewup the powder
magazine, and they destroyed 246 merchant vessels, which
were employed in the conveyance of supplies to thetßus-
sian army in the Crimea, as well as magazines of corn and
flour at Berdiansk and Genitschi, containing at least two
months' rations for an army of 100,000 men.
Captain Lyons is justly and deeply sensible of what he
owes to the cordial and efficient co operation of Captain
Sedaiges, and our allies, acting under the orders of that
distinguished officer; nor is he less sensible of, or less
grateful for, the able support he has received from every
one in the British squadron under his own immediate
orders.
I beg leave to recommend to their lordships' particular
notice the mention which Captain Lyons makes of the very
important services rendered by the boats of the sqnadron
on several occasions, under the command of that active,
zealous, and excellent officer, Lieutenant J. F. C. alicken-
zie, of the Miranda, as well as of the gallant and successful
exploit of Lieutenant Cecil W. Buckley, of the Swallow,
and Mr.-John Roberts, gunner, of the Ardent, which was
productive of the most important results.--I am, &e.
(Signed) EDMD. LYONS.
Rear-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief.

Her Majesty's ship, Miranda, off Arabat,
Sea of Azoff, May 28, 1855.
Sir,—l have the honour to inform you that, on hauling
down your flag ou the afternoon of the 25th, I procaeded
with the steam-vessels under my orders, name in the mar-
gin,* and the French steamer Lucifer towards Bcrdiansk ;
at dark we stopped for the French steamers Megere, Bran-
don, and Fulton. Those having joined, at 3 a.m. on tho
26th we all wont on in company ; at 3.30 p.m. on that day
we anchored off the lighthouse on the spit at Berdiansk,
in such a position as to command the harbour and beach
and a large number of merchant vessels. I then sent the
boats of the squadrons, under Commander Sher aid Os-
born, accompanied by the boats of the French ships, to
destroy those vessels, as well as some lying about four
miles off, and a storehouse. All this was coral-doted by
dark. During this time steamers of the two squadrons
were chasing and destroying vessels in other directions.
At daylight of the 27th I weighed with the ships under
my orders, accompanied by the four French steamers, and
anchored off the town of Berdiansk, the Miranda in 15

* Vesuvius, Curlew, Swallow, Stromboli, Medina, Wrangler,
Viper, Lynx, Recruit, Arrow, Snake, Beagle.