The Sun.
London, England, 1855-06-20 00:00:00

LATEST NEWS.

BERLIN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20.

Advices from Konigsberg state that an Impe-
rial ukase orders that baptised Jews, who have
hitherto been exempted, shall furnish 30 recruits
for every 1,000 souls to the Russian army.

MARSEILLES, TUESDAY, JUNE 19.
The Imperial yacht Reine Hortense has arrived
here for the use of the King of Portugal.
The Euphrate, which left Constantinople on
the 11th, has arrived.
She brings advices from the Crimea of the 9th:
The despatches leave at 8 p.m.

THE MASSACRE AT HANGO.

OFFICIAL DESPATCHES.

ADMIRALTY, Ju 18.

Copies of letters from Rear-Admiral the Hon.
R. S. Dundas, reporting the proceedings of her
Majesty's ship Cossack, and the loss of officers and
men at Hango
:
(No. 162.) Duke of Wellington, at anchor,
Tolboukin Lighthouse, E.S.E. 3 miles,
June 9, 1855.
Sir,--I had the honour to transmit on the 2d inst. with
my letter, No. 130, a report of proceedings received from
Capt. Fanshawe, of her Majesty's ship Cossack, who, in
compliance with my directions, had satisfactorily exa-
mined theanchorages and channels in the vicinity of Hans
go Head ; but it has now become my most painful duty
to forward, for the information of the Lords Commis-
sioners of the Admiralty, a report which I have received
from that officer, detailing occurrences in the same lo-
cality which have led, in the most distressing manner, to
the sacrifice of the lives apparently of not less than six-
teen officers and men, although I am still disposed to in-
dulge the faintest hope that some few may be yet alive.
In explanation of this report, it may be proper for me
to inform their lordships, that in the destruction of
coasting vessels in the course of hostilities within the
Gulf of Finland, I have considered that I am carrying
out the views of her Majesty's Government in endea-
vouring to visit with as little severity as possible the
evils of war upon the poorer classes of the inhabitants,
who are in the habit of earning a living in the smaller
vessels upon the coast, and it may be useful that I should
transmit upon this occasion a copy of a General Me-
morandum which I bad issued upon this occasion. It
was in accordance with the spirit of this instruction
that I had given permission to Captain Fanshawe to
take a favourable opportunity to release two persons
who had been detained by him as prisoners in one of the
vessels referred to in his former report of the 30th May,
and who had expressed a wish to be released near
Hango ; and it is melancholy to consider that, conse-
quent on this act of leniency, an opportunity has been
afforded to the enemy to inflict upon us a most severe
loss, under circumstances of extreme cruelty, if not in
direct violation of the ordinary usages of war.
I transmit, however, for their Lordships' further in-
formation, a copy of a letter which I have forwarded to
Captain Fanshawe, ordering him forthwith to rejoin my
flag, and calling for further explanations upon the
subject.
Their Lordships will gather from the questions which I
have addressed to him the views which I am at present
disposed to adopt in reference to this melancholy loss ;
but I abstain for the present from communication with
the military authorities of the district in the absence of
further information. —I have, &c.,
(Signed) R. S. DIINDAS,
Rear-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief.
The Secretary of the Admiralty, &c.

H.M. Steam-ship Cossack,
Nargen Islands, June 6, 1855.
Sir,—lt is with the deepest concern that I have to re-
port to you the destruction of a cutter's crew and the
officers who we'll> into Hango with a flag of truce yes-
terday, the sth inst., in order to land the three prisoners
who had been taken with some merchant vessels by her
Majesty's ships Cossack and Esk, and also four others
whom I gave a passage to Nargen, they having received
their liberty from the prize officers of the vessels cap-
tured by her Majesty's steam-ship Magicienne.
The ship having arrived off Hango Island yesterday
forenoon, the boat was despatched at 11 a.m. in charge
of Lieut. Geneste, with orders to land the above persons,
and to return without delay, taking care that no one
straggled from the boat. The officers' stewards were
allowed to go in the boat on the same conditions, as was
also, at his request, Mr. Easton, surgeon of the ship.
The enclosed statement of what occurred on the boat's
approaching the shore is that of the only man who has
returned alive, and I have every reason to believe it
correct.

Finding that the boat did not duly return, I sent the
first lieutenant, about half-past 4 p.m., in the gig, also
with a flag of truce, to ascertain the cause of the delay ;
and as neither had returned at the close of the day, I
anchored with this ship and the Esk in the inner roads.
The gig returned about half-past 8, after a long search,
having discovered the cutter hauled within a small jetty,
and containing the dead bodies of two or three of her
crew.

It being then late, I made arrangements that the
ships should weigh at half-past 2 o'clock a.m., and take
positions as dote to the inner village and telegraph sta-
tion as possible ; and as I then supposed that the rest of
the crew and officers had been made prisoners, I proposed
to send in a letter to the nearest military authority de-
manding that they and tbb boat should be given up.
But whilst getting under weigh the cutter was ob-
served to leave the shore with one man at the stern, who
was endeavouring to scull her out. I therefore imme-
diately sent a boat to her assistance, which brought her
on board, and she was found to c rntain the dead bodies
of four of the crew, which were riddled with musket balls.

The man who came out in 'the boat made the accom-
panying statement of the details of this atrocious mas-
sacre ; he is very dangerously wounded in the right arm
and shoulder, and was left for dead in the boat ; but the
account he gives of what he saw before be was struck
down is clear and consistent, viz.: that on the boat
reaching the jetty, Lieut. Geneste, Mr. Easton, surgeon,
Mr. Sullivan, master's assistant, and the Russian prison.
ers, stepped on shore, and advanced a few paces, Lieut.
Geneste carrying and waving the flag of truce. On their
landing, a large party of soldiers, commanded by an
officer, who spoke English, appeared" suddenly, and ad-
vanced in a threatening manner. The officers then
pointed to the flag of truce and claimed its protection,
and also endeavoured to explain the reason of their
landing, but of no avail. A volley of musketry was
immediately fired at them, which killed them,
and also some or all of the Russian prisoners ;
volleys were then fired into the boat, by which all were
struck down, and the assailants then rushed into the
boat, and threw most of the bodies overboard, and then
removed the arms and ammunition which were stowed
underneath.

Neither before nor during this indiscriminate slaugh-
ter was any resistance made, nor hostile intention shown
by the boat's crew with the flag of truce, the muskets
that were in the boat not having been loaded, and being
in the bottom of the boat ; and therefore there appeared
to be nothing to justify this barbarous infringement of
the usages of war.

I therefore opened fire with both ships upon the place,
at about 600 yards distance ; but it was not returned
either with iifles or artillery; and a thick fog having
come on shortly afterwards I ceased firing and with-
drew the ship, the position which they were in not
being one in which they could with safety remain at an-
cho r.

I enclose herewith the names of the officers and men
who have met their deaths on this occasion.—l have,
&c., (Signed) E..G. FANSLIAWL
_

Rear-Admiral lion—. R. 'S. Dundas, C'.B.,
&c., &c., &c.

List of officers and cutter's crew who were killed at
Hango on the sth June, 1855 :—Lieutenar, t Louis
Gerieste ; Surgeon R. T. Easton ; Charles Sullivan,
master's assistant ; Edward Thompson, leading seaman;
Benjamin Smith, able seaman ; James Cornw:.ll, ordi-
nary seaman ; John Glidden, able seaman ; George
Boyle, ordinary seaman ;. William Roskelly„ ordinary
seaman ; Thomas Stokes, ordinary seaman, scicond class;
John Haughey, stoker ; Francis George, or dinary sea-
man ; Owen Francis, able seaman ; William Linn,
captain's steward ; William Banks, gun-roo m steward ;
John Lorton, subordinate officer's steward
(Signed) E. G. FANSHAP7B , Captain.
H.M.S. Cossack, June 6, 1855.

11.1q.5. Cossack, Lange, Jane 6, 1355.
About a quarter to four o'clock, John Brown, ordi-
nary seaman, after being taken tc, the Sick. Bay, stated,
that on the cutter, with a flag of truce fiying, getting
alongside the small jetty at the village, V ie officers and
liberated Russian prisoners jumped out, r and Lieutenant
Geneste held up the flag of truce, and tc al the Russians
(who bad assembled close to the water and on the jetty
to the number of about 500, dressed, as riflemen, and
armed with muskets, swords, and 'oayonet.) what it
meant, and why they had larded.
The old Fin (meaning the captain (-if the priZe Johanna)
also explained to them, but they said they did not care
for flags of truce there, and wor,ld show them how to
fight the Russians, or words to that effect. A volley was
immediately fired at the officer-, and liberated prisoners,
and then into the boat.
When all were supposed 'co be killed, the Russians
jumped into the boat, and after throwing the bodies of
the men lying on the arms, in the bottom of the boat,
overboard, took away all the arms, magazine &c.
Brown, though dangerously wounded (having received
two shots through the riE:nt 'fore-arm, and one in the
shoulder where the bullet lodged), managed in the morn-
ing to get up and scull. tb e cutter out. He states that
when about 200 yards from the jetty, about 200 men
came running down, front the telegraph.
To Mr. Wise--I am pos'tive that the officers were
shot down at °nem, and before they fired into the boat.
To Mr. .M`K enna—The Russian prisoners were also
shot down while on the jetty.
To Messrs. M'Kenna and Wise—The boat went
straight in to the landing place. The Russians spoke
English ; ara the person who led them, from his dress
and appearance, seemed to be an officer.
Dr. Eaton was the first officer who fell, The old