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

LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 8, 1855.

OFFICIAL DESPATCH FROM REAR
ADMIRAL DVNDAS.

(From the London Gazette of Last Night.)
ADMIRALTY; AUG. G.
A despatch, of which the enclosed is a copy, has this
day been received from Rear-Admiral the" Hon. It. S.
Durdas, C.F., the Commander-in-Chief of her Majesty's
ships and vessels in the Baltic.
Duke of Wellington, at Nargeu, July 30.
Sir,—l beg you will be pleased to acquaint the Lords
Commissioners of the Admiralty. that having received, on
the 24th instant, from Captain Yelverton, of her Majesty's
ship Arrogant, information which appeared to render it
desirable that he should again examine the south-western
shores of the island of Kotka, I took immediate measures
to strengthen the squadron under his ordertrby the addi-
tion of four gunboats; to be detached from off Cronstadt
by Rear-Admiral Baynes, together with the further addi-
tion of four mortar-vessels from hence, which he hoped to
be able to employ. •
I have much satisfaction in transmitting for their lord-
ships' information the enclosed report of proceedings of
Captain Yelverton, who, with the squadron under his or-
ders, has again succeeded in completing the destruction
of buildings and military to
sres to a considerable extent
on the island of Kotka ; beg once more to express
an d I
my entire approbation of the manner in which he h,s.exe-
cuted-the service entrusted to him, and of the conduct of
the officers and men employed on the occasion.
I am happy in having this opportunity to recommend to
the favourable notice of their Lordships the conduct of
dir. George Giles, Master of ,the Arrogant, and Mr. 'Mac-
farlane, the Master of the Magicienne, who have now been
constantly employed in those ships on the various services
which I have recently had occasion to report.—l have, &c.,
(Signed) R. S. DIINDAS,
Rear-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief.
The Secretary of the Admiralty.

Enclosure in Admiral Dundee's Letter.
H.M.S. Arrogant, off the Mouth of the
Kyinene, July 28.
Sir,—l have the honour to inform you that very early
on We 26th I was joined, off the Island of Hogland, by the
Cossack and Magicienne' bringing with them the mortar
vessels Prompt, Pickle, Rocket, and Blazer. I stood im-
mediately to the northward, leaving the Ruby to bring on
the gun-boats, which were not then in sight. They joined
at noon, and at two p.m. we all anchored off Fort Rotsen-
sholm.
As the safety of our expedition rested chiefly on our in-
vestinc, and holding the entire possession of the fortified
Island of Kotka I determined upon taking it at once. Ac-
cordingly I anchored the mortar vessels out of range, and
leayi ag two gun-boats to look after them, I proceeded with
the rest of the vessels to the westward of Kotka, for the
purpose of destroying the bridge, so as to cut off the retreat
of the garrison, and prevent their receiving reinforcements
from the mainland. Captain Vansittart of the Mae-ici-
enne, with his accustomed zeal and activity, threaded his
way at once through the shoals and destroyed the bridge. A s
soon as all the vessels had anchored, so as to command the
great military road leading from the fort of Hogfors Holm,
and also the channel dividing the island from the main, I
landed all the Marines under command of Captain S. N.
Lowder, R.M. with Lieut. Geo. D. Dowell, R.M.A. and
Lieutenants H. C. Mudge and P. R. Holmes, It. M., who
took possession without being opposed, as the garrison (no
doubt apprised of our coming by the telegraphs along the
coast) had very recently evacuated, leaving behind them a
large amount of military stores, which have since been
burnt.
I beg to enclose a list of all the crown property destroyed
by Captain Lo .vder, including barracks, magazines, ord-
nance stores, storehouses, stable, Guard-houses, and other
Government buildings with an immense amount of tim-
ber intended for building and other military purposes.
The following morning I weighed, leaving Captain Fan-
shawe with the Cossack in charge of this most important
point, which required the utmost care and attention, as
the enemy on several occasiens threw out reconnoitring
parties, as if inclined to attempt the recovery of the island.
I feel it due to Mr. George Giles, Master of this ship,
and Mr. Geo. A. Macfarlane, Master of the Magicienne, to
mention the zeal and attention with which they have
sounded and buoyed, night and day, the intricate channels
of this coast, enabling me (without the assistance of pilots)
to get into many places where our presence was least ex-
pected—l have, &c.,
(Signed) H. R. YELVERTON, Captain.
P.S.—Owing to a change of wind to the eastward, I
regret to say that the village unfortunately caught fire
from some Government buildings, and I fear much injury
was done to it.
It is, however, a source of congratulation to be able tv
add that the fine church on the island sustained no damage
whatever, owing to the precautions that were immediately
taken to save it.

H. R. YELVERTON, Captain.
Rear Admiral the Hon. R. S. Dundas, C. 8.,
.Commander.in•Chief.

RETURN OF BUILDINGS AND OTHER GOVERN
MENT PROPERTY DESTROYED ON THE. IS
LAND OF KOTKA, 26TH JULY, 1855.
Barracks. (4 in number.)
1. Cavalry barracks, with stabling for 160 horses, bomb.
proof magazine, and range of stone casemate(' stores, con.
taining a large quantity of sponge, rammers, hand carts
spikes, Szc.
2. Infantry barracks for 300 men, detached range of
officers' quarters, stables, cooking houses, and clothing
stores.
3. Infantry barracks for 200 men. Officers' quarters and
other buildings in an unfinished state.
4. Cavalry barracks and stabling for 50 horses.
Magazines. (4 in number.)
1. A large brick caiemated magazine in two storeys,
roofed with sheet-iron' and surrounded with a high wall ;
fitted to contain 3,503 barrels.
2. Brick casemate, fitted to contain 1,100 barrels, a
small laboratory close to it.
3 and 4. Stone casemates, roofed with iron, fitted to
contain 1,200 barrels each.
Guard Houses, Detached Buildings. (4 in number.)
1. At the bridge head.
2. At the telegraph station,
3. Iu front of the Governor's House.
4. Adjoining cavalry barracks.
Stores detached. (4 in number )
1. Large stone casemate, used for keeping oil, tar, &c.,
and containing a quantity of casks.
2. Large stone building full of miscellaneous military
stores.
3. Wooden store, with stone casemate attached, con-
taining sleighs, water-carts, and buckets for extinguishing
fire ; lanterns, tent poles, and pickets, stoves and iron
tubing.
4. Large forage barn, store, with iron roof, enclosing
three sides of an area of 150 feet, containing sleighs,
brooms, and other stable stores.
Other Buildings. (6 in number.)
I. Commandant's or governor's residence, with offices
and out-buildings.
2. Block of bcildings used as field-officers' quarters,
stabling and offices.
3. Telegraph station, look-out house, and flag-staff.
4 and 5. Solid brick buildings (without fittings) in-
tended to be used as block houses, or quarters for artille-
rymen, or troops stationed at the round battery on the
south point.
6. Extensive brick manufactory, with sheds and imple-
ments. _

Miscellaneous.
Some workshops, a quantity of squared timber and
stacks of staves prepared for manufacturing handspikes,
tent poles, sponge staves, and several thousani loads of
cut firewood.

H. R. YELVEItTON, Captain.

THE LONDON GAZETTE OF LAST NIGHT.

WAR-OFFICE, AUG. 6.
STAFF. •
General Sir Hew Dalrymple Ross, G.C.8., to bo Adju-
tant-General of the Royal Artillery. - •
Erratum in Gazette of Aug. 3.—For 77th Foot—Richard
Butler Clarke, Gent., to be Ensign, without purchase, vice
Willoughby, appointed to the 60th Foot—Read 77th
Foot—Richard Butler Clarke, Gent., to be Ensign, with-
out purchase.

ADMIRALTY AUG. 2.
Corps of Royal Marines.—First-Lieutenant William
Sandon Davis to be Captain, vice Julius Roberts, resigned;
Second Lieutenant Charles Stares to be First-Lieutenant,
vice Davis,promoted; Second Lieutenant John Chester-
ton Crawford to be First Lieutenant, vice Dowse, tie-
ceased ; Second Lieutenant John Charles Ready Colomb
to be First Lieutenant, vice Witham, deceased.
COMMISSIONS SIGNED BY LORD LIEUTENANTS.
County of York.—Francis Watt, Esq., to be Deputy-
Lieutenant.
Ist Regiment of Royal Cheshire Militia.—Lientenant
Francis Elcocke Massey to be Captain, vice Woodhouse,
resigned; Ensign Edward Harrison to be Lieutenant, vice
promoted.
2d Regiment of Royal Cheshire Militia.—Lieutenant
William Esdaile Goring Thomas to be Captain ; Ensign
Arthur Lloyd Reade to be Lieutenant, vice Thomas,
promoted.
Northamptonshire Militia—Lieutenant Drury Wake to
be Captain, vice Hill, promoted.
Worcestershire Regiment of Militia—Harry Waller,
Gent., to be Ensign
Oxfordshire Regiment of•Militia—Richard Barnes Aus-
tin, Gent., to be Ensign.
b'th or Royal Elthorne Light Infantry Regiment of
Middlesex Militia—William Delany Finch, Gent., to be
Ensign, vice Campbell, appointed to the 92d Highlanders ;
Lieutenant Frederick William Woodall to be Captain,
vice Freeman, promoted ; Robert Hensley, Gent., to be
Ensign, vice Mortimer, promoted.
or Royal Westminster Light Infantry Regiment of
Middlesex Militia—Ensign Francis Nicholls to be Lieu-
tenant, vice Dundee, appointed Paymaster.
Queen's Own Light Infantry Regiment of Tower Ham-
lets Militia—Major Lothian Sheffield Dickson to be Lieut.-
Colonel, vice North, who retires, retaining his rank ;
Samuel Walker, Esq., late a Major in her Majesty's 65th
Regiment, to be Major, vice Dickson, promoted.
Fifeshire Militia Artillery—George James Williams,
Gent., to be Second Lieutenant.
Queen's Own Regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry—Charles
Tindal Griffis, Esq., late Captain, 14th Light Dragoons,
to be Adjutant, vice Firth deceased.

Osborne !louse, Ring-street, liammermitb, August 14,
at two, and September 23, at twelve, at the Court of
Bankruptcy. Pennell; official assignee, Guildhall cham-
bers ; Lumley and Lumley, Ludgate-street.
Thomas Hutchins, butcher, Hungerford. Berkshire,
Aug. 15 and Sept. 14, at two, at the Court, of Bankruptcy.
Whitmore, official assignee, Basinghall-street ; Bishop anti
Son, Blackfriars.
William Ogler, cab proprietor and carrier, Finsbury-
square, Aug. 15, at half-past twelve, and Sept. 15, at two,
at the Court of Bankrpptcy. Whitmore, official assignee,
Basingball-street ; Joites, Chancery-lane.
Thomas Freer, wine and spirit merchant, Leicester,
Aug. 21 and Sept. 11, at ten, at the Birmingham District
Court. Harris, official assignee, Nottingham ; Hawker,
Leicester.

James Barney, warehouseman, Addle-street, City, Aug,
24, at half-past eleven, -and Sept. 22, at eleven, at the
Court of Bankruptcy. Carman, official assignee, Alder-
man bury ; Reed, Iron m ongd-lane.
Thomas Gardiner, licensed victualler, Paul-street, Fins-
bury, Aug. 17, at two, and Sept. 15, at half-post one, at
the Court of Bankruptcy. Carman, official assignee, Al-
clerma,nbury ; Wright and Bonner, London-street.
James Potts, brickmaker, Monks Coppenhall, Cheshire,
Aug. 20, at twelve, and Sept. 14, at eleven, at the Liver-
pool District Court. Cazenove, official assignee, Liver-
pool ; Broughton, Speakman, and Vyner, Cheshire.
Solomon Clegg and' James Fox, woollen manufacturers,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Aug. 17, at eleven, and Oct. 2, at
twelve, at the Newcastle-upon-Tyne District Court.
Baker, official assignee, Newcastle-upon-Tyne ; Watson,
Newcastle-upon• Tyne; Shield and Harwood, Lombard-
street.
James Gutteridge, horse dealer, Elizabeth-street, Eaton-
square, Aug. 14,'and Sept. 28, at one, at the Court of
Bankruptcy. Pennell, official assignee, Basinghall-
street ; Lofty, Potter, and Son, Cheapside.

SPILIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

(From the Times of this day.)
Why. should Lord John Russell make such a speech
as that we report to-day ? What good ends, private
or public, does he propose to himself by thus intruding
on the last days of the Parliamentary session, and occu-
pying moments already numbered wily too Closely with
vapid retrospects'and .-qually unsatisfactory prophecies!
It is very natural that Lord John Russell should feel

discontented with his presentpoZion7removed, as ho is,
from office, without the right to go into opposition ; hut
surely he would do wisely to consider whether, bad as

!xis 'position is, an exhibition such as that which he volun-

teered yesterday be calculated in any respect to make it
better. When a man of Lord John Russell's position
interrupts the proceedings of Parliament in order to ex-

press his opinions the 43 ,untry has a right to expect some-
thing more than commonphces and truisms—something
better than a spirit of small cavilling and a paltry and
irrelevant criticism. Let any one read this speech fairly,
and we think 'he will see that it consists of a series of

propositions so little removed above the ordinary stand-
ard of the dullest apprehension that no one would think

of announcing them in any other society than the House
of Commons, where all platitudes may be said and must
be endured. Let those who imagine that men must be

great because they have filled great office, and see further
into affairs than other men because they have been more

frequently intrusted with them, read attentively the
speech of fiord John Russell, and then for ever resign this
popular delusion. Lord Jolla Russell comes forth aq
the advocate of peace, but in a rith4 -slia.bby and
'oblique manner ; confident tone of other days is
gore, and be is 'educed to hints and innuendoes, to sug-
gesting difficulties and prompting expedients—difficul-
ties which he will not overcome, expedients which he

dares not heartily recommend. -
Lord John begins with the novel and ingenious re-
.

mark that lie does not wish to increase or dlminish're-

sponsibility, but that no Government had ever a heavier

burden than the_ jiresent. The war costs 49,000,6001.
a fact which he learns froth Itcnry Willoughby—
and this leads him to an anticipation of the most serious
results. Ministers will have many things to consider—
war in general, the plans for the next campaign, and

peace. -The navy is very brave, but has done.maing in
the Baltic. The Black Sea fleet is very brave, but has
done little in the Black, Sea. The:Foreign -Enlistment
Act has failed, and so we are unable to do anything of
importance in Asia. Ministers must consider these
things during the next six months. He is sorry that
further papers with regard to his mission to Vienna
have not been printed. The Turkish Ambassador is a
very clever fellow, and the Turkish Ambassador is

in 'favour of peace. If we carry on the war our
position will be changed, and we must make up
our minds to pay Turkey handsomely. War ought
not _to be carried on for the sake of the military

reputation of France and England. The Emperor
of the French has been a faithful ally, and his
opinions ought to be considered. Lord John Russell
hopes that Ministers will not make a peace of which
they do not thoroughly approve ; but when terms are
offered them of which they do approve he actually goes
so far as to hope they will accept them. The King of
Sardinia has behaved very well ; but Italy wants a good
deal of alteration. The Pope's dominions are vary ill

governed ; law is ill administered, and people get robbed
on the roads. Naples punishes political p 6 oners.
Tuscany persecutes Protestants. The Pope has no in-
dependence at all, and must depend on France or Au,-
tria ; therefore it would be a good plan to withdraw the
army, without which he cannot exist, and so place him.
in that independent situation which mast be, according
to Lord John, his immediate destruction. Such was
the speech of Lord John Russell. After such an exhibi-
tion of statesmanship, really the speech of honest Mr.
Wilkinson, who, if not an orator, is at 'any rate a clear-
.

headed, strLightforward man, is absolutely refreshing.
Amid all this waste of words we can find but one

idea which is even worth consideration—that is, that we
ought to make peace because that intelligent person the
Turkish Ambassador at Vienna is no longer in favour
of war. This remark is curious, as showing by what
narrow views and inadequate considerations one of the
principal promoters of the war in which we are engaged
was actuated. Lord Palmerston denies that such is the
opinion of the Turkish Government ; but, even if this were
true, we certainly were not prepared to hear Lord John
Russell, or any one else, assert that the policy of Eng-
land and France is to be swayed by the resolutions that
may be come to by the semi-barbarous Court of Con-
stantinople. We make war to preserve Turkey, because
she is the first point to be attacked by Russia in her
scheme of universal aggrandisement ; but we do not
consider this corrupt and feeble Government a fit judge
of the great question whether enough has been done to
turn Russia aside from the pursuit of universal power,

and to convince her that there exist in Europe sufficient
strength and unanimity to drive her back. We did not
draw the sword to sheathe it at the will of Turkey, but
only when our ally and ourselves shall be satisfied that
enough has been done to preserve Turkey, and those
States which could not long hope to survive her subju-
gation.
Lord John Russell's observations on Italy are in
themselves of the very essence of commonplace, but they
raise a question in which his reputation as a statesman
is somewhat involved—that is, whether the present time
is suitable for Parliament to consider, and Government
to carry out, a change in the internal condition of that
unhappy country, which we have been content to leave
to itself ever since the convulsion of 1848. There are two
Powers that claim influence in Italy,—France our good
ally, and Austria, not yet our declared enemy. If we have
been able for the last five years to leave Italy in the
hands which possess it, is it not rather a strange time
now to break through the principle of non-inter-
vention, when the attention and forces both of England
and France are absorbed in a remote and difficult war,
and when any attempt at change cannot but prejudice
that Power whose interests are most closely identified
with our own ? The troupe of Austria in Italy are
now more than 50 times as numerous as those of France,
because Austria has stood aloof from the war in which
Franca has 113 honourably and heartily engaged. To
provoke discussion and invite change at such a moment
would be to injure, as tar as possible, a firm ally in
order to benefit in the same degree a doubtful friend—
to punish France for sending her troops to the Crimea
and reward Austria for removing hers from Galicia.
Lord John Russell seems to forget that when a nation is
at war all its foreign policy must be subordinated to the
successful prosecution of that war, and that such policy
must be pronounced good or bad, not according to its
abstract merits, but as it influences the result of the con-
test. When Lord John Russell professed to be in earnest
in the war ho wished to diversify his details by putting
the whole country into a ferment by a new Reform
and now, with an equally just appreciation of circum-
stances, he seeks, on the eve, as Le believes, of coming
disaster, to involve us in the troubled vortex of Italian
politics. These surely are not the counsels by. which the
destiny of a great nation should be swayed, or even the
time of a weary Legislature be taken up, and we can
only regard them as additional proofs of that singular
and apparently, growing incapacity for public affairs
which has made the career of Lord John Russell during
the last five years one unbroken series of blunders and
disasters.

( Front the Daily News of this clay.)
On Monday Lord John Ruessell announced that he
would next day " make some observations in reference to
the present state of Italy, and the occupation of the
Papal States by foreign troops." Yesterday Lord John
kept his word by expatiating at great length on the
Vienna Conferences, the war in Asia, the war iu the
Baltic, the war in the Crimea. Italy was almost for-
gotten ; but luckily it occured to Lord John, just before
sitting down, that to omit entirely the subject he had
undertaken to lecture upon might look rather absurd,
and, in consequence, a few words about Italy were
added by way of postscript to his magma et verbosa
epistola.
Lord John's remarks were listened to with that
chilling listlessness with which everything that fails
from that ghost of a suicide statesman is now received.
Lord Palmerston, out of sheer politeness for an ex-col-
league, endeavoured to say a few words which might
have the appearance of admitting there was something
worthy of attention in what Lord John had said. Mr.
Wilkinson condescended to protest against the doctrines
of the hon. member f.r London. And here the matter
would have rested, but that Mr. Henley, unkindly,
though truly, blurted out that "he could not see why
or wherefore this discussion was brought forward at
the present time." The whole house nodded assent to
Mr. Henley, and the business of the day proceeded with-
out any further notice being taken of Lord John or his
speech.
It is impossible to read Lord John's oration without
chzritably wishing that some kind friend or relative
would turn the key upon him, in order that our Pollonius
may "play the fool nowhere but in his own house."
lie dwelt with emphasis on the slow progress the Allies
are making in the Crimea, on the no-results from the
presence of our magnificent fleet in the Baltic, and on
the disgraceful check which the Allied arms have expe-
rienced in Asia. But instead of pointing out that this
state of affairs is owing to no inherent strength of Russia,
but to the dilatory and planless manner in which the
war is waged by the Allies, Lnrd John inferred from it
that Russia is an overmatch for France and England,
with Turkey and Sardinia to boot. He complacently
assumed—as if it were the most agreeable intelligence in
the world—that the strength and resources of France
and England are exhausted, while those of Russia are
only, for the first time, being brought into full play. He
counted up our war expenditure for the year, insinuated
that it was greater than any year's expenditure of the
Peninsular war, and followed this up by an exaggerated
statement of the troops which the Czar is marching
southward to reinforce his armies in the Crimea. On
the strength of these assumptions, Lord John urged
upon Ministers the necessity of concluding peace
las
soon as they can, and upon any terms. With singular
inconsistency Lord John, after his long and
attempt to persuade the House of Commons_
ctiattely con-
is no safety for England except in imm ht labouredthere
eluding peace on any terms, fired.Ainlsrohne:l
and
e
was accused of doing so by Afr• vv"
h he was in favour of accept-
protested that thoug
ing Count Buol's propoqals ben be returned from