The Sun.
London, England, 1855-10-31 00:00:00

THE BALTIC, FLEET.

(From the Times Correspondent.)
OFF REVEL, Oct. 23.—Since my despatch dated
the 16th inst. the only circumstance connected
with passing events in the Gulf of Finland worth
recording is the receipt of information that, in
consequence of the departure for England of the
block ships and gun-boats of the allied squadrons,
the Russians, feeling confide& that no further
hostile diversion against any of their ports would
be made during the present campaign, have got
ready fig PeXllO a t 190,1104 of row gu.-boms,

for the purpose of making, during the nil ghtt
an unexpected attack on the ships at anchor efir
Nargen. To counteract these intentions of the
enemy, the senior officer, during the temporary ab-
sence of the Commander-in-Chief, felt it incumbent
on him to direct that the look-out men static)] led
at the lighthouse on Nargen island were to not ify
to him by certain signals (which it would be i m-
prudent to particularise) the approach of any- v. es-
sel having a suspicious appearance ; also that !,30 Ch
ship was to get a spring from abaft into the ha 0 w-
holes, to retain it there in readiness for bet;
affixed in cases of emergency ; to have re ilk "IY
for instant service during night time a po. --
tion of guns, the pivot ones on the upper d 4 ck.s
inclusive ; and, in the event of a surprise on the
part of the enemy, the steamers to weigh anchor
and close with the senior officer's ship to receive
orders. Hence should the Russians be bold enough
to show fight at any hour of the day or night th ey
will meet with a warm reception, and be speedily
compelled to retreat within shelter of their forts

The English division of the—fieei,;iiicliCOr, 1-
prised 104 sail, is now reditsed to one-half the it
number. Of the French squadron the only ships ii t
the Baltic are the Tourville, flag-ship, Duchesne,
and Pelican despatch steamer. The Ajax left the
Aland isles a few days since, homeward bound ; the
Edinburgh parted company yesterday at 8 a.m.,
with instructions to touch at Hango, and thence, in
company with the Blenheim, to proceed on their
voyage to England, calling at Kiel to • replenisla
their stock of coal. These will be follawe d short
by the Nile and Cressy, first, and then by I he Royal
George and Majestic. The squadron u.; Oder the
orders of Rear-Admiral Seymour is he mrly ex-
pected here from Seskar, and will grk lually be
sent home. _ _ _

The Retribution, flag-ship of Resi .-Admiral
Baynes, has returned to Ledsund, afte r a long
cruise in the Gulf of Bothnia. She visite d several
of the ports on the Swedish coast, where her pre-
sence afforded infinite delight to the I.( isidents,
whose hospitality to the officers was unbo u nded.
The proceedings in this division of the 11e. let dur-
ing the past week, although devoid of utterest,
must not be omitted in my report.
Oct. VT.—Top-gallant yards were crossed a t 8 a.m.
The hired steam transport Royal Adelaide re, %Aimed
from Seskar. Her remaining stock of pros 'isions
were transferred to the Cressy and Royal Ge orge.
The Edinburgh was ordered to complete with loal.
Oct. 18.—No signal has been made to-day, ;nor
any arrival or departure taken place.
Oct. 19.—Blowing fresh from the south-w. 9s t;
nothing stirring.
Oct. 20.—Sails loosed at 8 a.m. Steam-trans port
Jupiter arrived from Seskar, a working party I 'roil/
Cressy employed in disembarking her provisi .ons.
All condemned stores to be sent on board her • for
conveyance to England. At 1 p.m. the Fr ?noh
line-of-battle ship Duchesne came into the i :oad-
stead from Faro and the Duke of Wellington from
Elgsnabben. The weather having a threatening
aspect, and a strong breeze setting in from t the
southward, topgallantmasts were struck.
Oct. 21.—The Locust arrived from the Gulf of
Bothnia at 2.20 p.m., the Vulture from Dant2 is at
3.50 p.m., with despatches for the Conlmande r-in-
Chief, and letters for the fleet ; and the Ge iyser
from Seskar with a collier brig in tow at 4 30 p.m.
The Edinburgh was ordered to prepare for sea.
At 5.30 p.m. the Vulture weighed anchoi• to con-
vey despatches to Roaw-Admiral Seymo,nr, and
letters for the various ships under his orders
Oct. 22.—The Edinburgh, Captain He vlett,
weighed at 7 a.m. for Hango, Kiel, and then 't.e to
proceed to Spithead. The Driver's crew -‘were
exercised at the great guns, firing shot and aihell
at a target. Gorgon ordered to complete with e toe].
At midnight the Majestic, 80, Captain J. H ope,
C. 8., arrived from Seskar—Captains and C om-
manders ordered to attend a court-martial, t o be
holden on board the Royal George, on Wednes day
next, at 9 a.m.
Oct. 23.—Topgallantmasts and yards were sent
aloft. The Imperieuse, 50, Captain R. B. V V'at-
son, C. 8., arrived from Seskar at 10 a.m. The
Driver takes the mail to Dantzio at 5 p.m. All
the large ships of the fleet are to leave the Gin if o f
Finland for England the first week in Novemti er.
DANTZIC, Oct. 28.—The Driver left Nargen last
Tuesday afternoon, and arrived here at 11 o'clock last
night. Captain Gardner reports that during the
last five days a perfect hurricane has been rag. ing
in the Baltic, and with such violence, that .for
two whole days his vessel only made an aTera ge
rate of about one mile in an hour. Their weekly
trips to Dantzic, although very pleasant in sum-
mer, and acting as an excellent preservative
against ennui (a malady rather prevalent in Cho
fleet), are still at this time of this year often a very
disagreeable, and sometimes event dangerous, occti-
pation. It is, however, not improbable that with.
next week the conveyance of mails between here
and the fleet will cease, at least fo r this season, the
Admirals' despatches being in future sent to Kiel.
In my letter last week I venturod to express an
opinion to the effect that it would' be next to im-
possible for the fleet to maintain ii‘s present posi.
tion in the Gulf of Finland for mo.re than a fort-
night, or, at the most, three weeks longer. Ten
days of the given time have already elapsed, and
the probability of the correctness of my opinion has
already been considerably strengthened, if riot, in a
great measure, corroborated by letters received
this morning, wherein it is stated that .a part of
the fleet (most probably the large line-of-battle
ships) are expected to leave Nargen for Kiel about
the end of the present week. The division under
the command of Rear-Admiral Sir Michael Sey-
mour, K.C.8., hitherto stationed at Seskar, joined
the flag of the Commander-in-Chief at Nargen on
the 24th instant, so that, with the exception of
Admiral Baynes's squadron (which still remains at
Aland Islands), and the few vessels absent on de-
tacbed service, the whole of the fleet is now as-
sembled at Nargen.