The Sun.
London, England, 1855-07-07 00:00:00

COMMON PLEAS.

Sittings, at Guildhall, before the Lcrd Chief Justice
and Common Juries.)

The business in this Court, up to the time of our
going to press, was of no general interest. _ _ _

Tl'ie list, it was anticipatd, would be concluded to-day,
and the Court will therefore adjourn for the long vaca-
tion.

THE HANG° AFFAIR.

The following is a translation from the French in the
Journal de St. Petersbourg of the letter addressed by
Admiral Dundas to the Commander-in-Chief of the Rus-
sian troops at Helsingfors :
"On board her Majesty's ship Duke of Wellington,
off Seskar, June 15.

" Sir,—l take advantage of the first opportunity to com-
municate with you respecting what I have just learnt from
the commander of her Majesty's ship Cossack. He complains
to me that the officers and crew of one of the Cossack's boats,
while landing with a flag of truce with the intention of put-
ting on shore some Russian subjects, whom we did not wish
to retain prisoners, having captured them on board some
coasting vessels which the cruisers under my orders had
taken and destroyed, were cruelly put to death ou the 45th
inst. at Hango-Udde by the troops stationed there.

" The Cossack arrived there with the said intention on the
morning of the sth, and kept at a distance of from two to .
three miles from tbe landing-place. The boat was sent from
the vessel at that distance, and pulled for the shore with three
officers and 13 other persons, besides the prisoners they wished
to liberate. The flag of true was not hoisted on the prnw of
the boat until she was within a mile of the coast. From the
investigations I have made, I have every reason to beli3ve
that care was taken that the flag should be distinctly visible.
In such manner the officer in charge of the boat approached
the shore. The troops on shore made no signal nor any ob-
jection until he neared the landing place. Finding no one
there authorised to communicate with him, he thought he
might land, never ceasii,g to display the flag of true, of which
he himself was the bearer. The prisoners, who were to Le
set at liberty commenced removing their things on shore ; in
this they were assisted by some of the sailors, who landed for
the purpose, but without arms.
" I may add that all the arms of the crew were placed at
the bottom of the boat. Thus situated they were suddenly
surprised by a superior armed force, which rushed upon
them from the houses in the neighbourhood, and attacked
them indiscriminately. Our men did what they could to
explain the object of their mission, and offered no resistance,
tongue
iaunrnsgsuspaecnsr question.iiresistance
necelieeii.:s.k,,sn:ueondenwnieessrims.tseotygdosuohec,ilaihnfv
etjcth)
hboi:s..ecieutEniti nvnwaesgolbtlyali ;al
htaelte:gslt
elgVopgatnleisyaess:ioeo:cf
calling
tuahhniconecfigsßitthihlissece-
attention to the flag of truce, which he refused to recog-
nise, A fire of musketry was opened uppn the indict I've
crew of the boat, and upon the prisoners we had come to
set at liberty. Wound after wound was inflicted upon them
in the most cruel and savage manner. The firin7 continued
until all were killed, or supposed to be so. One man only,
severely wounded, and who was thought dead, succeeded in
making his escape on board the boat, when a few hours after-
wards he was picked up by the vessel. Four of the crew
were found dead in the bottom of the boat.

" Their wounds prove that they must have been fired at
more than once, which fact is confirmed by the testimony of
the survivor.

" I have only to add that the entire crew of the boat might
have been made prisoners without difficulty, and that the
murderous attack of which I complain was in no wise pro-
voked, and not at all necessary.
"In calling your attention to these facts I hope I shall
not be making a vain appeal to your honour as an officer to
give me such explanations as you may deem suitable under
the actual circumstances, and I am happy to take advantage
of this circumstance to afford you the means of defending the
character of your flag.
" It is to the parents only of the unhappy victims of this
affair that any reparation can now be made, and it would be
a certain consolation for them to know with certainty either
that all arc dead, or that, if there are survivors, there is hope
that they will recover from their wounds.

" I send you, therefore, annexed, a list of officers and
sailors supposed to have been killed, and I shall feel grateful
to you for any information you can give me respecting this
unhappy affair.

" I have the honour to remain, &c.,
" R. DIINDAS,
"Rear-Admiral, Commander-in-Chief of her Britannic
Majesty's Squadron in the Baltic,"