The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-19 00:00:00

B aissian Preparations for War.

Duriv the last three months much has been
done no,„ only in strengthening Cronstadt, but also
in forii tying the entrances to the Neva, in building
glint cats, batteries, &c.
C ronstadt is being strengthened under the super-
intendence of Gen. Todleben and Gen. Zareva, by
pl acing the old forts in a better state of defence, and
a,t many points covering up the masonry by earth-
works. On the main island of Cronstadt, seaward,
large earthworks are being thrown up, some of
which rare nearly finished. From the sea they will
be scavcely visible, and they not only enfilade the
channcil, but some of them, being connected by paral-
lels one with another, will be able to hold guns to
take in reverse any ships which may run the gaunt-
let of their fire and that of the forts. Some of

th ese earthworks, more exposed than others, are to
b e covered with 72-inch plates, placed on an angle
4of 45 deg., and curved over the top, so as to form a
cover from vertical fire, and at the same time obviate
the necessity of having bolts or any other fasten-
.

lugs to retain the plates in position. The embra-
sures Will be closed immediately the gun is fired by
a slide. of 11-inch iron, or by a drop door. The guns
to be placed in these iron clad and other earthworks
are to be 9-inch rifled cast steel, carrying a 3001 b
rifled shot, or a 2501 b shell, 22 inches long. For
thi3 protection of the granite forts, enormous sup-
plies of earth and fascines are placed at different
points, all carried thence from St. Petersburg at
enormous labour and expense. To provide further
against the possibility of a fleet passing up to the back
of Cronstadt by the south channel, about 300 lighters,
laden with stones, have been sunk, so that now in
no part is there more than four feet of wat.er.
The authorities have supposed a possibility of
Same hostile fleet passing the outer forts and earth-
works. They are therefore preparing to lay 300 in-
fernal machines in the channel, each of which will
contain 701 b. of powder, and explode by a slight
touch from a vessel passing over. Yet, still further,
the enemy, we shall suppose, has passed Cronstadt,
and arrived some ten miles up to the head of the
bay, and wishes to pass the bar and enter the Neva.
Here, on either hand, are fresh earthworks thrown
up ; they will not be completed for some weeks yet,
but will be capable of mounting, is all, about 90
guns of the largest calibre, and enfilade the en-
trance to the river at a point where it is about
S,oooft. wide. A supply of infernal machines is also
to be kept ready to sink in the narrow channel of
the bar.
Another means of defence is also in course of pre-
paration—a submarine boat of colossal dimensions,
in the construction of which about 200 tons of iron
and steel are to be used. It is rapidly progressing
towards completion. Great secrecy is being used
about this, boat. We can, however, say that it is to
have e n
_
*tin worked by compressed air, to have a
very fitrong beak, with provision for attaching large
cylinders charged with powder to the bottoms of
vesoels, to be fired by electricity. The parties na-
virsating the vessel will see what they are doing by
Means of bulls'-eyes, and they will be able to regu-
late the depth at which they swim, generally keep-
ing quite close to the surface. The Emperor has
not only approved the plans, but some months since
signed the decree appropriating about £27,000—
say, 175,000 silver roubles—for this monster.
By the Ist of Jane,lB64, the Marine Department
confidently expects to have at Cronstadt sixteen
iron-clad vessels, and they consider this a very poor
-fleet for such a Power as Russia. There will be
four vessels of larger size, all in many respects alike,
including the Pevenetz, lately arrived from Eng-
land, Paid which is now receiving her armament and
being finished off at Cronstadt. The second is build-
ing in St. Petersburg, under contract, by Messrs.
Mi'cchell, of Newcastle. All her armour plates are on
the spot, from Messrs. John Brown and Co.'s works,
and she should be ready at the time namekand is to be
called " Me Tron Menye (Touch me not). The third
is building in St. Petersburg by Messrs. Semenikoff
and Politika, and progresses fast towards completion.
Her armour plates are also supplied by Messrs. John
Brown and Co. The third is building by the Marine
Department in the new Admiralty-yard, and her
armour plates are also from the same firm. The
general dimensions of these vessels are as follows:
—Length over all, about 240 ft ; breadth, 53ft ;
depth, 27ft ; builder's measurement, 2,800 tons ;
the armament is not exactly settled, but will be rifled
guns of 'tteavy calibre. The remaining 12 vessels
are all Monitors, but only one will have solid
armors plates, supplied by Messrs. Beale, and
buil'aing by Messrs. Mitchell. She is from Captain
Coies's design, and very nearly a facsimile of the
De.nish vessel Rolf Brake. Her length is 175 ft be-
tween perpendiculars; breadth, 38ft ; depth, 14ft ;
tonnage (b.m.), 1,250. The remaining 11 vessels
are building by Messrs. Carr and Macpherson, two ;
Semenikoff and Co., two ; Kondraftzott, two ; and
the Government, five. They are to be clad with
:four and five one-inch plates, rolled in long lengths,
following the American plan. The towers are to
be of 11 one-inch plates bolted together, although a
question has just arisen whether it would not be
advisable to tap them through and through, and by
that means strengthen them. The covering of
these vessels with one-inch plates results partly from
The haste with which the resolution to build was
taken, and partly from the want of machinery in
asuaa
IA to roll heavier plates. This want they
are
eevri.._about to meet by erecting at their
'works a large armour plate, mill, the
151ftellit'eq for. which has been sent from England,
but virniett
largest .:11 not be sufficient for rolling the very
second
rolling It is, however, proposed to build a
ment, but wige-raill, not, however, by the Govern-
a certain amounta guarantee from the authorities of
senheat_ work. The building of this is,
however,
The old gunboats built
have all been thor during the Crimean war
Otighi„,
surveyed, and a contract
has been made to put them
provided with new bei.n order. Fourteen are
being
re, and all are to have
steam up and be in thorough'
Working condition on
the Ist of June, under iletty3r
Penalties Man of
the gun and mortar boats built t
en y
completely used up, and the builde o are
raa in Russia
Yers
ag
seem to have e.
emulated their English
,&c lah brethren in
the use of green .
Enormous exertions are being used to •
—of guns, with suitable obtain the
requisite quantity
earthworks, and eh, ammuni-
tion, for all the forts, 118. "d it
d that the R
founossi
will perhaps be s
England in guns have
really got ahead 0,, "a shot
•
The largo rifled cast-steel guns Which they
are
obtaining from Krupp, and which they ;11
W-•• shortly
,
commence making themselves in St. Petersburg
are good, and the smaller sized cast-steel guns,
which are being produced rapidly in the Ural, and
also in Pootieloff's works in St. Petersburg,
on
Aboukoff's system, are found to be a great step in
advance. They are not, perhaps, all that could be
wk,
desired, yet they sustain a large amount of
troy
and their defects seem to arise from w
hammer power, which want will be shortly Sup-
•
plied. Guns are now being produced in about a
dozen factories, working night and day, and in a
few weeks another Elswick will commence. Its
production will be solid cast-steel guns, from
th 3 six-pounder to the eleven-inch gun, which
latter is to fire a 500 lb. shell. To provide the
necessary shot and shell for these guns all the
foundries around St. Petersburg have orders vary.
ing from 15,000 to 50,000 each. All the shot and
shell from 12-pounders upwards are for rifled guns.
The shot are from 2 to 21> diameter, are round-
nosed,
and are provided with soft metal bearings to
fit the grooves of the The •
guns. production of steel
shell of the same description is also increasing fast,
and great exertions are being made to deliver large
stipples. Round hammered steel shot are also
being prepared to suit the naval 60-pounder gun.
One firm alone has in hand 30,000 of these.
The land artillery forces are also adopting the
steel guns for their service, and find them well
adapted by their
lightness.
A
gun of the same
calibre is about on. 0-third lighter than a brass gun ;
nevertheless, fearing that the
supply of steel guns
for this branch of the service may not be adequate
quantity a large of brass guns are ordered, and are'
to be ready for service early in January.
a. Lare supplies of saltpetre have been purchased
during the summer, and the powder works have
been extended, and are working night and day to
have a full supply.
Should the anticipation of the authorities prove