The Sun.
London, England, 1854-09-13 00:00:00

THE BLACK SEA.

The Press of Vienna says :—" A letter from
Odessa asserts that at Sebastopol the intention is
to resist vigorously. Forts are being built to pro-
tect the coasts at a distance of four leagues from
Sebastopol. A mass of fireships are being prepared
to be sent against the vessels of the enemy. In
addition to the usual garrison at Sebastopol, there
are 60,000 men in camp established near the town,
and reinforcements are constantly arriving. The
Russian fleet is armed, and it appears that it will
not remain inactive during the operations. The
best pilots aro distributed amongst the vessels.
Prince Menschikoff directs in person the measures
of defence."
The Constitutionnel says :—" We have stated
that Prince Napoleon left Constantinople on the
27th ult. for Varna. He has resumed his com-
mand, without, however, being cured of his fever.
Having been informed by a despatch of the marshal
that the divisions which are to take part in the ex-
pedition had received orders to leave Varna on the
20th, for Baltchiky in order to embark his High-
ness the same evening for the Black Sea."

THE BALTIC FLEET.

There is a long article iu the Constitutiov,ne
on the return of the Baltic, fleets. The writer
enumerates the difficulties with which they had to
contend, and which sufficiently account for the re-
stricted nature of the operations against the enemy,
but which, having been surmounted, there is no
longer anything to prevent, in the next spring, ,
the complete realisation of all that can be desired
by the most sanguine and the most bold. We
extract the following :
"-The Baltic squadron will probably soon return to
France. In concluding -its first campaign, it is entitled,
to a tribute of eulogium and gratitude for the services it
has rendered, and for the manner in which it has carried
our flag. Improvised as it were—thanks to the great
intelligence of the Minister of Marine, and the marked
activity of the administration—it appeared from the
first worthy to figure in the same ranks as the magnfi-
cent fleet of our ally. Its chief, M. Parseval Deschenes,
immediately acquired the high esteem of our neigh-
bours, and the respect and affection of the sailors of
his squadron, by the elevation of his character, the
firmness of his mind, and the calm courage, which
is the first military quality of a sailor. The crews,
partly formed of young sailors, who had seen no service,
rapidly profited by the instructions and experience of
the staff. From the beginning they tried to rival the
English sailors. The task of the two fleets was not an
easy one. They had to navigate in a narrow sea, full
of dangers, which had been generally kept close by
Muscovite ambition, and which consequently was very
little known. How many accidents we should have
had to enregister with less excellent vessels, a chief less
able, and crews less instructed, or'less docile ! But
we have not been pained by any wreck ; some ves-
sels which ran aground were immediately got off.
None of our vessels has suffered serious injury.
The' accidents which occurred were easily re•
paired, and served to cement the union of the
two fleets—which hastened, when necessary, to each
other's assistance. During the siege of Bomarsund a
French boat employed in getting afloat the English
frigate the Penelope had one of its men carried away
by a cannon ball. On the whole our vessels were taken
along coasts studded with concealed rocks, and through
labyrinths of dangers, with sang froid, skill, and suc-
cess which cannot be too much admired. By the fireside
a great many persons express surprise at the delay of
the fleets in attacking CrOnstadt and Sweaborg. It is
true they have not accomplished that exploit, and excel-
lent reasons for not doing it will occur to any one who
will take the trouble to reflect on the force of citadels,
patiently raised during many years with the view of re-
sisting an attack by sea. Vessels are very powerful ma-
chines of war ; but to act done against land works they
require certain conditions—a suficient depth of water, and
a sufficient space in which to act together. Before
opposing our wooden walls to the granite works of
Sweaborg and Oronstadt, it was necessary to approach
these fortresses, to reconnoitre them, and to appreciate
what instruments of war, what sort of naval or land
forces were required to reduce them. This reconnais-
sance has been made, because the allied fleets have
driven the Russian fleets before them—which fleets,
though even in number and in guns, have disgracefully
retired behind the fortifications, whilst our flags ap-
peared before them, and defied them even in their
refuge. At present the reconnaissances have been made,
the plans drawn up, and if the Czar persists in his
foolish resistance, the next campaign, without any
doubt,. will be marked by the fall of these proud
citadels."

THE DESTRUCTION OF HANGO-UDD

A letter from Hamburg of the Bth, in the In-
dgpendance of Brussels, says :—" Contrary to what
has been announced, the Swedish journals of the
sth declare that the fortified works of Gustafsvern,
near Hango-Udd, have not been destroyed by the
Russians themselves, but by the artillery of the
English vessels, which had directed an attack
against that little place at the entrance of the
Gulf of Finland, the castle of which, fortified in
1788, has been enlarged in its outer works since
the taking of that country by the Russians in
1809. I leave to the Swedish journals the respon-
sibility of their assertion."