The Sun.
London, England, 1854-11-21 00:00:00

THE BALTIC FLEET.

KIEL, HOLSTEIN, Nov. 15.—At this port the
winter season has set in at a period unusually early.
According to the statements of the residents, 25
years have elapsed since such severe weatherhas
occurred during the month of November. At the
head of the bay a considerable portion of ice has
formed. Should the wind continue in the north-
ward, the greater portion of the harbour will be
frozen over in a few days.
In the country districts the roads are covered
with snow ; every pool of water has been frozen to
such a thickness as to admit of skating with perfect
safety. During the past night it froze very hard
—the thermometer at 6 a.m. to-day was 21 deg.
of Fahrenheit in the open air ; even at noon, with
a light air from the southward, it only indicated 28
deg. The harbour to a great extent was covered
with ice, large masses of which drifted outside. If
the frost continues, the fleet must leave the inner
harbour very shortly.
At Copenhagen the intensity of the frost has
been much greater, and sleighs have been used to.
traverse the streets. According to present arrange-
ments, the 21st inst. is fixed- as the departure of
the fleet on their homeward voyage.
The Driver was at Copenhagen by the last ad-
vices. The Vulture is hourly looked for from the
cruising squadron in the Gulf of Finland.
Nov. 17, 10 a.m.—During the night of the 15th
inst., the date of my previous despatch, the ice in
the harbour decreased considerably. The wind
shifted to E.S.E., and the thermometer at 7 a.rn.
yesterday indicated a temperature of 2 degrees
above the freezing point. The western shore of
the bay was nevertheless a mass of ice, and no ap-
pearances Of a thaw have yet taken place—an event
which is highly satisfactory to the merchants and
tradesmen, who are anxious for the fleet to remain
many weeks longer, and who would be delighted
at their being frozen in for the winter.
Information of the formation of the ice in the
.harbour has been forwarded through the medium
of the electric telegraph to the Board of Admi-
ralty. The Commander-in-Chief expects to receive
orders by to-day's post for the fleet to depart for
England. The arrival of the mails has been delayed
much beyond the usual period, owing to the state
of tho weather. We ha,:ve been, therefore, without
letters from England for the last three days.
It is rumoured that the squadron of steam-
frigates under the orders of Captain Watson will
take up their winter guar ters in Kiel Bay ; but I
am not disposed to place iriuch reliance on the re-
port.

Some of the ships yeV,,erday bent sails, merely

for the purpose of exercising the crews. To-day,
in accordance with the regular routine, they went
to general quarters by signal.
The Rosamond paddle steam-sloop, Commander
G. Wod eh o use, came into harbour yesterday fore-
noon, with 150 head of live cattle for the fleet, pro-
cured at Elsinore.

The Amphion, 34, screw steam-frigate, Captain
A. C. Key, is still cruising off Memel, where,
during the past 10 days, she has encountered
boisterous weather.

The Vulture, Captain F. H. Glasse, expected
from the Gulf of Finland for the last two days, has
not yet arrived.

2 30 r.m.—A strong breeze has sprung up which
has dispersed the ice to a considerable extent. The
thermometer has risen to 40 deg. Fahrenheit.
The fleet at anchor in Kiel harbour is composed
of the following ships :

Horse Ton-
Vowels. Guns. Power. Men. nage.
Duke of Wellington, flag of
Vice-Ad. Sir C. Napier,
Commander-in-Chief l3l 750 1,100. 3,700
Edinburgh, flag of Rear-Ad
Chads 5B 650 600 1,772
Royal George, Capt. Cod-
rington
St. Jean d'A cre, Capt. the
Hon. H. Keppel lOl. GOO 900 3,200
Cmsar, Capt. John Robb 9l. 4UO Bbo 2,761
Princess-Royal, Capt. Lord

C. Paget - 9 l 9l 400 850 3,129
James Wait, Capt. G. Elliot 91 6ql 851 2,6E3
Nile, Capt. G.R. Mindy... 90 400 850

. _
Cressy, Capt. R. L. INTr.iren. 80 400 750 2,537
Niajestic, Capt. J. Hope, C. B. 80 400 2,5°9
Blenheim, Capt. the Hon. - _

F. Pelham 6O 500 700 1,747
Hogue, Capt. W. Ramsay 6O 460 700 1,750
Bulldog (paddle), Capt. W
H. Hall 6 500 160 1,230
Rosamond (paddle), Com-
mander G. Wodehouse 6 280 160 1,059
Basilisk (paddle), Captain
Egerton 6 400 160 980

The following are blockading the enemy's ports
in the Gulf of Finland, &c., under the orders of
Captain Watson :

Horse Ton•
Vessels. Guns. Power. Men. nage.
Imperieuse (screw), Capt
Watson 5O 350 580 2,347
EutTalus (screw), Capt. G
Ramsay 5O 400 550 2,371
Arrogant (screw), Capt. Yel-
verton
Magicienne (paddle), Capt
Fisher
Desperate (screw), Captain
D'Eyncourt
Cruiser (screw), Capt. Dou-

glas l7 160 250 750
Archer (screw), Captain E
Ileathcote l4 200 300 973

PRUSSIA.

BERLIN, Nov. 15.—A Russian officer who left
Sebastopol after the engagement of the 25th ult.,
and who speaks in the highest terms of the gal-
lantry displayed by the British troops on that ocea-
Aion, arrived here yesterday. He is said to be the
bearer of a trophy captured on the field of battle,
presented to the King by the Emperor of Russia,
Pnd accompanied by an autograph letter of his Im-
perial Majesty.
According to the accounts officially communi-
cated to the Russian embassy in this capital by
this messenger, the Russian force in the Crimea
consists at the present moment of 108,000 men.
Prince Menschikoff had received all the reinforce-
ments he expected in the beginning of this month,
and no more troops were to be sent to the Crimea.
The Russian General declared that what he had by
him were suffieient, not only to raise the siege of
Sebastopol, but to drive the Allies from their posi-
tion and force them to re-embark, abandoning all
their stores and heavy artillery. He hoped to ac-
complish this task within the space of ten or twelve
days.
More recent intelligence received from St. Peters-
burg confirms the very heavy loss sustained by the
Russians in the battle of the 6th inst., and states
at the same time that the two grand dukes, Michael
and Nicholas, did not take part in the fight. The
Russians continue to call that important affair "a
sally," against which appellation we must positively
protest, there being very little doubt of its having
been a most vigorous attack, executed in due form,
and by very superior forces, against the right wing
Hof the Allies' position, occupied by the British
troops, and supported by a simultaneous sally of
the garrison against the position of the French.
Both the attack and the sally were most gallantly
repelled by the Allies, with enormous loss to the
assailants, and this, of course, could not be effected
without considerable sacrifice of life on their own
side. It is, however, to be expected that the Rus-
sian General, after the severe lessons he received on
the 6th, will desist from his boastful promise to
" drive the Allies from their position and force
them to re-embarL"

A letter from Berlin, Nov. 17, says :
"A telegraphic despatch arrived here to day from St.
Petersburg:, which mentions that the Russian reply to
the Prussian despatch, relative to the four points, has
seen despatched from the Russian capital. It will, con-
sequently, arrive here in about three days. The first
Chamber here is to assume the appellation of Herren-
ilaus, House of Lords ; and the second that of Haus der
EClerdneten,' House of Deputies ; and in place of the
erm ' Chambers,' the representative body is to be de-
signated by the expression of Allgemeiner Landtag,'
General Diet. On the occasion of the almost total de-
struction of the town of Memel, rendered necessary by,
the late fire, it is in contemplation to completely recon-
struct the port of that place. The Government has
'seen asked to contribute 100,000 thalers towards the
oxpeuse.".