The Sun.
London, England, 1854-08-08 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OE THZ SUL

Srn,—Believing that the destruction of Cronstadt and
Sebastopol may be effected with but a trifling or no loss
of life on the sule of the French and English, by a dif•
ferent mode of attack than the broadsides of their ships,
it behoves us to test the feasibility of the plan, and to at-
tempt it if practicable, especially as our Admirals admit
that the fire of our ships can make no impression on the
walls.

Let us, then, invoke a power which may shatter these
redoubtable fortifications, when the guns of the allied
fleets are unequal to the task—a power which is actually
employed by the Russians in firing their submerged
" Devils " in the Baltic, and by us almost completely
overlooked. I mean the galvanic battery, an arm of
some novelty in war, and as yet but little used in warlike
operations; but possibly (according to the magnitude of
the operation) more likely to effect the fall of these places
than all the artillery of Europe.

I would respectfully subriiit that an experiment be
tried on Cronstadt as a first essay, 4,000 or 5,000 tons
of gunpowder being put on board as many vessels as
would carry that quantity. The vessels should be sent,
1 with a favourable wind or tide, close up under the walls
of Cronstadt, the galvanic apparatus being in each
vessel, and the operator at a respectful distance from his
mines (the vessels). Let him make the connexion of the
galvanic wires good, and explode the mass. Nothing
human could withstand the shock within three or four
miles of the position. The effect would certainly be ter-
rific. I should think it would disturb the statu quo of
Croustadt, and dispel any pleasing dreams of the Czar
in St. Petersburg, respecting the impregnability of his
fortress ; for, if it did not shake the place to its centre,
it would render it easy to carry it by a coup de main
before the garrison, if it survived, could recover its self
possession.—Yours, &c., _ _

T. L. SMITH.
Queen's-square, Port of Bristol, Aug. 5, 1854.

COURT CIRCULAR.

OSBORNE, Aua 7.

The Queen and Prince, the Prince of Wales and
Prince Alfred, the Princess Royal and Princess Alice,
attended divine service yesterday morning at Osborne,
which was performed by the Rev. G. Prothero.
The Deputy Judge had an audience of the Queen on
Saturday, to submit the proceedings of some general
courts-martial.

A. deputation from Kilburn, upon the subject of the
Extramural Burial Act, had an interview with Viscount
Palmerston yesterday, at the Rome-office. The depu-
tation consisted of Messrs. Peters, Skeets, W. Verey,
G. Verey, Saunderson, F. Baker, Rowe, Grieve, Val-
lance, H. Hall, Sparkes, W. Hale, C. Bicknell, Welling,
Sweeting, Clement George (churchwarden of St. Mary-
lebone), Greene, Brown, and Dempsey. The deputation
was accompanied by Lord Robert Grosvenor, M.P.,
and Mr. R. Tubbs, Chairman of the Magistrates of the
Kensington Division.

Earl Spencer had an interview with the Earl of Aber-
deen yesterday, at his official residence in Downing-
street.

Tile Chancellor of the Exchequer and Mrs. Gladstone
arrived in town last evening, from a visit to Sir Walter
and Lady Mary Farquhar, at Poulsden-park, near Guild-
ford.

Despatches were received at the Colonial-office yester-
day from the Governors of South and West Australia,
Victoria, Hong-Kong, Ceylon, and Van Diemen's
Land.

Her Majesty, it is stated, intends erecting, in one of
the churches in the Isle of Wight. a monument to the
Princess Elizabeth, daughter of King Charles I. This
unhappy princess died at the age of 15, in captivity, in
Carisbnink Castle, in the above island, about a year and
a half after her father was beheaded. She was a prisoner
when her father suffered death, and had been so for
nearly two years previous. She possessed a superior
understanding.

The Earl Spencer's marriage with Miss Adelaide
Seymour, daughter of the late Sir Horace Seymour, is
to be solemnised to-morrow, at St. James's Church.
The King •f the Belgians returned to the Palace of
Laeken on Friday, from Ostend.

The Duke of Leeds has left the Clarendon for Hornby
Castle, Yorkshire, _ _ _

The Duke of Cleveland leaves town to-day for Ruby
Castle, Durham, for grouse shooting.
The Marquis of Winchester has arrived at Aix-la-
Chapelle, and is expected to be absent some months.
Viscount and Viscountess Falkland have lett town for
Han wick Hall, near Bishop's Auckland. •
Lord and Lady Londesborough have sailed from
Cowes, on a cruise in his lordship's yacht, the St. Ursula.
The Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, who are
at present staying at Sion-house, are expected to leave
that splendid villa at the close of the week for Alnwick
Castle.
The Duke of Cleveland has left St. James's-square for
his sporting seat, High Force, on the moors of Durham.
The Duchess and Lady Augusta Ponlett are still remain-
ing in town. The Duke's reported arrival in Scotland
is erroneous.
The Earl Granville, immediately after the prorogation,
leaves town for Germany, where the Countess is at pre-
sent sojourning.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer and Mrs. Gladstone
left town on Saturday, on a visit to Sir Walter and Lady
Mary Farquhar, Poulsden Park, near Guildford.
Lord and Lady Brougham leave town early in the
ensuing week for Brougham Hall, where a select party
will assemble immediately after the arrival of the noble
and learned lord.
The Earl and Countess of Derby, accompanied by Lady
Emma Stanley, left town on Saturday last for Knowsley,
Lancashire.