The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-25 00:00:00

FOUR WAR MAPS.

BY H. G. COLLINS.

There have just been issued from Mr. H. G.
Collins's establishment in Paternoster-row four
valuable hand maps, illustrative of the events now
transpiring in the seat of war along the frontiers
of the Russian empire. Published at a cheap rate,
and in a portable form, clearly drawn and brilliantly
coloured, these four maps will be peculiarly accept-
able, we doubt not, to the observant community.
One affords us a complete view of " Rusia and
Turkey," embracing in this comprehensive view
charts of the four great seas—the Baltic, the
Rack, the North, and the Mediterranean. Another
displays to us the " Baltic Sea" in particular,
giving on au extended scale the whole of the
principal fortifications. Another represents the
entire coasts of the " Black Sea," giving also
with this, along the margin in separate compart-
ments, plans of Batoum, Varna,Odessa, Trebizond,
and Sebastopol. Another, the fourth, on a scale
of six miles to an inch, portrays the relative situa-
tions of localities along both sides of the " Danube,"
hitherto the, seat of war par excellence, the scene of
all the stormiest encounters between the belliger-
ents. Every encouragement is duo to these spirited
efforts to supply the community with reliable de-
lineations of every portion of the Russian frontier
already illustrated, or likely to be illustrated, by
the momentous struggle between the Czar and
Sultan backed by the chief powers of Caristend.om.

THREE WAR SKETCHES.

BY N. WHITTOCK.

A brilliant series of lithographs having just been I m
published by Lloyd Brothers, and Company, of
Ludgate-hill, printed by Day and Son, drawn on
stone by E. Walker, and originally sketched by N.
Whittock, we would at once direct public attention
to them as works at this moment of particular im-
portance, representing, as they do, clear, masterly,
faithful, and comprehensive bird's-eye views of
Odessa, Cronstadt, and Sebastopol. Nothing that has
yet appeared in illustration of these remarkable locali-
ties, can be rPgarded as in any way comparable with
those clever and timely lithographs. They afford
the most vivid idea of those three notable spots
that can well be formed on the retina of the mind
of the untravelled Englishman. Take, for example,
the representation here given by Mr. N. Whittock
of the town, forts, and harbours of Sebastopol. It'
has been taken avowedly from the illustrations to
the imperial survey of the ports of the Black Sea—
an official work of authority, produced under the
direct supervision of the Russian Government.
The spectator is supposed to be looking out towards
the Black Sea, having immediately at his feet the
Black River running into the inner harbour ;
the inner harbour where the Russian fleet is seen to
be snugly lying at anchor ; at its month, to the
right, a battery of 30 guns, and to the left Fort Paul;
turning to the left, and having at its entrance as
guardians Fort Paul and. Fort Nicholas, the
Southern port. Beyond Fort Nicholas, going out
again, seawards, but still to the left, Artillery
Bay ; still pressing out seawards, on the left the
50-gun battery of Sebastopol, and the 120-gun
battery of Fort Catherine. Still going seawards,
again, the two great exterior bulwarks, to the left,
the 90-gun battery of Fort Alexander, to the
right, the 110-gun battery of Fort Constantine.
Beyond these the Black Sea—to the right on the
cliffs on the foreground, the lukermane Light-house
—to the left, on the distant sea coast, the ruins of
Chersonesus. On the peninsular portion of the
Crimea, lying between the Southern Port and
Quarantine Harbour—the city itself, the arsenal,
the fort, and the barracks of Sebastopol. Mr.
Whittock's Bird's-eye View of the Town, Harbours,
and Forts of Odessa has been sketched also from the
same official work produced by order of the Imperial
Government. Here, however, not as it was in re-
gard to the preceding lithograph, the spectator is
supposed to be viewing the locality from the sea,
looking directly landwards. Before him, he has to
the left Quarantine Harbour, or Mole, for mer-
chant vessels—the harbour, or mole, spared during
the recent bombardment. Slightly to the right, or
almost in the centre of the picture, is the Im-
perial Harbour, or Mole, for vessels of war—the
scene upon the same occasion of the chief
destruction effected by the British and
French War-steamers. Towards the left, imme-
diately beyond Quarantine Harbour, is Cape
Langeron. Towards the right are the Granaries
and Salt warehouses. Situated in the middle of
Odessa is the domed Cathedral. Opposite this is
the Governor's Palace, and leading down from this
to the principal landing place, you pass through
Richelieu place and directly at the foot of the
monument. Mr. Whittock's Bird's-eye View
of Cronstadt, unlike the preceding ones in
its origin, has been traced from the survey
and sketches taken on the spot in 1853, by
Mr. Eric Sweynson, civil engineer. It displays
Cronstadt itself insulated in the centre of the
picture, surrounded by the waters of the Gulf of
Finland—with its five great insular fortifications
anchored, as it were, out at sea to the south, and
dimly seen beyond the mouths of the Neva, slightly
inland on the shores of the European continent,
the Russian capital of St. Petersburg. It is scarcely
necessary to add that these remarable drawings
possess au interest, when examined, almost amount-
ing to a species of fascination. They are produc-
tions for which we regard ourselves as indebted to
the skill of Mr. Whittock, and to the enterprise of
Messrs. Lloyd Brothers and Company—a series of
lithographs calculated to secure, as they assuredly
deserve, a very wide popularity.