The Sun.
London, England, 1854-07-31 00:00:00

THE BALTIC.

STETTIN, July 28.—The packet Nordstern, which
left Stockholm on the 25th, brings no news of the
operations of the fleets against the islands of
Aland, but it is, nevertheless, believed that opera-
tions have commenced. Fifty-five vessels of war
are in movement in the roadstead of Revel.
STOCKHOLM, July 27.—The French troops have
passed Gothland. A heavy cannonading has been
heard at intervals in the direction of Bomarsund
since Tuesday afternoon.
A letter from Hamburg of the 26th, in the In-
dependance of Brussels, says :—" The Minister of
War in Sweden has just addressed a circular to all
the military governors of the kingdom, demanding
the space of time which it would require to concen-
trate all the troops in garrison in the different
localities on one given point. Is is supposed that
this measure is the preliminary to the formation of
an army to be ready to march where circumstances
might demand its presence."
The Journal des I iebats of yesterday has a com-
munication which furnishes late news of the fleets.
On the 21st and 22d ten English line-of-battle ships,
and an equal number of frigates and steamers, with
eight ships of Admiral Parseval Deschenes' squa-
dron, and ten light-draught steamers, anchored in
a bay among islands of the Aland group, to the
south of the largest island. This bay is called
Ledsund. The navigation by which this imposing
force has reached its present position in the midst
of the Aland Archipelago has been of the most diffi-
cult and intricate kind. The charts supplied to the
English and French officers prove more defective
than could have been supposed. Islands covered
with forest-trees are totally omitted, and from this
single fact, we may judge how faithfully the subma-
rine part of the hy4lrography is executed ; how accu-
rately rocks, shoals, currents, and quicksands are
placed, things of more moment to the navigator
than the position of high and easily visible shores.
Every movement had to be made with the lead in
hand ; and even with the most careful sounding,
slight embarrassments must arrise when between
two casts of the lead the depth has decreased from
20 to 3 fathoms ! Both fleets got happily through
the perilous navigation ; the English having more
screw vessels than ourselves (the French), had
fewer mishaps. Thanks, however, to the zeal and
skill of our officers, and the prompt assistance lent
to our sailing vessels by the English steamers, Ad-
miral Deschenes arrived here in capital order, and
with new proofs of the cordiality and respect of our
allies. The lighter vessels of the fleet are already
feeling their way up the narrow channels which
lead to Bomarsund, the strongest place of this
group of islands. We are assured that the garrison
is not above 1,500 strong. Admiral Plumridge, with
a number of steam-vessels, and the French frigates
Virginie and Andromaque, blockades the north
and north-east of the Archipelago, so as to cut
off all communication with the coast of Finland.
Admiral Sir Byam Martin, who succeeds Admi-
ral Corry, is ordered to cruise before Sweaborg,
with nine English ships and the French liner Aus-
terlitz, to hem in the Russian fleet.
From these particulars, it will be seen it is cer-
tain, as soon as the expeditionary corps shall reach
Aland, that a blow will be struck at Bomarsund,
and the Aland Isles occupied.

DENMARK.

The constitution, common to the whole kingdom,
was promulgated at Copenhagen on the 29th. It
will come into operation on the Ist of September.
The Council of the Kingdom will consist of 50
members, of whom the five for Holstein are to be
nominated by the Crown.