The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-24 00:00:00

THE BALTIC.

The Boersenhalle, of Hamburg, publishes a no-
tice which has been forwarded to Riga for the in-
formation of all the foreign Consuls there, and at
Liban and Winclau, that these ports being in a
rigorous state of blockade any merchant-vessel
leaving after the 15th inst. will be captured, and
sent to France or England to be condemned. The
notice is issued by Captain Rey, of the Amphion,
and is dated from Memel Roads, the 12th.
The Swedish postal steamer Nordstern arrived
at Stettin on the 18th, and the passengers that
came by her say that, according to the statement
of the crew of a fishing vessel that arrived at Stock-
holm on the 15th from the Aland Isles, our fleet
had, up to the 13th, commenced no operations
against Aland or the fortress of Bomarsund, but
that the English cruisers were to be seen all about
the coast of Finland. Other accounts describe
them as occupied in taking soundings about the
various islands. At Grissleham, that spot on the
Swedish mainland which communicates with the
Aland Isles, Rear-Admiral Plumridge, in the Leo-
pard, is stated to have touched for the purpose of
obtaining pilots for the difficult navigation of the
archipelago of the Aland Seas; and, further, that
the Leopard put to sea again without having ob-
tained the desired result. On the 12th and 13th a.
Ileavy cannonading was heard on the east coast of
Gothland. As Revel is about 60 geographical
miles distant from .:4othland, this was doubtless
produced by some gunnery practice of the fleet at
sea. The combined Swedish and Norwegian fleet,
11 sail strong, with Prince Oscar on board, passed
Gothland on the 9th, sailing for Elfsnabben.
The reports in Danish journals describe the
French vessels as carrying a much more numerous
crew than the English of the same size. The In-
flexible, for instar ce, has 1,500 men on board, and:.
the other line of battle ships, Lo Tage, Jemappes,
and Duguescelin, have each over 1,100 men—per-
haps part of this number consists of land troops.
The French fleet was anxiously expected at Kiel
by the 18th, but, as already mentioned, it was at
that date still in the Great Belt. Since the Ist of
May colliers have been arriving there frequently
with a supply of 22,000 tons of Newcastle coals for
the French fleet, the depot of which is on the quay
of the Kieler Hafen ; but it would seem that the
French Government' has given a similar tranquilis-
ing assurance with our own to the Danish Govern-
ment, that their vessels shall not, unless hard
pressed, put into the harbour at all. It is stated
in Kiel papers that the route for despatches and
certain articles of transport for the Baltic fleet will
be by way of Kiel, and that French steamers and.
transports are appointed there to that service.

BLOCKADE OF BALTIC RUSSIAN PORTS.
The following is a copy of an official notice
establishing a blockade of Russian ports :
H.M.S. Amphion, Harbour of Memel, May 12.
Sir,—l have the honour to inform the Consuls of her
Majesty at Riga, Libau, Windau, that those ports are
at length in a state of rigorous blockade, and that all
the ships which leave after the 15th May, either wholly
or partially laden, will be stopped, and sent to England
or France, to be there declared good prizes. This com-
munication is to be made public in those ports.—l have
the honour, &c.,
(Signed) A. C. KEY, Captain.
M. M. J. Hertslet, Esq., H.8.M., Consul at Memel.