The Sun.
London, England, 1854-07-01 00:00:00

//

[PRICE SD.

Priest's report of his proceedings with a division of boats
in the Tomes river and town, which, from the rapid cur-
rent in the stream, he had great difficulty in reaching.
Also a letter from Lieutenant G. W. E. Lloyd, report-
ing the destruction of enemy's property in the Rerni River,
with a division of boats under his command,

I have,_
(Signed) GEO. GIFFARD, Captain.
Rear-Admiral J. H. Plnmridge,
H.M.S. Leopard.

Her Majesty's ship Leopard, off Kemi,
June 0, 1854.
Sir,—l proceeded yesterday morning with the boats, as
per margin* to Tornea, in execution 'of your orders.
A strong wind, with extraordinary rapids in the river,
delayed us, and it was 7 3) p.m. before the boats arrived
off the town of Tornea, 13 hours after leaving the ship ;
the garrison left on our approach.
Having taken possession of the town I found the store-
houses had been cleared out, and their contents conveyed
across the barrier to the Swedish territory, an I that the
inhabitants had destroyed the barracks and public bui d-
ings ; the purpose fe•r which I was despatched having
been thus completed, I therefore returned on board, after
being 20 hours in the boats, and have great pleasure in
stating every officer and man behaved to my satisfaction.
—I have, B:c.,
(Signed) B. P. PRIEST,
Senior and Gunnery Lieutenant.
Captain George Giffard, H.M.S. Leopard.

*LEOPARD'S

2d Cutter Lieutenant B. P. Priest.
Mr. T. Wall, assistant surgeon.
Mr. Dolben, naval cadet.
Ist Cutter Lieutenant Hammet.
Mr. Jacob, naval cadet.
Ist Launch Mr. IL C. Payne.
Lieutenant Thelwall, R.M.A.
Pinnace Mr. Lawrence, second master.

VALOROUS'
lat Launch Lieutenant C. B. C. Dent.

Lieutenant W. S. Davies, R.M.A.
Pinnace Mr. Broa►drick, mate.
Ist Cutter Mr. Hare, midshipman.
2d Cutter Mr. Trefusis, naval cadet.
Gig Mr. Bailey, naval cadet.
Mr. Ray, assistant-surgeon.
TOTAL.
4 gun-boats.
5 other boats.
15 officers, and
166 men.
Her Majesty's ship, Leopard, off Komi,
June 9th, 1854.
Sir,—l have the honour to repot t that in obedience to
your orders I proceeded yesterday with the boats under my
charge,f up the Semi river, on the banks of which, and
on the adjacent islands, I burnt eighty stacks of timber
(covering about two miles of ground), and the hull of a
vessel of about eighty tons burthen. A quantity of timber
not fit for ship-building was spared at the request of the
inhabitants.—l have, &c.,
GEo. LLOYD, Lieutenant.
Captain George Giffard, H.M.S. Leopard.
1 Boats employed, barge of Leopard, Mr. Salwey, mate;
2d gig of Leopard, Mr. O'Connell, master's assistant.

No. 152.

Duke of Wellington, Baro Sound,
June 10, 1851.
Sir,—l beg leave to transmit to their lordships the ac-
companying letter from Rear-Admiral Plumridge, en-
closing cue from Captain Glasse, of the Vulture (which
ship arrived here yesterday), giving an account of an un-
fortunate failure in an attack on Gamla Carleby, in the
Gulf of Bothnia, by the boats of the Vulture and Odin.
2. I have expressed to Captain Glasse, my disapproval
of sending boats to attack a place so far distant from his
ship without any apparent object, which has led to the
melancholy catastrophe on this occasion.—l have, &c.
(Signed) CHARLES NAPIER,
Vice-Admira! and Commander in Chief.
The Secretary of the Admiralty.
Enclosure No. 1, in Sir Charles Napier's Letter No. 1:72.
Her Majesty's ship Leopard, Oreground,
June 14, 1854.
Sir,—Previons to leaving the neighbourhood of Ulea-
borg, on the 4th instant, I gave Captain Glasse, of the
Vulture, the accompanying order, and parted company
from that ship and the Odin.
After having finished the service I went to perform at
and near Tomes, with this ship and the Valorous, we
rejoined the Vulture and Olin, on the night of the 10th
inst., at the previous appointed rendezvous (No. 6).
The accompanying letters, returns, and papers, I have
received from Captain Glasse,' detailing a failure in the
service he intended to execute. The perusal of these let-
ters and returns has caused me considerable concern from
the severe, and, I am sorry to add, very extensive, loss
sustained in officers and men killed and others wounded.
From what I urn able to discern, it would appear to me
that this serious catastrophe has resulted from surprise,
and a subsequent want of suitable management.
I ara, &c ,

(Signed)
HANWAY PLUMRIDGE,
Rear-Admiral.
Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Napier, K.U.B.

Sub-Enclosure No. 1, in Sir Charles Napier's Letter,
No.. 152.

Her Majesty's ship Leopard,
Uleaborg, Jnne 3, 1854.
Memorandum, —You will proceed off Old Carleby, taking
with you the Win.
After examining and operating, if practicable, on that
place and its vicinity (where it is said they have a small
screw steamer, which it is an object to obtain for the use
of the squadron), you are then to rendezvous at Haligrund
Beacon, off Jacobstad ; and as before directed, employ
your force to the best- advantage in its immediate neigh-
bourhood, until rejoined by the Leopard, at Hallgrund
Beacon (No. 1).
(Signed) HANwAY PLUIIRIDGE, Rear-Admiral.
Captain Glasse, H.M.S. Vulture.

Sub-Enclosure No. 2, in Vice-Admiral Sir Chas. Napier's
Letter No. 152. •
Her Majesty's ship Vulture, at sea,
Juno 10, 1854.
Sir,—Having in obedience to your orders proceeded off
Old Carleby, on the morning of the Gth instant, the state
of the weather obliged me to put to sea again ; but, on the
following day, the 7th, the wind moderating, we were able
to return, and anchored abreast of Trullon Island, as near
as we prudently could to the bar, in four fathoms water,
the Odin in Company.
The boats, as per enclosed list (1), were despatched under
charge of the senior lieutenant of the Vulture, Mr. Chas.
A. Wise, with signals and directions for his guidance, as
per enclosures (Nos. 2 and 3).
It is my painful duty to report that they were met in
force by the enemy and beaten off, with the loss of the
Vulture's paddle-box boat.
Immediately on perceiving the attack, the reserve was
ordered away, consisting of one paddle-box boat from each
ship, accompanied by Captain Francis Scott, in his gig,
who, having gallantly volunteered his services, I readily
entrusted with the charge of bringing the boats out of
action, as I observed the fire of the enemy evidently pro-
ceeded from on overwhelming force.
The following day, under a flag of truce, Lieut. Wise pro-
ceeded with a letter to the Governor of Gamla Carleby ; he
returned without communicating, the flag not being ac-
knowledged, and reported that a regiment of regular troops
were drawn up during the time the boat remained off the
beach, and apparently a second regiment, from the differ-
ence of their uniforms, employed throwing up breastworks,
with embrasures.
From there being only thirteen feet water on the deep-
est part of the bar, and the impossibility of getting ships
of the draft of water of the Vulture and Odin over, I con-
sidered our further operations there impraeticable, and
sailed at six p.m. for the rendezvous at Hallgrund Bea-
con, off Jacobstad, but the unfavourable state of the wea-
ther has prevented our employing our force in its imme-
diate neighbourhood.
Enclosed is Lieutenant Wise's report (No. 4), as also
the returns of killed, wounded, and missing from the two
ships (5 and 6), and a copy of my letter to the Governor
of Carleby Gamla (7), and of my sailing orders (No. B).
I have, ikc. (Signed)
FREDERICK H. H. GLASSE,
-Captain.
Rear-Admiral J. Hanway Plumridge.
•

Her Majesty's ship Vulture, off Gamla.
Carleby, June 8, 1851.
Sir,—l have the honour to report to you, that in obedi-
ence to your orders, I proceeded with the boats of her ala
itesowtYa'rsdeshGipasnaVinueltaurrieebyan.d Odin, named in the margin,*
Having anchored the boats in line abreast, their guns
the
Russiaad j shouldae adjacent
shboereg.
of truce, for the purpose of
demanding that all the pro—,
some per-
pointed towards the beach,clomlamnduedniewatiitnngtwheitghwihgoiheatfly:
was duly received, and I addressed one
sons Whom 'I observed onth
ivTenhetil7:o
perthimselfyofththeeßEuraigpoeinrasorteori
me, and that on this condition, in compliance with
Admira
• l Fluniridge's notice, the town and
private pro.
party -would be respected. Not being_ able to obtain a
satisfactory answer, and assistance in communicating with
the Governor being denied me, Ire eb k d directed
Lieutenant m ar e , and directed
Lieutenant Carrington to proceed
ahead in a boat of light
form weigh draught to sound, ordered the boats to w• h and in
two lines abreast, but before this
was executed the enemy's
fire from storehouses on our right opened with field pieces
and musketry, which
was promptly returned by our guns
and small arms.
The enemy being in great force and • rapidly increasing
—their position well chosen, and protected among wood
and houses, wit
behind I• ch they were completely concealed,
and from which they poured a most destructive fire—l
deemed it expedient to
withdraw the boats, and accord-
ingly made the signal far the general recall.
I did not, however, accomplish this without the loss of
the paddle-box boat of this ship, which was destroyed by
the enemy's fire ; and it is with sorrow I contemplate the
severe loss of officers and men we have sustained. Lieu-
tenant Carrington, of tho Odin, fell while in the act of
carrying out niy orders. His boat, a cutter, was the ob-
-1 ject of fle enemy's first fire, by which she had eleven
struck down, and gave us first notice of their proximity.
Mr. N. J. Morphy, mate, in charge of the Vulture a
paddle-box boat, I observed encouraging his crew with
great gallantry. Mr. C. F. H. Montsguo (mate), Odin, I
um sorry to say, fell mortally wounded while most gallantly
doing his duty in the paddle-box boat of that ship. I
have to add that the conduct of every officer and man was
most exemplary. I cannot close this report without men-
tioning my approbation of the cool and praiseworthy con-
duct of Lieutenants Madden and Fellowes, who com-
manded the other two boats with guns.—l am,'_&c.
(Signed) CHAS. A. WISE,
Senior Lieutenant H.M.S. Vulture.
Captain F. H. H. Glasse, H.M.S. Vulture.
•
* Centre—
Vulture's Ist gig.
Vulture.—Starboard Division—
. Pinnace.,
2d paddle-box boat.
Ist cutter. . •
24:1 cutter: • • •