The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-22 00:00:00

TILE BALTIC WAR AND ITS CAUSES.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SDN.
Sir,—The news which arrived in London last Friday
from the Finland towns of the Gulf of Bothnia was indeed
startling—as, for instance, from lJleaborg, that Admiral
Plumridge arrived there on the Ist of June with four steam -
frigates, that a deputation from the town received the
answer, that although private property and persons would
be respected, the depot of tar, wood, and shipbuilding,
with its materials, must be destroyed. The deputies
assured the Admiral that all this was private property,
and that no soldier or defence existed, that a great deal
of timber, deals, and tar belonged to English merchants,
which could not, from want of shipping, be forwarded
last autumn, and that the tar was bought at the com-
mencement of this year for the contracts of London
merchants. The destruction commenced, however, im-
mediately, by which the extensive tar depot, contain-
ing at the time only 15,000 barrels of tar and pitch,
all the? deals and timber, seven new ships on the stocks,
and six vessels afloat, were burnt, together with ware-
houses containing merchants' ships' stores and goods in
trade. Now, all this appears at first sight wanton and
unnecessary, and the more so when the Admiral destroys
what he knows before consists of British property • but
when we begin coolly to search for a cause, we find it
is not at all likely that a British Admiral should act thus
without strong and powerful motives.
It has no doubt already been observed by Sir Charles
Napier that the most formidable weapon in the hands
of tßussia against our fleet among the many thousand
islands and rocks surrounding the coast of Finland
would be a large fleet of row gunboats, and of which it
is known the Emperor has ordered several hundreds
to be constructed. Besides, the activity which exists
in the dockyards of Sweaborg and Cronstadt for the
construction of these gunboats, merchants in Finland
ports who aro proprietors of shipbuilding yards have
taken contracts from the Russian GOvernment to con-
struct such gunboats, and it is also well-known that several
towns have this spring delivered many numbers of them,
which, if they have not succeeded in coasting between the
islands to Sweaborg, now lie concealed among the thou-
sand islands of the Abo Archipelago. To prevent such a
weapon being continued, built, and supplied by private
men to cur enemies is not only sufficient to warrant the
destruction of the materials in all the Finland seaports, but
becomes also an imperative duty to our fleet to execute,
leaving alone other causes, such as drawing the bear out of
its lair to defend its young; and to prove to the many
stubborn adherents of Russia in Finland that, with all the
past boastful power of their imperial protector, his formid-
able navy of 30 line-of-battle ships and 30 frigates and
steamers, and 200 row gun-boats, cannot protect them, but
must themselves seek protection behind the formidable
granite walls of Sweaborg and Cronstadt.
London, June 19.

FRITIIIOF.

:TEE GUN AND DESPATCH BOATS FOR THE
BALTIC.

The first of the six gun-boats ordered by the Admiralty
from Messrs. Green and Messrs. Mare and Co., was put
into the water on Monday last. She is named the Wrangler,
and, like the others that will follow in a few days—Arrow,
Beagle, &c.—will he at once fitted with her machinery, and
will proceed to the Baltic. These vessels were ordered
only about nine weeks since, and the most extraordinary
exertions have been made to turn them out of hand. The
tonnage is about 470 ; length, 1(0 feet ; and breadth 25
feet 4 inches. Messrs. Mandalay, Messrs. Penn, and Messrs.
Humphrey are constructing the engines (160 horse-power),
and it is expected that within the next four weeks four at
least will be ready for sea. Unfortunately, with so much
haste in launching the Wrangles- the pumps were obligedfto
be kept going on board yesterday in the dock. It would,
perhaps, have been safer and snore workmanlike, and in
the long run time would have been saved, if she had been
further advanced on the stocks, and not have been sent
into the water in so unfinished a condition ; but we believe
the slip was wanted for another vessel. As it is she is in
the dock, and she must be kept afloat and completed there.
We stated yesterday, that the Admiralty had ordered
two gun-boats to be built also in the Royal Dockyard Dept-
ford. These are to be regular gun-boats, and not despatch
vessels, like the others. They are to bo above 220 tons,
100 feet long, and to have high pressure screw machinery
by Penn, of 60-horse power. The larger boats all draw
about 11 feet 4 inches, but the smaller class are to draw
only 6 feet 6 inches, and then all the machinery will be
under the water-line. There are to be six of the smaller
class built at once—four of them by contract.
It is expected that the despatch boats -will average
a speed of 114 to 12 knots, and that the gun-boats will
average at least 10 knots. The former, as we have stated,
all carry six 63-pounder broadside guns, and two 95 cwt.
pivot guns. The latter will carry two of the 95 cwt. guns,
10 feet long.
It is rumoured that the present Rear Admiral (Superin-
tendent W. F. Martin) will have command of a Channel
fleet, and that Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence will succeed
Admiral Martin as the superintendent of the Portsmouth
Dockyard.—. Morning Herald.

ACCIDENT IN ROTTEN Row.----Yesterday morning an
accident, providentially attended with no serious results,
occurred to a young lady while riding in Rotten-row.
Her horse—when towards the Kensington end of the
row, and when near the bridge which divides the gar-
dens from Hyde-park —from some cause or other, started
off at full speed, and in spite of every effort to check it,
completely mastered all the efforts of its rider. Spread-
ing alarm among the pedestrians, the horse, a fine grey,
ran at full speed across the bridge, turning down to the
right ; passing through the open space by the powder
magazine, across the carriage drive, and nothing daunted
by the obstacle presented to its course, in the form of
the iron fence which surrounds the drive, rose at it at
full speed : the beast cleared the fence, but (fortunately
for its fair rider, who maintained her presence of mind
wonderfully, and sat her horse like a heroine) slightly
striking the top bar, the young lady was thrown on her
head ; but nevertheless, owing perhaps to the fact of the
horse's speed having been checked by its fore feet strik-
ing the fence, was able to walk at once, and to reply in
a cheerful tone, to inquiries as to whether she was hurt,
" Not in the east." The horse did not seem to have
sustained any injury.

M NI
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MA pv
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AND
COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE,

CITY, TWO o'CLOCK.

The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday were
estimated at 12,000 bales, including 1,500 American
and 800 Surat taken for export and on speculation.
The market closed with a hardening tendency.
Compared with Friday's rates, prices were ex-
treme. The sales comprised 11,000 American, 700
Egyptian at 61-d. to 82d., 1,500 Surat at 2;id. to
41d., and 130 Sea Island at 10Ad. to Is. 6d. per lb.
Railway Shares were steady.
The steamer Baltic brings accounts four or five
days later from New York. The money market
at New Orleans was tight, and business in conse-
quence dull. From California the advices received
were favourable in regard to mining operations,
though some of the ravines were drying up. Seve-
ral new discoveries had been made. The markets
generally were quiet.
The report of the Peruvian Bondholders has
just been completed and published, and will be
found to be of much general interest. It certainly
reflects great credit upon the industry of the mem-
bers, and proves not alone the great attention
paid to the interests of the bondholders, but the
good accomplished, and the injury likely to be pre-
vented. Among tho correspondence we find the
following letters :
" Committee of Anglo-Peruvian Bondholders, 33, _

"Nicholas Lane, Lombard-street, May, 29,1854
" SIR,— I am directed by this Committee to enquire,
whether at the time the proposition was made to the
Bondholders to convert the 6 per cents, into 4 per cent.
Bonds, and to raise a fresh loan of 600,0001, it was then
in your knowledge that a contemporaneous arrangement
had been made by the Peruvian Agents on the part of
the Government, to convert a large amount of the Do-
mestic Debt into Sterling Bonds, to be disposed of in the
markets of Europe. An early reply will oblige—Sir,
your most obedient Servant,
" (Signed) " GEO. DIS3IORE.
"Lewis H. Haslewood, Esq., 15, Angel Court, Thog-
morton-street."