The Sun.
London, England, 1854-09-23 00:00:00

BLOCKADE OF RUSSIAN PORTS.

The following correspondence has taken place on the
question of the blockade of Odessa and the other Rus-
Ssian ports in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azoff. The
freedom allowed up to the present time has been wholly
inconsistent with the curt and unqualified statements of
the Ministers in the House of Commons in July last, as
well as with the formal reply made by the Admiralty to
inquiries on the 25th 'ult., published in the Times ; and,
although the public recognise the latitude with which,
amid the perplexities of war, all such intimations must
be received, the losses and inconvenience they have oc-
casioned to our merchants are to be regretted :
" To the Right Hon. the Earl of Clarendon, Secretary of
State for Foreign Affairs.

" 6, Great Winchester-street, Sept. 15.
"My Lord,—ln my vocation of East India merchan,
and agent, it is my duty to advise rny correspondents at
Calcutta and Bombay as to the position of such articles of
produce as they are in the habit of shipping to this
market. It is also expected .of me to suggest limits at
which it might appear safe to effect their shipments.
"After the declaration of war with Russia, and presuming
that the commercial blockade avowedly contemplated by
Government Would prove a reality, I directed the atten-
tion of my correspondents to shipments of East India lin-
seed, to fill np in some measure the void which the expected
interruption of supplies from Russian ports would natu-
rally create.
" Such shipments have been accordingly effected, bat at
the greatly enhanced cost which the circumstances occa-
sioned, and even seemed to warrant. Owing, however, to
linseed being freely and continuously sent forward from
the Russian ports in the Black Sea, the calculations
previously formed have proved delusive, and the result is
that my friends in India, in commomwith many other
confiding parties, will have reason to regret their ship-
ments of the article, the market for it here being com-
pletely paralysed.
" It would tend. very much to disembarrass and simplify
commercial operations during the war in kindred or analo-
gous articles of produce, if your Lordship would, for the
satisfaction of the mercantile community in general, be
pleased to favour me at your early convenience with pre-
cise information as to whether it is designed that the Ras
siau ports in the Black :::ca and the Sea of Azoff be speedily
and effectively blockaded. I nay be pardoned for repeat-
ing the question that has been frequently asked during the
past five months, and affirmatively answered on the part
of Government; since the latest advices from the quarter
in-
dicated confirm the impression that no blockade exisfs,aotiul
that shipments of Russian produce (cereal' excepted) con-
tinue tinue to proceed as actively as if the state of war had
to prevail.

"I am, ice.,
"J. JOHNSON."

" Foreign-office, Sept. 19.
" Sir,—With reference to Four letter of the 15th inst.,
in which you request to be informed whether the Russian
ports in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azoff are to be
speedily and effectively blockaded, I am directed by the
Earl of Clarendon to state to you that, pending the come
naval and military operations in the Black Sea, his
Lordship cannot give the precise information asked for by
you.—l am, &e., "E. HAMMOND.
j. johni,on, Esq., 6, Grobt Wuicheiter-Btreet,"