The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-02 00:00:00

GALLANT EXPLOITS AT HANGO,

We give the following from a letter dated,
H.M.S. —, Baltic Fleet, May 20 :—" We ar-
rived on this morning, and anchored about mid-
day off the batteries at Hango. On the 18th the
commander-in-chief, in the Duke of Wellington,
and leaving a division of the squadron under Ad-
miral Corry, proceeded with the following ships
towards Hango : Duke of Wellington, Caesar,
Cressy, Hogue, Blenheim, Edinburgh (Admiral
Chads), Princess Royal, Austerlitz, French ship of
the line, Acre, Imperieuse, Lightning, Gorgon,
and Dragon. The St. George and Tyne—the
former bringing a mail, and the latter stores—joined
us as we were coming to an anchor this morning.
We are now anchored within range of the Rus-
sian batteries, four in number, all on small islands
close by the mainland, one rather extensive with
casemates, and mounting a great number of guns
in barbette. They seem composed of solid granite
walls, and are protected by fascines and sand bags.
The men stood at their guns as we approached, but
they have not fired upon us. Had they done so, a
general action would have been brought on, no
doubt. We are now close by each other, watching
each other's movements. We can see the Russian
soldiers crowding the walls, overhauling their guns,
and looking after their gun-gear. As we approached
this morning a cannonade was heard towards the
eastward. The commander-in-chief has sent the
Dauntless in the quarter whence the firing pro-
ceeded. The Arrogant is somewhere here knocking
about the Gulf of Finland. I have heard that
several Prussian naval officers have arrived to join
the squadron. The forts are strong, and will re-
quire some strong and obstinate hammering."
A letter since received from Hango, dated the
24th, gives an interesting account of the opera-
tions that took place. It is as follows
"My despatch of the 16th instant from Gottland in-
formed you of the main division of the English fleet, to-
gether with the French screw line of battle ship Auster-
litz being in the vicinity of the Island of Gottska Sando
—off which they had been cruising for some days pre-
viously. Having received the provisions from the steam
transport Holyrood, and placed on board her, for con-
veyance to England, invalids, supernumeraries, &c., the
fleet proceeded in a northerly direction. On the 17th,
Rear-Admiral Corry was detached from the fleet on par-
ticular service, taking under orders the weather column,
comprising the flag ship the Neptune 120, Monarch, 84,
Boscawen 70, Prince Regent 90, Cumberland 70, together
with. the James Watt, 91, of the centre column ; the
Royal George, 120. and Ajax, 58, of the lee column ;
leaving in company with the Commander-in-Chief nine
sail of the line and one steam frigate of the first class.
The squadron of observation, consisting of several
paddle-wheel and screw steamers, under the orders of
Rear-Admiral Plumridge, are constantly separated from
the main body of the fleet, for the purpose of intercepting
any of the enemy's vessels which, perchance, may be
proceeding down the Baltic Sea into the Great or
Little Belts. The fleet was becalmed in the evening,
and signalled to rendezvous at Hango.
On the 18th, at noop, the lighthouse OR the island
of Outo was made, bearing N.N.E. 20 miles, the
latitude being 59 deg. 25 min. N., and long. 21 deg.
10 min. E. The Cressy, 80, Captain R. L. Warren,
and St. Jean d'Acre, Captain the Hon. H. Keppell,
were ordered to proceed in chase of two strange sail.
They proved to be Russian merchant vessels, freighted
with spirits and plank for English ports, and having
sailed from Russian ports prior to the 15th instant, the
date fixed on by the order in council of the 15th of
April, as the limit to which the enemy's vessels would
be permitted to convey articles of merchandise, not con-
traband of war, to any ports in the United Kingdom,
they were allowed to proceed on their voyage. Another
of those dense fogs, so prevalent in the Baltic at this
period of the year, set in early in the morning of the
19th, and continued until noon—the flag-ships Duke of
Wellington and Edinburgh in the meanwhile firing guns
every half-hour to denote position. A seaman of the
latter ship fell overboard, but was saved. In the even-
ing the ships were ordered to prepare for coming to an
anchor.
"At 5 a.m. of the 20th, Hango Island, the northern
point at the entrance of the Gulf of Finland, was ob-
served. The St. George, 120, Captain H. Eyres, joined
the main body of the fleet for the first time. The Daunt-
less, 33, Captain Ryder, made her number, communi-
cated with the Commander-in-Chief, and was ordered to
keep a good look-out in the offing. The Duke of Wel-
lington, 131, and Edinburgh, 58, got up steam, and
stood in for the roadstead of Hango. The Edinburgh,
preceded by the Lightning as pioneer, steamed direct
for the batteries, followed by the Duke of Wellington,
the Blenheim in tow of the Basilisk, Hogne in tow of
the Gorgon, and Cressy in tow of the Dragon. By
noon, these ships were at anchor off the fortress of
Gnstafsvarn, at a distance from it of about two
miles. The St. George, Princess Royal, St. Jean d'Aere,
Sic., were then taken in tow by the paddle steamers,
and by sunset the whole of the ships in company with
the Commander-in-Chief, and consisting, of nine sail-of-
the-line, one steam-frigate of the firstb class, and four
paddle wheel steam-sloops, had anchored
abreast the
fortificatians of Hango. In the meanwhile the store-
! ship Tyne, Master Commander J. Tucker, arrived with
stores and ammunition for the fleet, and a Russian
barque was captured outside the roadstead by one of '
the steam cruisers. With Admiral Corry's division off
Dago, the main body of the fleet, with the Commander--
in-Chief at Hango—the various steam-frigates, &c.,
cruising between the two points—a most effective
blockade of the Gulf of Finland is established, and
the advanced squadron of paddle-wheel and screw
steam-sloops, under the orders of Rear-Admiral Plum-
ridge, dispersed in various quarters, anust capture any
of the enemy's vessels entering or leaving the Baltic.
" The fleet was reinforced on the 21st by the Pene-
lope, 16, Captain Lyster, and was employed in the after-
noon in receiving provisions and stores from the Tyne.
The Arrogant, 46, Captain Yelverton, and the Hecla, 6,
Captain W. H. (Nemesis) Hall returned from a cruise,
the latter with a prize in tow. On the evening of the
20th these steamers went in chase of a Russian barque,
which, in order to avoid her pursuers, ran into shallow
water, and anchored under shelter of a small fort at
Eckness, in the vicinty of Hango. Thither the Arro-
gant and Heels followed her, for the purpose of taking
possession of her as soon as da)light came on. At mid-
night however the officers of the watch of the two
steamers were welcomed with a shower of Mini6-rifle
balls from some invisible quarter. Immediate preparations
were made for returning the compliment, the crews as-
sembling at their guns, &c. The Hecla, having a less
draught of water than the Arrogant, was enabled to
take up a position within 350 yards of the enemy's fort ;
the Arrogant could not get in so close as she desired,
and in endeavouring to do so touched the ground several
times. The Hecla forthwith opened fire on the enemy,
and after discharging a few rounds of shot and shell,
the fort was hors de combat. From what may be termed
a flying battery in the vicinity of the fort, the enemy
kept up a brisk fire of grape and round shot, while
their troops, protected by the woody nature of the coast,
poured forth volleys of Minid-rifle balls upon their oppo-
nents. The Hecla's funnel and steam-pipe was shot
through, a shot penetrated her stern bulwarks, dropping
quietly in the midshipmen's berth. After an engage.
ment of several hoars the enemy retreated, leaving be-
hind them several killed and wounded. Captain Hall
landed with his boat's crew ; captured some of the
enemy's guns (field pieces) and a Russian helmet. The
senior Lieutenant, together with two seamen of the
Hecla, were severely wounded in the affray, and one
man was killed. The Arrogant had one man killed, one
severely wounded, who died the next day, and three
wounded. The loss of the enemy is unknown, but is
supposed to have been considerable. The Arrogant and
Hecla, on coming into Hango Bay, received three hearty
cheers from the crews of the various ships, the Duke of
Wellington hoisting the signal, Well done Arrogan
and Hecla.'

"On the forenoon of the 22d the Magicienne, 16,
Captain Fisher, and Dragon, 6, Captain Wilcox, an-
chored off Hango. The Dragon, during her cruise in
the Gulf of Finland, reconnoitred the port of Revel.
Therein, perceiving two of the enemy's vessels at
anchor under the batteries, she determined to cap
ture them at the risk of being severely handled.
The gallant captain of the Dragon took up such a
position that the guns of the fortress could not be
brought to bear upon him. Shot after shot was
fired by the enemy, but each fell wide of its mark.
In a short time the two vessels were taken, and were
towed into H. ango Bay by the Dragon on the fol-
lowing morning. An excellent opportunity of proving
the range of the large pivot guns placed on the
forecastles of steam vessels was afforded this day. The
Dragon, Basilisk, and Magicienne, having signified a
wish to try the effect of shot and shell at a long range,
it was intimated to them that no better target could be
found than the fort of Gustafswarn. These vessels ac-
cordingly anchored off the fort at a distance of about
1,560 yards, and for a period of two hours kept up
a constant bombardment. A great many of the shot,
and shell fired by the Dragon pitched on the enemy's
fort, and must have killed several of the men stationed
at the guns, besides causing great destruction to many
portions of the fort itself. The enemy returned the
fire slowly, but their guns were well laid, as the
Dragon was struck by no less than. 20 shot, 15 of which
penetrated her hull, one of them entering her shell room,
but fortunately causing no material injury. One of her
men had his leg shot off, and died shortly afterward.
The Magicienne, 16, Captain Fisher, dropped some shell
on the centre of the fort, which appeared to cause con-
siderable damage. The Hecla, Captain W. H. Hall, in
the meantime tried the effect of her large pivot gun on
the smaller fort of Gustaf-Adolph, but after having dis-
charged a few shot and shell she was ordered to cease
firing. It is expected that the fort of Gustafswarn will
be attacked to-morrow by a portion of
,the fleet. Four
line-of-battle ships would take it easily.

RECEPTION OF FRENCH FLEET AT KIEL.

A letter from Kiel says :—On the 28th or the
29th, at latest, the squadron will sail for the Baltic.
(A. telegraphic despatch in The Sun yesterday, from
Copenhagen, of the 31st of May, announced that
the fleet had then left.) Every day there 's greater
congratulation in consequence of our having
anchored at Kiel, where in less than a, week we

.have been enabled to take in more than 1,000
hogsheads of water, which were very necessary
for us. We should not have had this facility
at any other point. Independently of this advan-
tage, this stoppage, which was very necessary,
has enabled us to complete our armaments, and to
clean, and make wholesome the interior of our ves-
sels and the baggage of the crew, and in short to
procure for our sailors, in the shape of fresh pro-
visions, a blessing which has sensibly diminished
every cause of disease. Without wishing to give
the fact of our anchorage here an exaggerated
political importance, I must nevertheless tell you
that the railways bring here daily from 15,000 to
20,000 travellers from all parts of Germany, from
Berlin, and even from Vienna, and that the sym-
pathy of which we are the object on the part of this
German population, as well as the effect produced
by this powerful squadron, anchored in three lines,
cannot fail to make an echo on their return home.
Since our entrance in the Cattegat we have received
the utmost sympathy from the people with whom
we have come into connexion. Steam-vessels filled
with visitors have sailed past our ships, saluting
them with cries of " Vive l'Empereur Napoleon !"
" Vive la France !" At Nyborg, a Danish bat-
talion, on board vessels sailing from Fionia to See-
land, gave the most enthusiastic hurrahs on passing
near the squadron.

RUSSIAN ACCOUNT OF THE ATTACK.
The Invalide Russe and Journal de St. Peters-
bourg of the 24th publish the following account of
some recent operations of the British fleet near
Hango. The Russian intelligence is not so late by
two days as that conveyed to Copenhagen by the
Magicienno.

" NEWS FROM THE BALTIC.

" ST. PETERSBURG, MAY 24.—We have this instant re •
ceived two reports from the commander of the forces in
Finland, dated May 20 and 21, on the opening of hosti-
lities in the Gulf of Finland, which, thanks to God and
the intrepidity of our troops, have been signalised by
fresh success for the Russian arms.
" In his first report, Lieut.-General Rokassooski an-
nounces that on the 20th of May 17 English screw two-
deckers approached Hangoudd, and there came to an-
chor ; on the evening before two screw frigates and one
steamboat, also English, had approached the strait of
Witsand, between the island of Hull-ae and the shore of
the peninsula of Hangoudd, near the canal leading to the
town of Eckenass, and had commenced cannonading the
battery erected near the narrows of Witsand.
" In his report of the 21st, Lieut.-General Rokas-
sooski brings to the knowledge of his Majesty the Em-
peror, that the squadron of the enemy, anchored off
Hangdudd, had not yet undertaken anything, and the
flotilla which showed itself near Eckenass being boldly
received by cur troops under the command of Lieute-
nant-General Ramzai, who is charged with the com-
mand of the detachments of Abo and Pojo, was re-
pulsed with loss, and did not dare attack Eckenass.
" The following are the details of the affair :—Lieu-
tenant-General Ra:nzai having received, on the evening
of May 18, information by the telegraph and the pilots
that three ships of the enemy were ascending the Gulf
of Pojo, took his measures immediately, and had-them
watched. To this end, amongst others, a half platoon
of sharpshooters from the battalion of the Grenadier
Rifles was posted opposite the pcint where the gulf is
narrowest, at the height of the Lapwick station. On
the 7th, between three and four p.m., two of the
enemy's steamers, one built like a schooner,
the other a screw-frigate, approached quite blindly
this point, having a sixteen-oared boat going
ahead, which sounded the channel at every step.
The young officer of the battalion of sharpshooters,
Sub-Lieutenant Gulling, to whom this post of observa-
tion had been entrusted, taking skilful advantage of the
wooded nature of the shore, ambushed his marksman in
such a manner that they received the boat, when about
300 paces off, with so well aimed a fire, that the boat
, was very clearly seen to move back impelled alone by
two rowers.
" Encouraged by this first success, our sharpshooters
continued, at a distance of at least 700 paces, to fire at
the ships of the enemy, on board of each of which some
ten men, among those who were in the rigging and on
the yard-arms, were hit by our bullets. The enemy
answered these shots with balls of enormous size,
shells, and grape, and continued to move on slowly as
far as the coast battery, which is raised opposite the
narrowest part of the. Witsand Strait, near Hull-
ae, where it stopped towards evening, just within
the range of heavy guns. Meanwhile, Lieutenant-Ge-
neral Ramzai concentrated the Ist battalion of the Gre-
nadier regiment of Prince Frederick of the Netherlands
near Lapwick, and reinforced the coast battery of the
Witsand strait with four pieces of the battery of position
No. 1 of the Ist artillery brigade of Grenadiers, which
had arrived from Abo only a few hours before. The
4th company of the 2d battalion of the same regiment
was ordered to support the battery, and the 2d company
of Grenadiers, as also a company of the battalion of
Grenadier Rifles were scattered about on both sides of
the battery ; the two last companies of the 2d battalion
of the same regiment remained with the commander of
the latter to defend Eckenass.

" On the 20th, between 4 and 5 a.m., the enemy re-
commenced his onward movement, but he was stopped
for nearly an hour by the well-directed fire of the coast
battery, which did serious damage to his ships, after
which these two last, opening a murderous and most
active fire from all their portholes, literally covered the
shore with grapeshot. Our battery was then removed
to a particularly advantageous position near the village
of Lexswall, and recommenced firing between one and
two o'clock. The enemy's ships, having advanced a few
hundred paces, stopped, and although they were now
not more than a verste and a half (a mile) from Ecke-
nass, having sustained heavy damage, they had not the
courage to attack the town, and withdrew in the direc-
tion of the entrance to the Gulf of Pojo.
"By the testimony of Lieut.-General Ramzai, the
sharpshooters and the artillery particularly distin-
guished themselves in this affair, by the accuracy of their
, aim, and their officers, in selecting advantageous posi-
tions, contributed powerfully to its success ; lastly the
Cossacks, attached to the detachment, transmitted the
orders and instructions with extreme skill and rapidity.
" It is impossible to determine exactly the loss of the
enemy, but as he was exposed to our concentrated cross
fire, it must have been considerable. Thanks to the
wise arrangements of the commanding officers, and to
the skill that enabled them to take proper dvantage of
the localities, the loss on our side has been very trifling.
Among the officers we have unfortunately to regret
Major Dergatcheff, commanding the 2d battalion of the
Grenadier regiment of Prince Frederick of the Nether-
lands, who was killed ; this regiment had one man
killed and another wounded besides ; in the artillery
two men were killed ; in the battalion of sharpshooters,
one man was severely wounded and three received con-
tusions. Three artillery horses were killed.
"Having repulsed the enemy from Eckenass, on the
20th of May, Lieutenant-General Ramzai sent on the
same day a part of his detachment to Hangoudd."

SEIZURE OF MERCHANT VESSELS AT
LIBAU.—THE TRUTH FOR ONCE TOLD
BY RUSSIA.
The same official Russian journals report as fol-
lows the visit of the Amphion and Conflict to
Libau
"On the 4th of May, two English screw-steamers,
the frigate Amphion and the corvette Conflict, repaired
to the roads of Libau. On the following morning, Cap-
tain A. Cooper Key, commanding the Amphion, sent a
flag of truce into the harbour, with a categorical sum-
mons addressed to the governor of Libau. He required
therein that all the merchant vessels in the harbour
should be given up to him, and threatened to bombard
the town if he was not satisfied respecting his demand
within three hours. As there is no governor at Libau,
it was the mayor of the town who read the letter of the
English captain. He answered him that Libau, being
destitute of all means of defence, must submit to the in-
junctions of force. At 4 p.m., ten boats, six of which
had cannon, and conveying about 200 troops for landing,
entered ;the harbour, and towed away eight merchant
vessels 4
" We thus see Captain Cooper Key made a demand
on Libau exactly similar to the one sent by Admirals
Dundas and Hameli❑ to General Baron Osten-Sacken,
at Odessa. At both places the surrender of tne mer-
chant vessels was demanded under pain of bombardment.
Only the admirals thought proper to give to their re-
quisition the colouring of a reparation requited, and
they made as the pretext for this a pretended outrage,
which they said had been committed on an English fri-
gate bearing the white flag. Captain Key behaves more
frankly; he goes right to the point, without cloaking them
with imaginary pretexts ; he says plainly that he wants
the merchant vessels in the harbour ; gives three hours
for their delivery, and announces that he will bombard
the town if his demand is not complied with."

FRENCH BALTIC ARMY.
A Hamburg letter of May 29, says :--" When
the Ajax, 58, screw, Captain Warden, was getting
under weigh at Gottska Sando, a rather serious
accident happened on board her, from a flaw in the
capstan, by which about twenty blue-jackets were
hurt, some of them seriously. Reports have been
circulated that the presence of the French fleet at
Kiel was connected with a political movement of
the duchies of Holstein and Schleswig. It is
scarcely needful to add that the report is a com-
plete fabrication. One thing, however, is certain,
viz., that orders have arrived at Kiel to make in-
quiries of the different civil authorities how many
troops could be quartered in the surrounding vil-
lages. This would seem to confirm the rumours
that the French Baltic army are to proceed to
Cronstadt, and thence per railroad to Kiel en
route to the Gulf of Finland." ,

FRANCE.
The newsof the coup d'etat in Denmark is looked
upon in Paris as a matter of exceeding gravity, as
it is thought probable that England will be forced
to treat his -Majesty of Denmark with an expedition
similar to that with which France has treated King
Otho.

The following letter has just been sent by the
Minister of Marino to the Maritime Prefect of
Lorient

" Paris, May 24.
" Monsieur le Prekit The Emperor, seizing on every
occasion to give to the navy fresh marks of his good-
feeling towards it, has directed me to give to the Anni-
bal line-of-battle ship the name of Prince Jerome. The
Imperial Nary will behold with pride one of the meet

powerful instruments of war bearing the name of a
brother of the Emperor Napoleon 1., and tthe uncle of
Napoleon 111. It is aware that Prince Jerome com-
menced his career on board the ships of war of France,
and that in the midst of the vicissitudes of his life, his
heart has always been that of a sailor. Receive Mon-
sieur le Prefet, the assurance of my distinguished con-
sideration. " THEODORE Ducos."
Admiral Baudin, who has been elevated to the
rant of Admiral of France within the last two days
is so dangerously ill that all hope of his recovery is
despaired of. His complaint is an inflammation of
the liver.

It is said that the Government are in daily ex-
pectation of receiving news of a serious encounter,
perhaps a pitched battle, between the Russians and
Turks at Silistria, the latter reinforced by French
and English troops, who are already on their way
to the spot. Marshal de St. Arnaud, who is said
to have been appointed Generalissimo, will com-
mand the French and Turkish armies on the field.
Omer Pacha has marched to the relief of Silistria ;
and it is to be hoped that the Russians do not think
of abandoning it until the reinforcements come up.
It is said very confidently that the Austrians have
very probably by this time entered Little Wal-
lachia. Nothing can be better than the conduct of
Austria, but from more quarters than one Prussia
is not spoken of in so favourable a manner. The
Government are anxious and uneasy about Prussia:
they know that at Berlin Russia is working Heaven
and earth to detach the King from the allied
Powers, and for the last day or two there appear
symptoms of hesitation and vacillation on the part
of his Majesty. In fact, one despatch speaks of a
crisis, not merely Ministerial, but more generally
political. This crisis will probably end as the pre-
vious ones, but still it is sufficient to diminish the
satisfaction felt on account of Austria.
The Bourse again rose yesterday. The. Three
per Cents. opened at 71f. 50c., and closed at 72f.
40c. for the end of the month.

SPAIN.
The only item of intelligence worth extracting
from the Madrid journals of the 27th ult. is, that
the Royal decree directing the payment of taxes in
advance, as a loan to the Government, continued
to be favourably received in the provinces ; also
that the attention of the inhabitants of the pro-
vinces was principally occupied with railway and
other material improvements.
A letter from Madrid says :—" The Queen
Mother is beginning to be convalescent, and -the
physicians have no doubt of the speedy re-establish-
ment of her health."

A Royal decree of the 19th of May, inserted in
the Madrid Gazette of the 23d of that month, con-
fers upon the young duke, Robert of Parma, the
prerogatives of Infant of Spain, enjoyed by the
reigning Duke, his father.