The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-26 00:00:00

THE BOMBARDMENT OF ODESSA.

Ey the last mail from Constantinople several letters
have been received. in the Tyne from Shields captains,
who have escaped from Odessa, and, as these letters
were written for the information of their own family cir-
cles, and with no. idea that they would come under the
observation of any one connected with the press, they
have especial interest. These simple and homely narra-
tives give the lie in every particular to the despatches of
the Russian General Osten-Sacken with regard to the
bombardment of Odessa. Mr. John Tate, master of
the barque Princess, belonging to tha port, furnishes
some interesting information. He reached Odessa
with his vessel on the 3d of April, seeking a cargo,
and four days after, as he was standing on the Mole,
overheard the parley between the boat's crew of his
countrymen belonging to the war steamer Furious
and the Russian authorities. His account of the
transaction corroborates Captain Jones's report on every
point, and he states that the steamer's boat was re-
returning to the ship, and within 50 yards of her, when
the Russians opened one of their batteries, and fired
seven shots at her. Abotit four days after this trans-
action, three English war steamers entered. the roads,
and captured eight laden Russian merchantmen. This
circumstance greatly exasperated the Russian autho-
rities, and they put a guard of eight soldiers aboard of
each English and French vessel iii the harbour. The
steamers, however, having taken their departure during
the night, the guards were removed from the vessels
next day. On the 20th, in the grey of the morning, Mr.
Tate. descried a fleet of large vessels approaching the
harbour, and, suspecting that they were the allied fleets,
he quietly went ashore and got water and provisions
aboarn his ship. His vessel was in ballast, a good sailer,
and the wind was fair for a run out of the harbour. Mr.
Tate, therefore, took advantage of the confusion in the
port consequent upon the appearance of the fleets, got
in his anchor, and made a dash for the sea. The Russians
observed his movements when too late, and gave chase
to him with a boat filled with soldiers, but the Princess
outsailed them, and in half-an-hour Captain Tate was
under the protection of a large English war-steamer that
came in towards the land to meet him. He was re-
quested to bring to in the roads, and put himself under
the protection of the fleet, and then to go aboard of the
English Admiral's ship. Mr. Tate was cordially re-
ceived by Admiral Dundas and Admiral Lyons. He is
a very intelligent young man, and was able to give some
valuable information with regard to the forts and bat-
terieS, the position of the powder magazine, and the
furnace for making red-hot shot. He was able to make
out. the position of the French and English vessels in
the harbour, and tell where a Russian war steamer was
lying. Mr. Tate having anchored his vessel in a secure
position, witnessed the subsequent proceedings. He
says that on the 21st a boat put of from the fleet in
command of an English lieutenant. She pulled in to-
wards the shore with the Russian flag flying. They.
were met by a boat manned with Russian officials, and
the following is Mr. Tate's version of the parley. The
Russians asked the lieutenant what he wanted He re:
plied that the admirals requested that all the French and
English merchant vessels be given up, and in exchange
the fleet would liberate 50 Russian seamen who had
been captured. The answer of the Russians was that
the authorities considered all the English and French
vessels in the harbour lawful prizes, and the sub-
jects of those countries prisoners. " Then," shouted
the lieutenant, "if the demand is not complied with
by sunset, make ready for your breakfast to-morrow
morning!" The bombardment,, as observed from the
roads, Mr. Tate states had a fearfully grand appear-
ance, more especially when the powder magazine blew
up. During the fighting eight English merchantmen
and two Frenchmen escaped from the harbour. The
ruins of the buildings destroyed by the fleet burned for
four days. The merchant vessels that escaped were con-
voyed across the Black Sea by war vessels. The men
on board the fleet are reported to be in'good health and
high spirits.

The following extracts from a letter of an officer of
one of the vessels engaged at the bombardment of Odessa
appears in the Dublin Evening Mail :--
" I have, thank God, been spared to give you an ac-
count of our first affray with the Russians, which took
place last Saturday at Odessa, when we destroyed the
Imperial port, shipping,. and property to a large amount.
`The Vauban,French steamer, was obliged to leave the
scene of action, having been set on fire by a red-hot shot,
which penetrated the outer planking, and rolled down be-
tween it and the inner lining, towards the bottom of the
vessel. Having burnt its way through inside, it was
soon removed, and all put to rights again, but they were
rather apprehensive of the ship blowing up from its
proximity to the magazine, which they cleared away
directly.
"Thu only loss of life, on our side, occurrel on
board the Terrible. A shot, which came through
the side, caused splinters, which killed ono man and
wounded four others. This shot took an extraordinary
course. Having passed obliquely through the side, it
came in contact with the `combing' of
.a hatchway in
the centre of the deck, bounded back at an acute
angle to the same side, struck a gun, glanced
from it into the port, and finally went over-
board. At first, most of the enemy's shot and shell fell
short ; but after a little they got their guns to be'ar
beautifully upon us, and were giving it to us thick and
warm, when, by steaming astern, we dragged our
anchor, and spoiled their range. It was a dreadful but
glorious sight to see their magazine blow up, such
cheering took place from our jolly tars. After we had
silenced the batteries, and set the shipping on fire; our
rocket boats were pulling in to give them something
more, when the Russians opened fire on them from
other places, on which account we were obliged to blaze
away again, and continue it till the signal of recall was
hoisted by the admiral, whose ship, together with all
the liners, was anchored just at a nice distance to wit•
ness the day's procceellings.
" As we passed the Queen and London, they manned
rigging, and gave the old Terrible three hearty cheers.
"Some of the lookers-on said we fired splendidly—
however that may be, we suffered far more than any of
the'ships engaged, which is attributed to our having been
200 yards closer in. At all events, our position was
more favourable for the direction of the enemy's guns.
Our „ounner has just told me that we (Terrible), on Sa..
turday, fired no less than 572 rounds of shot anti shell,
besides 51 rockets. We are now en route to Constan-
tinople, as fast as we can steam, with intelligence of the
Odessa affair.
" CONSTANTINOPA April 28.—We have been quite
lions here since our arrival from Odesssa. No end to
people coming on board to view a wounded ship--
among them, gamy of the Quanta. List of caanititie4 iu

the Terrible during action :—One man killed and four
wounded. The ship struck in the hull in 11 places;
stock of small bower anchor shot off ; two links of sheet
cable shot away ; both paddle-box boats shot through.
also paddle-boxes ; fore gangway ladder and paddle'
bridge ladder shot away ; two marling spars and two
paddle-box boats' oars shot away ; stanchioas and crutch
of port quarter boats' davits shot away ; starboard
paddle-wheel and break damaged ; starboard forecast's
hammock-cloth, berthing, and two hammocks, knocked
overboard, and number of ropes shot away."

THE AIISTRO-PRIISSIAN CONVENTION.
The Ministerial journal, Le Pays, has the following
remarks on the Austro-Prussian convention :
" If the reply of Russia should not offer a complete
security, the hour of common defence and action will
commence for the two allied Powers. An attack
towards the Balkans, the passage of those mountains 131
the Russian armies, will suffice to impose on Austria
and Prussia the obligation of acting offensively and de•
fensively. Well, then, unless some unforeseen and
wonderful event takes place—unless Russia give will
before the last summons of her old allies decided oa
becoming her enemies—unless (which is most unlikely)
she accept the humiliation of a retreat more afflicting
when it is the result of a diplomatic summons than when
caused by a defeat, unless the Czar consent to submit to
a peace, for the efficiency of which Europe will know how
to have proper guarantees, it is evident that the evente-
ality foreseen by the Courts of Vienna and Berlin has
been realised—Russia is marching towards the Balkans ;
the strategical arrangements of Prince Pask6witsch, and
the evacuation of Lesser Wallachia, leave no doubt as to
the new plan of campaign adopted against the Otto-
man Empire. The heroism of the soldiers of Omer
Pasha has certainly stopped the. Russian armies in the
presence of the English-French forces may at present
keep them in check, and soon, we hope, force there
back. But the intention is not the less evident, and had
it not been for the obstacles thrown in their way, the Rua'
sians would, perhaps, have been before this at Adrianople,
while their gold pay and their emissaries excite odious in-
surrections, which menace Germany as much as Turkey-
The cases belli specified in the Austro-Prussian treaty is
consequently flagrant, and if Russia does not yield to the
last representations addressed to her it is certain that she
will see these two powerful adversaries, named Prus-
sia • and Austria, resolutely take up arms against her.
The acts which have followed this treaty are, besides, of
great importance. It is sufficient in this respect to call
to mind the immense military preparations made by the
Court of Vienna, and the letter of the Emperor Francis-
Joseph, declaring that the movements of his armies have
for object to defend the frontiers of the east and north of
the empire."