The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-29 00:00:00

THE BALTIC FLEET.

The following interesting letter is from the
Baltic fleet:—
" The fleet sailed on the 13th of April froM Kloge
Bay, weather fine. I cannot tell you the different ships
in each column, for they seem so scattered and so dis-
tai,t that it was difficult to make them out. The James
Watt. 91, screw,' Captain G.:Elliot, 'and Monarch, 84,
Captain Erskine, and a couple of steamers, were left at
'Kioge Bay to complete water and coals. There was a
Smothered rumour itt the fleet, but it is kept as a great
secret, that there was a mutiny; or something very much
resembling it, on board the Caesar, 91, screw, Captain
Robb ; that the captain of the fleet went on board, and
beat to general quarters, and not a gun or station was
manned by the men and petty officers ; that the captain
of the fleet sent for the petty officers, and they respectfully
came before . him, told him that they were of the game
opinion with the ship's company, ready to serve their
Queen and country, but would not act under their pre-
sent captain. Such is •all I heard,. and that as an affair
every one knew, but afraid to speak about it. I heard,
also, that the admiral referred the case to the Admiralty.
I know nothing of Captain Robb, or the merits and de-
merits of the case, but I cannot help thinking that it is
a most dangerous precedent'to supersede, at the request
of The men, the captain of any ship, and it must prove
very detrimental to the service. However, the admiral
could not do otherwise than' refer it to head-quarters,
providing such a report is true. We have a fair wind.
Weather is sharp in the mornings and evenings, and
Very cold at night. In one of my letters I told you that
the two French, ships have joined. They are on the
station, but have not joined the fleet. In the afternoon
the fleet were joined by the Iniperieuse, 51, screw, Cap-
tain Watson, and Leopard, 18, Captain Giffard, with
Rear-Admiral Pluinridge's flag, apd diffiient other
steamers of miner- standing. Plumridge went imme-
diately on :board the coinuander-iii-chief's ship, and.
several private siitnala were made to the different flag-
officers and, captains, which no one but them could kn. iw.
The Lightning, paddle, Captain Sulivan, was seen to be
very busy with orders front Sir Charles to some of the
ships. In the evening the Order of sailing was arranged
in three lines.
"14th, Good Friday.—This is a day of rest with you,
Most of the ships at service. Fieet in beautiful order,
sailing in three lines: The Royal George, 121, screw,
Capt. tJodrington, C. 8., ahead of all, with a steamer
and Cruizer, 17, screw, Commander Donglas, and a
couple of frigates atni steamers; on the look-out to wind-
ward and leeward of the aqu.ufrun. Tills morning we
saw the first' prize taken by the Inaperieuse—a brig,
containing either salt or tallow. Sue had the 'English
ensign over the Russian. The island of Gettiland ia in
sight.
15th, Saturday.—We passed Fat°, a small island at
the end of Gothland, where we expected we were to
anchor. About 12 (noon) signal made, " Rende..voils
at Landsort," a small Swedish island, and during the
day we sailed in that direction, all the paddle-steam-
ers employed looking after sailing merchant ships,
and overh cling some of them ; ordered one of them
to be detained atid' takeh' tit Par°, and wait there.
We may consider this a prize. Towards evening
the fleet hove to, and Plumridge, who appears to be
a regular sort of light cavalry for the fleet, was
dispatched ahead of the fleet, with the Driver, 6, paddle;
Commander Hon. A. Coithrane, and Magicienne, 16,
pa-Idle, Captain Fisher ; and then these steamers steered
for the Gulf of Finland, with the whole fleet following
in the direction—so, perhaps, they are away fur Revel,
or some pra,ee in the entrance of the gulf. We should
be glad to see the James-Watt (which we left with the
Monarch, in Kioge Bay) join us, for we require all our
force collected, in case we may meet with the-enemy.
It is quite • true that all the colliers were ordered to
Faro, but perhaps Sir Charles has altered his mind.
If we are on our way. to the Gulf of Vinland we shall
very soon be there with this wind. The Lord help us
and take care of us. I have no doubt many a prayer is
offered up in England for us.'
• _ _

"17th.-Instead of proceeding at a quick rate on Sa-
turday night we merely went with Plumridge a few miles
iihead of the fleet, and all then kept a good 100k-out.
We were joined on Sunday morning by the Gorgon,
Commander Cumming. On this morning we were asto-
nished on our getting a vie* of the fleet, that Admiral
Corry had disappeared during the night, taking with
him four line-of-battle ships, two heavy frigates, and
several steamers. Where he has gone to we know not,
unless be is tent to Landsort, or Faro, or perhaps to
have a look at Revel. Sunday, (yesterday) was a quiet
day, the fleets astern of us under easy sail and gra-
dually edging on the entrance of the gulf, and making.
the most of our wind, but awaiting the other ships. Of
course this is conjecture. I forgot to mention that, on
Saturday, 15th, forenoon, a man fell overboard, I think
from the Leopard. Boats were immediately down, but
could not find him. This morning one of the look-out
steamers (Gorgon) took a prize, a brig, and WAS ordered
to take her to the commander-in-chief. From what we
could understand from the signal made - Charles
_
has gained some information on Saturday evenlfe,orom
in from
the prize taken that day that- there were
certain extent
le eight
oattle'ships at sea and ten frigates.'
this is conjecture ;, but I have no doubt we shall find it
to be true. `opportunity
"18th.—A. signal has jot been made
for letters to England' so I have
we are here,,l4 ships in all—eighteetr just time to say that
liners, two frigates,
a of the Gu:f of
and .four steamers—at t
land, looking up toward Fru-
e
entrance
Banc'', Island. We are to-day
standing off and
evidently waiting for Admiral
Curry's squadron.
°Whatever may have become of them
Sir Charles must have, good nerve to remain here with
these heavy ships,
having so little sea, room and so many
rocks, &c., on each side of, them. fowards evening one
of the look-out steamers heard guns fired nearing the
land,
and saw the smoke, but could discern nothing but
a n
small brigantine at anchor. She was anchored among
anumerable number of rocks and shoals, that nothing
but boats conk' go to her, amid it being near dark .she was
left to her fate. Veiy possible she outwit be a lock-out
craft, stud that the guns were signal guns' to those at
Hango, or might be a decoy duck to draw some of us
unawares into the 'land. I never saw such a place
for rocks. The sea is perfectly studded with them;
"The fleet appear healthy, as. We see the number of
sick indicated by signal once a week. The last papers
we had from England Were dated the 31st March, so
that papers and letters now . will be most acceptable.
The people
,in England I expect think that we haves •
much larger fleet than' we have, and they can form no
ides of the difficulty of navigating•waters so full of r
I must say, however, that it is a pity the fleet are sepa-
rated at this moment, as I expect it prevents ua from
proceeding-at once to attack some place or other; and
by remaining here we are affording them time to prepare
to give us a warmer reception. It ia, however,‘ e,sy for
a person not knowing all to make remarks. We know
not what information. the commander-in-chief may have
had.

"Postscript.—Since I finished the above, instead of
our letters going away, the Driver and Leopard with-
out having our letters (perhaps the Leopard left then;
for she had a boat on board the flag-ship) have gone up
Guitol naiad as lard as thil can go. win*

the commanderin-chief wants some information before
sending away his ; I hope they will get( la
piize or two in their way up endow!). 19tli—Driver.n:
lowed Admiral Pluitiridge yesterday evening until al)015
half-past four, when he made a signal to her to chase in
a westerly direction—not giving any• other orders. 1.1
course brought her -to the main fleet. The-
went on up the Gulf. Adtnirai Corry has rejoined Apia
this morning. All the steamers'—l mean the paddla
steamers--are constantly under reduced 'steam, wh`eh
perhaps is requisite."
y'
Elctraet-froth a letter froth one of her Make, s
ships in Admiral -Plutnridge's, sq,ladron, )3aiti"
fleet, dated April 18 :
" There are letters for us on board the admiral's
but We have ,not been able to get them yet. I bays
had no letters or papers from any one for nearly re;
weeks. We have been cruising in the Baltic and Gil.
of Finland for the last fortnight, never having bad the
anchor down, so I have had no oppo; tunity 01 writi,,,.114.1
We boarded a number of vessels and took sev-1,0
prizes. We have abuut a dozen Russian prisinie._
on board We were up among the ice, and 01
a look in at Revel, Riga, and Port Baltic, wilbeort
Vie saw a number of men 'of- war IYi"g' are
we ea:A get at them yet, for the harbours
still frozen up. When the ice gives way, we
, a„
are in hopes of having a go-in. It is cola
here, you have no notion- of it ; the decks are often ced
vered with ice, and the ropes look as if they were ease,
in glass. We' saw a good deal of field ice a feW easy,
in
ago, indeed we could trot get very far up the
Finland for Cruising about here is no wart° -s
any news for you ;, we have a little.excitenient somettels
chasing and firing across their bows to make, the rases'es,
lay to till we board them. We have taken four pr.-
k
the others we let go: One morning, about ten &y.
since, we saw a large vessel some eight or ten teileear
head, which we fully believed to be a Russian wan -o
s!
as she made all sail to get away; and showed no
As we rapidly came up with her, she took in 50.., Lt
she was under reefed topsails (fighting trim), so we --pg
to quarters, and the pipe sounded loudly hands V! I
ship into action.' For about three minutes every
was bustle apparently, casting the guns loose, cleArliil
the decks, &c. Five minutes after the pipe every ftig
was double spotted and primed, and the men staeuoird
with the match lines in their hands-waiting for the woe
to fire, and just as we got within good distance, as
blackguard ran up American colours, and coolly wide to
he would have hoisted them sooner, but he wan did
see how smart we could -clear for action. If our toro
note bless him to the wrong side of Heaven, don't belles
!"

THE GREEK INSURRECTION.
" The accounts from Athens," says the /lionit'c'e
" represent the state of the public mind in utee
under an aspect the most afflicting for all that'
fay
who have been hitherto anxious for the prnsPeists
of that country. A complete regime of terror 61.0
there. Agents-are ostensibly sent to all the P°loo
of the kingdom which have not, up to this t'o.
manifested° any Sympathy towards the /fistulas
Lion in the Epirus ; those who allow theniae der
to be led away, proceed to the frontier 0.0
the guidance of chiefs, who begin by 1°133
contributions on all the Greek people in theit wt.
and by settilic,,, fire to all the villages, the inbaths
tants of which refuse to take an active part in
revolt. When they arrive on the Turkish territc'usea
it is, according to the expression commonlY
os
at Athens, to force those wretched Christian rt'Jri.
to insurrection. At the same time such of thiPur
sons as were not at first thrown open has°
plied the means of recruitment. The wretches
lar
liberated take their place in the ranks of the NO is,
soldiers to march with them to sack the Cii,rev
tians of the Epirus and Thessaly. It is thus t"
pretend to regenerate these provinces, and Pro,
'
re.
cure its civilisation. In the Attica and the ;
loponesus justice- is everywhere suspentiere.
the coffers of the public money and the corn waost
houses are everywhere pillaged; in a word, th°
complete anarchy reigns in the administrate b.
and in the country. Akind of Committee of P°o
lie Safety has just been founded at Atheao;
presided over by the old Fanariot Michel Sont!tis
One of the first acts of this committee fin
been to draw up a list of proscription, allupu.
order to carry its object into effect; it ha
re,
rolled a certain number of assassins who hav:"o,
cently arrived from Constantinople , and SAY„s.
whose mission is to make away with whoever is 5,,-t,
petted not being favourable to the .moreinef,c.
On the' 13th, an Athenian, who had dared t°'
press doubts as to the success of the revolt, narrnil.
escaped becoming a victim ; after having he'eu..„ ;
used in the most dreadful manner, he was tuulie
into prison. On the same day the Catholics,
.wr d
celebrating Holy Thursday, were on, the pout':
having their church invaded by a band ofassassiu_
g
and only owed their safety to the energetic Iva;
seutation addressed by the French Minister to t°o,
Greek authorities. It is• with pain that Ire,e.ob.
register these symptoms of a kind of vertigo, **Lau,
threatens to lead Greece into -paths in which
can only meet with abysses."