The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-14 00:00:00

THE FLEET BEFORE HELSINGFORS.

Tile following are extracts from a letter written
by an officer of high rank ili the Baltic fleet, dated
from Barosund, some twenty miles from Helsing-
tors, June 6 _ .

"The shot that the different forts have fired at our
ships weigh upwards of 261bs equalling our 24-
pounders. They look ridiculously small to our enor-
mous shot, and I fancy that wounds or damage done by
them would be by the splinters they cause. One shot
pessed through a crowd of 20 men, and did not hurt one
till it struck a gun-carrage, and made splinters, which
killed one man, and knocked another over. The wounds
made by the Milne rifle ball are very severe.
"Those who do not get under fire are very impatient,
but it seems very doubtful if we shall have any general
altion here. The Imperieuse looks in every night to
Helsingfors, and reports the state of the ships in the
harbour in the morning. A story is current, that, under
a fl ig of trues, a challenge will be sent in, giving them
the advantage of a ship or two, and allowing them to
state their own numbers if they accept. They are con-
foundedly good gunners ; so perhaps you may hear of
the results of the challenge in a naval tournament.
"The idea of attacking the batteries of Heisingfors,
Croestadt, or Revel, appears to be quite banished.
The war will therefore be a strict blockade. I can't see
any finish to it."

OPERATIONS ON THE CIRCASSIAN COAST,

The Moaii.eur publishes the following despatch
from Vice-A,liniral Hamelin, the Commander-in-
Chief of the French fleet in the Black Sea

" Baltehiek, Ville de Paris, Nay 25.

"Monsieur le Mimstre,—ln my preceding letters I
had the honour to inform your Excellency that reports
were current that the Russians had continued the evacua-
tion of their lobs and establishments in Circassia and
Georgia, even those of Soukoum-Kal6 and Redout-
lial6, whichi are, however, the victualling ports of their
army in Asia, and so precious to the latter. These re-
ports have been offie'ally confirmed by the arrival of the
French frigate Mogador, forming part of the Anglo-
French squadron sent by Admiral Dundas and my-
self to the eoaat of Circassia. By a report received
from the Commander of the Charlemagne, I can in
form your Excellency that Anapa and Sujack Bay
are the only points retained by the Russians ; the gar-
risons o: these places had even been incre ised, and pre-
sent an eifective fotee of 20,000 men. This concentra,
tion of forces, not far from Kertch Straits, indicates
that the enemy wishes to defend the approaches of the
Taman peninsula which command those straits. Re-
dont Ka,l6 was not yet completely evacuated when the
Anglo-French naval division appeared on the coast ;
but a demonstration by our vessels, and a battalion of
Turkish troops provided by &slim Pacha, sufficed to
procure us possession of the place, which was occupied
by the battalion which now forms its garrison.
" However satisfactory were these actual results, Ad-
miral Dundas and myself were informed that there was
not a moment to be lost to send a reinforcement of
Turkish troops and steamers to take posses-ion of Sou-
koum, where' the Circassians and Georgians were begin-
ning to dispute for the rule, and themselves called for the
assistance ofTurkish troops to take possession of localities
where the Ottoman flag already flies. Yesterday we
held a conference on this subject with Vice-Admiral
Ahmed-Paella, and it was resolved that, considering the
urgency of the case, the steam-ship Le Sans-Pareil and
two Turkish steamers should start at once to convey
troops, arms, and ammunition to Soukoum-Kald—in a
word, all that Ahmed-Pacha himself might judge it suit-
able to send there.
"'Y our Excellency will therefore see that matters
have taken a favourable turn on the Georgian and Circas-
sian coasts, where the Ottoman flag will not fail to float
everywhere where it. floated before.
" Bardan has been selected as the point where we
shah enter into regular communication with Schamyl
and his delegates.—l am, &c.,
(Signed)

" HAMELIN."

THE PRUSSIAN LOAN.

A laaer from Berlin, in the Borsenhalle of Ham-
burg, says :--" The mobilisation of the army is
resolved on. But only a part of it will be placed
on a war footing. The loan of 30,000,000 thalers
is about to be issued. The bill respecting it has
received the sanction of the King on the p:oposition
of the Minister of War."