The Sun.
London, England, 1853-12-23 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING DECEMBER 23, 1 53.

heartless proceedings ran from the room lest she
might incur his displeasure and participate in the
effects of his brutality. But she called for no
assistance—and when the miserable woman her-
self subsequently crawled to the Police-office she
received none. The protection she was entitled
to was withheld, and she returned to her room to
meet her fate.

Let other drunken husbands reflect on the fate
of WILLIAM CUMMING ; let them consider on the
results of his drinking bout, combined with his
habitual violence and brutality, and determine to
profit by the severe but salutary example. Let
Legislators also ask what would have been - the
effect of the interference of the Police when their
aid was invoked, and the administration of a
sound castigation to WILLIAM CUMMING. Had
he been flogged his wife would now be alive, and
the use of the revolting cat-o'-nine tails would
have rendered that of the still more revolting
"gibbet" unnecessary and uncalled for.

Dissenters owe it to Lord STANLEY and other
enlightened supporters of the Church to do their
own part on the subject of Church Rates. We
frankly told them so when his Lordship's states-
manlike and Christian pamphlet appeared, and we
therefore can but wish them success in all their
parish vestry efforts to obtain justice for them.
selves, and in all their appeals to the Government.
On the 9th December, as our readers will have
seen, a deputation of the Protestant Dissenting
Deputies presented through Lord PALMERSTON a
memorial to Lord ABERDEEN, which we gave at
length in The Sun of the 15th. It was signed by
the well-known S. M. PETO, Esq., M.P., as chair-
man ; and as a temperate, business-like, and mat-
ter-of-fact document, challenges the attention of
all impartial Churchmen. We need not advert
to all its statements, though we commend them
' all to public attention. Let every fair-minded man,
however, weigh the four following facts :-
Ist. According to the Report of the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners of 1835, the net annual income of
the Anglican Church Clergy, exclusive of fees, is
three millions and a half sterling.
2d. The present dissenting places of worship,
at the lowest estimate, have cost then( seven mil-
lions sterling.
3dly. Dissenters raise for their clergy, at the
low estimate of 801. each, 1,136,0001. annually.
4thly. From a return obtained by Sir IL
INGLIS, it appears that out of a population of
6,365,351 persons liable to Church. Rates,
3,519,387 refuse to pay them.
I Is it then tolerable that this impost, so justly
obnoxious to Dissenters, the amount of which
could be so easily raised by the wealthy members
of our well-endowed Establishment—is it tolerable
that it should continue to be paid for a year longer
by the minority of 2,845,954 ? All high-minded
Churchmen must blush to look at the above four
facts. Their own pockets spared to the amount
of three millions and a half annually, nearly all
their churches built for them at no cost to them-
selves, and yet to have it said that they will not
keep their inherited houses in repair ! Do they
deserve the splendid inheritance ?
Dissenters, on the other hand, paying every na-
tional and municipal burden as well as them-
selves, spending seven millions and more in erect-
ing places of worship, and we have no doubt, at
least, a million and a half, probably much more,
in the support of their own ministers—to be taxed,
wherever not strong to resist—taxed, in addition,
for a worship they never attend, while, at no small
sacrifices, they support the one which their tastes
or their consciences prefer. Such injustice cannot
last. Dissenters must no longer pay for our
expenses of worship, either directly or indirectly ;
and while we are tenants of churches which have
cost us nothing, we grant that we deserve ejec-
tion if we refuse the reasonable terms of keeping
them in tenantable repair. Lord ABERDEEN inti-
mated that his Government had a measure under
consideration, which would be introduced early in
the spring. We only wish it may fully come up
to the proposals of Lord STANLEY. If not, from
all we know of the temper of Dissenters, they
will not be, nor ought they to be, cajoled by any
supplications "not to embarrass a Liberal Govern-
ment ;" they, and others of us on other subjects,
have had too much of that appeal ad miserecor-
diarn. Dissenters have it in black and white
that the Earl of DERBY and Lord STANLEY both
consider Church rates an "injustice and a griev-
ance to Dissenters;" and they will brook no half
measures from those whose liberal professions are
so much louder. Meantime, we repeat, as before,
that any Government will need all possible aid
from Dissenting agitation without in carrying
an honest measure ; but whatever Government
carries it, we are confident, from all that we have
heard from many quarters,. that Lord STANLEY'S
share in their success will not be easily forgotten
by the Nonconformists.

TEE MINISTRY.

(Prom the Morning Herald.)

It is positively asserted that Lord Palmerston has
consented to return to the Coalition Cabinet. Should
this be the fact, the noble viscount has, of course, ob-
tained his own terms. If orders have been given to the
British fleet to enter the Black Sea, with a view to ac-
tive operations, and if it be true that Lord Lansdowne
and the Duke of Devonshire have threatened to with-
draw their support from the Ministry if the main provi-
sions of the intended. Reform Bill are not given up—
then it is not impossible that Lord Palmerston may have
consented to return to the Home-office. A few hours
will, in all probabillity, place all the facts in connection
with this affair in our possession.

THE MINISTERIAL CRISIS.

(From the Morning Advertiser.)

The Home Secretaryship, up till a late hour last
night, was still on its begging tour. Lord Panmure,
we are told, has been asked to accept it, and it is added
that his lordship would be nothing loth, but for the state
of his health, which, we are informed, is such as to ren-
der anything like continuous or arduous labour exceed.
ingly dangerous.
Rumours reached us last night, from various quarters,
that I ord Aberdeen would be spared the necessity of
filling up the vacant Home Secretaryship, in consequence
of the immediate dissolution of the Cabinet. It was
even said by some that a break-up had actually taken
place. This we believe to be premature. We know,
indeed, that so far from the Cabinet being formally die
solved, strenuous efforts were made yesterday to patch
up matters again.
It was last night stated that much of the five hours
and a half sederunt was occupied in this patch-work
attempt. We have the best reasons for believing that
particular influences have been, or will be brought to
bear on Lord Palmerston, to induce him to rejoin the
Administration ; but, of course, no consideration what-
ever— no matter by whom urged—will prevail on the
noble lord again to sit in a Cabinet of which Lord Aber-
deen is the head.
Lord Palmerston must never more cross the threshold
of Downing-street, except to undertake the duties of the
weeks,o that officeperhatphsemcaonuyntry days,n now calls
elapsed,llshim
and Premiership.
before
his sovereign will also summon him ; for it is no secret
that the Aberdeen Ministry, it Ministry it can be called,
is in the last throes of dissolution.

THE COURT.—Efer Majesty will receive an illus-
trious family circle, early in the ensuing week, at Wind-
sor Castle. There will be two more dramatic performances
in the Rubens Room the second week in January, which
will conclude the series.
_ _ _

The Duke and Duchess of Sutherland will enter-
tain a numerous family circle during the approaching holi-
days at Trentham, near Lichfield.
The Duke and Duchess of Grafton are receiving
company at Wakefield Lodge, Stony Stratford.
The Duke and Duchess of Wellington have ar-
rived at Florence, from the south of France. Their graces,
we believe, intend to pass the winter at Rome, where till,
Duchess of Northumberland and other English families of
distinction are staying.

- -
The Earl and Countess of Chesterfield are re-
ceiving a fashionable party at Bretby Hall, Ashby-de-la-
Zonehe.

Lord de Tabley has left town for Tabley House,
Cheshire.
Miss Burdett' Coutts, who has been staying at
Chantilly, has returned to Paris, where, he believe, she
intends to pass the winter.
The tombestone and grave of the daughter of
Thomas Moore, the poet, in ETornsey churchyard, have been
recently repaired, by direction of the rector, the Rev.
Richard Harvey.

LATEST FOREIGN NEWS.

RUSSIA AND TURKEY.

By telegraph from Vienna, under date of the
22d, we have advices from Constantinople, of the
12th inst., which state that the Porte has demanded
the support of the fleets. On the 10th, the Am-
bassadors held a conference on the subject, and re-
solved to await instructions.
The Persian Ambassador has broken off relations
with the Porte, and proceeds to Bagdad.
The anniversary of the birth of Mahomed was
celebrated on the 11th.

The Retribution and Mogador brought back 110
wounded from Sinope.

One party is intriguing to get Ali Pasha made
Minister of Marine.
Our despatches from Constantinople inform us
that the dismissal of the Captain Pasha was con-
sidered probable.
The allied fleets, it was said, would enter the
Black Sea if the Russians landed troops on the
Turkish territory.
A great tempest in the Black Sea had taken place.
A firman confirming the privileges of Servia had
been issued.
Some fanatical demonstrations had been made
against the Christians at Smyrna.
It is said that the reason why part of Luders' corps
went to the Crimea was, that there was an insur-
rection there on the 29th of November in favour of
Turkey.
A letter from Malta of the 15th states that the
commandants of the Russian forces in the Black
Sea had given orders that the foreign merchant
vessels going to ports of the Ottoman Empire shall
be subjected to search.
Several German journals publish a report, which
is said to have been current at Vienna, that Russia
has consented to send a plenipotentiary to the new
Conference. The journals, in giving this news,
state their opinion that it is not well founded.

The Dresden Journal contains a letter from
Vienna of the 16th, which says :—" The two
brigades which had received orders to hold them-
selves in readiness to proceed to the Turkish fron-
tier have not as yet quitted the city, and it is gene-
rally supposed that they will remain here unless
some untoreseen events arise." Another letter of
the 18th, in the Cologne Gazette, says :—" For some
days past our journals have given accounts of bat-
tles which are said to have taken place on the 2d,
3d, and 7th of December near Kalafat. All these
accounts from Transylvania and the Danube are
without foundation. The only piece of intelligence
is that stating that the Russians have concentrated
their forces at Krajowa to the extent of 30,000
men."

The following is from the Paris correspondent of
the Times, dated last evening, 6 p.m.:--
" In the absence of any new incident or reliable
intelligence connected with the state of affairs in the
East, the principal topic of the day is the alleged
difference of opinion between the English and
French representatives at Constantinople. To the
latter, as has been seen, was attributed the fact of
the combined squadrons not entering the Black Sea
when the tidings of the Sinope disaster reached the
Porte. On this point the accounts are so contradic-
tory that, at such a distance, it would be hazardous
to venture an opinion. I may say, however, that in
one official quarter it was stated, no later than this
morning, that that delay is attributed to the French
Ambassador, in opposition either to Lord Strat-
ford de Redcliffe or to the English Admiral ; and
so far as I can understand, some dissatisfaction is
expressed on that account. The dispatch of the
order to which I referred yesterday looks as if this
version was the correct one ; though it is strange
that General Baraguay d'Hilliers, from whom ex-
cessive discretion was certainly not expected,
should be the timid or the hesitating party. lam
very slovi to give credit to rumours of dissensions
between the representatives of England and France
at such a moment as the present, aware as I am
that the partisans of Russia leave nothing undone
to produce such an impression on the public ; but
it is-no less a fact that more than one private letter
from Constantinople alludes to such dissensions.
Rumours of a Ministerial modification perfectly
similar, with one exception, to those which were
rife some months since, and which have been since
then revived, were afloat to-day. It is the same
story about the resignation by M. de Persigny
of his present office, and the nomination of M.
Billault as his successor ; the continued dissensions
of the former M. Fould, &c. The more immediate
cause of the anger of the Home Minister is said to
be publication of the paragraph in the Moniteur
relative to Lord Palmerston's quitting office, and
which offended M. de Persigny, both because it
had been done without his consent or knowledge,
and because the terms in which it was drawn up
were not those he would prefer."
The following is from the correspondent of the
Morning Chronicle, dated Constantinople, De-
cember 8 :-40

" The Retribution and Mogador, the two ships
despatched to Sinope by the British and French
Admirals, to investigate the affair that has taken
place there, in which the Turkish squadron sta-
tioned in that port has been the sufferer, have not
yet returned. Until their return the real state of
things cannot be known. According to the state-
ment made by the commander of the Taif (the
Turkish war steamer that made off at the com-
mencement of the engagement), the Turkish fleet
was in flames. This view, however, may be exag-
gerated. Great fears are now entertained that the
Christian population of Sinope may have attempted
a rising against the Turks, and the town have be-
come the scene of a massacre. _ _

"The following are the names of the Turkish
ships that were in the port of Sinope when attacked
by the Russian fleet :—Frigates—Nizamie, 60 guns ;
Kaid- Zafer, 54 ; Navik, 54 ; • Aon-Illah, 54 ;
Dimiet, 54 ; Nessim, 54 ; Fagel-Illah, 44. Cor-
vettes—Nesmi-Fechan, 22 guns ; Faiza-Maabud,
20 ; Gullu-Zefid, 20 ; Fregli (steamer), 6 ; and the
Taif, the steam-frigate that left during the engage-
ment. All the Turkish line-of-battle ships are
lying in the Bosphorus. Yesterday a council was
held on board the British flag-ship Britannia, at
which the admiral in command of the French fleet
attended. Lord Stratford de Redcliffe was like-
wise there.
" No fresh 'lbws has reached here of importance,
either from the Danube or Asia. The Turks are
much irritated at the disastrous occurrence of Si-
nope. They cannot comprehend the passive atti-
tude of the combined British and French squad-
rons. There • were some violent scenes in the
councils held at the. Porte after these bad tidings.
Two members of the Ottoman Cabinet very nearly
came to blows. Far from having a tendency to
calm the Ottomans, the destruction of a portion of
their fleet will, on the contrary, only rouse them
to resentment.

" The news from Persia is very unfavourable to
Turkish interests. I can assure you, upon the most
unquestionable authority, that Ahmet Effendi, the
Turkish ambassador to the Court of Persia, is on
his way back to Constantinople, having broken off
all intercourse with the Shah, in consequence of
the success of Russian intrigues at that Court. Mr.
Thompson, her Britannic Majesty's charge d'affaires
at.Teheran, has likewise broken off all relati' ns
with the Persian Court. As already stated, the
Russians .have promiSed Persia support, to raise the
Affghans against British rule. The debt of 50
millions due from Persia to the Russian Govern-
ment will no longer be claimed ; but Persia must
side in th(ygoming struggle against her fellow in
faitli,Ahe Ottoman. This may prove an awkward
entrezOt ift the 'Oriental . question, and contribute
largely towards 'rendering the attitude of Great
Britain more marked and determined.
" The arrival of recruits at Constantinople con-
tinues unabated. Several thousands have come
from the provinces this week. These men are not
enlisted, but join the army of their own will. The
stock seems inexhaustible. The British steamer
Furious, and the Heron (French), which were de-
spatched to the Black Sea on Sunday last, are lying
at Varna.
"The Greek Patriarch and the Metropolitans of
the Greek community of Constantinople have re-
quested permission to accompany the Sultan to
Adrianople in the spring. This is a very impor-
tant step. They have presented the following
address :

'His Majesty the Sultan, our august master and
benefactor, has just declared, by an Imperial firman,
that it is his intention to proceed to Adrianople next
spring. We, his servant, and the Metropolitans, mdui-
bers of the Synod, prostrate ourselves before the Throne
of the Almighty, making ardent vows day and night ;
and in conformity with our duties of fidelity, we pray
God to mercifully appreciate the courageous intentions,
the laudable will, and the good dispositions which his
Imperial Majesty, our legitimate Sovereign, shows for
the integrity of the glory and honour of his great em-
pire, as also for the welfare and tranquillity of the trust-
ful subjects who are under his beneficent protection.
" As the absence of our august master and benefac-
tor from the capital of his empire will cause the greatest
grief to the inhabitants of Constantinople, and especially
tb his servants, we humbly pray his Imperial Majesty to
accord us, as a mark of special grace, the permission to
follow him wherever he may go.
" To solicit this grace of his Imperial Majesty, we
have taken the liberty of presenting this humble address
to his Majesty.' "
The Neue Munchner Zeitung, which, as an Ultra-
Conservative paper, probably has genuine and au-
thentic news from St. Petersburg, learns that Rus-
It
under-valued,is felt i n
Esiausissiaarmthiantg
twhiethTniurigkhat
haanvde main.

and preparations for the spring campaign are I
therefore being made on a grand scale. The
order for calling in all the men on furlough has
been given, and this measure will increase the army
by 180,000 veterans. The 6th infantry corps, which
had been placed near Moscow as a reserve, has re-
ceived orders to advance nearer to the seat of war.
The waggon builders of St. Petersburg and Moscow
have been directed to supply the army with 400
waggons by next March. Within the last few
days large sums of money have been sent from St.
Petersburg to the two armies. It is worthy of
mention that trade is unusually brisk here just
now, as very large consignments of all kinds of
manufactured goods have been made to Transyl-
for which remittances are made in Russian
gold imperials.
The Weekly Medical Gazette has a long letter of
the sth from the seat of war. The troops between
Salafat and Turna are suffering much from ague,
which is endemic, typhus, dysentery, and a spurious
kind of cholera. In consequence of want of shelter,
a great part of the men have been withdrawn to the
right bank of the river. Ophthalmia is very pre-
valent among the Rumeliote and Albanian troops,
and the numerous Italians, Poles, Hungarians, and
Greeks are beginning to be affected by it, " which
is the more to be lamented, as they are the very
soul of the army." We now learn that three
great columns are to cross the river as soon as the
floating ice will permit. The greatest part of
the artillery, cavalry, and baggage trains is directed
towards Silistria. Wounded men are continually
brought in from Rustchuk, as the out-pickets of
both armies persist in firing at each other in spite
of positive commands to the contrary. " Deser-
ters, of all nationalities, who come in great num-
bers .from the left bank, keep us well informed
of the Russo-Wallachian plains." The head-quarters
are at Rustchuk, but the troops are kept in readi-
ness for an advance. The Balkan army has received
a further reinforcement of 15,000 men, who are
principally Asiatics.
The Patrie contains the following contradiction
of the Russian Admiral Nachimoff's account of the
engagement at Sinope

" It is not true that the Turks bad in that battle
three frigates of 74 guns, one of which carried the
Admiral's flag. Ile commanded a frigate of 50 guns.
It is not true that. the Greek quarter •at Sinope was
spared. All the houses without distinction and without
necessity, were burned. The town was not defended,
and nevertheless, after the action ceased at sea, the
Russian ships continued to bombard the town. It is a
positive fact, moreover, that at the conclusion of the
fight the Russians sunk several unarmed transports, and
ill-treated in the most unworthy manner, the brave
Turkish Admiral, who was dangerously wounded."
The Constantinople letter of the Wanderer is
calculated to send the blood into the cheeks of
every Englishman who has the least regard for the
honour of his country :
" Even the Greek population asserts that there is a
secret understanding between the British and Russian
Governments. Lord Stratford still attempts to force
the mediatory proposals on the Porte, but the Turks
turn from everything English with disgust."
The Triest Zeitung says that the highest func-
tionaries, who speak with great bitterness of France
and England, much fear that the allied fleets are
only intended to act as a check on the Porte
should it obtain any signal advantage over the
Russians :
" The Sultan must either continue the war with Russia
or make war on his own sub;ects. The fearful sacrifices
made by great and small, rich and poor, would be per-
fectly inconceivable were it not well known that the
Turks are convinced that it is a question of life and
death for them."
It is still a matter of doubt whether a battle has
been fought near Kalafat, and the probability is
that if any rencontre took place on the 2d and 3d
they were little more than skirmishes between re-
connoitring ,parties. No pains have been spared
to get at the truth of the matter, but at present no
one can either confirm or refute the reports of the
Transylvanian papers. Austrian news there is
little or none, excepting Government has at length
resolved on granting concessions for branch rail-
roads to private companies. Had the interests of
the country been properly understood, this would
have been done long since.

The Invalide Busse of the 11th contains a circum-
stantial account of the battle of Sinope, and this
account, compiled from the statements of persons
who were present at the engagement,. is to the fol-
lowing effect :
" Vice-Admiral Nachimoff, while cruising off the coast of
Anatolia, saw in the harbour of Sinope a division of Turkish
vessels of war, He would have run in on the following day,
but his intentions were frustrated by foul weather. He
despatched the war steamer Bessarabia to Sebastopol, to
announce the presence of a Turkish squadron in the har-
bour of Sinope.
" When this news reached Sebastopol, the Ville de Paris,
Grand Dake Constantine, and the Tri Sviatitelia, of 120
guns each, were placed under Rear-Admiral Novosilski,
and ordered to proceed towards Sinope, and effect a junc-
tion with Rear-Admiral Nachimoff 's squadron. In the
meantime a favourable breeze had sprung up, and Admiral
Nachimoff went with three men-of-war and one brig to re-
connoitre the harbour of Sinope. He ascertained the exact
position of the Turkish Squadron, which consisted of seven
frigates, one war sloop, two corvettes, two transport ships,
and two steamers. These ships lay at their moorings in a
semicircle along the coast, but prepared to form in line at
any moment, no matter from what quarter it might blow.
Five batteries were on the coast ; their position corre-
sponded with the distance between the Turkish vessels.
"The junction of our two squadrons, under Admiral
Nachimoff and Novosilski, was effected in the course of
the night of the 27th of November, and on the 28th Ad-
miral Nachimoff issued an order of the day, in which he
declared his intention, as soon as the weather should allow
it, to attack the enemy in two columns. The column on
the right was to be under Admiral Nachimoff s command,
who hoisted his flag on board the Empress Maria, and who
besides this vessel, had under him the Grand Duke Con-
stantine and the Tchesme ; while the column on the left,
under Rear-Admiral Novosilski, was composed of the Ville
de Paris, Tri Sviatitelia, and Rostislaff, men-of-war.
"At 9 a.m, on the 30th a favourable breeze spanc, up.
It blew from east-north-east, and the Admiral signalled to
the fleet to clear for action and run into the harbour of
Sinope. The vessels of the two columns, with all their
canvass spread to the wind, bore down upon the Turks,
who, owing to a dense fog, saw them only when they had
advanced to within half a mile. Vice-Admiral Nachimoff,
on finding himself at the distance of near 250 sagenes or
toises from the two Turkish fleets, dropped his anchor. The
Vile de Paris anchored at the same time, and the rest of the
squadron, each vessel in turn took the places which had been
assigned to them. The Admiral had scarcely dropped his
anchor, when the Turkish ships and batteries opened upon
them, the firing was terrible, 'and did much execution among
our rigging, but our ships returned the, compliment with a
continued and well directed fire. In less than five minutes
the Grand Duke Constantine had demolished the battery
which was next to her guns. The Turkish frigate which
lay off that battery, and which she bombarded with the
Paixhans ;uns of her lower battery, was blown up. Shortly
afterwards the bombs which were thrown by the Ville de
Paris told on the other Turkish frigate, and blew her up.
The latter had, however, succeeded in cutting the cables
by which the Empress rons and the Tri-Sviatitelia held
on ; but these vessels had another set of anchors and cables
clear, and anchored again under the fire of the enemy.
" At 2 o'clock p.m. the guns of the Turkish ships were
silenced. Three frigates, one of them of 74 guns, with
the admiral s flag on board, were burning, and of the two
st
ur annks pt
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in flames,
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and at 2.30. p.m. the adpiiral stopped the firing, and sent
an officer with a flag of truce to tell the authorities of
Sinope that if another gun was fired, either from the town
or the strand batteries, he should certainly bombard and
utterly destroy the town of Sinope. The officer landed,
and stayed above an hour, but he could not find the Turk-
ish authorities. He did not see a single Turk; they had
all-taken refuge in the neighbouring villages.
" When the combat commenced, and agreeably to the
admiral's orders the two frigates Kagoul and Koulevtcha ,
remained under canvass to cut off the retreat of any Turkish
vessels that might seek to escape. They joined the squad-
ron at the close of the engagement, and acted against the
corvette and the sloop which lay in the rear of the Ros
tislaff.

" On the 29th of November, as soon as the war steamers
Odessa, Crimea, and Chersonese could get their steam up,
the Adjutant-General Kornileff steamed them away from
Sebastopol to join Admiral Nachimoff's squadron at
Sinope. On the 31st, at 12 o'clock, the Odessa, com-
manded by Adjutant-General Kornileff, perceived across
the isthmus on which Sinope is situate the commencement
of the engagement, and the steamer made incredible efforts
to hasten up to the rescue. When they made the Cape of
Sinope they saw a Turkish steam-frigate of 20 guns, the
Taif,. which, during the engagement, had got her steam
up, and sought to escape from the general defeat. Adju-
tant-General Kornileff hoisted his flag on the Odessa, and
ran her down on the line of the Turkish frigate, but his
intention was seen, and the Taif wore round, and pro-
ceeded along the coast. The Odessa, advancing to within
gunshot, opened her fire, but, after an hour's firing, Adju-
tant-General Kornileff, to his great regret, found that the
Taif was faster than the Odessa, and that, although three
times stronger, she would not stay to accept the engage-
ment. Adjutant-General Kornileff abandoned the chase,
and steamed towards Sinope, to join Vice-Admiral Nachi-
moff's squadron. He was followed by the Crimea and the
Chersonese. These two steamers were ordered at once to
tow away the vessels which lay within range of the strand
batteries, in case the enemy should resume the engagement
in the course of the night. The Odessa was ordered to
take the frigate Damietta, of 50 guns, in tow, and to re-
move her from the coast. That vessel had least suffered
from our fire, and yet we found on board of her above 50
wounded. The captain and the officers had abandoned her
at the commencement of tho combat. They had taken
all the boats and consulted their safety by an ignominious
flight.
"In the course of the evening the gnus of the burning
vessels went off, one after another, as the fire came near
them, and their balls came in our direction without, how-
evei, doing the least damage to our ships. At last those
vessels exploded, and their burning fragments were hurled
upon the Turkish quarter of Sinope, which they set on fire,
and about midnight the whole of that quarter, which is
surrounded by a stone wall, became a prey to the flames,
while the conflagration respected the Greek quarter of
Sinope. On the following morning nothing was left of the
12 ships of the Turkish squadron but the Damiette frigate,
which had been taken in tow by the Odessa, and the sloop
and the corvette—mere hulls--in the northern portion of
the bay. On being examined, the Damiette was found to
have her hull torn by 17 cannon balls, and her rigging, &e.,
were in such a state that she conld not be taken to Sebas-
topol. She was run on shore, and burnt. Orders were
also given to burn the sloop and the corvette. The officers
charged with the execution of those orders found on board
the sloop Osman Pasha, the commander of the Turkish
squadron, who had a wound in his right leg. They found
also two captains and 10 bailors. The prisoners were at ,

once removed to our ships. On that evening not a single
Turkish vessel remained in the harbour of Sinope.
" The combat was scarcely over when .our brave crews,
who so well had worked their guns, commenced with a
fresh ardour repairing damages. The Empress Maria, the
Tri Sviatitelia, the Grand Duke Constantine, and the Rosti-
sleff, were found to have suffered most from the fire of the
enemy.

"The whole of Admiral Nachimoff's squadron left the
harbour of Sinope on the 2d of December. The damaged
vessels were taken in tow by the steamers, and on the 4th
the Empress Maria, the Tri Sviatitelia, and the Grand
Duke Constantine anchored in the roads of Sebastopol.".