The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-10 00:00:00

REVIEW OF THE. RUSSIAN FLEET AT

CR 0.11'8274 DT.

(From the Correspondentof the Times.)
ST. PETERSBURG, JULY 25.
There are few subjects more interesting to the
English public than the naval power and strength
of Russia. The interest is increased by the mystery
in which the question is shrouded, and by the exag-
gerations which that mystery has induced. One
party at home—forgetting that "security is mortal's
chiefest enemy" judge of the Russian fleet by its
performances, or rather non-performances, daring
the late war. They talk of ships skulking behind
the ramparts of Cronstadt or sunk in the harbour
of Sebastopol. They can imagine no danger from
a navy which was unable to protect its own coasts
from ravages and insults, and they fancy that what
has been in the past must be in the future.
On the other hand the alarmists rush into the
opposite extreme. They see the Russian fleet
issuing from Cronstadt, " forty sail of the liAe,"
according to an estimate lately made by an
)intel-
ligent English post-captain. These are to be
united to the French Channel Squadron in irres:
tible numbers; the funds fall, a panic seizes the.
city, and the sea no longer remains the " water-
walled bulwark" of Great Britain.
The truth lies between the extremes. The Rus-
sian fleet is neither what the hopes of the one nor
the fears of the other party have created. Sinee
the close of the war the attention of the Grand
Duke Constantine—the most active-minded man in
all Russia—has been applied to the development
of the navy. He has visited every dockyard in
France, and has made himself practically ac-
quainted with all improvements in construction
and machinery. It is to his influence that Russia
owes the Mediterranean port lately ceded by Sar-
dinia. The fleet is consequently no longer confined
to the Baltic, where naval manoeuvres were impos-
sible during eight months of the year, and where
summer sailors only could be reared. Steam vessels
have been constructed on the best models and at
great expense both in England and America.
During the war but one screw frigate, the Palkane,
remained motionless behind the batteries of Cron-
stadt, hopelessly regarding the magnificent steam
fleet of Great Britain. On Saturday, the 23d inst.,
the Emperor, accompanied by the Grand-Dukg
Constantine, Grand Admiral, reviewed a fleet of 21
vessels, all propelled by steam, arid the ereatiffaii• "

screws.
The fleet was formed in two lines, stretching in
a southerly direction from the new fort now in
course of construction as far as the Custom-house.
The following is a list of the ships :
LINE OF BATTLE.
Orel
Cesarevitch
Vola
FRIGATES, &C.
Generale-Admirale Kamtchatka
Ilia Mourometz Olaf
Svetlana Itasboinik
Khrabrii Naezdnik
Grosiachtchii Petersburg
Calevala Fontanka
Posadnik Standarte (T. yacht).
In addition to these was a numerous flotilla of
gun-boats, nearly the whole of which are screws.
In the inner harbour lai' the old sailing vessels, now
dismasted hulks, but which had hoisted the Rus-
sian flag on a pole at the stern, in honour of the
occasion. The day was lovely, a gentle breeze
just. ruffling the surface of the water.
The fleet presented a most imposing spectacle as
it lay motionless in the harbour, and though there
was nothing in its aspect to inspire terror to an
Englishman who had seen the review at Spithead,
still there was quite enough to present ample food
for reflection. The whole of these ships had been
built since the war, and they were but the advanced
guard, so to speak, of the main body which is to
succeed them. Many, such as the Sinope, Con-
stantine, Generale Admirale, and Ilia Mourometz,
are admirably constructed, and the whole of them
are on good models. Precisely at half-past 12 the
Emperor and the Grand Duke Constantine, accom-
panied by a numerous suite, embarked on board the
Imperial yacht Alexandrine, moored off Peterhof,
and started for Cronstadt. Two other steamers
conveyed the Imperial family and the dignitaries of
the Court. The Imperial cortege slowly approached
the fleet, and as it hove in sight the yards were
manned in very fair style. The yacht then steamed
down the lines, and on nearing each ship succes-
sively, the Emperor, in a loud tone of voice, saluted
the crews, to which they replied with a tremendous
hurrah. Having passed along both lines, the Im-
perial yacht. took up a central position, and hoisted
a signal, by which his Imperial Majesty thanked
the officers and crews for the excellent appear-
ance presented by the fleet. The Imperial
standard was then run up on board the yacht.
This was replied to by a salute from the flagship,
followed by one from the whole squadron. The
forts replied to the vessels, and when the smoke
cleared away the fleet re-appeared gaily dressed
with flags, each ship bearing the Imperial standard
at the main. The Emperor then took boat, and
minutely inspected the Constantin and the Sinope,
after which he returned to the yacht. He was
dressed in full naval uniform, as was the Grand
Duke Constantine. At half-past three they re-
turned to Peterhof.
Thus finished the first review of the Russian
steam fleet. It will be observed that no manoeuvres
were attempted, and in this a wise discretion was
shown. There is no doubt that the crews are raw,
and not by any means equal to those composed of
if cabmen, pickpockets, and tailors," oveir w. hose
presence in the English navy Sir Chas. Napier so
or wished to
pitifully laments. What the E
ernav at
see was the " great fact" of a st4eniamp
Cron-
stadt, and he saw it. In process
respectable. squadron will
be kept for that purpose in thee
Mediterranean. As
yet Russia could afford but a very sorry contingent
but if during the next 20
in case of a naval war,
years she makes such progress as she has acquired
since the peace she will b 3 almost as formidable
with her naval as she has long been with her mili-
tary power. Russia is at present busily engaged
in industrial enterprises, and particularly in the I
construction of railways. Twenty thousand men are
at work between St. Petersburg and Warsaw; on
the southern lines considerable progress has been
made, and the day is not far distant when there will
be railway communication between Moscow and St.
Petersburg and the Baltic provinces on the north,
Warsaw on the west, and Odessa and the Crimea
on the south. Russia will then be immensely
strengthened, whether for offensive or defensive
purposes. For the moment she unquestionably de-
sires peace, which is, indeed, almost a necessity for
her. Deeply engaged in these industrial under-
takings, weakened in purse, in men, and in mate-
rial by the Crimean war, she has another and a
much more important cause for avoiding war—she
is in the midst of one of the most important social
revolutions which has ever occurred in the history
of the world, one the result of which, whether for
good or evil, will be enormous. She is engaged in
emancipating her serfs, on which subject I•will give
you ample details in a future letter.

Constantine
Viborg
Prokhor