The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-05-16 00:00:00

THE BOMBARDMENT OF ODESSA.

TILE official despatches, describing the bombard-
ment of the Russian port of Odessa, which were
received by the Ministry only on Thursday last,
and published in the London Gazette of Friday,
are of little more value than to confirm the correct-
ness of the reports previously received, which we
published last week. During the last war, great
interest was excited by the various bulletins de-
scriptive of our victories by sea and land ; but the
press has now outstripped the State in the race for
bringing the earliest and most authentic intelli-
gence—notwithstanding the sneers of certain titled
legislators--aud official despatches have lost all
interest--except the novelty of their appearance at
all—through being so long anticipated. There is,
however, one prominent point in the late affair
which demands an intelligible explanation in order
that the public may understand whether, after all
these mighty preparations, we are really at war
with Russia. It appears from the statements of
Admiral DUNE/kg, that the ostensible motive for
the attack on Odessa was the firing by the Russians
on a flag of truce, contrary to all the usages of
civilised warfare. For this outrage he demanded,
as a reparation, that all the English, French, and
Russian vessels anchored near the fortress or the
batteries of Odessa should be delivered to the
combined squadron; and, upon a refizsal to comply
with this demand, the bombardment took p/ace,
and the fortifications were destroyed. This is so
far intelligible; but the natural inference to be
drawn is, that had the Russians not fired upon the
flag of truce, or had they made the reparation
demanded, the bombardment would not have taken
place. Plain people will, therefore, ask themselves
the question, for what purpose has the declaration
of war been made, if our fleet in the Black Sea is
to wait for a breach of warlike usages on the part
of the Russians, in order to justify an attack on a
Russian fortress ? There appears to have been a
• •
punctilio of national politeness, the reason of which
is not very clear, unless Admiral DUNDAS has
secret instructions to spare the enemy, instead of
bringing him to reason by reducing all the strong-
holds in which he puts his trust. It is declared
in the despatch, which we have given in another
column, that in addition to the fortress of Odessa,
the Russians were labouring day and night in
strengthening the moles and erecting formidable
sea-defences, and had also collected between 20,000
and 30,000 men for the protection of this military
depot, as well as for the security of vessels seek-
ing shelter under the guns of the place. These it
would be thought would furnish abundant reasons
for attacking the fort and destroying the works ;
and yet, we are told, that the ostensible, if not
the sole motive for the bombardment, was the
outrage on the flag of truce, and the refusal to
make reparation. The Ministers should be called
upon for a distinct explanation, or we may be
doubtful whether we are really at war, and whether
the preparations are not, after all, only a show.
But, perhaps, Sir CHARLES NAPIER Will soon tell
a different story in the Baltic, as he is only waiting
for the ice to break up from the northern ports
to commence operations.