The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1849-12-20
A Naval Scene off CrOnStadt.

Ine united States ship independence,
under the command of Capt. Nicholson,
sailed for Cronstadt, i'll 1887, from Bos-
ton, carrying out Mr.. Dallas, the United
States minister to Russia. The following
interesting incident was described at the
time, as having taken place soon after the
arrival of that noble ship off the port of
Cronstadt:
1--WE arrived off Cronstadt on Saturday
morning, Goth July, and most lovely
morning it was. The harbor was covered
with ships of war, and vessels of all ma
uons, and every size and description. To
increase the interest and beauty of the
scene, Russian fleet, in the direction OF
Peterhof, was formed in two opposing
squadrons, and, after maneuvering some
time in sham fight, opened their batteries
against each other.
"We had scarcely anchored and fired,
and received the customary salute, when
steamer, crowded with officers, was
seen making for us and soon an officer,
evidently OF high rank, accompanied by a
large staff; came on board our ship. He
was introduced to Commodore Nicholson
as Prince Menchikoff, minister of marine
la his suit was an officer whose uniform
was distinguished from that of the rest OF
the staff, by the top of his cap being white
instead of the rival green. After the usual
forms of introduction had been gone thro'
and the Prince invited into the Commo-
dore's cabin, this officer separated himself
from the rest, went forward among the
men, and thence down to the main berth
deck, and, in short, he went all over the
ship, examining every thing very particu-
larly.
On the main deck he met the nurse OF
Mrs. Dallas, with little Charlotte, beau
tiful curly-haired cherub, whom he took
from the nurse and caressed. On return
ing TO the quarter deck, his general ap-
pearance and lofty mien, soon caused him
&c be recognized as the Emperor himself.
but as he had come incognito, all the hon
ors and attentions were paid by the Com
modore and his officers to the Prince, as
long as they remained on board the ship.
The Emperor went into the cabin,
which he praised for its comfort and the
taste with which 1t was furnished. He
had obviously come on board, as he did
so Immediately on our arrival, in order to
see the ship In her every day condition,
and he did see her, and must have felt the
admiration he expressed the next day to
the Commodore. He spoke particularly
of her battery, which looked, he said, as il
the ship was made for fighting.
Prince Menchikof, having been taken
through the ship, took leave, and, in his
barge. pushed off for the steamer, the En-
peror acting as coxswain. The moment
they were all on board the steamer, we
manned our yards, hoisted the Russian
flag, and fired salute of forty-one guns,
thus apprising the Emperor that he was
known to us. He then hoisted our flag
on board his steamer, ordered one of his
frigates to return the salute, and stood on
his way. AS soon as the firing was over,
the Emperor; in compliment to us, hoisted
the imperial standard, on the appearance
of which, all the ships and forts in the
harbor opened salute; and more beau
tiful and animating scene | have not wit
messed and cannot imagine"