The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-05-17
&c The Malta of tho Baltic ;

Cronstadt. which, it is thought, Sir
Charles Nabier will make the scene of
brilliant naval achievements during the
coming season, is town, fortress and
port in tho Government of St. Peters
burg, from which city it is ubout thirty.
one miles distant 1t is built at the
southeast extremity of Cotlin. Ostrof. an
island in that part of the Gulf Of Fin.
land called the Bay Of Cronstadt. about
sixteen miles from the mouth of the Ne.
va. At the entrance of the harbor, on
an island opposite the citadel, lies the
castle or fortress of Cronschlott, built
by Peter the Great. The fortress and
the mole bristle with guns, and the har-
bor itselfis approachable only by one
channel: which is fortified with double
line of guns. The passage between this
place and Cronstadt is 1000 PAGES in
width, and has ample depth for the lar
gost vessels. Besides its Importance as
the great naval station of the Russian
feet, Cronstadti is the harbor of St Pc.
tcrsburg All vessels proceeding to
that port are searched here and their
cargoes sealed; and such as are too
large for the shallow waters of the Up.
per Ncva, unload their cargocs at Cron.
stadt and transport them in smaller
craft. The channel is marked by stakes
the whole way, and vessels built at St.
Petersburg are placed on camel" or
kind Of raft, by which their draught of
water is lessened one-half, then foated
down the Neva and over its bar, on
which there i, often only seven feet Of
water
Cronstadt, which is built in the
form of on irreg ular triangle, is strongly
fortified on all sides. 1t has three har.
bors, lying in the south of the town.
The outer, or military harbor, which is
entirely y surrounded by a massive aud
strongly fortified mole, is n rcctanale,
stretching out into the sea, and is capa
BILE of containing, besides smaller yes.
sells, above thirty-fve ships of the line.
1t is now, however, so shallow at low
water, that many of the ships are obli-
ged to anchor in tho middle harbor,
which is probably intended for the fitting.
out and repairing Of vessels. h con.
tains the slips, potder magazine, a
manufactory of pitch, tar, etc The
third, west or innermost harbor, which
has space for six Hundred merchant YES
sells, and runs parallel with the middle
harbor, admits only merchantmen, for
which there is besides an excellent road,
stead Immediately outside of the port,
which is also defended by the citadel,
constructed in a rock in the middle of
the Sea of Cronstadt. All these har.
bors are well secured, but in conse-
queDoe of the freshness of the sea water
no vessel can bo preserved in them over
twenty years. They are, besides, de-
tanned great part of the year by the
ice In tho Bay Of Cronstadt, which usu.
ally prevents vessels from entering after
the end Of November, or leaving before
the end Of April, or sometimes even Ia.
ter. In ls49, tho season cotntnenced
on the 18th Of May and ended on the
Goth of November.
The town is very regularly built, and
contains manv dne, straight and well.
paved. streets, aud several public
squares The houses, however, with the
exception Of those belonging 10 tho Gov.
ernmeut, are chiefly Of one story aud
built Of wood The permanent porula-
ltioL Of Croustsdt, exclusive Of the gar