Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1854-07-08
sebastopol--Its Position and Strength.

| SeDastopol-.its Position and Strength
| Nearly due east of the Bosphorus. snugly place,
IN deep lndentation of the chalk hills of the Cri
mea, was planted, by the foresight of Catharine RI
the important naval statian of Sebastopol: which
hardly inferior IN strength to CTonstad is of eyer
greater consequence, as being the point whence
Lave been destined to issue the Russian fleets thai
Autocratic ambition would direct against his mos
coveted prize. The minarets of Stamboul NAV
almost be deserted from the rocky cliffs of the
Russian port and from the prevalence of easterly
winds, assisted also by the current that races
through the narrow straits between Asia and En-.
rope, II occupies such position Of vantage as
would enable 1t to send forth its fleets whenever
the moment appears opportune Such was what
without doubt, determined the intelligent Catbarine
in selecting site for her principal naval nursery
and her successors have carefully followed her pol
ICY Ii was from Sebastopol, it will be remember.
ed. that the fleet sllied which DESTROYED the Turk
ish squadron lying in the harbor of Sinope. To
Sebastopo the same fleet returned in triumph. and
from thence, sheltered by the powerful batteries
that guard the port, 1t has continued 10 defy the
united strength of the French and English Squad
rons. 1t Is somewhat extraordinary that in antjci-
patton Of a naval battle, we should be compelled
to seek for menof-war under the guns of land bat
terles; 1t was not thus that navies had been used
TO contend for the dominion of the seas-but Rus
sian sailors, 1t appears, can be brought TO battle
upon no other terms and hence, as an important
element IN such contest, we are obliged to con-
slider the strength of the fortified ports to which
they have fed for protection. Such IN the esti-
nation of military men, are large odds against the
Allies, and It may well be considered doubtful If
an attack from sea upon Cronstadt will earn for
any British Admiral the fame of the conqueror OF
St Jean d'Acre. The following is very interest
ing and concise description of the Russian strong.
hold IN the Black Sea, and there is every probabi-
ity that by the next mail it will appear to have
been the scene of most desperate conflict.
SEBAsToPoL.-The famous stronghold of the
Russians in the Black Sea, is one of the most mod
ern creations in the rapidly growing Empire of the
Car, Its site until 1856 having been occupied by
nothing more pretentious than a miserable village
of Tartar butts, named Akhtier. The splendid
natural advantages of its harbor for first rate ma
val port, however, attracted the keen attention of
Catharne III, and in 1880 the first stone of the
new fortress and arsenal was laid, and from that
period it has rapidly increased IN strength and i'm
portance. Sebastopol is situated on the western
coast of the peninsula of the Crimea in an amphi-
theatre to the south of the harbor extending alone
point of land which separates the bay Yujnaia-
Bukhta, which forms the port from ARTILLERY BAY,
a small lndentation on the other side. The town
stands on a chalky stratum, which rises from a.
height OF thirty feet at the extremity of the point
to elevation of one hundred and ninety feet
above the sea in the upper part. This elevation
with the steep coast opposite, which also consists
of calcareous rock, perfectly defends the bay,
which, from the summit of the heights, appears 10
lie at the bottom of deep cavity, and, indeed, at
very short distance from the shore inland, il is
impossible to perceive the tops of the highest
masts. The town is composed of parallel streets
running up the steep acclivty, and is divided into
quarters by few traverse streets. Near the ex-
tremity of the point of land stands the house built
in 1857 for the reception Of Empress Catharine II
Behind situate the admiralty, the arsenal, and
the houses of the naval officials, while higher up
are the dwellings of the inhabitants of the town,
the market ana the Greek Church, besides which
there Is a Russian Church for the use of the sal
lors belonging to the Black Sea feet The sea-
mems hospitals and barracks of the garrison, built
short distance from the former, compose sort of
suburb. Outside the town, towards Artillery BAY,
are the quarters of the Artillery corps, a few pri-
yate houses, the quarantine station and scattered
here and there the shore opposite the roadstead
the Country houses and gardens of the officers of
the dockyard and arsenal. The town of Sebasto
pol itself is not much above a mile in length, and
is nowhere more than four hundred yards wide ;
but neither the regimental barracks erected about
a mile and half from the upper part of the town.
nor those for the sailors, opposite the town ITSELF
nor the hospitals are included within this space
The harbor as being the most important feature
of Sebastopol, and which has been compared to
that of Malta, merits more minute description.
The PRINCIPAL bay is about three miles and half
in depth, with width of three quarters of mile
at the mouth, widening to nearly mile, and then
narrowing to six hundred or seven hundred yards
at the head. The average depth at the mouth is
not above ten or eleven fathoms as far as the an
cient village of Akhtier, where the naval maga-
zines now are, it is about nine fathoms, and from
there diminishes gradually between the two ports
to three fathoms. There is not rock or shoal in
the whole hirbor, except opposite the Severnaa
Kossa, northern point, where there is a small
sand bank, which ships entering the bay have to
avoid, and where the sailors find abundance of fish
At the further end of the port the water becomes
gradually shaflower, in the direction of Inkerman
and near the little river of Byjugusen is not more
than yard or half yard in depth, with mud
| DIV bottom.
The entrance of the lIarbor is defended by strong
batteries placed att1e extremties of the two points
of land that form the bay. Besides these, there is
another fronting the town, and two more on the
doabe point on which the town stands, with re-
doubt higher up. One of these batteries, which i:
semi circular, also defends Artiller Bay. The
large harbor, as well as the lesser, is perfectl,
protected from all winds by the chalk rocks which
surround it, and which rise to a greater heigh
more inland. SO that It is only on the rare occur
renee Of tempest from the west, that any DANCE
can be occasioncd to the shipping in the bay