Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-05-18
Affairs In Europe.

Affairs In Europe.
We surrender most Of our space, this morning, to
the details of the foreign brought by the Allan
tic including copious extracts from the London pa
pers all Of which will be found to be highly interest.
ing After much provoking delay, occasioned for the
most part by l-timed Hastings and staggering dis
Mays the allies to have commenced hostiities
n something like spirit Of earnestness The most
rominent feature Of the intelligence from the seat
Of war already reported by telegraph, is the bonn
bardment Of Odessa, which appears to be, however,
not a very brilliant affair, considering what great
things were expected Of the allied powers, and how
important it was that their first blow should be we'll
and successfully executed, so as to make definite
impression upon the enemy The English people
themselves evidently disappointed at the result Of
this first demonstration. The London Times is forced
to confess that it receives the intelligence of the
bombardment Of Odessa with feelings which are
not unnixed with regret" says that sit to BE-
expected that the first great operation of war in
which the combined fleets how in the Black Sea,
were engaged, would infct severe blow the enc
N.Y. and would prove with what overwhelming force
tho naval ornaments of England and France were
provided" Small performances almost invariably
follow big advertisements. And the Tunes manifesty
thinks that notwithstanding the brave threats of the
allied officer under the influence Of wine and fattery,
their engagement at Odessa a very small affair
1t further expresses its regret that the first blow
in the war should have fallen upon a commercial
city, rather than a military naval port"
The result of this first attempt of the combined
powers is not at all calculated to justify the boasu
anticipatons with which they set out for the war
They seemed to think they had only to show them
aelve in the of hc oto nd
display of their feet "shake their CORY locks" Mt the
Gar, for few days at most and thus bring him tc
terms with scarcely the firing of gun. But the re
suit at Odessa has dssipaed all these vain and pre-
sumptuous fancies. One of the weakest ports in the
Black has been assaulted by eighteen ships of ths
combined fleet, and the amount of the damage in
hicted upon the enemy is ummed up in the destruc
ton of battery of four guns small portion of the
town, and few merchantmen; while the injury sus.
tanned by themselves in the engagement is by nc
means inconsiderable-threc Of their own vessel.
being disabled So, according to the English view OF
the subject, the Odessa affair may be considered
failure, if not worse than failure. And the purpor
of the Russian account is to the effect and il
these brief but significant words: "The lombard
ment has produced effect" The allied forces, W
trust will give better account of themselves in subse
quent engagements.
Odessa having been suddenly rendered famous
oo"pc hHo"ieuSS Va
may not be without interest We tberefor. ,,,.o -,
following account of it from the Journal or cor
znerce:
"As recently the year 1892 Odessa was a miserabl
Tartar village called HaBey. Catharine H., who fore
saw the necessity, in Southern Russia, OF impor,an
commercial entrepot the Block Sea- commissioned thu
celebrated Duke de Rcheleu after the treaty of Jassy
to construct Notifications there. haven
dug out for ships and 6aai to lay the foundation Of
populous town Under the auspices of the Duke beau
tifu city sprung up if by epchantment flat deser
coast was made to the form Of inclined plane
canal was dug, by which brought three miles
into the city, and where there had previously been nc
shelter for vessels deep, oiious port
ted consisting Of two mole enough receive owe,
two hundred ships and with azaretto the plan OF that
at Marseies.
The city is handsomely built chiefly of detached tvo
story houses of cacarous sone with wide streets now
mostly paved or macadamzed, handsome sGa,res pub.
lie garden, three theatres and many public institutions
The Cathedral Of ST. Nicholas with its beautiful cupols
the most conspicuous Of its buildings; besides which
the Palace of the Governor of Southern Russia who
sides at Odessa the Richeieu Lyceum Of Gymnasium OF
commerce. the custom.house, bank. and various hosp
tails and institutions Of charity emDellish the city,
In the beginning OF this century, Odessa numbered but
about 5000 Inhabitants; but since 1907 in consequence
OF an imperial ukase bestowng upon IL for thirty years
the privileges of free port il has rapidly increased in
population, numbering at present. nearly 1000 souls
Its the commercial emporium for all that part of South
''Sea "nereu oy tue Dhlester, bug and Dnieper,
nd It's markets have been principally in the very coun-
tries from which II will be excluded by the present
It's average expectations of wheat have of late years aver
aged about 100000 imperial quarters the greater part
being sent To harseies nearly third 70 England and
portions to Malta, Lsghorn Genoa and
The value Of wheat exported in 1877 Alone estimated
by Mccullough at "a 100000! Odessa needs not TO be
bombarded tn be destroyed long continued block de
would destroy it, oy annhiating commerce. Il is situa.
ted on desert shore, the scant cultivation OF which
Is forced and arfcal-the pure product of industry
and il must decay If deprived of the nourishmeo. by
which it has attained its growth"