New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-04-27
The strongholds Of the Baltic.

i
quired some care to aboid it.
The Strongholds of the Baltic.
The subjoined descriptions of the several
strongholds of the Baltic will, doubtless, be
read with interest at the present juncture:
vIBoRG.
The port of Viborg is of great extent, and is |
enclosed by two large islands, which form, as it |
were, two natural break-waters As o fortress
it ranks high, both for position and strength. |
The sea washes nearly the whole length of the
outer walls, while battery upon battery com.
mands every approach. Between the lines and
the city there flows broad arm of the sea, in
the midst of which stands solitary rock,
crowned with fine old tower of other days,
rearing its still proud head high and imposing
above all around it. The view Of this frontier
fortress, with its churches and domes flashing
in the sun, and its long line of batteries and
bastions rising in massive strength from the
waters edge, is very striking. The castle OF
Viborg, destroyed by fire and now in ruins, was
built in 1898, by the brave Tarke1 Knudtzan,
one of the most illustrious Swedes mentioned in
history. Viborg was then one of the chief cities
in Finland, and the seat of a bishop. Attacked
on several occasions by the Russians, it defend
ed itself with great bravery. In IT 10 the place
was beseged by Peter the Great, and taken
after hard struggle, which occupied several
weeks The peace in 172l, known as the treaty
Of Nystad, put the Gar in definite possession Of
it and the neighboring country, and in 1745 the
treaty of Abo enlarged still further this con-
| quest. The Swedes since the days Of Peter,
| have always played a losing game when at war
with Russia, particularly as the latter have
almost always succeeded in gaining the assist
| ance of the Germanic Kings Of Denmark, and
in the desperate battle fought near Abo, be-
| tween the two fleets, in 1890, the Swedes lost
l ,1,sn - l,ra tbrao Feir ord
upwards of twenty galleys. For nearly q
| century the conquered portions of Finland,
| distinguished as Gamla Finland or ancient Fin
| land, were subject to the same regulations in
1 civil matters as the rest Of the Russian empire
FREDERIKSHAM.
| In this circle lies also, on peninzula in the
| Bay of Finland, Frederiksham, town with
about 1900 inhabitants The fortress was CEN
| structed on Vauban's principle; but, judging
| by the neglected aspect of the place, Russia has
very little use for the stronghold. Originally it
was place great strength, and inaccessible on
/ two sides the approaches are covered and pro-
tected by field works to considerable distance !;
and the only entrance to the town, which looks
as deserted as the Notifications, is by narrow
/ passage winding round the angle of a bastion,
enfladed in every direction by the works from
the body Of the place. Frederiksham was, in
former days, the residence of the Governor Of
the province: massive tower, constructed in
the middle of the square, overlooked the whole
town, and from this every street diverged like
the spokes of q wheel 1t was in this tower
|. and on the 9th Of September, 1850, that the
treaty of the place was signed, by which Sweden
surrendered Finland to Russia. A fire consumed
this tower and several of the streets some few
years since.
I ST. MICHAEL
St. Michael, north west of the preceding Cir
Gle, contains small town of the same name
| and Nyslot, another small town, with strong
; castle on rock in the middle Of a deep stream
The town lies about rs miles north of Viborg
on two islands in Lake Harpavesi or Outroufs
and communicates with the mainland by 0
bridge It was coded to Russia at the peace o.
) Abo in 1743.
HELsINGFoRs.
. In Nyland, to the west of Viborg, is Helsing
7 fors, the present capital of the Duchy, on
8 tongue of land in the Gulf of Finland, witt
about 10000 inhabitants, and the strong fort
9 ress of Sveuborg protecting the entrance of thu
: harbor. Helsngfors lies in latitude go deg
Y min AZ sec N, long "a deg 81 min. 80 Sec E.
t at the mouth of the Wanna, about $50 miles w
t N. w. of St. Petersburg. The town is, histori
: cally speaking, comparatively Of modern erea
: ton, having been founded by Gustayus Vasa
:, in the sixteenth century: its name came fro1
: colony of the province of Helsingland, whic
e had been established in the neighborhood 70
9 changed its site, and the inhabitants movet
their wooden houses nearer the sea. shore, an
:, on the spot where Helsingfors now stands; war
f plague, famine, and fire ravaged it, each in it
d turn, and the end of s. century found it wit
It only a population of 5000 souls At the presen
d moment it numbers Is 900, exclusive of the gar
r rison, The Russians have greatly augmente
and improved Helsingfors since it came into thei
IS possession, more particularly since the yea
: 1919, when it became the capital of Finland
the removal to it of the University of Abo, an
/ the Senate, after the eonfagration of that tow
II in 1927, also materially increased its Importance
The streets are long, large and laid out at rigt
e angles, as in most other Russian towns
e The remains of the library saved from the fiji
of Abo is at present preserved in this building
o 1t consists of about $4,000 volumes, chiefly ed
tons of the classics taken by Charles the Twelf
If from the monasteries during the Seven Year
y War An extensive collection Of Sagas and hi
e torical documents relating to the history of FIJI
p land unfortunately fell prey to the flame
il The number of students matriculated at the I'm
ir yersty of Helsingfors in the winter term of 81
ID was 491. The celebrated Arabian scholar an
is traveller, Prof Wallin, died lately at this Tn
versity. 49,
q. The harbor is capaeious, and ranks as one
the best in the Baltic, and an important trac
is carried on in timber, corn and fish, Helsinl
Ne fors is the residence of the Governor Genera
OF and the seat of important courts and public o
a. 6ces--it contains the Senate House, sever
X, churches, and has manufactures of linen, sai
MS cloth and tobacco. There are several agreeab
walks in the neighborhood, amongst which Il
c, forests of Stansvik, the solitary coast ne
al Maitland, and the verdant gardens of Traeskent
az are chiefly noticeable.
SO The approach to Helsingfors by water is e.
to csedingly striking. The harbor is well pr
IS, teeted by the works and fortress of Sveabor
&c which are built upon seven islands. The fort
fcations are said to mount 500 cannon, wi
IL barracks and easements for garrison of IL On
men. The strength Of this fortress is such tn
n it has been termed the Gibraltar Of the Mort
in The original fortress was erected by Gou
he Ehrensyaerd, Field Marshal of Sweden, by ii
ly command of Gustayus the First; it was destroy
ny in the Russian war, and Swedish army und
Count Levenhaupt. surrendered by capitulati
Iat to the Russians The last stone of the new ci
ct adel was laid in 1858, and after the conquest
er Vibog and Ingermania by Peter the Great, Ii
ig. fortress was the last rampant of Sweden again
ri the Russians and the rallyng point of the troo
IN and fleet. In March, 1908, it was besieged
the Russians, and two months after, Admir-
ry Cronstadt, who defended the place with is
nd men and two frigates, capitulated, though W,
i've furnished with every munition of war. The $
M cret of this capitulation, without example in hi
- tery was never known.
on ----
III yo,, rora1v If ever see n poIitician wi