Washington sentinel., 1854-06-02
Cronstadt and the Baltic Fleet,

| SIohstdut anu Tie ltaittC flcct,
Those who anticipate a "dashing blow at
Russia in the Baltic would do well to read the
first paper in Fraser's Magazine for May, which
simply describes the naval and military ge-
ography of that twisted sea. The paper, In
deed, is much more than an ordinary maya,
zine article. Composed by one who has an in
innate and detailed knowledge of the ground.
who has been able to survey it, too, from the
historical point Of view, and from the most adj
vantageous position accessible to an English
man in Russia, it possesses an authenticity COM
monty allowed only to official papers; it is
thoroughly practical in its purpose, clear and
graphic in its language.
| An English feet entering the closed sea will
not encounter its only trials at the intricate en-
trance The difficulty which our fleet had in
venturing to pass the sound with its shallow
waters, the necessity for taking the more cir
cuitous route by the Great Belt, formed only a
| foretaste of the obstructive navigation, which
increases as the capital Of Russia is approached
Passing by the cliffs of Holstein, the sandy
shores Of Prussia, the granite rocks of Sweden
leaving out of account the ice which walls
up the waterway to the upper part of the Bal
tic the greater part of the yearlet us take
| only what might be considered the more vul-
nerable points. We need not dwell much upon
Riga and the entrance to the Duna, strongly
fortified though imperfectly manned, and not
at present armed enough against attack to be
(. without terror at the name OF Napier.
The two parts Of Russia that would seem to
4 invite the desired blow are Finland for its
supposed disposition to return to Sweden, and
its Importance in q military point of view for
approaching Russia by land the Gulf Of
Finland, the road to st. Petersburg. As to
Finland, the province so dishonesty taken from
Sweden in 1903, a priori, it might be supposed
that the inhabitants, whose chronological SYM
pathies with the Muscovtes are small, would
be ready enough to shake off the yoke, and re-
turn to their original iealty; but it will not do
to trust in war to q prtori reasoning. The
Fins have a constitution secured to them for
fifty years after the cession; they have several
privileges; and there is no positive evidence Of
their Swedish tendencies Moreover, the APP
proaches are fortified by nature and the czar
The entrance to the gulf is gated by that group
Of eighty islands which go by the general name
of the largest Aland; an archipelago of islands,
straits, reefs, bays, and banks, which laugh at
the entrance of any craft but the galleys and
the gunboats of old north warfare. 10 the
east, on the Finnish coast, lies Helsingfors,
and the fortified works which pass by the gen.
eral name Of Sveaborg; and here lies prize
which might tempt the approaching Napier,
light sail of the line, frigate, corvette, and
three steamers Of the Russian Baltic feet.
But how to get at them? Through the sin
gle passage of Helsingfors bay, between Ian
germ and Vesser Svert, passage two hundred
yards in width, raked by fire from the two
islands, with other batteries to be passed and
commanded by the great works of Sveaborg, a
pile Of battery, such as Sir Archibald Alison
says the writer can alone describe; such, it
/ would seem, as q John Martin alone could
paint, under the inspiration of some military
luror. Each series OF works is complete in it.
self as regards stores Of all kinds, and bomb
proof cover. The batteries are formidable,
both because they are unassailable in the bold
ness of the rocks from which they are carved,
and because they have the heaviest ordnance
Between Svcaborg and Revel lies the narrow
entrance Of the Gulf of Finland, whose shores
recede from each other to meet again nearer
Cronstadt, at the entrance of the estuary Of the
Neva. Well, if the feet lying in the bay of
Helsjngfors cannot be seized, let the blow be
i struck upon St. Petersburg itself; and the
Scandinavians Of the Baltic provinces taught
to know that their czar is not invulnerable,
may be shaken from their allegiance by that
once vigorous act of Napieresque daring. But
i how to get in?
There is, no doubt, the choice of two chan
nels; but the northern is closed with double
or triple row of piles five or six miles in length,
/ which renders it accessible only to small craft
1t is Hobson's choice, therefore and, taking
the other channel, the adventurous sea captain,
on invasion bent, will have to steer his ship be-
tween Fort Alexander on the left, and Risbank
on the right, each eight hundred yards distant;
each built Of granite and bristling with heavy
! guns then came Fort Peter and the timber
! Fort Of Cronslott, the last Of no formidable
character; but then again the adventurer en-
ters the Middle Road" passage two hun
dred and fifty yards wide, commanded by Cron-
slott and Mole Head, and the huge granite
built Fort Menzikoff, with very large number
of guns Beyond, in the narrowing channel
lies vista of land fortiGcations not practically
important; no feet in gooses file is likely to
enter there, save as the Russian admiral effected
his entrance into Helsingfors when Swedish
admiral capituatcd, by force Of golden artillery.
Here, then lies the strength Of Russia. She is
a great hedgehog.
Her means OF offence is not alarming: her
seyenty-two ships Of all sizes, in her Baltic and
Euxinc fleets, commanded by generals, with
captains who wear spurs, and gunners who
place less than one shot in dozen--a Napier
could easily put such fleet under his arm, and
4 present it to the British museum. But to be
conquered, Russian ships must come out, and
they show no impotence to be conquered.
i huSSlall lcetS Stcai sDgilSl 1OeS
by stopping indoors and it is winning game
for the spurred sailors. A mammoth hedge
hog, with more than rhinocerous hide of era-
mite, Russia cannot easily be made to feel blows.
| Perchance she may be locked up and starved,
until her very ntestines rebel; but this is tedi
Gus work even for those to whom victory is
promised in reversion. The only strength that
can conquer inert, dogged, shameless obstinacy,
is un0agged patience, actively persevering pa
tience in officers and men, tranquil, passive
patience in public guarded against harrass
ing its own servants by expecting and demand
ing impossibties.
nENN MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE.