Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-05-23
THE COMMANDMENT OF ODESSA.

tfrom the London Times May 81
Inc last accounts which have reached OF the opera
tons Of the allied fleets Odessa are far more sat.cto
~ than the first Intelligence Of tho attack on that
which arrived In England Eve days ago and these last
accounts are the more to be relied they have been
forwarded by our own agents and allies OF reach
Ing us by means of communication under the influence Of
the Russian Government 1t was stated last night by
Lord Clarendon in the House of Lords that tho attack Of
the combined fleets mainly directed against the forts
batteries and military stores Odessa and that in the de-
structon Of these works the operation proved emnenty
successful The explosion Of magazines of powder
is strong proof that the bonbardment carried on
with great energy, and that directed that part
the city in which the military and naval werc de-
posted We learn moreover that twelve vessels Of
were sunk in the port und thirteen Russian transports
with their stores board captured, while the greater
part OF the merchant ships saved and neutral and
private property respected The ships Of said
be destroyed hardly be supposed form an impor-
tsnt part Of the Russian fleet aud they probably
vessels Of small force lying in the harbo Of Odessa and
used, like those small steamers by Capt Jones the
coast OF Ccassa for the purpose Of carrying
ncaons between Odessa, Nicholaiew. Kherson and Sc
basiopo but is satisfactory to learn that considerable
portion Of this hota has been DESTROYED and that the
blow has fallen where it ought fal-not on the unfor
tunate traders OF Odessa, but the imperial flag of
Russia.
The outrage OF Sinope Is no longer UNPUBLISHED and
when the Emperor Of Russia thought ft, in defiance Of
his assurance to order his fleet In the Black Sea
undertake that wsnton and ssngunsry expedition, he
should have reflected that for shot fred at Snope
shell might be thrown his cities and and
that the ruin he inflicted the Turkish squadron in that
port would be reaated himself the destruction of
cry Russ vessel Of which might from under
the guns Of Sebasapol. Odessa is rather WAS great
trading port but if its business and prosperity for
the tine suspended, the fault does not with u.s. but
with the Emperor Nicholas, whose policy has given a
death boE TO its trade. The OF wheat prepre ed
for shipment, and some instances paid for even by
ncutra have been taken up account OF the Russian
Government for the OF the army advancing the
Danube, and that town, which few months ago the
emporium OF the trade of the Black Sea is become
the centre OF military operations, which have rendered
peculiarly obnoxious the assaults Of cruisers odes
was the most advanced point OF importance which
stores OF var could be conveniently transported from
Nicholaiew aud scbastopol and Is probable that
quantity of the property of the Russian Government was
accumulated there. Another depot had been forme ut
Fokshan in Modava which had just been destroyed or
greatly damaged by fire, not without n suspicion that
the wifully burnt TO conceal from the eye of
Prince Paskewitch himself the deficiencies in the com
miss ra and supply ready for the priyatious
the Russian army may hereafter have to undergo.
is only by the papable effects Of that csn
hopo produce impression upon the minds OF the
people OF Russia from the entire absence of free dis
cussion public Information in that country
the aud probable consequences OF this quarrel
which have rung through the OF Europe for the lat
fourteen months, still either unknown the Russian
nation known only by the reports Of the ST. Petersburg
Gazette and the frantic manestoes of the Emperor But
although tue people OF Russia must already have suffered
severely by the enormous eves OF troops the suspcn
sion of trade b: the destruction OF credit and BY the
hardshps inflicted by such preparations for all
classes OF society, II may be questioned whether they
have asceraned the whole danger OF their position
II be alike CALLING their pride nation and re-
pugnsn the ,erye confidence ncucated in the wisdom
OF Emperor, see proved that neither his policy
his defend the sacred territory of Russia
attack that the ports through which the wealth OF
provinces has been accustomed to flow may be bockaded
and bonbarded at the pleasure OF tho enemy, and that
whole territories may possibly be discovered from the EN-
pire These facts which cannot be altogether misre
presented or concealed especially when they occur
they probably will occur, in the Black Sea only
at dltarce from the observation OF Europe but within
ies hours salt OF tue capital which is already Gu, of
Operations blockades directed against such ports a.
Odess', Archangel and Riga, cannot fail very
widely upon the adjacent country, and the direct injury
inflicted the Turkish empire by the seizure OF Prn
cpaes north OF the Danube which Sele already in the
enjoyment of neutrality-suspicious., is iucomparably less
than the evil and the loss sustained by Russia in the clos
ing OF her uost important haIbors These considerations
appear to US to account io and to justify the
which may be taken against every part of the Russian
coasts which is open TO attack especially where large mil
tay dep0 have been formed and where the property OF
the State be reached il will have been observed
that the official dispatch makes mention of am land
operations at Odessa and by inclined TO
credit the assertion made in the Russian account OF the
b1mbardment, that attempt n landing made by
1880 meI aud repused There seems 10 have been no
occasion for any landing at all, would such force
have attempted to land in fortified hasbor defended by
nearly ten times that number of Indeed the very
small loss on the side OF the allied fleets is d, csve proof
that of whatever character was e1perenced-
For these particulars, however, we are still to great
degree dependent imperfect teegraphic dispatches
though we trust that as nearly fortnight has elapsed
since this event took place, the country will be 10
possession OF complete narrative Of this important
gaEement