Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-08-18

An occasional correspondent Of the Courier and
Enquirer, writing from Constantinope, describes
| visit he made lately to SebaStopo, which he pro-
nounces safe from maritime attack as are any of
our inland cities. The friends of Russia, he declares
may therefore maintain perfect serenity as to the
safety Of Sebastopol He says, further, that while it
remains in possession of Russia, she will assuredy
dominate the Euxinc, and threaten Constantnople
at any time she feels inclined sail of three days
will, at any moment, bring her fleet down on the
devoted city, and some man~uvrc, such as this, will
assuredy be attempted, should the allied fleets be
crippled by any abortve attempt upon the strong
hold.
1t is this consideration alone, he says, which can
excuse the inaction of the allies In the opinion of
this writer nothing exceed the strength of Sebas
topol. He says:
"By tue commanders special favor permitted to visit
the citadel, and il surpassed all that bad previously
dreamt Of in the annals of warfare The channel so
narrow that only vessel can enter il at time and
twelve hundred issuing from four large forts of three
tiers EACH own defiance a1d threaten destruction OH all
who have the hardhood TO approach. The mouth of the
hsrbor is defended by six seven large vessels
which would eectuay rake ship attempting to
and IL all these impediments should fail an
expedient remains behind for closing up the port by
impossible chain, that If the allies with their whole fleet
endeavored to force passage through they would be eff
fecuay arrested And hurled in wild confusion on each
other These forts 50 lar IRON being brick and
represented by the English last winter built OF
granite, strong aud massive seemingly the primeval
rocks and the rooms in which the guns worked in
stead Of being according to the verscous authori
ties and lveutated threaten the inmates
with sufocaou large and ample and constructed in
conformity with the approved rules of modern frt
cation. The ships of war; indeed in consequence
gross pecuaon which exists in all Russian agars
ably efficiently constructed ours, those Of
the English and French They may possibly be open TO
all the objections aud the contempt which the allies freely
upon them but why, it may be asked in return do
whom they describe uuprepared! Does not the very
circumstance of his alleged weakness only cover them
with additional disgrace
at is seemingly equally idle to talk assang Sebasto-
pol by land. The place is indeed, vulnerable that di
rection it apparently possesses adequais deences
But Russian army OF hundred and fifty thousand men
is preseut the Crimea, and If any such comparative
handful the English and French fleet bring should
disembark. they will ne hurled whng and defeated back
with the words, "Why came SeoIs:opol :" ringing
their They may, is true, BY ranging their fleet
around the neck OF territory which separates
Cmea from the mainland, endeavor of Russian
supplies. In the Spring aud early part of the summer
this might have been possible but it is fast becoming i'm
praciioe now TIE logs which will ia six weeks arise from
the bosom OF the Euzine, will obscure them they
will fifty yards from their ships aud the equinox
gales will terrible that these possibly hug
the shore. So well the Russian ladies' OF
facts that they eeFingy inquire Shen Masters Bull
aud Frog is come" aud they generally add
marks which complimentary the gallant pro-
pens;tes than the military proHess OF the English aud
French"