The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-13
OPERATIONS IN TaE BALTIC.

ult. Mr. M. Gibson called attention to the proceed
ings OF Admiral Plumridge At Ulesborg and Br;,he-
stadt, in the Gulf Of Bcthnia.
Sir .. GRAHAM-S,r, ] was not exactly aware that
the right bon0table gentleman intended this eva
ming 70 20 into much detail on his subject; there
fore did not bring down all the despatches Nth
reference 70 this subject. They only arrived tdiD
morning, and tomorrow they will be published IN
The Gazette, ana then the House aud then pubic
will DC better enabled t. foln, their opinion upoa
the circumstances to which the right honnrahls
gentleman has alluded. But he has relieved mp
from any difficulty upon head, which, indeed
would have been difficulty Of most oppressive
character, namely, il he had impugned the conduct
OF the British officers and gallant men who were
employed on the service in question (hear)
The right honorable gentleman says, and Gays verI
truly, that that those officers and men have exeouAk
their auty honorably, and have faithfully occysd
their instrul tons, and not open to any cenenre
whatever far the authority presiding over NJ
val affairs Ia concerned, In the conddct which tney
pursued. Any blame attached to them attaches 70
the government and to those who employed them.
and not to the men themselves. (Hear.) Now, sir
know not that it is expedient. as the matter now
stands, that should otter any elaborate 6efenos
with reference to the instructions given for the do
sfiuction OF kuss'an property. We all know that +
s among the other objects of war to burn and des-
troy the property Of the enemy; and although The
right honorable gentleman says II is fiction to oan
Finland part OF Russia, yet for the last twenty
years at least that has been sad rea'ity--(hear)
and Finland has been treated by Russia the same ~
Riga any other part Of her territories on the o.
posite shore OF the Baltic. And then, with respect
TO the articles to which the right honorable gen
tleman referred, viz: cordage, timber, tar. and
the other articles destroyed on this OCCASION the
house must be aware that with regard to Swedes
and Denmark we have treaties Of neutrality In
which certain articles are specified, which even
with reference to neutrality held to be contra.
band Of war; and the very articles which were In
this instances destroyed are SO enumerated in these
treaties and in our treaties both with Swedea
and Denmark. While these countries preserve
their neutrality, they are prohibited from osa-
yeying to the enemy timber, cordage pitch. tar.
and others, which were the very articles we
have destroyed in the enemy's ports; aud had
they boon found by British cruisers proceeding
from Denmark or Sweden to any Russian port, eves
by the law Of nations, apart from these treaties,
they could have been dealt with az contraband of
war. Now, think cannot do better than quote
from the dispatches of Sir Charles Napier, which
what has been done in the Gulf Of Bothpis. They
inclose the report Of Admiral Plumridge on the 90
currences between the 9th of May and the 10th OF
June, by which you will observe that he has dos
amounting altogether. to eleven thousand
tons OF shipping. Now, that is the Rnt
been unsuccessful in destroying the Russian heeeB.
ty Of doing it. lHear, hear.) We have to desl
with an enemy who has bcasted that the Baltic ana
theBack Sea are to be regarded as his own lakes We
have entered those seas with allies, the French
meeting
fleets on many occasions with superior force; but
he has skutked and remained in his retreat
(Cheers.) We have offered him battle upon fair
terms, but he has declined. Whilst we have 0ccu-
either with his ships of war or merchantmen; and
we have been driven to the alternative Of visiting
their ports and destroying their merchantmen upea
their own shores This we have done to the exfsut
have mentioned in the Gulf of Bothnia, in about
three weeks, during which Admiral Plumridge has
destroyed IL 900 tons OF Russian shipping OF other
property destroyed there has been so 900 barrels Of
pitch and tai, 5000 square yards of rough pitch,
great number OF stakes, timber, spars, pianks
and deals, sails and ropes, and various other
kinds Of stores, amounting in value to be-
tween 100000 and f400,000. Admiral Plum
ridge says that the ice was not entirely broken up
on the 30th of May; and although several ships Of
the squadron had touched ground, he was happy to
cay more had received any damage Uf any conse-
quencc; and he also spoke in the highest terms Of
the captains officers, seamen, and Marines and par
tcularIy OF Lieutenant Priest, an old and descrvin
officer. As relates, then, to the success Of the op
ration, we have il that IL 900 tons OF the enemys
ships have been destroyed, and from E4OO 900 To-
100000 worth OF bis property. Now II Is said that
is impossible to make war with foreign power
with which for very long period we have enter
tanned the most amicable relations, and carried on
, most extensive commerce, without inncting very
considerable injury on our own merchants But
this is among the great evils of war ITSELF and IL
you are really to infiict injury upon your enemy e
Is impossible, at the commencement OF a war. WITH
sudden rupture OF commercial relations occurring
20 avoid entailing some incdental-cvil of the same
kind upon your own countrymen. Bat the right
honorable gentleman said there was blockade : he
has been misiBformed- was no blockade at
Uleaborg.
Mr.. NJ. GiBsoN-I did not say that there was.
said understood that the parties, fearing there
might be blockade
Sir J. GRAHAM-At all events there certainly was
no blockade, and by agreement between France and
ho han ma Haas =
have been granted. But according to the law of
nations, for certain time before o blockade s in
stituted ships that have taken in cargo and been
laden before its institution would be entitled to pass
without molestation aud without damage. Now
this is case in which the squadron visits the
enemy's ports for the purpose Of destroying his
property and inficting on him what is, under the
circumstances have stated, very material and
serious injury to him. The right honorable gentls.
man, think, said that there were no preparations
offs wiriike character a. the ports he had named
and no property belonging to the government Of
Russia there. Now the House must remember
that the fleets Of Russia declining the conflict
in the manner l have described, we have been
threatened with swarm Of gun boats
which were in course OF preparation, In
order TO inct injury upon our larger ships in shall
low water, and in narrow seas. As measure og
precaution Sir c. Napier most wisely determined
upon visiting all the ports where he thought these
gun boats might be taking shelter or in the course
OF lifting out, and In the reports which we have
A~SS.'Nu W hssu suoe Sdptctu vi tue I<cO-
pard, says he himself landed and saw what took
place at Brahestadt He Gays there were burnt on
shore and totally destroyed four large vessels that
were building, and nearly completed the stocks,
and that the largest Of them was OF nearly 500 tons.
and bad been pierced for six gu1s-that two de-
tached storehouses were destroyed, containing many
thousand barrels OF pitch, tar and oil. Well but e
Is alleged that this was private property; and what
says Captain Giiiard. He says that large num-
Der OF them were marked with tac imperial CROWN
Clear, hear) With regard 20 the respect shown To
private property be also says 81 was careful not Ia
nict damages upon the private houses and prop >.
At the time satsfedny self that there wers no
articles contrabaDd ofwar secreted in the houses near
the town which did not destroy. There were tive
large stores in the outskirts OF the town which were
found TO contain flour. These were not destroyed
had reason for supposing they were private pr :
perry" Again he says "All the officers under my
orders have co-operated with me in preventing M
necessary alarm to the inhabitants and feel Il my
duty 10 report the aacrity, great stcadipess, and
good conduct displayed by al the officers and sea-
x.l<x.oI tvxe 81 81