Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1854-05-12
The Baltic and ST. Pe,ersburg

The English fleet, by the last accounts, have made
move one step nearer to the scene of expected hos
ttes in the Baltic. The object is doubtless 10 strike
at the Capital, ST. Petersburg, but before this be
reached is necessary to reduce the celebrated for
tresses in the Gulf Of Finland which guard the capi-
tai. These are Sweaborg, at lelsngfors, and Cr0n-
stadt The first is of the regular naval stations,
but Cronstadt is the principal station for the Rus
sian navy. This latter place holds the key to St.
Petersburg, from which it is distant about twenty
miles. We have the following description -
Cronstad stands on the southeast extremity Of the
island of Kotline, in the Gulf OF Finland, and con-
tains population of 10000 or $4,000. The chan
mel which bounds the Island Of KOlne, and the only
practicable through which to reach st. Peters
burg, is very narrow, and is protected the side in
Cronstad by fortress erected on a detached Island
On the opposite side it has the batteries of the Res
bank and the Castle of Orensot. Cronstadt is also
strongly fortified. 1t has three harbors lying to the
south Of the town The outer or military harbor is
entirely fortified by mole, rectangle stretching
out into the sea, and capable of holding, besides
smaller vessels, thirty five ships of the line. 1t is
so shallow at low water that many of the ships are
obliged to anchor in the middle harbor, which is pro-
pery intended for the fitting out and repairing of YES
sells. 1t has powder magazine, mandatory of
pitch tar sc. The third west, or inermost harbor
which has space for six hundred merchant vessels
and runs PARALLEL with the middle harbor, admits on
y merchantmen, for which there is besides excel
lent roadsead Immediately outside the port, defend
ed also by the citadel, constructed on a rock in the
middle OF the sea OF Cronstadt. 1hS fortress is
connected with ST. Petersburg, that the fall of the
one will prove the ruin Of the oibeIs
The Russian Emperor is making all the prepara-
tons necessary 10 protect his capital, and well he
may, st Petersburg being Of the finest cities of
| Europe. lis population is half million of
souls, and its public buildings magnificent, with
| imperial library of $4,000 volumes The available
vessels of the Russian fleet in the Baltic are being
prepared for the emergency and 1000 new gun boats
have been ordered to be built. Everything betokens
a formidable resistance to any attack upon Russian
territory in that quarter.
EXTRAORDINARY BIRTH.--We copy the following
| from the Repository and Whig published at Cham
| bersburg, Pa:
We have no fears of the country becoming soon
depopuated if called upon frequently 10 note
such occurrences the following Mrs Ellen Sar-
yer, wife of MIR. John Sarver, residing on farm near
Shippensburg, Pa, presented her husband Friday
last with four The mother and children are
doing we'll as could be expected The names
chosen for the children are, Chas. M. Burnett, Will
liam Sankin. George Washington, and William M
Harrison We move that Congress pass bill giving
, 10 each see ion of land. Who seconds The motion.
e The first volume of Mr. BENToN's Thirty Years
History is printed. 1t makes seven hundred pages