, 1854-10-07
Operations Of the Allies in the
Pacific,

eNNlAANs
The London MercantIe Gazette of Jul,
9th, after mentioning the naval force o
the French and English in the North Pa
chic, and their movements, continues:
"The settlement of Sitka, on Baranoff' !
Island, the largest of the group named By
Vancouver King George the Thirds Arch
ipelago, is known under the appellation o
New Archangel, and is the capital of Rus
sian America. 1t has been long entrusted
to the control of Russian commereia
compuny, on payment Of an annual tribute
This company was originally confined tC
lrkutch, and obtained their exclusive priv
ileges Of trading in peltries in the Aleutiar
Islands and adjacent coasts, from the En-
peror Paul. This was subsequently, eXteh'
ded by Alexander to the whole of Russian
America, and renewed by the present Czar
about five years ago. There are no settle.
ments on the main land, only few on the
islands being occupied. The fortress oi
Sitks, at the entrance Of the harbor, is said
TO be provided with considerable works. In
1882 it had forty cannon, half short eigh.
teen Founders, and the other long mines,
and garrison Of about 3OO The town
commands wide, deep and secure bay, in
which the cOmpaRys marine, consisting Of
five or six sailing vessels and two or three
steamers, lie at anchor. The hotilla, tho
all composed Of merchantmen, is equipped
for war the officers commanding it belong
TO the military marine. The trading post
itself is defended by two batteries, main
tanned in good order. The Strait or Chan
mel of Sitka, which leads to the town, pre-
sents considerable facilities for defence
The European inhabitants of New Arch
angel and its environs number probably
about 1000 These, therefore, are the re-
sources which, with a Russian frigate or
two, could be counted on for its defence.
The vessels which were recently cruising
about in the China Sea and Eastern Archi-
pelago have most probably congregated at
the Asiatic and American posts belonging
to Russia. The Indian mail Just delivered
however states some were lying at Soura-
baya.
"The Island of Kodiak, further west,
will also probably be attacked. 1t is sit
uated at the entrance Of the Bay of
Qchotsk, which has safe and spacious har-
Dor for large vessels. The town is defended
by two citadels, mounting more than 100
cannon, and up TO the present time no for
eign vessel has succeeded in obtaining com
munication with it. The passage into the
harbor is only practicable under the can
non Of the fort Of St. Paul, which some
years ago was gsrrisoned by 800 or 400
men, and mounted 40 guns. What its pres
ent force may be, we cannot state. Like
Sitka, few small vessels, carrying four or
FIVE guns each, guard the coast approaches.
The government of Ochotsk, in Asia, may
also be assailed by sea. Although the
Russian Company and Hudson's Bay Com
pany have hitherto continued on good
terms with each other, and treaties have
from time to time been made between them
the latter supplying the Sitka colony
with yearly supply of wheat-all engage
ments are necessarily annulled by the dec
laration Of war; aud the Russians, produ-
cling no grain, will find their food supplies
cut of. unless they can obtain them from
NallOAulh VI ehO poANNlSh 1bluuNol puS
this, with strict blockade, is scarcely pos
sible. The Russian Territory in America,
is mere riband, extending not more than
ten leagues inland; but interpOses barri-
er between the interior and the sea, to the
products Of the chase Of the Hudsons Bay
Company, whose hunting grounds, lying
near the Arctic regions, find their only out
let to the Pacific Ocean by descending to
the English forts, situated on the coast a
great deal further down, below the 5Oth
parallel of latitude.
"With all their ostensible Notifications,
we believe the capture of the whole Of
these Russian forts in America and Kams-
chatka is within the power Of couple Of
frigates, aided by one or two war steamers.
They are neither properly fortified nor ef-
iciently garrisoned; the possibility Of any
serious attack by al organized naval force
having probably never entered the minds
of the commandants--their very isolation
and insignifcance having doubtless lulled
them into false security.