New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-08-07
CRONSTADT AND ITS FORTS.

COPENHAGEN, July 10, 1854.
The last telegraph dispatches give the intelligence
that the whole allied fleet in the Baltic has lately
sailed away in the direction of CrOnstadt and that all
appearances Indicated an intention OF the old Vice
Admiral soon to strike decisive blow. OF course
Cronstadt and The "aed fleet" are now in every
bodys mouth and all Europe is banging by the ears at
the ends of the telegraph wires, expecting the an
nOuncement of some great achievement, or terrible
catastrophe
Let us, meantime amclorate the uneasy feeling
caused by our suspense, by bird scyc, or rather,
panoramic view If this Malta Of the Batic-as the
Russians are accustomed 10 call 1.-THE pregnabity
or impregnabiliiy of which, is matter of so much
discussion, ard of so much diversity of opinion.
The following description is from evidence derived
partly from personal observation and partly from those
whose advantages of situation enabled them to make
still more extensive inv estlgatOns and explorations
than the writer himself was able to do
The fortress Of Cronstadt lies about % miles from
St. Petersburg the eastern point OF R0thra Ostrot
little island in the interior extremity OF the Gull OF
Finland The island was formerly called by the + inns
Rat Island 1t consists of chalk, and is about six
niiss long and one mile in breadth
At the entrance 10 the harbOr proper stands the
kronsclloss. built by Peter the Great on an island,
lust opposite the citadel; and the haven itself is ap-
proacbable only through very narrow and well.de-
tended channel. The passage between kronschioss
and Cronstadt is about 1900 yards wide and deep
enough for vessels Of the greatest draught.
Considered apart from its great importance as a
only ST. Petersburgs protector against foreign attack
but also its haven. Here the ships searched; and
here those of great drsught must shit their cargOe
upon smaller craft, that can ssi up the Ncva, which
during the dry season, mas often not more than ten
feet depth of water in Its mouth. The entrance TO
the Neya is through two naygabe channels. The
northern channel ia, by nature, very difficult 10
navigate, account OF It's numerous sand
banks, and is now said to be rendered alto
cether uunaygate, By Sunken ships laden with stone
The sOuflQTu il much broader than flQ Northern
hut the parigGje channel very aud close
up under the walls of Croustadt which walls
dotted with cannon
Cronstsdt is built in the form of -caene triangle
with three harbOrs on the southery side. The eIierior
or nGH-GtGT haTbOr is completely nc"scd by massive
strongly fortified mOleS, and is capable of afording
shelter TO about b ships of the line though at periods
Of low water many OF these vessels are compelled 70
anchor in the AidHe harboT which - principally used
for fitting cut aud repairing vessels belonging 70 the
fleet and therefore includes docks pOWder-magaz
etc. The third rest interior bgrbor which affords
room sufficient Ter 601 ships sud runs parallel with
the middle barber, receives only merchantmen, for
which vessels there IS D sides, excellent place o
refuge Just outside the hartor which i also projected
by fortress built in the cuff close hv Cron>sdt,
The nature Of the water here, renders it impossible
ioI ship 10 exist than 20 years - Longest, and
bcsidos this they acosed in the ice large portion
of the year. generally from the close of November Cd.
the beginning OF MAY.
About halt the year therefore the harbOr q CrOn-
sfadt is dead desert. and the wide-ettended
rlQnotOny OF ice is interrupted by only twO roads,
enc of which leads 10 It. Petersburg the other 20
Ors,nenbaum In the year l-i9, the harbOr al CrOu-
stadt vas covered with ice from the 20th Of Novein
her to the 10Th oi May.
The construction and repsraton OF vessels 20 on
in Peter the Greats channel which passes into the
town between the middle and west harbOrs. II is
? 100 feet long % feet vide and % feet deep. The
banks are of solid masonry, and the channel is filled
ana enptied by means Of locks ana steam-pumps.
Immediately in the vicinity tie docks where ten
ships at once undergo reparatlon. There, also,
sre the ball and beab foundrics and other manu- sc
tories Of military materials With the assistance OF
Cathsrne channel which il J. l,0 feet in length and
is in communication with west hsrbOr the wnr-yesses
are enabled to supply themselves with neccsssries d.
rect from the magazines.
The tow is regularly built with straight. hand.
~ re streets and large open places squares Will
the exception Of the buildings belonging TO the Govern
nfpt the houses generally of but one story and
are built Of wood. Between Peter the Greats aud
Catharine's Channel, hes the italian Palace, which
Prince Menchihof built in l70a jas' after be had
wrestea this Island from the Swedet. Here 10 the
Pho. Acadclss, ia which go pupils, mostly the sons of
@a-csp.slns, ere, during to vin'er ins'rI''ed J"