The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-23

bottle Hy, who shared his meals and broke by It's loud
bu7dng the melancholy stiffness Of his prison When
at last hole large enough to admit light dug, he
suddenly drove back his head because he said he felt
cold This impression he afterwards declared was
more painful than anything he had previously suffered
THE EUROPEAN WAR,
THE COMMANDMENT OF ODESSA.
From the London Times May 9.
1t is remarkable that although seventeen days have
elapsed since the bombardment Of Odessa the 22d
ult and several accounts Of that important operation
have been made public by the French the German and
even the Russian government no authentic or Official
count Of this event has been published, or far
know, received by the British government from the
officers in command Of fleet. We have now be.
fore short despatch from the French Admiral dated
from his flag ship the Vile de Paris in the roads Of Odcs
S. on the e.. 2Sth Of April and published in the Mnssr
or report, from the Russian General Osten
Sacken, Of the 2sd Of April, which gives the
have more detailed account which has gone the round
OF the German papers, and has been transmitted to
from Vienna but which includes variety Of particulars
not confirmed by any official information. With regard
to this last communication, may at observe that
the other and more authentic accounts do not coincide
in point Of date with the statement it contains We
have to believe that any considerable portion
Of the combined fleets reached Odessa early the
l4h OF April or that any negotiations were opened with
the Russ ian authorities that the 18th the feet
Numbered forth saluteo Of 300 guns. The actual oc
currence lies in narrower compass and the Russian
Military Governor of Odessa seems to have been ex
tremey anxious, by the immediate publication Of his
report the subject in his order Of the day to dspe
or at least to diminish the alarm which such attack
There doubt that II the afternoon Of the
2lst of April that the combined feets consisting of
anchor at distance of about miles from the town Of
Odessa. At O'Clock, p. NJ, Admiral Dundas and Admit
raj Hamein sent in flag Of truce to demand the
render OF the Russian English and French ships lying
in the quarantine harbor to which no answer
was returned At half past six the following morning
the nine steamers Of the Heet-or, the French ac
count says eight of which five we're English and three
freneh-came within range and attacked the batteries
S have the s.n Imperial o,e, mss .b Rrsn . to
steamers, for General Osten-Sacken afHrms that
one was vessel Of fifty four guns, and several
others of "a guns whereas the Retribution which is
the heaviest steam frgate of the fleet carries but IS
guns and the other vessels have considerably iler
armament. The Russian batteries stated to have
been armed with As Founders only and in conseq
the steamers enabled to- pour in the FIRE of their
heavy guns without suffering much Inconvenience in
turn 1t does not appear thea the large ships any
part in the action II seems however, that successful
attempt made in boats throw Congreve rockets
into one Of the suburbs whore the military
collected and to burn the shipping in the port Bat the
Russian account suppressss the important fact,
pressy stated in the french despatch thathe powder
magazine exploded and that the naval establish
ments in the port either burnt or seriously
injured by the shells. AL the accounts concur in
untouched and although by far the greater part Of
the inhabitants had fed in extreme dismay those who
remained seemed to have incurred very little real danger
Tho Russian bulletin acknowledges only car killed and
"a wounded the side of the enemy AMI is asserted
that only one battery Of four guns srectuay de-
stroyed after FIRE Of many hours when the troops
according to both accounts burnt out of Il The Eosie
states however, that the mole jetty of the
harbor was defended by battery Of II guns which .p-
pears to correspond to the battery No in the Russian
report and this post undoubtedly defended with
great tenacy The is described rough during the
whole day, and the wind blew from the Shore As even
ing approached the conagration Of the vessels and the
stores ragged with terrible effect blu. the inhabitants had
already evacuated the town. and though the
attack by the heavier ships Of the line
on the 26th the fleets weighed anchor that day and
quilted the coast.
Great interest is attached to the effects Of this onera
ton one Of the first occasions 10 try tho
effect Of modern gunnery nd modern engines of desruc
ton in the still undetermined question of ships versus
forts but IL the particulars hare collected from
these accounts correct this experiment Is not OF
decisive character The large ships were not oaOed
and the effect OF broadsde OF 90 100 gun ship
verging upon few feet OF stone wall Was not tried
The admas appear to have thought that these petty
forts Of Odessa not worthy so severe trial and
to have accordingly sent in the steam squadron
however, almost entirely Of paddlewheel steam.
ers, for we are not informed that tho Sans
and IL Is matter Of essential consequence to the move
ments Of the feet to the machinery these
sells from damage We infer therefore, that the frgates
took up positions in which they had little apprehend
from the fire of the enemy, and that they contented
themselves with throwing shells and other projectiles
from long range Their object not to destroy the
town. for on the contrary, great pains were obviously
taken 70 resnect both the streets squares Of
and the merchant shipping The original motive Of the
attack was the necessity Of Furnishing the Russian
thorities Tor their outrageous conduct In firing
flag Of truce from the Furious before the decsra
ton Of could be distinctly known to them. The
Monifehr justly remarks that this object was attained
but not exceeded. The Admirals kept in reserve
their most formidable engines Of destruction and showed
no disposition TO iniure Odessa although IL clear
that the town entirely at their mercy Neither the
batteries Of the mole the Russian troops the
Der of sxtyeght thousand, who said 10 be col
destruction II the feet had really opened its fire. and il
is evident from the result surprising that the statement
Of casualties published by General osen Sacken Ia at all
correct that the attack not OF nature to nhict
very formidable chastisement the population. AL
though bombardment Is Of the appalling ope-
raiions Of war had occasion remark long ago with
reference to former examples in Spain and else
where that large number OF shells be thrown
into an inhabited town with an Incredibly small
loss Of life and the general effect OF bombardment
is rather the destruction Of property than OF the forces Of
the enemy. In this instance no attempt made to
compel Odessa to capitulate the pretended landing Of
party Of troops Is either altogether invention Il
confined TO few who attacked in the boats Of
the squadron, and may possibly have landed to spike
some guns although We question the fact Our opera
are directed as anst the maritime forces Of the enemy
properly 90 called against those great naval establish
men.s on winch ,ne Emperor Of Russia relied for his
blown those establishments ii is vain TO expect
that we can materially shake the power Of Russia
the and hope learn that the operations against
odessa only the prelude to measures of a ore ser
GUS and decisive character
The following Is dated four days later than the docu
ment which We gave yesterday and IL addressed 10 thu
Russian troops in Bessaraba Chersor and on the Bug
whereas that Of yesterday addressed TO The iesa
military. IL IL the same IN substance hut differs from
tome details, and supplies few additional facts.
ORDER OF THE DAY.
Addressed to the troops In quarters in the province o.
Besarabs and In that part OF the government OF Cher
son on the right bank OF the Bug.
ODESSA, April 20 (christ has riseu). 1854.
On the 9th (21st) instant an Anps-french squadron
'poed Of six three deckers thirteen two deckers AND
- vesmcrs, carrying altogether 300 guus anchored
- :, ~. distance Of three versts from Odessa