, 1854-10-14

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-ilmirol Pri5!! 81.
The Major Tompkins9 arrived at A.
N. on Sunday last, bringing Us full accounts
OF an attack made by the allied fleets up
on the town of Petropooyski. on the south
ern part of the peninsula of Kamschatka.
The frigates, President, so guns, Capt.
Burridge commanding; Pique, 40 guns,
under command of Sir Frederick Nichol-
son, with the steamer Virago, guns, Cap
tain Marshall, arrived at Esquimalt on the
5th ult., having parted company With the
French Frigates, Forte, 60 guns; Sloop
.Erudice. 2S guns and Brig Obligado, Il
guns in longitude 81 west, all bound for
San Francisco. Capt Hunt and Mr.
Scranton visited both ships and received
from the officers the following account of
the engagement
The harbor was placed in a most excel
lent state of defence by the. erection of
batteries on each side Of a channel scarce
800 fathomS in width, and to mount them,
guns had been landed from the Russian
frigates, Diana and Aurora, both Of which
ships were in the harbor, moored head and
stern, stripped to their lower masts and
entirely out of The line of fire. ...
After deciding upon the mode of attack,
the "Pique" was placed in tow of the vi
rago, and had the honor Of opening the
ball. The President" followed, with the
Forte "Erudicen and 0bligado, bringing
up the rear. As the President was draw
ing up within range Of one of the heaviest
batteries, Admiral Price remarked to an
officer at his side, that he had forgotten
his pistols, and Immediately descended TO
his cabin to procurcthem lie had scarce
ly been absent from the deck i've minutes,
when shot was heard below, and upon
entering bis cabin, be was found dead, with
ball through the heart-whcther by de-
sign or accident, Heaven alone knows.
The ships were Immediately engaged at
point blank range, and after three hours
severe firing, succeeded in silencing the
batteries. The British Frigates suffered
severely-the President having been hulled
twelve or fifteen times, and but one shot
was picked up on board, and that in the
gun room--thc rest having passed entirely
through the ship. As all evidence of the
excellent gunnery on the part of the Rus
slams, and the destructive effects of their
shot, Capt. Hunt states he was invited by
Capt. Donnell down upon the gun deck of
the President, and shown the course Of
one shot. 1t had entered on the starboard
side, through beam and clamp-took 5
men from the gun, passed across the deck.
struck the breech of 32 FOUNDER on the
opposite side, killing . men, and passing
out through the side, leaving an indenta-
ton in the heel of the gun, in which he
could put his closed hand.
The Pique suffered even more, as her loss
in killed and wounded, during the action
with the batteries was greatest--the ship
having been hulled several times, every
shot passing through her One shot in her
mizzen mast, and much cut up in sails and
rigging. The Virago (steamer) is said to
have behaved beautifully in the action, not
withstanding she had received shot be-
tween wind and water, leaving hole suf-
fciently large to pass deck-bucket, and
from the effects of which the ship was ma
king an immense quantity of water. Her
guns were worked with as much steadiness
and precision as though she we're firing an
ordinary salute.
After the death Of Admiral Price, the
command deyolvcd upon the French admi-
raj, ahdfearing the loss of his spars--sa such
a loss could not there be replaced-he or
dercd the ships out of the range ofthe Rus
sian fire to repair damages.-I
The fleet laid at anchor for the three fol-
lowing days during which much dissatis-
faction was expressed among the crews of
the different ships, for their being obliged
to retire when their work was almost done:
and it was the opinion of the English Off
GERS, generally, that the men would have
refused to take up the anchors had not a
second attack been consented to by the
French Admiral Accordingly, at coun.
Gil held on board the Forte" land at
tack was decided upon, and force of 700
men and officers selected from all the ships.
This was the most disastrous portion of the
whole affair-as during the absence of the
fleet for the three days aforementioned,
the Russians, displayed the greatest activ-
itv, having repairnd their forts md coIlad