The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-10-08
VISIT TO SFBASTOPOL.

u
and mile wide at the entrance, diminishing to 400
yards at the end, where the "Tchernaia Ret ,hks,"
or Black River, emptes itself. The average depth
is about eight fathoms, the bottom being composed
the southern coast of this bay are the commercial
military, and careenng barbors, the quarantine har
Dor being outside the entrance. All these taking
southerly direction and having deep water.
The military hsrbor is the largest, being about a
mile and q half long, by 400 yards wide, and is com
pletely land-ocked on every side. Here 1t is that
the Black Sea feet is mocrea in the winter; the
largest ships being able to lie with all their stores
on board close 70 the quays The small harbor
which contains the naval arsenal and docks, is on
the eastern side Of the military harbor, near the
entrance.
The port is defended to the south by six principal
batteries and for.rsses, each mounting from SO to
100 guns; and the north by four, having from Is to
40 pieces each; and besides these there are many
smaller batteries.
The fortlesses are built on the cssemate principle
three Of them having three tiers of guns, and
fourth two tiers. Fort st. Nicholas Is the largest
and mounts about 100 guns; on carefully counting
permission to enter this fortress. It is built Of white
limestone: fine sound stone, which becomes hard
and s very endurable, the same material being used
for all the other forts. Between every two classmates
are furnaces for heating shot red hot: we measured
the calibre Of the guns, and found 1t to be eight
inches, capable Of throwing shells OF IS pound solid
shot.
Whether all the guns in the fortress were Of the
same ze, it is impossible 10 say, but my belief is
that most of the Notifications Of Sebastopol are
heavily armed. We entered Fort st. Nicholas
through the elegantly furnished apartments OF the
military commandant, situated at its southwestern
end.
At the period of our visit there were certainly not
towards the Ssv and Of these 5SS eon a BE-
concentrated on q ship entering the bay.* Other
batteries, however, are said to have been since
built. We took some trouble to ascertain these
facts by counting the guns Of the various FORTS not
always An easy matter, where any suspicion Of our
object might have subjected us to grave inconve.
niences. Sebastopol Is admirably adapted by ma
win be seen from what we stated above that this
has been fully taken advantage Of to render it one
Of the most ormidably fortified places in that direc
ton which could be imagined.
We are well aware that the casemated fortresses
are very badly constructed, and though having an
imposing exterior, that the walls are filed in with
rubble. The work was carried on under Russian
engineers, whose object was to make as much money
as possible out OF IT, They were, moreover found TO be
defective in ventilation to remedy which some aera
tions were subsequently made but admitting all
their defects, they are still strong enough to inct
some amount Of injury on an attacking feet before
their guns could be silenced. And when that is ac-
complained, surprising there are now $50 pieces,
there would still remain 500 guns of large caibre,
in strong open batteries, half of them thrO wing
shells and red hot shot, Independent Of mortars.
This is force of armament against which no fleets
have been tried not only with regard to the number
OF guns and weight Of metal but the nature Of the
X,
striking between wind and water being sufficient to
sink ship.
If Sebastopol can be SO easily taken by the allied
fleets alone and without lans forces, some people
appear to imagine it would be very satisfactory to
know what amount OF resistance it is expected that
Portsmouth could offer to an enemy, with her seventy
or eighty guns, not above fve-and twenty Of waich
are heavier than 80 FOUNDERS?
We DO not mean to assert tina. it is impossible to
destroy Sebastopol from the sea alone but We be.
lieve that it could only be accomplished by an IN
necessary sacrifice OF life and ships with our present
means, and that it would be nothing short OF mad
ness to attempt 1t, unless We had a reserve feet
the spot, sufficiently strong to insure the command
of the Black Sea in case Of faiure.t
Iol we have left the Russian feet out CT the ques
ton. This however, is not to be treated either with
indifference or contempt for, while we are ready to
admit that neither in the strength Of the ships, in
the quality Of the sailors, In any other respect
can it be compared for an instant 70 those Of Eng
land and France; yet there can be no doubt Of the
Russian seamen being well trained in gupDery, nor
Of their being endowed with kind Of passive cour
age, which would lead them to stick to their work,
when not called upon to exercise their Eeamanshp,
in which they are very deficient.
There were in the military harbor of Sebsstopol
twelve lneof battle ships eight friga.es and seven
dent Of steamers. We visited, amongst others, the
Twelve Apostles, of 100 guns, and the first lieute.
nant accompanied us over her. She was remarka.
bly, fine looking ship, in excellent order, and very
neat in her fittings.
The town Of sebastopol is situate on the point of
land between the commercial and military harbors.
which rises 81 adusly from the waters edge to sn
elevation Of two huI dred feet. IL Is more than q
lie length, and its greatest width is about three
quarters Of mile, tie streets entering the open
ssppe The south sou On The
bad been pronounced by one Of the frat engineers
Of Ruseia IS perfectly useless, and plans for COM
petely terrifying the place in that direction were
untA hAw An~v IA. I~k- u
since been carried ont we know not, though We
have deep conviction that strong defences win be
found to exist there by the time beseging army
rives These, however, beng hurriedly raised, csn
neither be OF Sufficient magnitude nor strength TO
offer serious resistance TO long continued
fire Of heavy artillery, and unless these fortifca-
lions are on most extensive scale, and embrace
very wide circuit, they may be commanded from =
range, their speedy reduction be..ymes matter Of
certainty, ''SA "
MORE u TIC sea batteries or forts are Of tie slight
est ssvice FOR defence on the land side, Indeed the
great fort, "St has not gun pointed In
that direction, and such arisAment would be per.
fecilyuseless II existed, that part Of the hi on
which the town stands fses behind it to height oil
two hundred feet IN fact, all the fortresses and bat
are CON manded BY higher ground in the rear.
SupIosing the whole Of the batteries defen ding
the hsrtor 10 be destroyed no ships could enter with
safety until all the positions or the heights which
eOJIOunu bnQ OVttnduS ~ nhu Uecn CdkIied.
The coast between Balaclavs and C.pe Ohersone.
tus being abrupt and precipitous, Finishes no sua.
bic localities for the required purpose but some Of
the bays ON the northern boundary of the Chersone
sean peninsula may possibly ,oe found available.
Were the allied armies "a possession Of the Cher
sonesus, they would find penty of water, for there
are two good sources towards Balaclava, though in
dependent of it. One Of these has been carried by
an aqueduct to Sebastopol, and supplies the reser
voir near the public gardens Of that place. Des
troyiDg this aqueduct would be Of no service TO
wards reducing the town, a. that from Inkerman
would still remain, and the great fitting basin con.
tains an immeme quantity. Besides which there
are wells and some small streams ct the head of the
mital barbor, whence the place formerly drew its
only, though not very plentiful supply.
Another plan for attacking Sebasto2ol might be
adopted by landing to the north Of the bay Of mixer