New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-03-05
DEMOLITION or FORT NICHOLAS,

{ correspondence Of The London Daily News
CANP, SEvAsTOPOL, Tuesday, Fen. :, 100
Yesterday about o'clock in the afternoon. the
Russian For. Nicholas utterly destroyed by the
French engineers This immense work cacuatedtore-
ceive armament of 1872 gunswas one OF the most con-
spicuous objects in approaching SevastOp0las well rom
its peculiar form as the long extent Of ground which
covered and was perhaps, the most celebrated OF the
Notifications in the Russian territory On the BLACK Sea-
excepting Fort Constantine. This latter tort though
by no means OF the same magnitude, has become
famous on account OF the celebrated bombardment 10
which il subjected in 1854 by the allied feet, and
has the reputation of having been more sodiy con
structed. Fort Nicholas which occupied nearly the
whole of the promontory Of land dividing tie south
barbor from Artillery Bay commanded the entrance
to the ro8dstead, and swept with its gum the
whole surface Of the water thence 10 the
South Harbor itself Looking toward the sea,
exhibited plain stone front with two lines Of en-
trasures at regular intervals one above the other
the monotonous appearance of the long lines beng
broken only by central projection and observatory
above To the east of the central projection the guns
in three tiers the upperTnOst tier being on the
roof but in the western half, that nearest 10 Artillery
Bay, there were only two tiers and none on the roof
Seen in reverse the appearance was that Of two long
galleries, one above the other-the side toward the
spectator being built 80 as TO show succession OF
srched openings with balustIades. These arches
responded with the bomb-proof classmates, each o.
which was prepared 10 receive one gun Its general
form that of horse shoe, the east end being the
most curved and the part of the plain sohd masonry
Of the front which thus brought INTO the
opening OF the South Harbor formed striking con
trast 10 the view of person looking from the nights
above the town with the light and elegant series e al
cades which characterized the remainder OF the sruc-
ture. 1t was always one of the first buildings which
was noticed by stranger going toward SevastopO
by the WoronZof road; and one OF this was.
besides those already named, that It bounded the
view of the town, for q considerable space, toward
the Its outline thus strongly marked by the
surface of water beyond On account Of lie strength
and distance from the approaches, the women and
children who remained in Sevastopoi az the COM
mencement Of the siege were removed e. this ort for
protection. subsequently II for some months the
residence of General Osten- Sacken, General Tcdt-
eben, and other officers of distinction. There were
always many troops here il being one Of the places
where reserves were kept in case OF emergency.
There were aso here Temporary church, hospitals,
apartments tor the Sisters Of Mercy and numerous
Offices. For some time market wac held on the
strip Of shore between Fort Nicholas and the
bay, and the sellers coming over by boats from the
north side The stalls and booths could be seen
plainly from ships stationed 10 watch the haIbor.
= Yesterday il was known 10 a limited number Of Eu-
ghsh officers aud Others that the last day OF Fort
Nicholas had come. The French had fixed or n early
hour in the afternoon for lie entire demolition. Il
secret in camp that they had been mining with the
intention Of blowing up al an early date. The pre-
else time fixed for the event appeared 20 have been
communicated very freely both 70 Sandman and French
officers, juding from the number who were seen 6Irv
ing toward o'clock along the WoronIotf road. This
ooncourse, together with General Codrngton psssng
by with bis staff attracted attention among the camps
front; and il became quite evident 10 al that
thing unusual was about TO take place, when, short
y aherwsrd, the French Marshal passed also.
lie drove by in the usual low phaetou drawn ty
Tour greys, with soldiers in uniform, en- postteaN,
and and accompanied by an escort OF cavalry. Two
French french ohieers and Colonel the Hon. q. Foley,
1'aehtd 10 Marshal Pelssier's staff, were with him.
an . snor time the TOP Of Frenchman's Ill., and tie
psh s,vuno al Cathcars Hi aud near tie Victoria
hsuouo', were occupied by large groups of British
onStrs InG solaiers. Lines Of men were also
pshng 'neI wSy oy the OLD site Of the Ksmschatka
Hill. Gen. Codnngton passed on 10 the town: Marshal
Pehssier took up his station q, the veknorn srot on
on Frenchmans HUI which was used during the prog
ress o. me ttge o. an observatory, and which wss
kOuse.' The pom. had the advantage uct crly o.