The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-01-27
OPERATIONS IN TIE BALTIC I

cal an geological account.
OPERATIONS IN TIE BALTIC T
The Next Cn"pa,g"-slr Charles nap.sr's
VieWs-AdmiraI Dasnalas Oplni0a-Carl0us
Letter from Another British Amirnl.
SIR CHARLES NAPIER ON THE ENGLISH NAVY IN
THE WAR.
TO THE EDITOR OF LONDON TIMES.
In your leading article Of the I'd January you at
tack statesmen admirals and generals; you say
you will set before them what the country expects
at their hands.
will leave the statesmen and generals to speak
for themselves, but will not rem .in silent and sec
the whole navy condemned as towards and imbe-
Giles
know the risk run in making observations on
your articles, but will run that risk, and tell you
plainly that you know nothing Of the subject on
which you write.
venture to affirm that there is as much talent.
courage and dash in tue British navy now as there
was in the days of Nelson. You say, Mr.. Hditor, In
the last war the ships of England went everywhere
and did everything; with incredible daring and SAD
cess. With only the uncertain winds aud treache-
ious waves TO rely on they entered every week. and,
provided they could never getin troubled themselves
with the superfuous consideration OF how they could
get out again.
Now, Mr.. editor, served fifteen years last war,
and it never was the custom Tor ships to approach
batteries at all. No admiral ever ventured to take
1is 1eet into an enemy's port, except Lord Nelson
lie went into Copenhagen, gained victory, aud was
well pleased to get out; ard he never tried it yain
he did not take his numbering feet, you Gull it, to
CaIlscrons to the Swedish waters; he never went
higher in the Gull OF Finland than Nargen.
Sir James Saumarez, who was most enterprising
officer little short Of Nelson, lost lneobattleshp
in attacking Azasmus never went up to
Cronstadt; nor did he attack either Riga, Revel
Lord Nelson remained several years Off Toulon,
and never thought Of attacking it, he never thought
Of running his feet into Cadiz; nor did Lord st.
Vincent nor Lord Collingwood, though it was by no
means strong.
Lord Holman never tried TouIon; neither did
Lord St. Vincent Sir Charles Cotton or Lord Ex-
mouth try the Tagus.
Lord Howe, Lord Bridport, Lord Gardner, Sir
Charles Cotton, Lord ST. Vincent, Lord Gambler and
Admiral CORVALLIS, treated Brest, Rochfort and
Orient with the greatest respect. Tue dashing
Cochrano burnt and drove shore the French ships
in Basque Roads; aud many other d,shing things
were done by frigates, aud daring enterprises BY
boats, but by fleets never, except at Algiers and
Acre, and they defended by Turks and Egyptians.
Admiral Young and Sir Sydney Smith, when they
were captains, got their ships cut up severely by
two round towers, one h Corsica, and the other on
the coast oftNaples, ms1nalag one or two guns.
Load Nelson did not dire to attack with his ships
the batteries Of Boulogne, but tried with bis boats,
and was defeated; lie did not dare to attack Tene-
rife with his ships, but tried his boats, and was de-
feated, and lost his arm After this statement you
must not mislead the country again, and throw
Ii enough has not been done in the Baltic by the
navy to satisfy you, Mr.. Editor, why don't you put
the saddle on the right horse--the Admiralty In
1854, feet was cent to the Baltic, very badly
Without piots Qor those we had knew nothiug)
and With very indifferent charts, yet managed to
get that feet in amongst rocks and shoal, up to
Crohstadt, and found that there was not sufficient
wafer to hoat them; and had there been water, we
were ignorant Of the passage up and the batteries
much too strong for our ships. At Sweaborg, we
knew nothing OF the assage, and there again the
batter1es were tremendously strong.
hQ yn1 h W. dana Mr.
What we did do Was to point out to the Admiralty
the proper nay of attack-this was in June, 1854
The feet then threaded their way through the
labyrinth of rocks up to Bomarsand, .anded the
troops in an incredibly short time, and took it.
Swcaborg was again well reconnoitred, and the
plan Of attack repeated.
You. Mr. Editor, seem to have known better than
the English and French admrals, or the Marshal,
ard thought it could be attacked, aud the Lords of
tie Admiralty agreed with you. You both had heard
Of the fall of Serastopol, and lost your heads, aud
hal not the honesty to apologize to the Admiral you
had insulted when you heard the fall of Sebastopol
was hoax. There was some excuse for the Adini-
Ialty not providing the proper material for attack
the iirst campaign but none the second They wee
warned CT what was wanted; aud though they knew
that Sebastopol had held out for eleven months
against al unparalleled b0mbardment and in the last
twenty -four hours rece ed 10000 shots and 900
shells, 20 mortar vessels and 5 l6 gun vessels at
tackled place as strong as SebaAtor0l.
They did not even support the mortar vessels with
the feet; they were dispersed over the Baltic, the
Cults of finland and Bothnia; and when the few
mortar vessels had set the place in fames there
no fleet to take advantage Of the confusion that
must have attended the coniagraton and the explo-
sion. Now, as the Admials have hauled down their
their flags, and been complimented by the Adm
rally for their conduct, it il clear that the plan
of the campaign must have been settled ut
the Board, and on it must rest the failure
first. for not sending gun and mortar vessels suff
ceht ard secondly, for not having them at hand to
take advantage OF the contiagraton and explosions
nnS fsId tvs TX Tam IL.
Lancaster guns, more or less, could not make the
difference between the possibility and the imposs
bility OF attacking Sweaborg; and in 1855 they ap-
pear to have thought ew screw lneof-battle ships
more or less, could not make the difference between
the possible and the impossible. Now, Mr.. Editor
The long and the short OF it Ia ths-in 1854 the Adm
rally sent feet to the Baltic without gun mortar
YES els to assist them aud clear the way and Ia 1855
they sent few gun and mortar ssels to the Baltic
and hud not the feet at hand to support them. In
fact they we're soignoran Of the art Of that they
did Lot ex ect the 10 inch motars could do much
damages all they hoped to do was to fire away their
shells, and not be laughed at for bringing them
back; and when they found out the mortlrs had al
nest all burst, they sent ut ship with fresh sup
ply at the very time Admiral Dundas was very wise
ly sending his mortar vessels home: and so deplora-
bly, ignorant were they, that they did not know how
the mortar vessels could 20 through the Kiel Canal
but positively sent them round the Scaw.
their wish to cripple Russia in 1854 aud were they
serious in 1867 for certainly no one judging by
thee actions can think so. You tell US, Mr. Editor
a mortar vessel has been built and armed in three
weeks; surely then 100 could have been built in
year, and In 1866 the same force that Is preparing
for 1856 might have been ready, and Sweaborg t.
tally destroyed. Now, don't blame Sir Charles
Wood or Lord Pamerston for they were not in
their present offices when the Baltic feet was fitted
out-they appear, however, now in downright
earnest. If may Judge by the powerful fotlla they
are now preparing. We must expect the Russians will
do the same, and must hope VIC are not too late As
you, Mr. Editor, have passed pretty ccnsure
on the navy, the best thing the 20, eminent can do
to follow the cXnmple OF the french al The henn.