Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-05-13
From the Boston Traveller. February 90.
, nvnCDITJON To SERASTOPOL.

r,,,, the Boston Traveller, February 90.
YANKEE EXPEDITION TO SEBASTOPOL.
Il has been before briefly stated that Mr.. John p.
Gowen of Boston, had obtained from the Russian
Government the contract TO raise from the "a'e, "
the barbor of Sebastopol the numerous vessels o.
war which were sunk there when the allied armies
were besieging the spot long famous IN the H.
of the world. The magnitude OF thus conti"es nao
not been fully understood in this country mr.
en- has heretofore been favorably known 10 .he
by his success in raising the h'x IF Gibraltar per-
formance which engineers from England and other
countries had attempted in VAN. 1t happened that
while Mt Gibraltar Russian vessel came INTO the
harbor in damaged condition: 10 tne reiie' Oh tLs
,oeeal Mr. Gowen sent number OF his men; refu-
a;no anv compensation and it is probable that this
cot Of courtesy with the fame obtained by Mr.. Cow
an in the bringing up of the Missouri, induced the
Russian Government at the time they contemplated
raising their sunken feet to send for him, which was
done through the Russian Minister in this country.
Mr. Gowen accordingly went to ST. Petersburg,
had number Of interviews with the Grand Duke
Constantine, and then proceeded across the country
to Sebastopol, for the purpose of making personal
investigation of the condition Of the ships. lie was
engaged in this business for several months, having
Russian steamer at his disposal. Here he descen-
ded with his submarine armor to the bottom OF the
harbor and examined the sunken vessels lie found
that the channel of the harbor was in the middle
with banks on both sides, that OF the North oe'hg
of sand and that the South of mud In the SAND
there were no worms; in the mud they were quite
plentiful. OF course the vessels exposed to the at
tacks of the worms are of but little value; but
it fortunately happens that but small portion, COM
paratively, were sunk where they would suffer from
the attacks of these worms.
When the English and French approached Sebas
topol the Russians to protect their harbor, sunk at
the entrance between Forts Alexander and Constan-
tine two of the 100 gun ships, two of the 80 gun,
two frigates and two corvettes. The line occupied
by these sunken vessels about three quarters of
q mile long, the water being sixty feet deep. The
vessels sunk here were among the poorest in the
feet In the great gale which was fatal to the
English and French vessels in the Black Sea- this line
was so much disturbed, that the allies, if they had
known it could easily have obtained an entrance to
the harbor This caused the Russians to sink Sec
ond line between Fort Michael and Fort Nicholas,
about mile inward When the Redan was captur-
ed by the allies all the balance of the fleet sunk,
preparatory to abandoning the place. The follow.
ing is list OF the vessels sunk
is line-of BATTLE ships, frigates corvetes, 10
briggs of war, 5 schooncrs, boom ship, ten gun
yacht, % Transports Is steamers of war, 29 mer-
chant ships. in all LOG vessels.
The machinery of the steamers of war, before be-
ing sunk, covered with preparation OF taliow to
prevent injury from the water. They were scutted
by boring three inch augur holes near the water line,
and all this done before the English and French
entertain the idea of defending it. and division of
the army had advanced nine miles on the Perekop
road, when word was brought that the English and
French instead of entering the CITY, had halted out
SIDE and were fortfying their position. 1t was then
that the Russian army returned, built the earth re-
doubts, and made that long and stubborn defence
which has rendered the name of Sebastopcl SO ia;
nous. Thus the Russian officials at Sebastopal now
tell the story. Mr. Gowen examined thirty ships,
made plan Of the harbor and adjacent country, and
returned to St. Petersburg. He found that there
no less than thirteen competitors for the con-
tract from France and England, among the former
being the company known as the Credit Mobillier.
The government finally concluded to make the con-
tract with Mr. Gowen on the most liberal terms,
which cannot fail, we think to be amply remunera-
tive The value Of the ships sunk is said to be six
tyfve million dollars, and he has certain portion
of the value of each ship raised at that moment it is
placed in the hands of the Russian Government
The expedition which sails from this country will
consist of two vessels of which leaves Philade
phia on about the LIST of April and the second
soon after. The number of persons engaged to ac-
company it from this country is about one hundred
and fifty the well known ship builder of this city,
S. F. Holbrook, Esq, being of the superinten-
dents. There will be also, ship-builders, caukers
machinsts, engineers, DC. Some of the hydraulic
machinery for raising the vessels is Of the col
lossal description one cylinder alone weighing 54
600 lbs; indeed it must be so for some of the ves-
sells to be raised of 5000 tons burthen The
value of the material to be furnished by the Russian
Government to be used in the raising of this fleet
will be about million and half of dollars and the
time occupied in performing the contract WILL it is
thought, be about eighteen months or two years.
At Kertch there are also some five six Russian
vessels sunk, which included in the contract
and in the harbor Of Scbastopol there are
100000 worth of chains and anchors which the
French and English threw overload from inability
to carry them off. In addition to the expedition
from this country, the Russian Government bind
themselvs to furnish from three thousand to five
thousand men, whose pay from Mr.. Gowen, as usu-
al in that country, will not be more than twenty
five cents per day, they 'fnding" themselves Take
It altogether it is the greatest contract-submarine
or otherwise-ever entered into, and it will be
with pride and pleasure that the counry-men of Mr.
Gowen and his associates will hear of their entire
success in the undertaking. Mr.: G., is we'll
known, Isl selfmade, enterprising Yankee, who,
though comparatively young man. has travelled
In nearly every country upon the globe.
Mr. Gowen who was at Sebastopol in November
last gives us some interesting particulars from that
now famous city. The Russian Government are en-
gagged in rebuilding it. Before the siege it was quite
po2Ilous place, containing, it is supposed, about
sixty thousand persons. When Mr.. Gowen was there
there were about six thousand people in the place
Several thousand laborers were then engaged upon
tne works and the number was to be largely increas-
ed The old city was famous for its narrow Streets
like Boston; the new city will be built in squares
like Philade phia 1t is also said that there are re-
strctlons against the erection of wooden buildings
The forts about the city, according to the examina-
tons OF Mr. Gowen, only about half destroyed Of
the immensely of the warlike material scattered with
80 much profuseness about this celebrated spot some
idea may be formed from the fact that the Russians
have already gathered sixteen thousand tons of
shot and SHE'LL and yet they are still so thickly scat
tered around that it is impossible to tread without
touching them. There are, however, no dead bodies
10 De seen, they having been all carefully buried
There was one spot visited by Mr. G. of melan-
c1Gly interest 1t was deep ravine formerly cross