Arkansas true Democrat., 1857-11-17
The Recent Loss of a Russian Man of
 War

The Journal de S. PeteysJurq, of the 1ss ult., publishes the following official account of the Russian ship-of-the-line Lefort.
 "lt has pleased Providence should partici- pate in one of the greatest disasters that can happen at sea, and to make me witness of the iustaneous and ineXpcable loss of one of the vessels in my fleet. A few minutes have sufticed for a beautiful ship of ths line, thor oughly sea-worthy, to be engulphed by the waves during tempestuous night. Not a cry of distress reached us from the scene of the disaster although we were but four cabes length to windward. No one survives to ex- plain to us the cause of this unparalleled catas- trophe.
 "On the 18th of August September 9 four ships 1.-the -line-tho Imperatrice Alexandria, the Vladimir the Lefort, of 04 guns, and the hamiat Asova, of "A guns, which were in the Point of Revel-received orders to arm and return to Croustadt Ten days afterwards the Pamiad Assova quilted the roads, lowed by @ steam frigate. The three other vessels were ready to sail two days later; they had water and provisions for a month, and their stowage was the same at the end of their cruise in the preceding year, the Lefort was thoroughly re- paired at Cronstadt in 1852. had received instructions to profit by the favorable weather
 
 On the 9th of September, (21sD got under sail with beautiful weather and favorable breeze from S s. w., the barometer making 29. 79 English. little later the wind fresh- ened, and abreast of the Island of RotLskar we were obliged to take in two reefs in the top-sails.
 At half-past F. M., after passing the Is- land of Hochland, the fleet was making more than eleven knots, The wind increasing, or dered a third and then fourth reef to be ta- ken in. The barometer being at 20. 15, and the weather foggy, sailed as close as possi- Lle to the wind .endeavoring to keep our course by short tacks until morning; each time gave the signal for the maneuver. At half past II the wind shifted to the west, at midnight to the northwest, and at f o'clock to the north with squalls and snow At daybreak we were near the Island of Grand Tuters. The fleet was on the starboard track, the Imperatrce Alexandria little to windward, and the Val dimir in the wake of the Lefort, with four reefs in her topsai
 At distance of five miles from Tuters We veered; during our maneuver the Lefort ap- peared to us as if wishing to veer, suddenly violent squal laid her on her side. Though her sails were let go she laid so much to lar board that We expected her masts would go, but she continued gradually to lean over till she foundered in the short time that the Va- dimir took to tack about. The keel of the Lefort appeared once, and was then swallowed up in the waves
 "Exclusive of the commander and twelve officers, the vessel had on board 743 seamen, 5 women and F children-all perished.
 "This disaster took place on September 10, (22,) at g minutes past ' A. M, at 51a miles to the north-northeast of the Island of Grand Tuters, at depth of 30 fathams After this unparalleled catastrophe, the wind continued to increase, we brailcd up the foretopsails and topsallant sails, and afterwards the maintop- sails and decided to anchor at the depth of 31 iathoms, letting out all the cable of two anchors Fifty-three hours afterwards the wind calmed and the steamers arriving in the meantime lowed us to Cronstadt
 "Signed by the rear-admiral:
 "NoRMAN l."