The Sun. — 1855-07-13 (London, England)

THE BALTIC FLEET.  OFF CiONSTADT, July 2.—There has been very little to communicate. On Tuesday we were hoping to have had a brush with the Russian gunboats. Some six or seven of them came out and steamed up in the direction of the Dragon, but as soon as they perceived .that our gun-boats were under weigh they thought that " discretion was the better part of valour," and so retired. The Bulldog, on Tuesday evening, fired shot and shell at some troops that she perceived lying in the wood at the point nearest to Cronstadt. We do not know whether they killed any of them or not. However, this had the effect of making them run. On Thursday, the Cressy and James Watt were, ordered to get under weigh ; they proceeded down the gulf for a few milt's, when the James Watt perceived some small coasting craft anchored in under the north shore, which circumstance she signalled, and the admiral. directed that she should stand in and see what they were ; he also sent threo. gun-boats—the Palter, Magpie, and Snake— down. There is a small village about a mile inland and opposite to where these craft were lying ; there is also a telegraph erectod on the shore. The boats of the James Watt and the gun-boats towed all the small craft out, twelve in number to the fleet ; they fired some few shot at a number of Cossacks, who were galloping about the strand, but did not strike any of them. Captain Elliott desired that the telegraph should not be knocked down, otherwise its destruction would have been inevitable. The crews of the variousgun-boats are picked men, and first-rate shots they are., Most of the boats contained nothing but stones; some of them had wood for firing ; and ono had a cargo of cartridge paper and felt, evidently fin. government. The James Watt still remains at anchor where she captured the boats. The ;Cressy returned to the fleet the same evening. Ou Friday the Russian Admiralty tender came out of Cronstadt with a flag of truce. On her being stopped by the Royal George, off Tolbeacon Ligiathouse, she said she wished to communicate with the admiral in person. She therefore was sent on. When she approached the Duke of Wellington, that ship sent a boat on board of her, and brought back a letter to the admiral. Report says that the communication was about flags of truce, and for the future no flag of truce will be taken notice of unless sent into either to Revel, Helsingfors, or Cronstadt. This is, of course, caused by that melancholy and brutal murder perpetrated on the boat's crew of the Cossack at Hango. We have authentic notice that only four of those unfortunate men are dead. She gave out a report that in an attack on Sobastopol, made by the French, they (the French) had lost an immense amount of men—something like 17,000. Our admiral communicated with the French admiral before he gave his answer. On Saturday the Princess Alice was sent into Cronstadt with a flag of truce ; what the purport of it was I cannot say. Two deserters were picked up on Saturday morning ; they are Poles, and they say that there are 10;000 more of their countrymen ready to desert at the first opportunity. The news of the defeat of our army before 'Sebastopol has thrown a great gloom over all here. Admiral Baynes ha; not yet joined ~is, but he is at Nargen, where he has been for some time. The Tartar arrived on Friday evening. The fleet generally feel very desponding at their inability to do anything up here. They are like hunters anxious for the reins to be slacked. Every one you meet asks " When are we to do anything ?" The reply is, " When we have an army sufficiently large to march on St. Petersburg." This system of blockading is most tiresome aid dispiriting ; however, it must be endured, so there is no use in complaining. lam happy to say that the health of the fleet is excellent. The weather is fine, but by no means so warm as it was this time last year.