Apkil 14. 1855.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



277 



LONDON, SATURDAY, APRIL 14. 1855. 



THE RUSSIAN FLEET IW THE BtTXINE. 



When the late Nicholas I. visited the southern 

 provinces of his vast empire, the whole naval 

 force in the Euxine was assembled at Sebastopol. 

 This was in the autumn of 1837. Prince Men- 

 zicoff was then ministre de la marine, and admiral 

 Slavanieff" was the port admiral. 



M. Anatole de Demidoff was so fortunate as to 

 witness the arrival of prince MenzicofF at Sebas- 

 topol, who came in a government steamer in 

 order to inspect the fleet ; and the account which 

 he gives of it may be considered as almost, official. 

 I need not state my reason for transcribing it at 

 this moment. 



" Les hautes collines qui defendent la rade [de Sevas- 

 topol] presentent, aussi loin que la vue se peut etendre, 

 I'aspect d'une eternelle desolation : cette cote est aride et 

 nue, elle n'a pas usurpe le surnom tatar d'Ak-Tiar, hlanc 

 rocher. Cependant, parvenu sur ces hauteurs, vous etes 

 dedommage, par la beaute de la perspective, des fatigues 

 d'une longue ascension. Vous embrassez alors tout I'en- 

 fiemble du port et de ses etablissements, coup d'ceil ma- 

 gnifique, surtout lorsque la Jlotte entiere de la Mer Noire 

 pr^sente comme alors, dans i'admirable bassin de la rade, 

 son imposant alignement. 



" Vous jugerez sans peine de ce mouvement, de cette 

 variete, de toute I'animatioii de ce severe .paysage, quand 

 vous passerez en pensee la revue da cette mer sillonnee 

 par la flotte que voici : 



Le Varsovie . 

 Silistrie . . . 

 Tchesma . . 

 Maria . . . 

 Anapa . . . 

 Pamik Ifstaphi 



Machmout 

 Catherine . 

 Andrinople 

 Staloust 

 Pimen . . 



Bourgas 

 Enos . 

 Varna 

 Anna . 



Puis venaient lesfregates : 



Brailoflf. . 

 Agathopol 

 Teue'dos . 



60 canons. 

 60 „ 

 60 „ 

 40 „ 



Les corvettes . 



14 canons. 



24 „ 



Oreste 



90 canons. 

 90 „ 

 90 „ 

 90 „ 

 90 „ 



40 canons. 

 60 „ 

 60 „ 



24 canons. 



20 canons. 

 14 „ 

 14 „ 



SizopoU . 

 Iphig^nie 



Le brick le Mercure .... 

 Lea ffoelettes5 l^tanetz (le Courrier) . 

 i.es goeiettesj | Vestavoi (le Planton) . 

 Et enfin le cutter le Spechni (le Rapide). 

 Et I'alle'ge la Struia (I'Onde)." 



According to the baron de Reuilly, the Russian 

 ships carried ten men to a gun ; half sailors, and 

 the rest marines or gunners. This would give 

 about fifteen thousand men available for the de- 

 fence of the fortress, in addition to the garrison 

 and other able-bodied inhabitants. 



The steamer in which prince Menzicoff arrived 

 at Sebastopol was called the Gromonoccts, or 

 thunder-bearer. I suppose this to be the ship 



whose fate is recorded in the lucid and graphic 

 despatch of general Canrobert, which has just ap- 

 peared in the Moniteur. Bolton Cobnet. 



POSIES FBOM WEDDING RINGS. 



More than thirty years ago I collected the fol- 

 lowing posies from old wedding rings. My friends 

 furnished me with several, but the greater number 

 were transcribed from worn-out rings, afterwards 

 melted by the dealers, who allowed me to copy the 

 inscriptions. Some were very old : 



" Death neuer parts 

 Such loving hearts." 



" Loue and respect 



I doe expect. 

 " No gift can show 



The love I ow." 



" liCt him never take a wife 

 Tliat will not love her as his 

 life." 



" In loving thee 

 I love myself." 



" A heart content 

 Can ne'er repent." 



" In God and thee 



Shal my joye bee." 

 " Loue thy chast wife 



Beyond thy life. IMl." 

 " Loue and pray 



Night and daye." 



" Great joye in thee 

 Continually." 



" My fond delight 

 By day and night." 



" Pray to love ; 

 Love to piay. 1647." 



" In thee, my choice, 

 I doe rejoyce. 



J.J. D. 167-." 



" Body and minde 

 In thee I flnde." 



" Deare wife, thy rod 

 Doth leade to God." 



" God alone made us two one." 



" Eternally 

 My loue shal be." 



" All I refuse. 

 And thee I chuse." 



" Worship is due 

 To God and you." 



" God aboue, 

 Continew our love." 



" I wish to thee 

 All joiemay bee." 



" With my body 

 I worship thee." 



" In thee, my loue. 

 All joye I proue." 



" Beyond this life 

 Loue me, deare wife." 



" Joye day and night 

 Bee our delight." 



" Divinely knitt by Grace are wee ; 

 Late two, now one ; the pledg 

 here see. 

 B. & A. 165/." 



" Endles my loue. 

 As tliis shall proue." 



" Loue and Hue happy. 1689." 



" Avoid all strife 

 Twixt man and wife." 



" Joyfull loue 

 This ring do proue." 



" In thee, deare wife, 

 I finde new life." 



" Of rapturous joye 

 I am the toye." 



" In thee I prove 



Thejoy of love." 

 " In loving wife 



Spend all thy life. 1697." 



" Endles my love as this." 



" In love abide 

 Till death divide." 



" True love will ne'er remove." 



" In unitie 

 Let's live and dy." 



" Happy in thee 

 Hath God made me." 



" I loue myself in louing thee." 



" Silence ends strife 

 With man and wife." 



" None can preuent 

 The Lord's intent." 



" More weare — more were. 1652." 

 " God did decree 

 Our imitie." 



" I kiss the rod 

 From thee and God." 



" In loue and joy 

 Be oui- employ." 



" Live and loue?; 

 Loue and live." 



" This ring doth binde 

 Body and minde." 



" Endles as this 

 Shall be our bliss. 



Thos. Bliss. 1719." 



" Loue and joye 

 Cau neuer cloye.J' 



" The pledge I prove 

 Of mutualUove." 



" I doe rejoice 

 In thee, my choice." . 



" All I refuse, 

 But thee I chuse." 



" I change the life 

 Of mayd to wife." 



" Endles my love 

 For thee shall prove." 



E. D. 



