Vol. III. — No. 68.] 
THE FIELD OF WAR.' 
TIIE APPROACH TO CRONSTADT. 
Wc aro indebted to a distinguished member of the Royal 
Western Yacht Club (Plymouth) for the subjoined sketch 
and description of the approach to Cronstadt. The 
writer says “ Consider yourself about three miles below 
the entrance to the Mole. The channel winds through 
batteries— it is marked by red flags on the north, and white 
on the south. The channel to the inner bay passes between 
Crouslott and the Mole— very narrow, only just room to 
turn a fore and aft yacht through. The Paul (1), and 
Reasbanca, aro circular, constructed of lurge blocks of 
granite, dovetailed together, the guns case-mated. Cronslott 
has only two tiers, but it rakes the channel. Supposing you 
hud the luck to get past the two largo ones, behind 
the Puul(l) there aro two scmi-circular batteries lower 
down the gulf, that is, to the west. There is not more than 
oar fathoms, or twenty-four English feet, In tho shoalest 
part of the channel. Ships of war lighten to get up to the 
yard, which is on the east side, when entering tlio Mole. 
Reasbanca is on tho end of a spit, which neurly dries in 
the summer, and gets covered with reed9. The shoal water 
extends a long way off shoro. I could only land in my gig 
at certain places where there are stagos. At the extreme 
right I have shown tho pier of Orauicnbnuin, and over it 
tho palace of Potcrhoff, in the distance. If the men can live 
at their guns in the casemates, any ship would be blown 
to pieces before she could get up to the Mole. No 
heavy ship can come within gun-shot of the batteries. 
At tho west end of Cronstadt islund is Tolbeacou Light, 
and opposite, on the Oranienbaum shore, Londonchesz 
light vessel. There is good anchorage below Tolbeacon 
light across tho gulf ; if I recollect rightly, from 10 to 12 
fathoms all across to Bjorka Sound. The Russians have 
entirely blocked up the channel between Cronstadt and the 
shore of Finland by sinking wrecks in the bay. Inside 
Cronstadt there is not abovo 18 feet of water up to the bar 
of the Nova (about 16 miles) on which i9 only 8 feet.” 
OUR WOODEN WALLS. 
THE BALTIC FLEET. 
The following letter was sont by an officer in Admiral 
Napier’s fleet to a friend in England : — “H.M.S. , 
Baltic Squadron, Kioge Boy. Since L last wrote to you, 
we lmve been performing various little cruises, anchoring at 
night, and occasionally sailing and steaming by day. We 
were anchored for a day or two about ten miles off Kiel ; 
some of the inhabitants (very few though) visited the ships. 
The Odin, Lightning, Gorgon, and Conflict, have joined, 
ns given, successively, within the last four days. The Con- 
flict has only just anchored. We have had no intelligence 
from England for sometime, nnd are anxious to hear nil the 
Saturday, April 15, 1854. 
[Gratis. 
news. We are now anchored in Kioge Bay, about twenty 
miles from Copenhagen. The Creasy and Princoss Roynl 
an foul of each other during a night’s fog, injuring foreyards 
and bowsprits — nothing more. There will bean opportunity 
of writing twice a-week in future, ns a steamer from the 
quadron will be sent on Tuesdays and Saturdays to Copen- 
hagen.” 
The navigation between Revel and St. Petersburg is now 
open. That important piece of intelligence has reached Sir 
Charles Napier. It may he stated, on the authority of one 
of the brothers of the Trinity House on hoard the fleet, that 
last year the ice did not break up at Cronstadt beforo the 
6th of May, nor before the 26th of that month the year be- 
foro last. Since 1717 tho navigation between Revel and St. 
Petersburg has not been opened so early ns it is this season. 
So mild a winter has not boen known for many years in the 
northern latitudes. 
A letter from Riga, of the 6th, states that the weather 
during the last week had been mild, but the ico still re- 
mained solid. It had begun to break up at Wiuduw, and it 
was expected that in a few weeks it would begin to do so at 
Riga. 
ADVANCE OF REAR-ADMIRAL PLUMRIDGE’S 
DIVISION. 
We hear from Kioge Bay that Rear-Admiral Plumridgo, 
with his flag in tho Leopard, has been detached from tho 
fleet, and has left the Commundor-in-chief with tho following 
force for the Gulf of Finland. We may, therefore, expect 
very shortly to hear of the ball being opened : — 
It must ho understood that tho lluynl William and Wel- 
lington have merely skeleton crows. Tho Prometheus is fully 
muiinod, anil tho others are aetivoly progressing. 
A Prussian papor states that, by tho Czur’s commands,oll 
the buoys, lighthouse*, and other guides to tho navigation 
of the Baltic Sea, wore romoved long before the dcclurai ion 
of wur was actually issued by England, and just at the timo 
the Baltic fleot was being formed ut Portsmouth. Thoso buoys, 
marks, See ., exceeded 350 in number ; but aro now understood 
to bo entirely roplacod or rectified by tho careful exertions 
of the Lightning and Alban. 
Wo have rocoived tho following, by Electric Telegraph, 
from Berlin : — 
“ GOTHLAND, ArniL 2. 
A Russian squadron is roported to bo off Faroo. 
“ COPENHAGEN, April 11. 
Admiral Napier lias loft Klogo Bay for Gothland. 
linpferieuse screw 
Tribune screw 
Dauntless screw 
Leopard paddle 
Guus. 
51 
31 
24 
18 
Men, 
530 
300 
330 
300 
Captains. 
Watson, C.B. 
Carnegie. 
Ryder. 
G. GlfTard. 
THE REINFORCEMENTS. 
In addition to the St. Goorge we shall havo two moro 
tcrow-ships of the line and a paddle frigato ready to leave 
for the Baltic, viz. : — 
Captains. Ports. 
II. Smith, C.B. Downs 
Com. Martin, C.B. Devonport 
Capt. Hope, C.B. Slieerness 
Capt. Cftffln Portsmouth 
THE RESERVE. 
The following may ho summed up as the rcsorve, In com- 
mission : — 
Ships of the Line. 
Guns. Men. 
St. George sailing 120 900 
Nile screw 90 850 
Mujestic screw 80 750 
Penelope sailing 18 300 
Guns. 
Men. 
Commanders. 
Porta. 
120 
970 
Capt. Ld. F. Kerr 
Slieerness 
Royal William 
sibling 
120 
970 
Capt. Kingcomo 
Devonport 
St. Vincent ... 
101 
900 
Capt. Scott 
Portsmouth 
91 
850 
Capt. Hn. F. W 
Grey 
Woolwich 
91 
820 
Comdre. Talbot 
Devonport 
Wellington ... 
72 
600 
Comdrc. Wyvill 
Shcerncss 
Smaller Classes, 
Euvyilice 
26 
210 
Capt. Ommnnuey 
Portsmouth 
Gladiator 
6 
200 
Capt. Broke 
)) 
Poroethens ... 
..paddle 
6 
00 
Corn. Rico 
Devonport! 
SAILING OF TROOPS. 
DRPARTUItli OF TUB COMMANDKR-IN-ClIXEF. — Gene- 
ral Lord Raglan, Commandcr-in-Chiof of tho Kantoni 
Expedition, uud Mojor-Generul tho Duko of Cambridge, 
Commander of Division, left tho London torminus of the 
South Eastern line by tho mail train at half-past eight on 
Monday evening, for Dover, en route for tho East. Lord 
Raglan arrived at tho station accompanied by Lady Raglan, 
his two daughters tho Hon. Misses .Somereot, and tho lion. 
Richard Somerset. Colonel Stcolc and Colonel Somerset, 
his aides-de-camp, wero in attendnneo. The Duke of Cam- 
bridge arrived soon afterwards, in company of his uidos-do- 
camp, Mujor the lion. J. Macdonald and Colonel TyrwhUt. 
About 30U persons witnessed the departure. 
Dover, April II, 1.52. a. m. — Lord Raglan, H R. II. 
tho Duke of Cambridge, and stall', arrived ut Dover ut 2D 
minutes pust 11 o’clock, and went on hoard her Mqjesty'* 
ship Vivid, Capt. Sinlthott, lying at the Cross-wull, and 
left for Caluls at 1 1 .40. Tho royal party wore mot at the 
nation by Col. Slratfleld, commandant, Col. Grant, R.A., 
Lord A. Russell, Riflo Brigade, Captain Herrick, R.N., 
Captain Sinithott, and Mr. Way, superintendent of the 
station, and about five hundred of the principal Inhabitants 
of Dover. Tho party was most enthusiastically cheered on 
leaving, amidst cries of “ Give it to the Russians,” Ac., See. 
Calais, April 11.— The Duko landed at Culais at ono 
o’clock this morning, and experienced a brilliant reception. 
M. Toulongeon was there to welcome him by special com- 
mand of the Emperor. 
Paris, April 11.— His Royal Highness arrived hero to- 
day, and was received with tho most distinguished honour. 
The Marshals and tho aides-de-camp of the Emperor wero 
awaiting him at tho terminus. Tho Prince alighted at tho 
British Embassy, where the imperial carriages woro In 
readiness to convey him to tho Tuileries. 
ENTRANCE TO CKONSTADT. 
