Vol. III.— No. 73.] 
THE FIELD OF WAR. 
OUR WOODEN WALLS. 
THE BALTIC FLEET. 
Letters received from St. Petersburg dated the 9th inst., 
state that the British fleet had been seen within 25 to 30 
miles off Cronstadt, and had captured a number of Russian 
gun boats. Ten days have elapsed since these letters were 
written, and we hourly expect most important information. 
Stockholm, May 10. — The report that the fortress and 
town of Abo, on the Gulf of Bothnia, opposite the Aland 
group of islands, had been bombarded by Admiral Plum- 
ridge’s division, was current all day yesterday in this city. 
We have little news from Sir C. Napier. The Prince 
Regent, 90, and Cumberland, 70, have joined him. We 
may daily expect to hear that the Nile, 90, screw, Commo- 
dore H. B. Martin, C.B. ; the St. George, 120, Captain 
Eyres, C.B., and the Penelope, 18, paddle, Captain Caffin, 
have joined the fleet ; for it appears those ships passed 
Nyborg on the 12th instant, on their way to Elfsnabben, 
whence the fleet has sailed. 
We understand that a clergyman oftthe Church of Eng- 
land, who left Norwich 9ome year or two since and settled 
in St. Petersburg, has just returned, and imparted some 
rather important information to the Admiralty respecting 
the position and resources of Cronstadt. We believe his 
opinion is most decidedly that that place is pregnable, more 
especially from one point with which he is well acquainted ; 
and, having formerly been in the British service, his opiuion 
and judgment must be entitled to some respect. The rev. 
gentleman considers also that, however formidable the forti- 
fications may be, they would, in the event of an attack, 
prove more destructive to the defenders than to the attacking 
party — being so ill constructed that the first discharge of the 
long guns would utterly destroy the unfortunate wretches 
who man them, the smoke'^being alone sufficient to suffocate 
them. 
Advices from St. Petersburg to the 8th inst. state that an 
American and two Russian ships had arrived at Cronstadt, 
and the navigation, therefore, must have been completely 
open. The American had her cargo waiting for her. 
At Riga also, according to the latest accounts, a large fleet 
were taking in produce, and will probably be allowed by 
the Allied Powers to bring away their cargoes, although the 
Russian merchants appear full of astonishment at the libera- 
lity which has been shown. 
Saturday, May 20, 1854. 
Stockholm, May 6. — The British fleet, after proceeding 
towards Sand Island (Sando) to the north of the Island of 
Gothland, has advanced towards the mouth of the Gulf of 
Finland. The two or three steam frigates that remained at 
Elfsnabben Bay havo also joined the squadron, they having 
been merely detained in order to accompany the Monarch, 
which had met with an accident, not necessary to describe. 
The intelligence that the fleet had suddenly left Elfsnabben 
Bay has produced a profound sensation, every one being 
convinced that the time for action was rapidly approaching, 
and that startling events would soon follow. 
The Submarine Electric Batteries for the 
Russian Ports. — Wo see it stated from Berlin, May 12, 
that a few days back some experiments were made on the 
Hazenheide there of firing six mines at a distance of 3,000 
feet by means of an electric battery and wire. A number 
of military officers of high rank were present, and the 
experiments were pronounced to have been eminently suc- 
cessful. The method here observed by Herr Siemens, an 
ox-artillery officer, and now telegraph engineer, is described 
to be the 6ame as that adopted by the Emperor of Russia, 
at the suggestion of Professor Jacobi, St. Petersburg, for'the 
defence of Cronstadt. It is affirmed that there is positive 
information there of these metal caissons having boen pre- 
pared for the roads of Sweaborg and Revel, as well as of 
Cronstadt; the caissons are kept ready charged with powder, 
and will only be lowered into the channel when an attack 
on the part of the fleets seems certain. The wires inserted 
in these caissons will be brought into connection with bat- 
teries on land, and two telescopes will be so adjusted in the 
fortress, as that the bisection of their two lines of sight 
will correspond with the spot where the mine is sunk. Tho 
moment when a 6hip becomes visible to both observers will 
correspond with the moment when the vessel is just 
over the combustible caissons. Among other quiet prepa- 
rations for war that are being made is the manufacture of 
a number of red lanterns, which are to be used on the 
evening and night of a battle to indicate the situation of the 
hospitals and ambulances, by suspension on long poles over 
those spots. 
So little does the Russian Government consider St. 
Petersburg secure from attack, in despite of its almost 
impregnable bulwark at the month of the Neva, that extra- 
ordinary precautions are taken, almost as if an enemy 
menaced the place. Some of the great barracks are 60 
filled with troops as to necessitate tho neighbouring houses 
being employed for the purpose of billeting soldiers. At 
Revel, where a bombardment is apprehended, the governor, 
General Berg, has placed the fire brigades under the com- 
mand of General Vogt, and has divided the city iuto seven 
[Gratis. 
districts, each furnished with a firo brigado and requisito 
engines; whilst the attention of these brigades, and of tho 
inhabitants, is specially called to oightoou different spots, 
which aro regarded ns most oxposed to danger from hostile 
shot. 
The chief journal of Ulcaborg states that many small war 
craft aro boing constructed in Finuish ports, and that a 
Swedish shipbuilder has beon, after many unsuccessful 
applications in. former times, authorised by tho Russian 
government to set up in buslnoss in the above town, an im- 
portant port in the Gulf of Bothnia, and ono from which 
largo quantities of tar, genorally callod Stockholm tar, aro 
exported to England in times of pence. Our cruisors will, 
no doubt, act on that intelligence, and keep a sharp eyo to 
tho Finnish ports in which tho vessels in question are on the 
stocks. 
On Wednesday the High Marshal to tho London Court 
of Admiralty gave notice, on tho Royul Exchango, that Dr. 
Lushington, the judge of that court, would, within 20 days 
from tho dnto of such notice, prococd to condemn the fol- 
lowing Russian ships as lawful prizes to thoir captors — 
namely, tho Johann Emilio, Fidentia, Amoricn, Aina, 
Nadischa, the Fonix or Phoenix, tho Froyn, and Livonia. 
The first Court of Admiralty for tho condemnation of 
Russian prizes is appointed to be held in Doctors’ Commons 
on Monday the 22nd inst. Another Russian prize, tho 
Alexander, which arrived at Gravesend on Tuesday, hns 
been since deposited in the West India Docks. All tho 
Russian prisoners of war on board tho Crocodilo, aro to 
be permitted to outer tho British merchant servico. 
Copenhagen, May 10. — Tho houses on tho right hank 
of the Neva, at St. Petersburg, have boon demolished. Tho 
telegraph to Stockholm is open. 
The following is an extract of a letter , written by an 
English gentleman, in a yacht in the Baltic. It is dated 
May 5 : — “I left Southampton in a yacht on tho 1 0th of 
April, with very rough weather, made the fleet in Landsart 
Bay (or fiord), about 60 miles north of Stockholm, in a 
small cove of which wo were at anchor, while tho fleet is 
banging away nt practice in the fog outside. Napier has 
22 ships here — 14 line-of-bnttle ships, and the rest paddle- 
wheel steamers. Tho remainder of tho fleet, screw-frigates 
and paddles, and about six moro liners, are cruising about 
the Baltic off the Gulf of Finland. The fleet has come 
here a month too soon, the ice having only just broken up 
at Sweaborg and Cronstadt. 
