Vol. IV. — No. 81.] 
Saturday, July 15, 1854. 
[Gratis. 
THE FIELI^OF WAR. 
OUR WOODEN WALLS. 
THE B ALTIC FLEET. 
Ol/E CRONSTADT, June 27-29. 
Our two fleets loft tho anchorago of Seskar oq tho morning 
of yesterday, and, with the Imporieuse, 51, Captnln Watson, 
Arrogant, 47, Captain Yelverton, and Desperate, 8, Captain 
D'Eyncourt, ahead, to look out for the infernal machines 
said to have been placed in our way, hove in sight of the fortress 
of Cronstadt about noon. Several floating bodies in the shape 
of beacons and buoys were examined, but the only infernal 
machines that wo saw were in the shape of granite batteries 
bristling with heavy ordnance from every point. 
After the fleets had anchored about 10 miles to the west- 
ward of Cronstadt, Captain Sulivan, in the Lightning, with 
the Bulldog, 6, Captain W. K. Hall, and the Magicienne, 1G, 
Captain Fisher (paddle frigates), under his orders, proceeded 
to the approaches to Cronstadt to sound and reconnoitre, 
while tho Imperieuse, with the Arrogant and Desperate under 
her orders, followed, and took up a position off tho Tol Beacon 
to protect them. On the morning of the 27th the Lightning, 
with the Bulldog and Magicienne, got under weigh, and 
steamed to within about 2,000 yards of tho outer forts. A 
small Russian steamer was near them all the time, but offered 
no interruption. It is believed she was without guns, perhaps 
sent to watch proceedings. We have heard a great deal 
about submarine batteries, to be fired by electricity. 
Wo are at this moment about five miles north of Cronstadt, 
waiting for tho weather to moderate a littlo to allow Captain 
Sulivan to pursue his duties. After his examination of the 
approaches to Cronstadt, the Imperieuse, Ac., followed him 
round the Tol Beacon on his way to an anchorage, to 6ound 
and examine near the causeway formed between Cronstadt 
and Lisa-ness, but the wind has been too high to admit of 
anything being done in an open. boat. 
Soon after noon on the following day (28th) the recall to 
this exploring squadron was made, and the Imperieuse and 
her charge returned to the Admiral, who, fancying they had 
been too far from the fleet, ordered them to their former 
anchorago off the Tol Beacon. Having recalled the Arrogant, 
Magicienne, and Bulldog, all repaired to the prescribed 
rendezvous, and anchored about two miles from it, forming a 
line across the channel to Cronstadt. 
On the 29th Rear-Admiral Chads, in the Driver, 6, paddle- 
sloop, Commander the Hon. A. Cochrane, with the Bulldog, 
went in near the forts, to search for one of the “ infernal 
machines” reported to have been seen by some one on board 
the Driver. The Imperieuse also got under way for their 
protection. The Russians did not, however, attempt to stir 
during the time they were employed. The only thing 
found was a beacon. These “ devils,” as they are named, do, 
no doubt, exist ; but it will be in the narrow channel to their 
ships, which number in all, as near as we can count them, 
27 sail. 
You will remember (says another account) that it has been 
asserted that these implements of destruction are covered with 
stones and small rocks, and their position marked with 6mall 
buoys. Accordingly, very groat circumspection and care were 
used by the gallant officers, as they discovered several buoys, 
which from their appearance answered the description that has 
been given of the marks placed to point out the locality of 
these newly-invented submarine wires. Cautiously the buoys 
were approached, carefully the chains to which they were 
attached were raised ; and very anxiously their pendent bur- 
then was looked for. It was quietly hauled on board, and to 
the anxious looks of the discoverers was exhibited only a 
large stone. The infernal machines have not yet been found, 
and it may be doubted if they are worth the trouble of look- 
ing for. Their power has been greatly exaggerated, and a 
littlo reflection upon the effect produced upon the surface 
of the sea by the discharge of powder in submarine blast- 
ing, will go far to dispel the unnecessary alarm that the 
implements have raised. 
Our ships hero are ranged as under 
Duke of Wellington .. .. 131 Edinburgh 
Hogue 
St. Jean d’Acro 101 
Irapericuso 61 
Blenheim 60 
Princess Royal m 
James Watt «»i 
60 
Crony .. hi 
Ciesar It I 
Royal George 121 
Majestic .. .. 81 
Kilo 1)1 
Arrogant 17 
Dospcrato 8 
Paddles— Bulldog. C; Driver, 6; Mugiclcnue, 10 ; Penelope, IS. But 
these aro not stationary. 
Frkwoh. 
Inflexible 93 Darien (paddle) 
Herculo 02 Phlogctnon (screw) 
Ta S° 92 SoufHour (paddlo) 
Dnguescelln .. 92 
Austerlltz (screw) 100 ■ - 
Indrct go Lucifer (paddle) 
These ships are anchored nbout 10 miles to the westward 
of Cronstadt, except tho Imporiouso, Arrogant, Desperate, 
Penelope, aud Magicienne, stationed across tho entrance near 
the Tol Beacon. 
JOLLY TAR3 IN THE BALTIC. 
The Portsmouth Guardian has the following letter from n 
nativo of Portsea, now serving in H.M.S. Blenheim, in tho 
Baltic : — 
Faro Sound, Juno 22, 1854. 
At twelve o’clock on Sunday night last a party of bluo- 
jacket volunteers, from different ships In tho fleot (three being 
from the Blenheim), rowed four miles up a crook, aud having 
landod, walked five miles inland, whoro they attacked n 
Russian telegraph office — took all their signal-books, teles- 
copes, &c.— cut down the staff, and chopped it into 
fragments. Tho party then dug a hole, and put In a 
decent dose of sixty pounds of gunpowder. They then laid a 
traiu to it, retired to a respectful distance, fired it, and in loss 
than one minute the foundations of the telegraph olfico were 
fighting their way through tho clouds to a tremendous height. 
The party then took one of tho meu and made him conduct 
them tho shortest route to the water side, in case of the Russian 
cavalry coming down upon them — this being only about 
two miles from a station where there was a body of cavalry 
and lots of troops of all sorts. When ho had brought them 
to the water-side they gave him a sovereign, thanked 
him for his kindness, and despatched him back to his com- 
rades. They returned on board about nine on Monday 
morning. 
Our men had to pass through a village on tholr way, 
and as they were strongly armed with cutlasses and loaded 
muskets with fixed bayonets, the villagers rait out to beg 
for their lives, thinking the new-comers were Frc'nchmon, as 
they do not much like the French. However, on beii.'ff given to 
understand that they were Englishmen, tho women turnod 
from sobs to smiles, and tho men, some of whom could 
speak a few words of English, began to speak and call them 
“ good meo.” They also understood shaking the ha ads 
as a token of friendship. Tho littlo Finnish lassos so. 1 '' 
found that a British tar would sooner kiss them than kU.' 
them— and this they soon experienced. They were very 
pretty girls, and in a few minutes they seemed to get very 
much attached to our men. So much for tho life of a 
jolly tar. 
A SAILOR’S LETTER. 
“ Baro Sound, Finland, Juno 21. 
u Dear Sir, — I havo just read your kind letter, and I 
humbly beg pardon to answer it at once, although it Is past 
time at night, aud I am writing on tho upper dock. Dear 
sir, I must toll you we are under sailing orders to go to soa 
to-morrow. We are going to blockade Revel, a port about 
40 miles above here. The whole fleet Is lying bore, with the 
exception of Admiral Plumridge’s squadron. Tho wholo 
fleet is the finest that ever was seen by the oldest man living. 
To soe the implements of destruction on such a scale, it really 
looks something awful grand. They are the finest ships that 
men can build. I wish you could have tho boautiful view 
this evening. The sun is getting low over the trees ; on shore 
it really is splendid. Thank God, you are not hero, for this 
is no place for you, sir. Hero we are, like dogs tied by tho 
neck, all ready to fight when let go. To-day wo have hud u 
hard day’s work. Admiral Chads hud us all on shoro, with 
our gun-boats and field ploeos and marines, to oxorciso. Wo 
havo had a vory hot day. What with tho boat of tho powdor 
and tho sun, it made us sweat protty fair. But, thunk God, wo 
are all returned on board without any accident. To toll you, 
sir, what wo hear, air (but I don’t know that it Is altogether 
truo, although wo expect It every day), wo hoar tho whole 
fleet is going some duy this weok to ongago Swonborg, tho 
ontranco to Helsingfors. It is a very strong plnco to take. It 
has three batteries, mounting altogether 800 guns, nnd 12 
sail of men- of- war (linc-of-batllo ships). So you see, sir, wo 
havo our work cut out for us to do ; but wo ahull do it, with 
the blossing of God. Tho Vulture has just arrived to our 
Admiral with tho melancholy nows of losing 28 men killed, 
and u great many wounded. Tho Vulturo nnd soino other of 
Plumrldgo’s squadron engaged tho port up tho Gulf. They 
got possession, aud took tome merchant shipping out of tho 
port without much loss, und two duys nflor tho Vulturo wont 
on shore, not far from tho samo place, to got somo water. The 
men were nil on shoro, hnrd at work, nnd somo of tho steamers 
paddle-boats wore sent to protect them ; but the Russians 
came down by hundreds and murdered tho poor follows like 
dogs. Tho bout wont in and firod at tho troops, when u 
Russian gun-boat that had boon lying lit a crook with six guns, 
tho first time sho flred at our poor follows they killed one 
lieutenant, two tnldshipmon, and 12 men. Thou thoy wore 
forced to glvo in by being ovorpowored. Thoy havo lost alto- 
gether about GO meu killed, aud n groat many woundod. Tho 
wholo fluot is raving mad to have rovengo. Tho wholo floet 
want to bo at it, and sottlo tho dispute; but our Admlrul lias 
something in the wind that makes him so qulot. Wo oxpoct 
ho will broak looso every day. Wo are going to louvu tho 
fleot In the morning ; but wo shall bo cluso to tho place of 
action ; so it is very llkoly by tho timo you get tills Swonborg 
will bo no moro, nor any of Its shipping. I bopo to havo the 
ploasuro of fetching somo of them to Sheorncss, to show you 
all what wo cau do. But 1 must come to a conclusion, for I 
can scarce keep my oyes opon, for I am very tired. But I 
must tell you, sir, I thought of you most of any time on 
Easter Sunday ; it blow a blttor gulo of wind, and the snow 
and ico was fit to cut my poor fuco to pieces, for I was at 
the whool for two hours, from 0 to 8 iu tho morning. Another 
day was tho Gth of May, a sorrowful day for us, for wo lost ono 
of our young meu, off our topsail yard. You must excuse 
my writing ; I havo hud a very bud thumb, and I cau scarce 
hold tho pen, so I must give over and go to bod. So good 
night, and may God bless you and Mrs. - — und tho children 
is tho pruyor of 
“ Your obediont and liumblo sorvaut, 
i * * »> • 
“Tho Rov. 
OUR FRENCH ALLIES. 
Stockholm, July 4. — Tho Franch suiting frigate AnilrO- 
maquo, Captain Guilliou, has arrived otGeflo; and another, 
Supposed to bo tho Virglnlo, is oxpocted there dally. 
Tho French frigate, La PoursuivnntG, left Wuxholm (near 
Stockholm) on tho 2nd inst., and passed Furnsund (In tho 
Gull of Bothnia) iu the evening. 
Ma lta, July 2. — The Lubradoro, French steam frigate, 
from A Igiors and Pldllpvillo, bringing 28 oflicerHond U32 nou- 
commis. iloned officers und privates, and 20 homes, nnd the 
Albatros Fronch •team- frigate, from Toulon and Htoru, 
bringing’’. W officers, 831 non-commissioned officers and pri- 
vates 23 b orses, and 58 soumon, arrived yesterday, and will 
lcavo’for tin ’ EaBt to-rnorrow. The Victoria, English steamer, 
having made ’ good her defects, loft for Constantinople with 00 
horses yoatoru ’ a Y» and has on board Lieutenant King, ll.A. 
Tho Monitt * T de V Annie says— “Tho division under tho 
orders ofGenen 1 Baroguayd’ Hllliors, which Is to embark on Iho 
14th for the Bull * c > composed of two brigades, commundod 
by General d'lIaL ' UC8 on d Croay. Tho first comprises tho I2lh 
battalion of Infant ?y, Chasseurs, tho 2nd Regiment of Light 
Infantry, and iho 3 rd of 1,10 ll "°- T1, ° 80COn(1 consists of tho 
48th and 51st Regli. of Infantry of tho Lino." 
EMBARKATION OF FRENCH TR00F8 FOR TIIE BALTIC. 
