THE BALTIC.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 308, 13 October 1855, Page 3

THE BALTIC.

A Hamburg letter of the 29th May, in the Independent Beige, says : — "The English Government is still increasing the number of its war vessels in the Baltic. At no former period was a so powerful a fleetasseinbled in any sea. I might every day announce to you in my letters the arrival from the English ports of additional ships of war going to join the fleet of Admiral Dundas, in the Gull* of Finland. On the 24th a transport steamer, laden with ammunition, and a gun boat, entered Elsinore. On the 25th a bomb vessel, the Redwing, reached Copenhagen, and on the 27th tbe steam corvette Volcano, with a gun boat, arrived at Kiel, also coining from England. It is

not to he supposed that so large a concentration of naval forces in the Gulf will remain there inactive as last year. The English fleet now lying at anchor near the Island of Nargen, opposite Revel, iv the Gulf of Finland, consists of thirteen steamships of tbe line, four corvettes, and six gun boats. The frigate-; and other lighter vessels are cruizing in various directions. I am told that after the declaration of the legal blockade, the English c xnmander before Libau allowed the Belgian merchantman Ernest to leave that port in ballast. Four English ships of war are constantly in sight of Sweaborg, closely watching the movements ol tbe enemy in that neutral port. In a few hours they can communicate with the main body oi tbe fleet stationed at Nargen. The Isles of Aland continue to be completely abandoned, no English vessel having as yet visited them. Hostilities are to be carried on this year at the oth«r extremity of the Gulf, and it is to be presumed that Admiral Dundas, with the formidable steam fleet at his disposal, and the forces on the way to join him, will not allow the season to pass over without striking soma decisive blow against tbe Russian fortresses in that sea. The appearance of three English ships of war before Korpo,, near Abo, had caused there considerable alarm. The Russian commander of Abo, having made the signals agreed upon, in a short time an entire division of troops was coucen-

trated at Al > and along the coast. Tnis place is considered the'most importont in the Gulf of Bothnia. An intricate channel leads to it on the seaside, and the waters are so shallow that ships of war cannot well approach the town. Last year an expedition composed of six English boats, armed with guns, suffered serious losses on that coast, The flotilla of gunboats, expressly constructed in England to operate in those shallows, will enable the Admiral to attack positions hitherto inaccessible. The whole of the Russian troops quartered in the interior of Esthonia, Livonia, and Courland, have been ordered to proceed by forced marches to the coast, where tbe greater part of the army of General Slewersis now assembled waiting events." Seskar, May 21.—The fleet has been lying at anchor off Nargen during the last week, with fires banked ready for use. The weather has been generally fine, with thermometer ranging between 45 and 65 degrees aud gentle breezes, mostly from the south-east aud south west. Exercise of every description, from the booming of the great guns, the roar of rockets as they rush through the air, down to the popping of Colt's revolvers, is continually going on. 25. —The fog still prevents us moving,though everything is in readiness. It being Friday, according to custom we spent the morning at general quarters. Tbe gunboats, which are each to act as a sort of tender to the line of battleships, were supplied to day with minie rifles and ammunition by the ships they belonged to in exchange for the old Brown Bess they were supplied with on leaving England. Some report of a Russian gunboat having been seen under the land to the westward of Revel—the Magicienne and Locust were sent to ascertain the truth of tbe story, but after reconnoitring the coast for some considerable distance, returned at 10 p.m., without having seen anything. 26. —There is no fog this morning, and the sun is bright and warm. Soon after daylight the Blenheim arrived from Faro, but was not allowed to anchor, and Messrs Rainal and Deacon's steamer Royal Adelaide, arrived with a cargo of fat bullocks and fresh vegetables from Elsinore; both were very welcome, and infinitely superior in quality to what was supplied last year. As soon as these were divided among the fleet, at 11*30 a.m., a signal was made to weigh, to form in two columns for sailing, and proceed at slow speed. We left behind us at Nargen the Ajaxand Lightning. The Princess Alice was sent to Faro, and tbe Merlin to reconnoitre off Sweaborg. The fleet then,consisting of 14 sail ofthe line, with their gun-boats in tow, stretched over ,the water in two long and beautiful lines, with tbe smaller steamers on either side, and proceeded up the gulf at slow speed. Iv the evening the Merlin returned, and went alongside of tbe Duke of Wellington to report the Admiral. At daybreak on tbe 27th we passed the island of Hoglaiid, and about noon that of Sommersland, and almost immediately after came in sight of eight on vine sail, bearing S.E. : asignalwas immediately made to chase, and the Euiyalu-f, Amphiou, Dragon, Firefly,and Locust were sent to cut .them off from escaping, and each funnel of the liners poured forth an immense cloud of smoke as the fires were urged to send them forward. Every heart beat quick with anxious hope that it was the enemy, for as it was hazy we could not distinctly make them out, but they looked large as they scudded away before the wind with all sail set, and our ste-nners after them. In about, an hour their retreat was completely cut off, and the fleet anchored about 15 miles "from Cronsiadt, in tbe open sea, but with the land visible all around us. The Orion was sent forward lo reconnoitre, and proceeded within the Tolbuckin Lighthouse, only six miles from tbe city, close to which she could distinctly see tbe Russian fleet at anchor. In the evening tbe Magicienne and Merlin were sent to examine the coast about Biorka Bay, and were fortunate enough to capture four large boats, of about 60 tons each, laden with provisions, &c. belonging to the Government. As it was getting dusk, the vessels sent to cut off tbe sails we chased returned one by one, but each had in tow its prize. Tha Euryalus one, the Amphiou one, the Locust one, and the Dragon two. They are all large barges, with two tall masts, carrying square sails on the foremast, and about 60 or 70 tons burden. One wis laden partly with flour, aud the rest with timber and planks. 28th—the Vulture has just arrived with the mails from Daiitzio, and will return again with those for England this evening.

I an? very glad to tell you that the small pox has ceased in the ships. I have just heard that when the Orion went into Ctonstadt to reconnoitre last night, she was able also to count six line-of-battle ships completely rigged, six others dismantled, aud fourteen or fifteen frigates and steamers in pro. gress of completion.