KERTCH AND YENIKALE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 308, 13 October 1855, Page 4

KERTCH AND YENIKALE.

What is called the Sea of Azoff is in reality nothing more than a vast pond or gulf, noted for its shallowness, and united to the Black Sea by ihe Strait of Zenikale. The Sea of Azoff is* inaccessible to what would be properly called vessels of war ; it is defended on the south by Kertch and Yenikale. It will be now no longer traversed, as it has hitherto been, by a multitude of small vessels, conveying troops and provisions for Sebastopol, for it is without doubt p<trt of the plan ofthe allied commanders to send in a number of their own vessels, and maintain the command of the whole sea. Kertch is a small town, tbe chief place of the peninsula of that name. It is remarkable for its command- i ing position on the Strait of Yenikale. Its roadstead is fine, and is celebrated for its Hue museum of antiquities, medals, sculpture, &c, found iii the neighbourhood. There are several constructions of enormous size near it, which are known by the name of the Houses of the Cyclops. Yenikale is a small town, but important on account of its citadel, which commands •the Strait, and which has always been highly Considered by the Russians as a fortress. The distance from Yenikale to Kertch is about nine miles, across a verdant plain. Kertch is completely built of stone, and the houses are handsome. Itcouiains a population of about 10,000 souls. It was a place of only slight importance when it was ceded by the Porte to Russia in 1774, but it soon after partly recovered its original splendour, to the detriment of Theodosia, (the ancient Kaffa.) All the commerce carried on at Theodosia was removed by the Russian Government to Kertch, where ail vessels bound to the Sea of Azoff were compelled to undergo a quarantine of four days. The larger vessels had their cargoes brought to them iv lighters from Taganrog, or from Rostof, but those of lighter draught of water crossed the bar and loaded at Taganrog. On theirreturn, they were obliged to transfer half their cargoes at Yenikale into lighters, and to reship it at Kertch, after having passed over the shallows. Notwithstanding fthese difficulties, the commerce of Kertch, and the Sea of Azoff rapidly increased," and in 1851 no fewer than 1000 vessels entered the Sea of Azoff. It is ascertaiued that the provisions and military stores which have been hitherto so abundantly supplied to the Russian army and the garrison of Sebastopol by the Sea of Azoff.were, for the greater part, landed at Arabat, and thence transported by Kara-su-Bazar, Simpherppol, and- -Baktshi-serai to Sebastopol. Arabat is situated at the southern extremity of the tongue ofland which divides the Sea of Azoff from the Putrid Sea, over which a road has also been carried, and it formed one ofthe principal depots for the Russian army; and the isthmus which connects the peninsula of Kertch with the rest of the Crimea is washed on the li-Hrth by the Gulf of Arabat, and on the south by that of Kaffa. The object of the expeditionary force is to take possession of both these points', Kaffa and Arabat; fortify Kertch, Yenikale, and other points of the north coast, so as to be complete masters of the peninsula : and thus cut off Sebastopol from its chief supplies. General Pelissier's movement on the Tchernaya, both banks of which he occupies, was with the view of effecting a junction with Omar Pasha ; but the natmeof the ground between Eupatoria and Sebastopol renders such au operation difficult. It is thought, therefore, that a portion of the lurkish army will come to Kamiesch by sea, to rment the force of Pelissier, preparatory to i..c great movement against the Russian army.