EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 326, 15 December 1855, Page 7

EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE.

THE WAR. OPERATIONS IN THE SEA. OP AZOFF, " Her Majesty's Ship Vesuvius, " Arabat Spit, July 25. "Sir,—Since my last letter I have fully succeeded in destroying, by means of submarine explosion-, the four Russian steamers sunk in Berdiansk Bay, and, as the enemy had from the houses of the western suburb of Beuliansk twice fired upon our people, while peaceably and unguardedly employed, I considered it right that such a dishonourable course, from a town which had been spared under plea of being- defenceless, should be severely punished, and the more so as Berdiansk had been treated with unusual leniency upon the occasion of our former visits. " I therefore, on the 22nd of Tulv, caused to be destroyed the western suburb, which had screened their riflemen, and succeeded in discovering and setting fiie to no less than 10 large granaries rilled with wheat, each averagingabout 200 tons in capacity, and several flour mills, which had been employed night and day grinding for the use of the Russians. "The church and major portion of the town I spared, although nearly every house we searched contained grain in large quantities, and the whole place miuht be considered 11 tile else than a general granary. '* The dangerous service of lauding in so large a town, with bodies of Cossacks threatening:, was entdusted to "Commodore Rowley Lambert, Lieutenant Hubert Campion (senior of this ship), Lieutenant Hewet, her Majesty's steam vessel Eagle, and Lieut. Manyntt, her Majesty's steam vessel Cracker, and the skill with which it was executed reflects the highest credit upon their zeal and judument. " Tne operations were admirably covered by the gun-boats under Lieutenants Grylls. Connnorrll, and Townsewl, and her .Majesty's ships Vesuvius and Curlew, the latter under charge of her zealous First-Lieutenant, C. J. Rowley. "Oil the 24th July I rejoined Lieut. Horton, her Majesty's steam vessel Ardent. He, I'found, had not been idle; awl, with the assistance oi j

the Clinlcer, Lieut. Smithett, and Wrangler, Lieut. Burgoyne, rery much damage had been done to the enemy from Genitehi lo Obifotcbna Spit, in the destruction of forage, fish, stores and launches. " I have, &c, f- " Shebarb Osbobn, "Commander and Senior Officer. " Rear-Admiral Sir Edmund Lyons, Bait., G.C.8., Commander-in-Chief.''