RUSSIA AND ENGLAND.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 1452, 11 September 1885, Page 4

RUSSIA AND ENGLAND.

♦ v ;:. . , THE FORTIFYING OF SEBASTOPOL. >^ The Russian Government is re-fortify-ing Sebastopol without loss; of time." Enormous earthworks are (the Daily. News correspondent says) in course of construction or repair for some distance along the shore, looking seawards,; and on all points commanding, the approach to the harbour. They are Iwing mounted with immensely powerful gims. The batteries are numerous and power Ail, and all the works are being pushed on as rapidly as possible under the direction of. a large force of sappers and artillerymen, who, with the soldiers under them, never cease work, even on the strictest of Russian Holidays. The completion of the ironclads Tchesme and Sinope, in course of construction in the dockyard of the Russian company, is being hastened on, the work being continued during the night by assistance of the electric light, The statement from Sebastopol which appeared in a leading journal that the captain of one of the circular ironclads here had been removed on account of his English proclivities, &c, is a pure mistake. The captain retired from the command of the Novgorod, having completed seven and "a?half years' service, and for no other reason than that it was in accordance with the regulations of the service. He was immediately afterwards gazetted to the command of the torpedo squadron in the Black Sea. Some excitament was, the correspondent says, caused at Odessa recently by the arrival of the Russian warship Pamyat Mercuriii, carrying eight guns. Two powerful lights, one amidships and the other in the crosstrees of the foremast, were brought to bear startlingly on that part of the city facing stewards. For two hours subsequently they swept the bay ail d port in all directions, evidently as a practice against the approach of torpedjies. The lights were extraordinarily brilliant... Next morning, from 7 to 11, a series of torpedo-boat evolutions were executed in and outside the roads. Four torpedo explosions, at a distance of some three miles seaward, and of which the correspondent • was an eye-witness, appeared to show terrific power. The mud, sand, and stones from the bottom, with an immense volume of water, were hurled to a height of some 200ft.