rendered a change in the position of the ships necessary
and unavoidable.—3. The Agamemnon, Sanspareil,
Sampson, Tribune, Terrible, Sphinx, and Lynx, and
Albion, London, and Arethusa, towed by the Firebrand,
Niger, and Triton, engaged Fort Constantine, and the
batteries to the northward; while the Queen, Britannia,
Trafalgar, Vengeance, Rodney, Bellerophon, with
Vesuvius, Furious, Retribution, Highflyer, Spitfire,
Spiteful, and Cyclops, lashed on the port side of the
several ships, gradually took up their positions, as
nearly as possible as marked on the plan.—4. The action
lasted from about half-past one to half-past six, P.M.,
when, being dark, the ships hauled off.—5. The loss
sustained by the Russians, and the damage done to
Fort Constantine and batteries, cannot, of course as yet
be correctly ascertained.—6. An action of this duration
against such formidable and well-armed works, could
not be maintained without serious injury, and I have to
regret the loss of 44 killed and 266 wounded, as detailed
in the accompanying lists. The ships, masts, yards,
and rigging are more or less damaged, principally by
shells and hot shot The Albion has suffered much in
hull and masts; the Rodney in her masts, she having
tailed on the reef, from which she was got off by the
great exertions of Commander Kynaston, of the Spiteful,
whose crew and vessel were necessarily exposed in
performing this service; but with the exception of the
Albion and Arethusa, which ships I send to Constantinople
to be repaired, I hope to be able to make my
squadron serviceable in twenty-four hours. Foreseeing
from the nature of the attack we should be likely to lose
spars, I left the spare topmasts and yards on board her
Majesty's ship Vulcan at this anchorage, where I had
placed her with all the sick and prisoners.—7. I have
now the pleasure of recording my very great satisfaction
with the ability and zeal displayed by Rear-Admirals
Sir Edmund Lyons and the Hon. Montagu Stopford,
and all the captains under my command, as well as my
sincere thanks to them, and to the officers, seamen, and
marines employed, for their unremitting exertions and
the rapidity of their fire, in the absence of a large
number of the crews of each ship, who were landed to
assist in working the siege batteries, &c, on shore, and
to this circumstance I attribute the small loss of killed
and wounded.—8. The gallant and skilful conduct of
our French allies in this action was witnessed by me
with admiration, and I hear with regret that they have
also suffered considerable loss.—9. I beg to express my
gratitude at the manner in which Ahmed Pasha, the
Turkish Admiral, did his duly.—I have, &c, J. W. D.
DUNDAS, Vice- Admiral."

Killed and Wounded in the Squadron in the Attack
on the Forts of Sebastopol, Oct. 17, 1854.—BRITANNIA
—Wounded: Lieut. Vaughan, severely; 8 seamen and
boys. AGAMEMNON—Killed: 4. Wounded: Lieut.
T. S. Gaussen; Naval Cadet D. Young; 23 seamen,
boys, and Marines. QUEEN—Killed: 1 boy. Wounded:
7 seamen and marines. SANSPAREIL—Killed: Mr. C.
Madden, midshipman; 9 seamen; 1 boy. Wounded:
Lieut. W. H. Anderson, slightly; Lieut. J. Bull,
severely; Mr. C. Parkinson, Second-Master, slightly;
56 seamen, stokers, boys, and marines. TRAFALGAR—
Wounded: 1 seaman; 1 marine. SAMPSON—Killed:
1 seaman. Wounded; 1 seaman; 1 stoker. TERRIBLE
—Killed: 1 seaman. Wounded: 8 seamen and marines.
RETRIBUTION—Wounded: 2 seamen. FIREBRAND—
Wounded: Capt. W. H. Stewart, severe contusion; 4
seamen, stokers, and marines. SPITEFUL—Killed: 1
seaman; 1 marine. Wounded: Commander Kynaston,
slightly; Lieut. Purvis slightly; Mr. Baillie,
Midshipman, severely; 6 sailors, boys, and marines.
CYCLOPS—Wounded: 1 seaman. TRITON—Wounded:
Mr. H. Lloyd. Lieut.-Commanding, dangerously; 4
seamen, boys, and marines. ALBION—Killed: Lieut.
Chase; 9 seamen Wounded: Mr. R. D. Mason,
Surgeon, contusion; Mr. Paul. Master, ditto; Mr
Thorne, Paymaster, scalp wound; 68 sailors, boys, and
marines. RODNEY—Wounded: 2 seamen.
VENGEANCE—Wounded: 2 seamen. ARETHUSA—Killed;
3 seamen; 1 boy. Wounded: 14 seamen and marines.
LONDON—Killed: 4 seamen. Wounded: Lieut. C. E.
Stephens, slightly; 17 seamen and marines. NIGER—
Killed: 1 boy. Wounded: 1 seaman; 1 boy; 2 marines.
FURIOUS—6 wounded.—Abstract: Britannia—Wounded
9. Agamemnon—Killed 4, wounded 25. Queen—
Killed 1, wounded 7. Sanspareil—Killed 11, wounded
59. Trafalgar—Wounded 2. Sampson—Killed 1,
wounded 2. Terrible—Killed 1, wounded 8. Retribution
—Wounded 2. Firebrand—Wounded 5. Sphinx
—Killed 1. Spiteful—Killed 2, wounded 9. Cyclops—
Wounded 1. Triton—Wounded 5. Albion—Killed 10,
wounded 71. Bellerophon—Killed 4, wounded 15.
Rodney—Wounded 2. Vengeance—Wounded 2.
Arethusa—Killed 4, wounded 14. London—Killed 4,
wounded 18. Niger—Killed 1, wounded 4. Furious—
Wounded 6. Total—Killed 44; wounded 266.

The share taken by the French forces in the attack
on the 17th of October is described in despatches from
General Canrobert, and Admiral Hamelin, whose
accounts correspond with those already given. Gen.
Canrobert, in his dispatch of the 18th of October, says:

"Yesterday, at sunrise, we opened our fire in concert
with the English army. Matters were proceeding
favourably, when the explosion of the powder magazine
of a battery, which unfortunately was of a serious
character, threw our attack into disorder. This explosion
produced greater effect from the fact that our batteries
were accumulated round the point were it took place.
The enemy profited by it to increase his fire, and, in
accord with the general commanding the artillery, I was
of opinion that it was necessary for us to suspend ours
in order to make repairs, and to complete towards our
right, by fresh batteries connected with those of the
English army, the system of our attack. This delay is
no doubt to be regretted, but we must resign ourselves
to it, and I am taking every necessary step to render it
as short as possible.

"The place kept up the fire better than was expected.
The circle is of such a formidable development in a right
line, and comprises guns of such large calibre, that it
can prolong the struggle. On the 17th our troops took
possession of the height before the point of attack called
the Bastion of the Mat, and occupied it. This evening
we shall raise upon it a masked battery of 12 pieces,
and, if it be possible, also a second battery at the
extreme right above the ravine.

"All the means of attack are concentrated upon this
bastion, and will enable us, I hope, soon to take possession
of it, with the assistance of the English batteries,
which are directed against its left face."

Admiral Hamelin, in his despatch of the same date,
says:

"If the Russians had not closed the entrance to Sebastopol
by sinking two ships of the line and two frigates,
I do not doubt that the vessels of the squadrons, after
the first fire, would have been able successfully to enter
the port and place themselves in communication with
the army. Perhaps they would not have lost many
more men in doing this than we have now to regret; but
the extreme measure which the enemy adopted of
sacrificing a portion of his ships forced us to confine
ourselves to attacking for five hours the sea batteries of
Sebastopol, with the object of silencing them more or
less, of occupying a great many men of the garrison at
the guns, and of giving thus to our army material as
well as moral assistance."

The loss on board the French ships was 30 killed and
186 wounded.

Lord Raglan, in his next dispatch, dated the 23rd of
October (received before that of the 18th) continues the
narrative of the siege operations. It was published in a
Gazette Extraordinary on the 7th of November:—

"Before Sebastopol, Oct. 23.

"My Lord Duke,—The operations of the siege have
been carried on unremittingly since I addressed your
Grace on the 18th inst.

"On that afternoon, the French batteries not having
been able to re-open, the enemy directed their guns
almost exclusively on the British entrenchments, and
maintained a very heavy fire upon them till the day
closed, with less damage, I am happy to say, to the
works, and with fewer casualties than might nave been
anticipated.

"On the following morning, shortly after daylight,
General Canrobert not only resumed his fire from the
batteries which had been injured, but materially added