No. 6. MY LORD DUKE, Camp before Bomarsund, August 19, 1854. I have the honour to report, that on the morning of the 16th the fire from the fleet was resumed, and after about two hours' firing, the white flag was hoisted on the large fort of Bomarsund, and the garrison surrendered unconditionally, and were embarked in two hours afterwards. The interior of the fort showed that the fire from the ships had been excellent; nevertheless the injury to the works was trifling, and ought not to have induced the Governor, with such a strong garrison, no breach, and a well casemated work to have surrendered. The cause may be considered that, finding two of his principal advanced works taken, a breaching battery ready to open, and no prospect of relief, it would be a sacrifice of life to hold out any longer: thus has been lost to Russia a most important military post, and, judging from the nature of the works existing, those partly erected, and the foundations of others which have been laid, it was evidently the intention of the Russian Government to have created a first-rate fortress; the position of Bomarsund at the entrance of the Gulfs of Finland and Bothnia, with a beautiful and extensive anchorage well sheltered, points it out as a position of the most favourable rature, and no expence apparently has been spared in the construction of the works already built, and the walls of those partly erected are of the same substantial nature. The position of Bomarsund is naturally very strong, and favourable for defence; bold and rocky, with a fine command of the ground in its immediate front, and when occupied with suitable advanced works would make its capture a very * Prisoners, 2,300; 139 pieces of artillery taken in the differeut forts. long operation, and if full garrisoned would require a very large force for its reduction: the Admiral has sent home his report accompanied by a joint report from the French General Niel and myself, upon the practicability of holding Bomarsund in its present state; that report will have reached London before this despatch, it is therefore needless for me to recapitulate the substance of that report, as your Grace will have been acquainted with it; in fact, I have no copy, as it was called for in great haste, and no time was allowed me to do so before the departure of Lieutenant Nugent, Royal Engineers, the bearer of the Admiral's despatches. This the first operation of the combined forces having been brought to a successful termination, I may be permitted to state that the utmost cordiality and good feeling have pervaded every branch of the service employed, English as well as French; and in making these observations I should not do justice to the officers of the Royal Navy, the seamen and marines of the fleet who were employed under my orders on shore, if I did not notice the great order and regularity as well as the great zeal with which every duty was performed, and the strict discipline which was observed in camp; not a single complaint has been made to me of any irregularity on their part. From Captain Ramsay, R.N., in charge of the seamen, and from Colonel Graham, in command of the Royal Marines, I have received the most ready assistance, for which my acknowledgments are due; Captain Ord, my Brigade-Major, has been most active and zealous, and in addition to his staff duties he offered his services, and took his tour of duty, as an engineer, during the period our works were erecting. I have also to express how much indebted I am to my naval aide-de-camp, the Hon. Edward Cochrane, for the assistance he has afforded me throughout our operations, and since I have been deprived of the services of Lieut. Cowell, he has performed that officer's duty, so far as a naval man could perform military duties. I have, &c., (Signed) HARRY D. JONES, P.S.-I have omitted to mention the services of Captain King, Royal Engineers, who laid out with great judgment the road up the hill leading to the breaching battery. My thanks are due to him and Lieut. Nugent for the able and zealous manner in which they performed the harassing duties which fell to their lot. The Royal Sappers and Miners have distinguished themselves by their good conduct, and in the construction of the batteries. List of Casualties in the Force under the command of Brigadier-General Harry D. Jones, from the 14th to the 16th August, 1854. Camp before Bomarsund, Lieutenant Honourable C. Wrottesley, Royal Thomas Collins, private Royal Marines, mortal. John Mitchell, seaman, Her Majesty's ship Blenheim, severely. William Bridal, gunner's mate, Her Majesty's ship Hogue, slightly. (Signed) H. ST. GEORGE ORD, Major of Brigade. Foreign-Office, August 29, 1854. The Queen has been pleased to approve of Don Enrique de Vedia as Consul at Liverpool for Her Majesty the Queen of Spain. Board of Trade, Whitehall, Marine Department, August 30, 1854. The Right Honourable the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade and Plantations have received, through the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, a copy of a Despatch from Her Majesty's Consul at Elsinore, transmitting copy of a Notice issued by the Danish Marine Board (a translation of which is subjoined), relative to an alteration in the character of the buoy on the north-east end of the Lyseground. (Translation.) (Copy.) NOTICE TO MARINERS. In conformity with the command of the Marine Board, and with reference to preliminary Notice of 6th June, the buoy on the N.E., end of the Lyseground was, on the 8th instant, changed to a red iron-pointed buoy, with a red pole, and a red ball on the top. Light and Buoy Inspection, the 12th (Signed) J. LUND. Board of Trade, Whitehall, The Right Honourable the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade and Plantations have received, through the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, a copy of a Despatch from Her Majesty's Consul at Cagliari reporting that all arrivals from places infected with Cholera will be subjected to the following quarantine of observation; viz.:-Passengers seven days, counting from the time of their separating from the merchandize; the latter, if susceptible, ten days. Board of Trade, Whitehall, The Right Honourable the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade and Plantations have received, through the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, a copy of a Despatch from Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Monte Video, announcing the passing of a law for throwing open the ports of that Republic upon the River Uruguay to the flags of all nations, upon precisely the same footing as the flag of the Republic. Board of Trade, Whitehall, The Right Honourable the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade and Plantations have received from Her Majesty's Ambassador in Paris, through the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, a copy of a French Imperial Decree, reducing the duties on Dyeing Ingredients and other articles imported into France, and on Sand exported from France, a translation of which is hereunto subjoined: Art. 1. The Customs Duties on the articles of merchandize hereinafter mentioned are modified as follows: |