“This fort is said to be armed with sixty pieces.  The English admiral states, that all three of the works mounted eighty-one guns and mortars.  The calibres are not given officially, but stated in private letters to be 18-pounders and 32-pounders.”

“The above description will quite justify the further remark as to these works:—­”

“They were inferior in every respect, and manifestly incapable of withstanding any serious operation by sea or land.  The main fort was particularly weak in design, and dilapidated; all of them were indifferently armed and garrisoned.”

“So much for the works.  As to the character of the armament brought to the assault, the same authority says:—­”

“The allied force was admirably adapted to the operation, embracing every description of vessel, from the largest to the smallest, and all propelled by steam.  There were screw-liners, and like vessels of inferior class, side-wheel steamers, screw gunboats, floating-batteries, mortar-vessels, etc., each armed in what was considered the most approved manner.  And this truly formidable naval force carried besides ‘some thousand troops’ on board, all designed to attack these ‘dilapidated’ works of Kinburn.”

“Without going into the particulars, we simply give Dahlgren’s account of the affair:—­”

“The French floating-batteries (Devastation, Lave, and Tonnante) steamed in to make their first essay, anchoring some six or seven hundred yards off the S.E. bastion of Fort Kinburn, and at 9.20 opened fire, supported by the mortar-vessels, of which six were English, by the gunboats, five French and six English, and by the steamer Odin, 16.”

“The heavy metal of the floating-batteries (said to be twelve 50-pounders on the broadside of each) soon told on the walls of the fort; and the vertical fire was so good that the French admiral attributed to it, in great part, the speedy surrender of the place.  The gunboats also made good ricochet practice, which was noticed to be severe on the barbette batteries.”

“The Russian gunners, in nowise daunted by this varied fire, plied their guns rapidly in return, directing their attention chiefly to the floating-batteries, which were nearest.”

“Exactly at noon, the admirals steamed in with the Royal Albert , 121, Algiers, 91, Agamemnon, 90, and Princess Royal, 90, with the four French liners in close order, taking position in line, ranging N.W. and S.E., about one mile from the fort, in twenty-eight feet water.”