and
torturing the English envoys and escort, so as a lesson to him and his
people, his celebrated Summer Palace was burnt to the ground, thus
showing them that had they thought fit Pekin itself might have been
treated in the same manner.

RUSSIAN WAR--1854-55.

Russia had shown her evident intention of laying violent hands on
Turkey, by destroying with a treachery unworthy a civilised nation a
Turkish squadron at Sinope, and England and France being bound by treaty
to protect the Ottoman Empire, without delay each despatched a fleet
into the Black Sea. That of England was under the command of Admiral
Dundas, who had his flag on board the _Britannia_, of 120 guns, his
second in command being Rear-Admiral Sir Edmund Lyons, whose flag flew
on board the _Agamemnon_, of 91 guns, a name known to fame. The other
ships were the _Trafalgar_, of 120 guns, the _Queen_, of 116, the
_Albion_, 91, _Rodney_ and _London_, 90, _Vengeance_, 84, _Bellerophon_,
80, _Sanspareil_, 70, _Arethusa_ and _Leander_, 50, _Tribune_ and
_Curacoa_, 31, _Retribution_, steam-frigate, 28, _Diamond_, 26,
_Terrible_ and _Sidon_, steam-frigates, 22, _Highflyer_, steam-sloop,
21, _Furious_ and _Tiger_, 16, the former a steam-frigate, the _Niger_,
13, and nine steam-sloops. The French fleet consisted of 15 sail of the
line, and 21 frigates and smaller vessels.

From the first Admiral Lyons contemplated an attack on Sebastopol, and
in order to ascertain the strength of its fortifications, Captain
Drummond, of the _Retribution_, before war was actually declared, was
sent there with a despatch for the Russian governor. He ran in during a
fog, and had brought up before even his presence was discovered. Having
sent his despatch on shore, he waited for an answer, making good use of
his time, and when it arrived, having exchanged salutes with the
governor, he stood out again with the valuable information he had
obtained. Peace not having been actually broken, the _Furious_, Captain
Loring, was sent to Odessa to bring off the British consul, or any
British subjects who might wish to leave it. As the frigate was
receiving them on board, the garrison, notwithstanding the flag of truce
she carried, fired on her. This treacherous conduct deserved a prompt
punishment. A fleet accordingly on the 17th of April sailed for that
port, off which they anchored on the 20th. The line-of-battle ships
could not get close enough to the walls, and a squadron of English an