aring, leading to the town, Lieutenant Carrington, in one of the
boats, was ordered up it to explore. On passing some buildings some
soldiers were seen, and the boat was on the point of returning to report
the circumstance, when a wall was thrown down, and a volley of musketry
was poured on her, which killed Lieutenant Carrington, Mr Montague,
mate, and Mr Athorpe, midshipman, and wounded Lieutenant Lewis, R.M.,
and Mr McGrath, midshipman, and fourteen men. The boat, which was much
injured, was taken in tow, and carried out to the _Odin_. The other
boats immediately opened fire, the gunner of the _Vulture_ firing no
less than twenty-seven times before he fell, badly wounded.

One of the _Vulture's_ boats, with Mr Morphy, mate, and twenty-five
seamen, was disabled, and, drifting on shore, was captured by the enemy.
In another of her boats one marine was killed and six were wounded. By
this time the enemy had brought five field-pieces into action; the
remaining boats, therefore, pulled off out of range, having lost
altogether fifty-two killed, wounded, and missing, in this most
unfortunate though gallant affair.

No fault was found with the way in which the expedition was commanded,
while both officers and men behaved with the most perfect intrepidity
and coolness.

Most of the crew of the missing boat escaped with their lives, and were
made prisoners.

BOMARSUND--21ST JUNE.

A small squadron, consisting of the _Hecla, Valorous_, and _Odin_, under
Captain Hall, was sent in to engage the batteries of Bomarsund on the
21st of June. This they did in the most spirited manner, receiving a
hot fire in return both from the forts and from riflemen posted in the
neighbourhood, rifle bullets and shot and shell falling thickly on
board. The British bluejackets were, however, far better pleased to
have a few shot sent among them, than to be doomed to play at long
bowls, with all the firing on their side, as was sometimes the case
during the war.

The casualties were very slight. After engaging for three hours, and
setting some buildings on fire, the ships drew out of action.

It was clearly perceived that the fleet alone could not take the place.
Bomarsund, indeed, might well be considered the Sebastopol of the
Baltic, its evident object being to overawe the neighbouring kingdoms of
Sweden and Denmark. Its destruction, therefore, was of the greatest
importance. The allied fleet lay at anchor at Ledsund, about eightee