There is no other power in the world to which it is relatively so inordinately expensive to maintain a maritime force, notwithstanding the scanty pay of the seamen, nor any to whom it is relatively of so little advantage, as to Russia. Besides the above-mentioned causes for the excessive cost of the Russian navy, there are some peculiarities in the two chief ports which greatly tend to increase it ; namely, the fresh water at Cronstadt, which makes the vessels decay rapidly ; while in the salt water of Sevastopol there is a most pitiless foe, a small worm, which is rapidly and extensively destructive to ship-timber. It is asserted, that from these causes alone, the duration of a Russian ship is equal to only half that of a French or Enghsh vessel. If tliis last fact be correct, and it is admitted by a recent Russian traveller, who calls the worm, " teredo navaUs," two things must be certain, — that the timbers of many Russian ships must be in a very unsound condition, and that their repairs must cost enormous sums. Undeniably, the great expense of Russia for her navy, other relations and circumstances considered, must be classed among the expenses of luxmy. Taken at the minimum, the cost of repairs, equipment, &c., of 350 ships, the pay of the 50,000 sailors and marines, the maintenance of the harbours, twelve in number, of the seventeen hospitalstations for the fleet, and of the schools and institutions connected with the sea at St. Petersbiu-g, Cronstadt, Nikolayefl^, Arkhangel, Kherson, and Odessa, must amount to a yearly sum of sixty millions of rubles. Within the last eleven years, the gross amount cannot be much short of 700 millions ; that is, it has swallowed up sixteen times the revenue of Poland, while some expeditions to North America, and the transport of some troops to Constantinople and the Caucasus, excepted, notliing has been gained by it. A fleet is scarcely necessary to Russia under her present relations, and must be maintained with a view to the future. Russia must be keeping her fleet in readiness to occupy better ports, when she gets them. Wlien Russia is in possession of the Bosphorus and the Sound, her fleet will then become a necessity, will then obtain weight and significance In the state ; at present it is nothing but a burden to the country, and perhaps the more dangerous to others on that very account, for Russia will make some effort to rid herself of her burden.
Among the first things which strike a traveller in St. Petersburg are a kind of small towers, seen here and there over the toj)S of the houses. They are not very high, though sufficiently so to command a view over the quarter to which they belong ; round, and pierced with rows of small windows one above another, surrounded by a gallery, and surmounted by a midtitude of iron rods and fastenings, the use of which is not very evident at first sight. These are the towers of the Slashes, or police stations, which serve as watch-towers against the two elements most formidable to St. Petersburg, fire and water. Day and night these galleries are paced by a couple of veterans wrapped in their sheepskins, who keep a vigilant look out upon their quarter. The rron poles belong to a telegraphic apparatus, intended to announce the approach or the occurrence of danger to the police and the public.
To announce danger from the water they have red flags ; for danger from fire (In the day) globular balls of black striped leather, or sackcloth, and for fire by night, red-coloured lamps. Of every class of signs there are four pieces always at hand, which, arranged in various figures and constellations, indicate the quarter of the city threatened. Each part of the city has its peculiar figure. These four signs are amply sufficient for the twelve divisions of St. Petersburg, as they can be arranged in more than thirty different constellations, as thus :