About one o'clock to-day the fleet began to perform a variety of evolutions which were quite enough to craze any landsman who might A\ash to unravel them. Some ships went one way, some another; two or three steamers stai'ted oif straight for Eupatoria, others rushed at full speed for Kamiesch; the French floating battery made a feint of going in to attack the forts, then stopped short and blew ofl' steam. Sir Edmund Lyons weighed anchor and made a great number of signals. Much smoke came out of the funnels and steam out of the pipes; but after looking at the vessels tmsting and twining and tm-ning and circUng for some time, and finding myself becoming utterly bewildered, I ceased to gaze seaward any longer.
The affau" ended, I believe, by the majority of the vessels sailing towards Cape Aiga. It is no harm to state that om* ever-active allies the French are constructing a breaching battery between Fort Nicholas and the ruins of Fort Alexander. This is intended to act against Fort Constantine, and will be placed in such a position that the enemy can only avail themselves of three or fom* embrasures in reply. The statement can do no injury, because the Russians see the French at work on the battery, know its position, and for what it is intended, and fire at the working paiiies from time to timeBesides, the battery will be quite ready before this letter can reach England. The Russians have placed an enormous quantity of sand-bags and earth on the roof of Fort Constantine, and have m.ade regular traverses and embrasures for the guns formerly mounted there en harhette.
Some of the boats of the fleet crept in a night or two ago, got through the booms and marine clievaux defi'ise, and came right round to the Dockyard Creek. The Russians also steal about the harbour at night in their rowboats and flats, a number of which are in the creeks and up the bend of the Soukhaya. Captain Chapman, of the 20th Eegiment, Avas buried to-day. For some time past he had been acting as Assistant Engineer under his distinguished relative, Colonel Chapman, R.E., and he had not long retiirned from sick-leave at Therapia, when he was called upon to take his share in the assault on the 8th, during which he was wounded in the knee: of that wound the gallant and lamented officer died yesterday.
Scptemhcr 22,10 a.m. Tlie fleet, which sailed and steamed round towards Ealaklava yesterday, is now returning. Several of the vessels, which appear to be full of troops, are on their way towards Eupatoria, and others are passing by Fort Constantine, which has directed some shot and shell at the nearest. The 17th French Regiment is on the march from Ivamiesch towards Inkermann. Two fires were observed on the north side last night, and it is likely the Riassians are consuming their old stores.