It was too windy to open fire from bomb or gunboats, and scarcely a shot was fired on either side till late in the afternoon, when a steamer, with an Admiral's flag at the mizen, and supposed to be the " Valorous," with Sir Edmund Lyons or Sir Houston Stewart on board, seemed to leave the fleet, and to fijrce the passage, amid a good deal of firing, but we are so far to the southward, and the day is so hazy, that it is impossible to make out what takes place. The steamer now apparently lies very near the fort, with a French steamer of equal size close to her. These steamers, aided by two or three of the gun-boats, opened fire at 3 p.m., which continued till 3'35 p.m., at the rate of a couple of guns in the minute, and which was returned by the Russians, but no apparent effect was produced by either side; and the Russian shells, as usual, burst high in the air, long before their flight was completed.
The works are beginning to assume shape, and to gather strength at every shovel-throw of earth, so that in a couple of days the Russians will find intrenchments between them and Kinburn, whichever way they turn. The intrenched camp will present one line of works towards the fort, and another about half-a-mile in the rear towards Cherson, the flanks being open to the sea at each extremity, so as to be covered by the guns of the shipping. The French take the trench facing Kinburn, and may be considered as the army of operations against the place — the English guard the rear against any attack from Cherson. It would seem as if the French were going to proceed against the obstinate old Governor of Kinburn by regular approaches, and to sap up within battering distance, if he holds out in spite of the fleet.
October 17, 5 p.m. Kinburn has fallen, after a short but most desperate defence. Early this morning, the Russians perceiving that the French had crept up dm'ing the night to the ruined village, and were busily engaged in making their first parallel, under cover of the houses, at about 700 or G50 yards from the place, opened a brisk fire upon them from the guns en barbette in the eastern curtain j and were answered by two French field-pieces from the screen of a broken wall. It was a dull, gi-ey dawn, with wind off the shore, and the sea quite calm. The fleet was perfectly still, but the mortar-vessels, floating batteries, and gun-boats were getting up steam, and before nine o'clock they might be eeen leaving the rest of the armada, and making for the south side of the fort.
The three floating batteries took up a position close in with the casemates, and the mortarvessels and gun-boats were drawn up further away, and more to the eastward, so as to attack the angle of the fort, and fight the guns which were on the curtains en harbefte. The floating batteries opened with a magniiieent crash, at 9"30 a.m., and one in particular distinguished itself for the regularity, precision, and weight of its fire throughout the day. The enemy replied with ahvcrity, and his batteries must have been put to a severe test, for the water was splashed into pillars by shot all over them. At 10' 10 the bombs opened fire. At ll-lO a fire broke out in the long barrack, and speedily spread fi'om end to end of the fort, driving the artiller3'men from their guns.
Small explosions of supply ammunition took place inside. At 11'15 the Russian Jack was shot away, and was not replaced; the firing became tremendous. Admiral Stewart, in the "Valorous," and the French Admiral (second in command), in the " Asmodee," followed by eleven steamers, came round the Spit Batteiy into Cherson Bay, delivering broadsides and engaging the batteries as they passed, and they were preceded by the " Hannibal," which ripped up Kinbum with her broadsides. The fire raged more furiously, fed by constant bombs and rockets, and at 12'35 a fresh conflagration burst out in the fort. At the same time the "Valorous," "Asmodee," and steam frigates opened their broadsides, and the nine line-of-battle ships approached in magnificent style, and took up their position at the seaward face of the fort, already seriously damaged by the tremendous fire of the floating batteries, gun-boats, and mortar-vessels.