THE COMBINED FLEETS IN THE PACIFIC.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XIII, Issue 705, 27 January 1855, Page 3

THE COMBINED FLEETS IN THE PACIFIC.

[From the Sydney Morning Herald."]

By the arrival of ths Alice, we received a number of the Placer Times ot the 4th October, containing the following interesting account of the first collision of the allied forces with those of Russia in the North Western Pacific. The result does not seem to hs entirely satisfactory, but we have no doubt that ere this the combined fleets have renewed their attack on tbe fortr-ess of Petropoiorski, and have reduced it.

A more detailed account of the action was contained in the paper of the following day, but unfortunately a copy was not procurable to bring on by the Alice.

PETROPOLOVSKI ATrACKED BY THE ALLIED FORCES. By the arrival last night of the French frigates Forte and Euridice, and the French brig Obligado, we have stirring news from the first scene of conflict betv. een the allied powers and the Russians, on the Pacific. On the Ist and 4th of September an attack was made by the. combined fleet upon tho fortress of Petropolovski. The English vessels of war comprised the President, the Pique, and the Virago, and the French the Forte, Euridice, and the Obligado. The action was a rcrv severe one, tbe English vessels firing 3»Ci;a« balls. Two of the Russia**,, batteries were destroyed and two crippled. The loss on the side of the latter was very hea^y, but is not ascertained. Of the English and Freucb forces, sixty- four men fell during the assault. Tbe Russian frigate Aurora, of forty- four guns, and the Diana of twenty guns, were moored inside and protected by s«nd banks, behind which they operated as baltwie] beyond the reach of the French and Engliau. One of tbe English vessels suffered severely I- i»)ft fight, having lost her foremast, but the fleet is expscted to arrivs in the course of a few days, and we suppose will be recruited by tbe addition of the Amphitrite and Trincomalee, which, with tbe French corvette Artemese, are now cruising on oar coast. The combined fleet of five British tod four French will then- probably proceed to Petropolovski and complete the work. When leaving the port and a abort £alaoc« outside, the Russian merchantman Siuta wu captured by the allied forces, and tent to V««~

eouver. A R<mian supply vessel was also taken and burnt. Throughout the siege, we learn that the Russians fought with great courage, as the result prove?. The information afforded in regard to the details of the battle ib, however, meagre and unsatisfactory. It does not appear tbat the British and French hare come off with any very distinguished honour, but they may fare better on a second trial. The defences of Petropolovski undoubtedly render its capture quite a formidable undertaking. The Forte is a ship of 60 guns, the Euridice of 30 guns, and the Obligado of 30 guns. The fleet is anchored off North Beach. The Russian •hip Sitka was captured on the Bth of September. She carried 10 guns, a crew of 35 men, and had 25 passengers. The crew and passen • gers were taken on board the Forte and Euridice, and the ship was taken charge of by the President, Pique, and steamer Virago, to be conveyed to Vancouver's Island. The Sitka was loaded with provisions for the Russian settlements, and had touched at Ay an, where she discharged part of her cargo, and was bound thence to Petropolovski, when she fell in with.the fleet and surrendered at discretion, declining to engage in a conflict with the odds seven to one. It ia supposed by the Euridice that one American vessel was lying at Petropoloveki (probably the brig Nople). Off the Sandwich Islands, a Dutch ship, 130 days from Hongkong, for San Francisco, was spoken, short of water, and intending to put in at Honolulu. Her name is not learned.

The death of ths English Admiral, Price, occurred on the 31st August, and was not caused by a yround received in the siege, but, as we gather the facts, from the discharge of a pistol which he was picking up. '1 here is no reason to suppose that the act was premeditated, and the conclusion is that this unfortunate accident was purely accidental. Captain Frederick, of the Amphitrite, succeeds in command of the fleet. A bearer of despatches for England has arrived in the Forte, and will leave in the •tearaer of the middle of the month. The French fleet has been twenty-six days from Petropolovski. We regret that during the presence of so large a French and British force in our harbour, there are none of our own vessels of war- here of a large class, to reciprocate those national courtesies so appropriate to the occasion. An the U. S. steam frigates Susquehanna and Mis•Usipi are shortly expected from China and Japan, we hope they may arrive before our •European friends take their departure.