LORD DUNDONALD'S DEVASTATOR.

New Zealander, Volume 11, Issue 988, 3 October 1855, Page 3

LORD DUNDONALD'S DEVASTATOR.

At a moment when so much attention is given to plans submitted to Gov-nmi. Nt liy Lord DomionaUi (formerly Lord Cochrane), f r die destruction of Sebastopol, the following < xtract from a letter Irani an officer engaged in Lord Cochrane's daring enterprise and victory, barque it,.ads, ISO 9, w ill be read with interest : “ Lord Cochrane caused ..Lout J,h. O laurels of gunpowder to be start 'd into puncheons, which w ere placed end upwards. Upon the tops of these were placed between 300 and 400 shells, charged, with fuses; and, a ;ain, among and upon these were between 2,000 and 3,000 hand grenades, The puncheons w re fastened to each other by cables fastened round them, ami jammed together with wedges, and moistened sand was rammed down between these casks, so as render the whole, from stein to stern, as solid a-, poss.ble, that the resistance might render the exp'o-dou moie violent lu this immense* instrument of destruction Loid Cochran* committed himself, with only one lieutenant and (our seamen; and after the boom was broken, his lordship proceeded with this exj lesion ship towards the enemy’s line. Let it he re< ode ted that at this moment tin; t: itenes on shore were provided widi furnaces to lire red-hot shot, and then Ins lordship’s d n er in this enterprise may be properly conceived. The wind blew a gaie, and the tide ran three knots an hour. \\ ben the blue lighiAof the fire ships w ere discover! d one of the en: my’s sign d ships made the signal for (ire-ships, which being also a blue light, the enemy foil into great confusion, tiring upon her with 'ery injurious effect, and directly cut their cables. When Lied Cochrane had conducted his explosion shqi as near as possible, tim hoi my having taken (he alarm, he ordered Ins brave little crew into the boat, anti followed tliuu, after put tin) liie to (he fuse, which was calculated lo give them fifteen minutes lu get of the reach of the explosion. However in consequence of the wind getting very high, the fuse burnt too quickly, so that with the most violent exertion against wind and tide, this intrepid little party was six minutes nearer than they c Undated to be at the time when tin* most tremendous explosion that human nit ever contrived look place, followed by the bursting at once in the air of near du() shells and 3,00*.1 hand grenades, pouring down a sl.owm of cast ninial in every direction 1 hut, foriuuniely, our second M *Uon wa* spared, the boat having reached, by unparalleled exertion ouiy ju.st beyond the extent of destruction. Uah qvily, this effort lo escape cost the li e of th * brave lieuten ant, whom this noble captain >aw die in the bom, partly under laiigu*, and pa.tly drowned with waves tliai continually hrol<e over thorn. Two ol the four s.ilurs were also so nearly exhausted that their recovery is despaired of, The repetition ol his explosions was so dreaded by the enemy that they apprehended an equal explosion in every fire-ship, ami iinmediatcdy crowd ng all sad, mu before wind and tale so fast tli ■ t the fireships, though at first very mar, could not overtake them before they were higli and dry on shore, except three seventy-fours, besides th ; Calcu ta. which wore afterwards engaged, taken, and burnt.’