sh of the exploit. Both Commander
Bythesea and William Johnstone obtained the Victoria Cross.

ATTACK ON VIBORG--13TH JULY 1855.

The _Arrogant_, Captain Yelverton, having been joined by the
_Magicienne_, Captain Vansittart, proceeded with the _Ruby_ gunboat
along the coast to Kounda Bay, where a large body of Cossack troops were
encamped. The _Ruby_ and the boats of the two ships stood in, and
dislodged the enemy with shells and rockets. In spite of a fire kept up
on them from behind hedges, they landed; but as it was found that the
place contained only private property, it was not injured.

Next morning Captain Yelverton, having driven some soldiers from a
station at the mouth of the Portsoiki river, and destroyed some barracks
and stores, proceeded off Viborg. Here the ships anchored as close as
they could get to the island of Stralsund. An expedition was at once
formed to look into Viborg. It consisted of the _Ruby_, commanded by
Mr Hale, mate, and the boats of the _Arrogant_, commanded by
Lieutenants Haggard and Woolcombe, and those of the _Magicienne_, under
the command of Lieutenants King and Loady; Captains Yelverton and
Vansittart, with Captain Lowdes, R.M., in command of a strong detachment
of marines, going on board the _Ruby_, which steamer towed the boats.
The expedition having opened the bay of Trangsund, a Russian man-of-war
steamer, with two large gunboats in tow, was seen not far off.

This novel and unexpected sight of a Russian man-of-war for once clear
of a stone wall, and to all appearance prepared for a fair and honest
fight, created the greatest enthusiasm among men and officers. The
_Ruby_ at once opened fire on her, and compelled her to retire out of
range, with some damage. The entrance of the Sound being reached,
Viborg was now in sight, and there was a fair prospect of attacking
three large gunboats lying with another steamer under an island about a
mile off, when suddenly an impenetrable barrier was found to have been
thrown across the passage. At the same moment, at about 350 yards off,
a masked battery on the left opened on the _Ruby_ and boats, which they,
however, kept in check by an ably-directed return fire.

The enemy's steamer and gunboats now approached from under the island,
and opened fire on the expedition. As it was impossible to get the
_Ruby_ through the barrier, Captain Yelverton ordered her other boats to
return towards Stralsund,--the enemy's riflemen, who fol