Petersburg,
30 June. A letter from Cronstadt dated 23 June described the unexpected visit
of the emperor the 20th on board of the admiral’s ship Azov 23.00 o’clock in
the evening. At the same moment 2 gunshots warned the officers and sailors who
were on land to return to the ship. At 3.00 in the morning were the squadron signalled
to depart and the admiral’s flag and the imperial standard on board of the Azov
were hoisted at 4.00 and saluted by all ships and the fortresses of Cronstadt,
Kroon-slot and Bisbank with 2.000 gunshots. Thanks to a calm and favourable
wind arrived the whole fleet the sea and manoeuvred the 21st as sighted by the
emperor off Krasnaia Gorka. In the evening the squadron was ordered to continue
the voyage, while the emperor returned at Kronstadt with the yacht Torneo towed
by a steamship and from there he went towards Peterhoff.
