History of the Baltic Campaign of 1854, from Documents and Other Materials Furnished by Vice-Admiral Sir C. Napier

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The first action of the war with Russia took place on 18 April 1854, when British and French ships bombarded Odessa, but formidable though the allied naval forces were in the Black Sea a more powerful British fleet had been assembled for operations far removed from the Crimea. Impelled by public opinion, the British Government had declared war on 17 March, but such a step had seemed inevitable for some time and, more than two weeks before, the massive Baltic fleet had sailed from Spithead after being reviewed by Queen Victoria. Nevertheless, Admiral Sir Charles Napier, who was in command, received his orders suddenly and the fleet of over 40 ships and 3,200 men was not in a proper state of preparedness. Napier set forth with several objectives. Besides attempting to influence the Scandinavian countries to join the alliance it was hoped to blockade the Russian ports, to destroy enemy shipping wherever it might be found and possibly engage in operations ashore should an opportunity occur.