In order to give the mortar vessels the easiest possible ride, Dundas and Penaud made imaginative use of their other resources. The warships stood off to each flank and engaged the Russian flank batteries, to limit the threat of enfilade fire. The gun boats manoeuvred in front of the main defences, engaging them to draw their fire away from the mortars. By skilful navigation they ensured the plan was broadly successful, though a few were put out of action when they strayed within range of the sharp and accurate Russian gunners.
After a few hours continuous mortar bomb attack, the allies started achieving spectacular results. By 10 a.m an uncontrollable fire was raging on Oster-Svarto; dull explosions followed on Vartoe and an hour later much of it too was ablaze. The most spectacular explosion occurred around midday on Gustavsfvard, when a bomb fell on a magazine containing three hundred charged projectiles. "It was like a volcano in a state of eruption" reported the Times "vomiting forth light, shells, roofs of houses and beams of timber."
Around this time, the Lancaster gunboats forced the Russland guarding the eastern channel to withdraw - the way was now open into the port, but the Russian batteries, whilst silent for long periods when nothing was in range, soon put down a curtain of fire when the imprudent strayed too far forward. Captain Yelverton made this mistake on the other flank. The bold captain, who seems to have enjoyed complete freedom to do as he liked, reckoned he had silenced the Russian batteries and lowered boats with landing parties which immediately came under heavy fire compelling him to beat a hasty retreat behind the nearest islet. Russian gunboats also saw off the steamship Hastings on the eastern flank. The Cornwallis could count nineteen shots in her hull. Additionally, the Russians had a strong army presence - the allies had none. So any thoughts of penetrating into the port to carry out a landing were quickly dismissed.
Since it was not practical to bring down effective mortar fire from a vessel after dark, the general cannonade ceased at sunset. "Our mortar practice during the day has been beautiful" wrote The Times correspondent with the aesthetic sensitivity of a hardened old sea dog, as he probably was - they had to remain anonymous to avoid court-martial - "and all the young officers in charge of them deserve the greatest credit, each of them worked and fired his own mortar himself, and there was scarcely one that did not tell."
