As Admiral Dundas had noted, the coastal defenses' cannons were entirely ineffective against the Allied Fleet due to their range limitations. The coastal artillery shells fiercely flew toward the sea where the Allied Fleet was stationed, but fell short of the target area by about 20 meters.
The explosions echoed from the seabed, spewing up sheets of spray, but left the United Fleet unharmed.
Moreover, due to the nature of the surprise attack by the United Fleet, the ships docked at the port were equally unprepared for battle.
When the Anglo-French Combined Fleet suddenly appeared in the port, the Russian Imperial Navy displayed its inferior capacity for improvisation. Without coordinated command, the Russian fleet was thrown into chaos before they even engaged in proper combat. Some of the Russian Imperial ships collided with each other, causing a temporary loss of control.
