The Express.
London, England, 1853-06-09 00:00:00

THE

TURKEY.

Letters in the Prose speak of a report in Con-
stantinople, that the Russian army of Bessarabia
had been reinforced by four regiments of infantry
and two of cavalry, which would bring it up to an
effective force of 160,000 men. Vice-Admiral Kor-
nileff and the Engineer-General of the Russian army
were pretty openly making preparations for crossing
the Prath.

Yesterday letters arrived in London, brought by
the Leonidas, which left Constantinople on the 26th
alt. At that date the greatest energy was displayed
in the military and naval departments of the Ottoman
government for resisting the apprehended aggres-
sions of Russia. For a week previously European
engineers, chiefly Prussians, had been engaged in
reinforcing the castles and other defences on the
Bosphorus, and a large number of heavy guns had
been sent thither. The departure of M. Ozeroff and
the Russian legation only confirmed the resolution
of the Turks to make a formidable, but by
by no means despairing defence. New succours were
daily promised the Sultan by his subjects, whose
enthusiastic devotion has been inflamed by the de-
termination displayed by their monarch. News had
been received from Jassy to the effect that M. So-
phronias Niglesko, the Metropolitan of Moldasia,
has joined the Patriarch of Constantinople in his
protest against a Russian protectorate, and besought
the Porte that the liberties of the Eastern church
may be placed under the guarantee of the European
powers generally. The publication of the Sultan's
firmans at Jerusalem on the 12th produced, it is said,
an excellent effect upon the Greek population there.
The German papers publish letters from Warsaw
to the effect that the 4th Russian corps d'arnage, or-
dered to concentrate on or before the 10th inst. in the
vicinity of Kemenetz, near the confluence of the
Podhorzo with the Dniester, opposite the northern-
most extremity of Moldavia, was to pass the frontier
immediately after the above date, unless counter-
orders should be received ; and further, that the sth
corps d'armee, concentrated on the left Pruth bank,
north of Giurgulest, has made every preparation for
throwing a pontoon bridge over that river, and will
move simultaneously upon Galatz. Correspondents
writing from Berlin and Vienna differ widely in
their estimate of the probabilities of war. While
some dwell upon the moderation for which the Czar
has gained a certain repute, and conclude that a tem-
porary occupation of Moldo-Wallachia will not be
attempted in the face of Europe, others urge that the
Czar has been doing little else than prepare this very
war for these twenty years; that it is his ono idea;
that by the apathy of the present English govern-
ment he has been misled into the belief that Great
Britain will not oppose him with energy, and that
now it is too late to withdraw with honour. The
4th and sth army corps, now on the Turkish frontier,
are said to have a strength of 120,000 men. These
forces were, it is said, to cross the Pruth in the
event of the rejection of the summons which has been
again sent to Constantinople by special messenger
from St. Petersburg.
As the Leonidas, from Constantinople, passed
Malta on the 2nd inst., the British fleet was still
in harbour there. On the sth the Caradoc, war-
steamer, left Marseilles, having taken on board Mr.
Tucker, Queen's messenger, who is the bearer of
despatches for Admiral Deaden.