The Express.
London, England, 1853-11-18 00:00:00

RUSSIA AND TURKEY.

Au army surgeon writes from Bucharest, on the
4th, as follows :—" In utter ignorance of what is
going on a few miles from this plac,. (for all commu-
nications and reports are strictly forbidden), I write
these few lines just to say that we aro quite overdone
with sick and wounded. Besides Brancovan, Kolza
(formerly a prison), Kaduwoda, Michavi-woda, and
Brenta Pustulni, are full, and many other temporary
hospitals have been opened. There is a great want
of surgeons, for already we have wounded soldiers
from Olteeitza, Kalarasch, Giargewo, Kalafat, and
from before Krajowa. Judging from the transport
of sick and wounded, there must have been very
hard fighting at those places. It is especially noticed
that a large proportion of the men have sword and
bayonet wounds, as if they had been engaged in •
hand to hand conflict. The cholera has found victims
in all the detachments of the army, but its malignity
is abated. On the other hand typhus is very preva-
lent. One of the great evils of the Russian army
here is the practice of lodging the men in huts par-
tially excavated in the earth, and not sufficiently
protected against the weather. The men cannot
stand against its injurious effects, especially in the
absence of fuel, of which there is a great lack. The
present state of things cannot long continue without
leading to endemic and epidemic diseases, from which
may Heaven preserve us, in whose memories the
horrors of war and plague in the Balkan, in 1829,
are still fresh."
Letters from Semlin state that the Turks were still
passing over from Widdin to Kalafat, on the bth,
with guns and ammunition. It was believed that
they were constructing some important works there,
as Umi Pacha refused to allow an Austrian steamer,
on its way up the river, to toneh. Prince Gortscha-
koff had ordered General Fischbach to advance from
Krajowa with 4,000 infantry, eight squadrons of
horse, and two field trains, to drive the Turks over
the Danube. Semi Pacha, upon hearing of this
movement, sent out a force to meet the general and
give him a befitting reception. According to later
news received in Vienna by telegraph, the Turks and
Russians were both strongly posted near Krajows,
from which it is to be inferred that since the affairs
of Oltenitza and Giurgewo the prince had counter-
manded the order to General Fischbach.

Letters from Bucharest show the total ignorance
prevailing among the inhabitants of that city regard-
ing the progress of the war within 40 miles of them.
Although the conflict in the neighbourhood of Often-
itsa had been going on for three days, and had
already resulted in serious disaster to the Russians,
no news to that effect had been allowed by Prince
Gortscbakoff to transpire op to the sth inst. Advice.
received in the City are to that date, from a firm
who announce that they were loading wheat at
Oltenitsa for London, as if nothing out of the ordi-
nary course of affairs had taken place. The following
bulletin
bulletin printed in French and Russian, was posted
up at Bucharest on the sth, by order of Prince
Gortschakoff :—" Taking advantage of a very thick
fog, the Turks occupied an island opposite Turtukai,
and afterwards crossed to the left bank of the Danube.
Yesterday a forced reconnoissance of tbe advanced-
guard of the imperial troop drove them back into
the entrenchments which they had thrown up on
the border of the river."

The Univers publishes a letter from Bucharest of
the 31st ult., containing the following facts, the
truth of which, it says, it guarantees:
After the publieatist of the first manifesto of the Em-
peror Nicholas, concluding with these words, " We will
march to defend the orthodox faith," two Poles belonging
to a regiment serving in Bessarabia having heard of the
manifesto, waited on the colonel, and said to him, " We
have just read the Emperor's manifesto, and as we desire to
act as good soldiers we come to ask for our discharge,
because, as good catholica, we cannot fight for the Greek
religion." The colonel wrote to St. Petersburg for iastrne-
bons how to act, and was commanded to have the two soldiers
shot. Four others, who made the same observations, met
the awns fats in Moldavia
Our Correspondent writes :
CONSTANTINOPLE, Nov. 3.
On the let inst. two Tatars arrived at Constanti-
nople front Widdin, which they left on the 29th ult.,
with tidings that on the 28th General Ismael Bache
passed the Danube at Kalafat, with 25,000 men, and
20 guns. The entire body passed over in leas than
24 hours. The Russians at first made a tolerably

brisk resistance, but afterwards withdrew towards
Krajows, leaving some guns in the hands of the
Turks, who have fortified themselves in this position 1
expecting further reinforcements. Omer Paella was
to visit Widdin on the let of November.
On Sunday last, about two o'clock in the after-
noon. the French war steamer Solon arrived from
flesika with depatches for M. de la Cour. She
steamed up to Thempia, waited there under steam
until 11 o'clock at night, and then left to rejoin the
squadron. Next morning the Chaptal arrived and
also went to Therapia. Sbe returned at noon and
went to join the French division, which has been at
anchor since Sunday evening near San Stefano, ex-
pecting the English division. The French division
i which s under the command of Admiral Barbier de

Titian consists of the Henri IV., the Jupiter, the
Oomer steam-frigate, with the admiral's flag, the
fierce, the Magellan, and the ChaetaL The day
before yesterday Admiral Dundee arrived in a steam-
frigate. His flag war saluted in passing the San
Stefano by the Jupiter. Admiral Hamelin arrived
shortly afterwards in the French frigate Mugador.
On the same day rho English ship Vengeance was
towed up the Bosphorus by two steam-frigates, and
is now anchored at Beycos. The Albion has cast
anchor before Psamatia, ;and near the French ship
Jupiter. The Henri IV., towed by the Magellan
and Sane, also took up her station at Beycos.
The steamer from Trebizond brought despatches
of great interest from Selim Fuchs, who is directing
the operations of the Turkish forces near Eaten. On
the 24th ult., an engagement, brought on probably
without any intention on either side, took place on the
Tchonrouk-sou. It had been known to the Turks that
the Russians were, fur some purpose or other,
strengthening their position on the other side of the
river, and when Masaar Bey was making a recon-
noissance with a small force he was received with a
fire of musketry from the other side. The noise of
the firing attracted other corps on each side, and
Selim Pacha coming up with some troops of the
Mum and Bashi Bosouke, a fierce engagement
ensued. The Tehourouk was crossed, and the Rus-
sian post on the other side attacked and carried.
A fuller account of the engagement spoken of by
our correspondent is given in the subjoined letter :
"On the 14th Major Massa Bey, having been sent
forward by a company to reconnoitre the fortifica-
tions that the Russians were making at the other side
of the Tchourouk-sou, was received by a fire of mus-
ketry, which he immediately returned; and on
sending for a reinforcement. Seltm Pacha despatched
several battalions to his aid. The Russians having
in the meantime also increased in number, an
engagement ensued, which soon became general.
Selim Puha crossed the Tchourouk-sou at several
points, and drove the Russians back, after encoun-
wring a very serious resistance. The Russians
were obliged to retreat, pursued as far as Orelii by-
the Turkish general, Hassan Pubs. The bulk of
the Russian forces receded to Chevkedy. In this
first action the Turks took two pieces of artillery
from the Russians, and made 144 prisoners—the Rus-
sians losing 600 men, between dead and wounded.
At Chevkedy a moat determined fight has, however,
taken place. The Russians had received reinforce-
ments there, and then made a stout resistance.
Selim Pacha took the town by storm, being obliged
to attack the place twice. The Russians rare way
at last, leaving a great number dead, three cannon,
and upwards of 100 prisoners, amongst whom was
Colonel Klatt, a chief of the Cossacks. The Turks
captured 3,000 sacks of flour, a great deal of ammu-
nition, and 1,600 muskets. Five of the Russian
prisoners were brought to Constantinople by Edhem
Effendi, the rest are shortly expected, a steamer
having been sent to Batum expressly to fetch
them. Selim Pacha concludes his despatch by an-
nouncing that he is about to march on Sohoun
Kale, two regiments of cavalry and three batteries of
field artillery having been sent in pursuit of the
enemy. Before surrendering Chevkedy the Russians
set fire to different quarters of the town, burning a
great portion of it. The principal object of Hassan
Pacha in pushing on is to keep open the communica-
tions between Salim Pacha and Abdi Pacha. The
Turks state their loss at the passage:of Tchourouk-sou
to have been 60 dead'and 150 wounded, and at Chev-
kedy 150 dead and 300 wounded."
rely Pacha, the Ottoman ambassador in Paris, has
just purchased 40,000 new muskets and carahines de
Vincennes, for which ho at once paid two millions of
francs.
The Prease of Vienna intimates that Lesser 'Wal-
lachia was chosen by Omer I'acha as the first territory
to be occupied on account of the resolute and friendly
character of its people. The capital, Krajowa, which
is inhabited by a powerful and warlike race, is ex-
tremely anti-Russian, and in 1848, when the Lesser
Wallachia resolved to attempt to shake offe the pro-
tection of Russia, the little province had 40,000 men
under arms. Some of the recent ordinances plainly
show that the Russian commander does not repose
any great confidence in the Idoldo-Wallachian mi-
litia, which is 45,000 strong. Should the Turks win
one pitched battle, the people would begin to move,
and the Russians would require a powerful reserve
army to keep the Principalities quiet.
We read in the Sleek :
Letters from Bucharest positively state that the loss of
the Russians at Oltenitra amounts to 3,000 killed or
wounded. It is this fact, according to these letters, which
is said to have determined Prince Gortsehakoff not to renew
the attack with 21.000 men, as he had decided on doing in
a first movement of anger, which was very natural, after a
defeat inflicted by the Turks on the Russians, who affected
to treat them as enemies unworthy of them. The general
opinion is, however, that a decisive affair will take place
from the 12th to the 15th, fur the season urges ea Omer
Pacha to act. It is positively stated that the private tele-
graphic de/patches relative to the war are now stopped at
Berlin. The despatches from government to government
and from embassy to embassy will alone have free passage
on the line. If suck a measure lies been really adopted,
the public will have the news a little later, but will be
better protected against false news. One letter does not
arrive alone at Paris, and if it curtails or transforms the
truth, others re-establish it, and the news resumes a sincere
physiognomy.
Letters received yesterday from St. Petersburg
state that the Czar has made known to the European
courts that all further negotiations or mediation is
out of the question while the Turks are on the left
bank of the Danube, and while the Sultan's declara-
tion of war is not withdrawn. As the letters from
Constantinople report a corresponding resolution on
the part of the Porte, we may safely disregard the
rumours of new notes which arrive from Trieste or
elsewhere.

From Kalisch it is stated that as soon as Prince
Paakiewitch returned to Warsaw he ordered several
generals of his staff to betake themselves at once to
the Principalities, where they would be employed in
their several capacities. Lieut.-General Lazareff
Staniacheff was ordered to proceed to the fortress of
Bobinisk,in the government of Mohilem, and conduct
thence to Wallachia the siege train with which the
Russians fancy they shall make short work with the
Turkish fortresses. It is, however, considered very
doubtful whether the train can be conveyed so far as
Bucharest before spring, or at least before a hard
frost solidifies the long, miry, and sodden roads.
Prince de Radziwill, one of the suite of the Emperor,
I has arrived at Warsaw with despatches from the
Governor-General. All the Russian officers who are
abroad are returning to Russia,
Letters from St. Petersburg, of the 3rd inst., an-
nounce that a new levy of troops, in the proportion
of seven men to every thousand inhabitants, has
been commenced throughout the entire of the eastern
part of the Russian empire.
The Independance Beige says, on the authority of
correspondence from Constantinople of Nov. 3, that
it was proposed by the Ambassadors that only a
small part of the fleets should come to Constanti-
nople, the main body remaining in the Sea of
Marmon. Admirals Hamelin and Duodas objected
to have their forces thus cut in two, and " in spite of
the opposition of Lord Stratford de Radcliffe," all
the ships were ultimately sent for.