The Express.
London, England, 1853-11-09 00:00:00

RUSSIA AND TURKEY.

Letters from Paris state that neither the French
government nor the Turkish and Austrian embassies
know anything of battles having been fought be-
tween the Russians and Turk.; on the Danube; only
slight skirmishes of outposts had taken place.
Some particulars transmitted from Constantinople
were given yesterday in our columns respecting an
engagement said to have taken place between the
Turks and Russians in Asia, in which the Turks
were victorious. We notice the same event recorded
in several foreign newspapers, in all of which the
victory is ascribed to the Sultan's troops.

The failure of negotiations is fully confirmed. The
vaunted Olmutz concessions were from first to last
illusory and unreal. In truth, however, as has re-
peatedly been shown in these columns, they never
pretended to the extent assigned to them by the
organs of Russia in London and Paris. Hitherto
the Turk only has offered to make real sacrifices for
the sake of peace. Letters from St. Petersburg state
that the Czar is incessantly repeating that the
present quarrel concerns Russia and Turkey alone,
and that he will permit the interference of no other
power, a view which, it is needless to say, will not
be taken by the statesmen of Europe while the terri-
torial bilauce remains deranged by the presence of
Russian soldiers in a Turkish province.
The Oat Deutsche Post of Vienna, of the 3rd, says:
"News has just been received by an electric despatch
that an European congress is to meet in London, and
to deal with the Eastern question. In addition to
the plenipotentiaries of the five great powers, there
will also be an Ottoman one present. We have not
read the despatch, but place entire reliance on it."
This is a very old story, and probably as veracious
now as at any previous moment of the dispute.
The Vienna Presse learns by a letter of the 30th
October, from Orsova, that a very smart affair has
, taken place between the Turkish vanguard and about
2,300 Russian lancers. The conflict occurred at no
great distance from Krajova, on the road between
that place and Kalefat, and after two hours' fight-
ing the Russian vanguard fell bask towards Slatina.
The Lloyds of Vienna, of the 3rd, says that there
has not been any combat between the Russians and
Turks near Kalefat. On Sunday the 30th ult.
the Russian head-quarters were at Krajova. The
Turks have not advanced beyond Skripez.
A letter of the 24th from Jassy, in the Trieste
Zeituny, shows that the strength of the Russian army
io the Principalities has been much exaggerated.
Instead of the 120,000 men which, according to the
standard number of the occupying corps, ought to be
there, we learn that there are 75,000 men in Walla-
chia, and of the 6,000 in Moldavia the greater part
is in the south, at Burled, Tekutsch, and Fokshan.
In Jassy and its environs are about a thousand men,
but none in the west ; that is, in those districts
touching on Transylvania. About 20,000 men are
concentrated at some few English miles from Bucha-
rest, and there Pricce Gortschakoff still has his head-
quarters. Particulars retail: gto the localisation of
the troops in Wallachia aro given by the same jour-
nal, but they are rendered inapplicable by recent
events.

The Bucharest correspondent of the Breslau Ga-
zette states that passports and other forms employed
in Wallachia are made out in the name of the
Emperor Nicholas.

CONSTANTINOPLE, Ocr. 26.
The report of a defeat of the Russians by the Turks,
which was denied yesterday, is to-day asserted to be
true; it took place near Batoun.
The English and French fleets have each advanced
four ships and some steam frigates; they are within
eight of Constantinople, in the Sea of Marmora.
We are expecting the new note which the Vier na
conference has prepared, intended to embody the
primitive one, and to contain the modifications of
'Turkey, and Russia's adhesion thereto. The Emperor
of Russia, wished to retain the original note, adding
the alterations as appendages. The Porte desires to
have only one note. Today public opinion is alto-
gether towards peace.
As regards the new loan, Namik Pacha will not
leave Constantinople yet. Mehemet Ali is the ruling
power with the Sultan at present.