The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-29 00:00:00

THE BALTIC.

COPENHAGEN, Friday.—The small-pox has broken
out in the British fleet. The first reports represent
that it is raging with violence, but we hope that
it may prove exaggerated.
Bishop Monrad is dismissed altogether, without
choice of resigning his bishopric or parliamentary
seat.

A letter from Hamburgb, of the 25th, in the
Independance of Brussels, says that, on the 16th,
the Emperor Nicholas caused the towns and for-
tresses of Revel and Dunamunde, to be declared in
a state of siege. Both these places had already
been declared in a state of war since the beginning
of March. As to the town and fortress of Riga,
the Governor-General is empowered to declare them
in a state of siege whenever circumstances may call
for such a measure.

The Russian Government, to lessen the incon-
venience of the blockade to the Russian people, has
sacrificed revenue. It has reduced the customs
duties on coffee, sugar, oil, and several other
articles of import. •
COPENHAGEN, April 24.—A new policy has been
adopted with regard to the crews of the Finnish
and Russian ships lately captured. Instead of being
kept as prisoners of war, at a great expense, and
to the ruin of their unfortunate families, they have
been lauded at Copenhagen, and allowed to go
home over Sweien. Upwards of 150 have already
left by the steamer for Ystad. But this operati,n
has been attended with unnecessary barbarity.
These poor men have been completely plundered.
They have been stripped of everything in the stripe
of money, and flung upon a foreign shore, en-
tirely destitute. A merchant of this place,
who has large commercial transactions with
Finland, has kindly assisted them. .He
has advanced their passage-money, and other
necessary sums at his own risk. You will
admit that all this is not calculated to gain us
golden opinions among the population here, or to
create a kindly impression among the seafaring
men in question. Brigandage is not war. We
have hitherto more than neglected the northern
populations. We have done all in our power to
force them into the arms of Russia, and keep them
there. If we have now changed our opinion, we
should not begin with acts of despicable piratage
upon friendless merchant sailors, the very men
whose interest it would be to enter our service and
fight under our banner. The whole thing has made
a most painful impression here.

EVACUATION OF LITTLE WALLACHIA
BY THE RUSSIANS.

A letter received from Widdin via Belgrade,
dated the sth instant, confirms the note of the
.Moniteur of yesterday, so far as relates to the
evacuation of Little Wallachia. It appears that
for the last two months affairs of outposts took
place every day, and occasionally sorties of
cavalry. The Russians were in the habit of ap-
proaching within reach of cannon shot, showing
themselves and parading for a time, firing their
carabines, but the moment the fort opened its
fire they invariably got very quickly out of
harm's way. On the Ist April the Turks made
a reconnoissance of a more serious kind than
usual. Five squadrons of regular troops and 400
Bashi-Bazouks mounted at 9 o'clock in the morn-
ing, and bent their course in the direction of Poiana.
The only people they met on the road, which was
cleared by, the irregulars, were some Cossack vi-
dettes, who galloped at their utmost speed to the
camp to give the alarm. The Bashi-Bazouks, who
followed hard, arrived at Poiana at the same mo-
ment as the Cossacks, leaped the ditch of the camp,
and were at four o'clock in the town. The regular
cavalry, who had increased their speed, arrived in
about 10 minutes after. The Russians did not by
any means expect the attack. They had shown
themselves the preceding days, and in considerable
force, but were ignorant that the Ottoman General
had been aware of the retreat of a part of the force.
In fact, there were not at Poiana more than two re-
giments of regulars and 400 Cossacks—in all about
1,400 men. The whole of the Infantry and Artillery,
who had been concentrated some short time pre-
vio us in expectation of an attack, had beenwithdrawn.
The sudden arrival of the Turks threw the small
force into disorder and terror. The men rushed
in the greatest dismay from the stables, where
they found themselves hemmed in by the Irregu-
lars. A Russian squadron, which was also formed,
and which was about to issue out for a reconnois-
sance, clapped spurs to their horses and fled with
the utmost speed. They were charged by the Turks
sword in hand, and the rout became general. Be-
fore they had time to escape there were a out 5o
Russians killed and as many wounded, and the
Turks returned to Kalafat with a great number of
pi isoners. Thus the sortie, which was intended only
as a reconnoissauce, became changed by circum-
stances into an attack, and it would have had still
greater results if the Turks had had with them
a few pieces of artillery, and above all infantry to
enter the houses. The Russians fled, without draw-
ing bridle, as far as Muglavit,
a small place aboutthree or four miles to the north of Kalafat. On
the day but one after the Russians returned in con-
siderable number, not less than 15,000 mon. They
were as usual repulsed with cannon. A fusillade of
sharpshooters took place and lasted five hours, as
also several charges of cavalry, but without serious
result. For three days after they kept in ambus
eade with two field pieces in order to surprise the
advanced posts of the Turks. A squadron in patrol
service found them out and gave the alarm. Some
men of the squadron were killed by cannon shot,
but the attack was not followed up. These alter-
nations of attack and defence have not in them-
selves any great importance, but there is no doubt
tlyt they covered a progressive :novel/int of the
evacuation by the Russians of Little Wallachia.
That evacuation was complete at the date of

the lotter ; and the menaced attack en. Kalafat
Oetinitively abandoned. The Russians required all
their force for the centre of the line of the Danube,
with a view to their passing the river. They have
narrowed their line of operation, and no longer
menace the frontier of Servia. It is pretty certain
that the attitude assumed by Austria has forced
them to change their original plan of operations,
so far as related to that frontier ; and it is pro-
bable that they now intend to follow out the plan
of 1828, and try to moire on Shumla.