The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-14 00:00:00

CONSTANTINOPLE.

CONSTANTINOPLE, April 3. The Christophe
Colombe arrived at Gallipoli on the 31st, with
Generals Caniobert, Bosquet, and Martinprey on
board, together with the staff and 800 rifles.
The Mistral has brought 27 officers and 40
horses.

An English vessel is in sight, with the 93d on
board.

M. Metaxa left this place to-day. Greek sub-
jects have received 15 days' notice to quit
Turkey ; meanwhile they are placed under Belgian
protection.
Omer Paella was at Schumla on the 30th.
The combined fleets were off Varna. The steamers
had been despatched to the mouths of the Danube.
The marines of the French and English fleet will
be landed if necessary at any point to protect the
Turks. The Turkish gun-boat flotilla will enable
the Admirals to communicate with Kustendjee.
There are 7.,000 marines on board the British fleet.
ODESSA, April 2.—A1l French and English ves-
sels have been sent out of port.

THE BALTIC.

COPENHAGEN, APRIL, 12.—The Dauntless has
returned from a cruise up the Gulf of Finland.
She brings despatches from Admiral Plumridge,
who commands the advanced squadron, and who
reports that there is but little ice in the Gulf of
Finland. She saw eighteen Russian ships of the
line in Sweaburg Harbour.
The Imperieuse has chased a Russian corvette
back to Sweaburg.
The English fleet has suddenly left Kioge Bay,
and steered eastwards.
Three more ships of war have arrived.
The Ministerial crisis continues.
A rapid tour through a portion of the east pro-
vinces of Prussia, says the writer of a letter dated
Stettin, Monday, enables me to state that the general
feeling is decidedly hostile to Russia. The trading
classes are conspicuous in the manifestation of that
feeling ; and that fact need create no surprise, for
they cannot forget how prejudicial to those pro-
vinces has been, and is still, the commercial system
of their powerful neighbour. It may be almost said
that that system has interrupted the commercial re-
lations between "Russian Poland" and several Prus-
sian provinces, particularly when one compares the
value of the exports of late years with those of former
times. The illiberal nature of the Russian commer-
cial system will be readily comprehended when it is
stated that Prussian exports to Russian Poland are
subjected in the latter to not less than fifteen diffe-
rent duties, the list of which has been communicated
to me by parties who are no little sufferers through
that system. There is scarcely a single article of
trade which in Russian Poland is free from heavy
duties or " dues;" and even the remains of deceased
persons sent for interment to that portion of the
Russian empire are subjected to a certain tax. The
people of East and West Prussia, as well as Posen
and Silesia, know well enough that the object of
the Czar is to exclude from Poland, not only the
produce, but also the liberal principles and tend-
encies, of those parts of the Prussian monarchy—
principles and tendencies which were duly repre-
sented in Berlin at the " United Diet," or first
Prussian Parliament, in 1847, and in following
years. On two grounds, therefore—one commercial,
the other political—the inhabitants of the eastern
provinces of Prussia are decidedly anti-Russian, and
I may add, that the majority are favourable to a free
trade (and the same may be said of the Rhine dis-
trict), and that large quantities of corn and timber
are exported to England from those provinces. In
the harbour of Stettin alone there are at present some
25 English vessels taking in cargoes for British
ports, amongst others a very fine and much admired
brig, the Matanzas, of Leith, which came here with
a cargo of iron. As it is highly probable that the
British fleet will make its appearance off the Prus-
sian ports on the Baltic, and that some of the
small war steamers will run into them, I have
made inquiries respecting those ports. lam told
that supplies of provisions may be readily procured
in Swinemunde, Kolberg (nearly opposite the
Danish island of Bornholm), Dantzic, and Konigs-
berg. At Swinemunde, which may be called the
port of Stettin, the common depth of water in and
before the harbour is 21 and 22 feet ; in the roads,
as well as in the harbour the anchorage is good,
and in the former, which are about two English
miles from the shore, there are at least five fathoms
water. When stormy easterly winds are blowing
vessels must be prepared to carry strong sails, as
the current with those winds runs very strong
to the westward. The common river depth
from Swinemunde to Stettin, and in the latter
itself, is 14 feet. The narrow but tolerably deep
channel to Swinemunde is defended by two batte-
ries which must, of course, be saluted by any
war-steamer effecting an entrance, for the sake of
procuring provisions. Kolberg, as said before, is
a good port for supplies, and there is plenty of
cattle and spring water in the opposite island of
Bornholm, in the northern portion of which are
two good bays suitable for the anchorage of large
vessels. In Dantzic there are 16 feet water both
on the bar and in the harbour ; in Pillau (which
may be called the port of Konigsberg) and Memel
there are 14 feet water on the bar in ordinary wea-
ther, but the currents sometimes change after the
breaking, up of the ice. I maystate here that steamers
run from Konigsberg to Pilau, and thence alternately
to Elbing and Dantzic. In a few days a steam-boat
communication will be established between Stettin
and the Swedish coast. I have spoken with several
experienced captains, English as well as foreign,
respecting the Gulf of Finland, and more especially
with reference to the sinking in that gulf, by the
Russians, of rocks and masses of timber. They all
ridicule such doings, if indeed there have been such
doings, for their conviction is that nothing of the
kind has been effected. I find, however, that there
is a difference of opinion amongst them respecting
the depth of water in what may be called the na-
vigable channel to Cronstadt, some of them giving
it as seven or eight fathoms, and others as only five.
There is a very active and intelligent British vice-
consul in Stettin, Mr. Campbell, of the respectable
firm of Campbell and Anderson, who are prepared
to render good service to the British squadron
when it makes its appearance off the Prussian coast

Archipelago, have gone to declare to King Otho
that if the ninety thousand Greek mariners are to
be left without work and bread robbery and piracy
must necessarily ensue. Rather than be reduced
to such a state of anarchy, the greater part of the
isles, it is said, will hoist the French and English
flag and place themselves under the protection of
those two Governments. The bands who have in-
vaded Epirus and Thessaly, from the fact of their
not yet being regularly organised, are compelled to
live by pillage. By acting, however, in this man-
ner they have frightened and discouraged the very
people they have been pretending to deliver from
the Turkish yoke.

It was believed in Vienna yesterday that the
Austrians had that day entered Servia.
An Austrian Note has been forwarded to Athens
with strong remonstrances upon the conduct of the
Greek Government, which is held responsible for
whatever evil consequences may ensue.
M. Metaxa arrived at Athens on the 12th.
A despatch from Vienna, of April 10, says the
Prussian Government has sent back the draft of
the treaty of alliance, hampered with conditions
which, if accepted, would defeat its purpose, and
bind Austria to neutrality. The Austrian cabinet
has refused to agree to them.
A communication from Berlin, of April 11, says
Prince Barclay de Tolly proceeds to London on a
special mission.
The Cabinet of Vienna has rejected the conditions
which Prussia, with the object of confirming its
neutrality, desired to attach to the treaty of offen-
sive and defensive alliance with Austria.
A letter from Berlin of the 10th, in the Post
Ainpt Gazette of Frankfort, says :
" No one here doubts that the leave of absence
given to the Chevalier Bunsen is only a form given
to his recal from London. It must not be forgot-
ten that the Chevalier some months back applied
to be replaced on account of the attacks made on
Prince Albert by the English journals, and in
which the Chevalier was represented as the confi-
dent of the Prince. His recal is, however, said to
be really caused by the fact of his having advanced
further than was desired in his negotiations with
the Cabinet of St. James's."
The same journal states that, on the occasion of
the marriage of the Emperor of Austria with the
Princess Elizabeth, all the, political prosecutions
which have not yet been terminated will be sup-
pressed, and that 60 political prisoners will be set
at liberty.
The Austrian Correspondence says :—" In con-
' sequence of the state of war between France and
England, on the one side, and Russia on the other,
the position of the two first-named powers at the Con-
ference of Vienna has undergone a modification
which has rendered it desirable to state by a new pro-
tocol that the understanding of the Four Cabinets
reposing on bases deciied on in common had not
been at all changed. In this protocol, which was
signed to-day the principle of the integrity of the
Ottoman Empire, one of the essential conditions of
which is the evacuation of the Danubian principali-
ties, is again admitted, as well as the resolution of
the Four Powers to continue to discuss in common,
and to come to an understanding ou the subject of
the means of accomplishing the object they have in
•view."

BUCHAREST, APRIL O.—Marshal Paskiewitch is
expected on the 15th. Till now, no battle has been
fought either at Silistria or at Rassova in the
Dobrudscha.
The accounts from Bucharest, of the 2d, in the
Lloyd of Vienna, state that Gen. Schilder was pre-
paring to cross the Danube, and that he would even
do so before the arrival of Prince Paskiewitch.
There was at. Kalarasch a large quantity of batter-
ing artillery, destined, it was said, to operate
against Silistria, which has a garrison of 10,000
men, amongst whom are two Egyptian regiments.
On the Ist, the Russian batteries opened a fire on
the Turkish batteries, erected between Rassova
and Silistria, on the banks of the river. The can-
nonade was still going on at the date of the last
accounts, and from this perhaps had arisen the
rumour of a battle in which the Russians were said
to have been defeated.
At Kalarasch, where the Russians are preparing
to cross into Bulgaria, the Turks succeeded on the
Ist instant in totally destroying a bridge equipage,
which the Russians had brought up to throw
across the Danube. A letter from Bucharest, of
the 4th, states that the contest which has been
going on near Kalarasch ever since the 28th, was
not then decided. Omer Pacha had set out from
Silistria to Rassova, whence he would go on to
Trajan's Wall, in order to conduct the operations
against the Russians in person. The Turks at the
date named had still garrisons in the Dobrudscha,
and were stationed at Kustendjee, Pollas, Kostelli,
Karassu, and Boghaskoi.
Below Silistria, but towards Rassova, the Turks
have.thrown up several batteries, which for some
days past have answered the ussian batteries
opposite with a very hot fire. These guns must be
silenced before the Russians can set about effect-
ing the passage. In Silistria the garrison is fully
prepared for every event. Since the 28th ult. all
the gates have been kept shut and barricaded,
one gate alone excepted, through which, in case of
need, the guns planted along the strand can be
brought into the fortress.
The Wanderer, Ost. Deutsche Post, and Presse
journals contain important advices from the seat
of war, of winch the following is a summary :
On the 29th and 30th of March the tete-du-Pont at
Czernavoda was continually bombarded by the
Russian gunboats, and the little redoubt which
is on the road leading to Hirsova is said to be
already in the hands of the Russians. Czerna-
voda is known to be an untenable position,
and, indeed, there is some reason to fear that
General Liiders has already broken through
the Turkish line of defence at the Wall of
Trajan. Until now we have no particulars
relative to the battle at Rassova on the 2d, but if
it really took place, it must have been the result
of a combined movement, as both General Chruleff
and General Engelhardt are said to have shared in
it. The former commands in Wallachia to the
north of Kalarasch, and the latter, as has already
been related, was the victor at Hirsova. At Bucha-
rest it is considered very singular that no official
mention has been made •of the 5 days' battle at
Tultscha—from the 23d to the 27th. On the 25th
General Utschakoff almost despaired of being able
to take the place without a regular siege, and this
led to the report of his havinr, been obliged to re-
tire to the opposite bank of the river. The corres-
pondent of the Wanderer writes, that after the
Russians on the 23d had succeeded in getting pos-
session of a battery " after a loss of more than
1,500 men," the Turks, to the number of 2,000
retired into the citadel, which they maintained
until the afternoon of the 27th. During the five
days the Turks made seven sallies and inflicted on
the Russians a loss of 3,000 men. The accounts
relative to the fate of the citadel and its brave
garrison vary much. There are three reports in
circulation-1. The garrison surrendered ;2. The
Turks set the place on fire, and endeavoured to
escape during the confusion ; 3. The fort was blown
up by the Turks. The Bucharest writer adds—
" Something dreadful must have occurred, for the
Russians are as silent on the subject as they are about
their discomfitures on the 12th, 13th, 17th, and 23d at
Oltenitza." On the Ist the Russians opened a heavy
fire on the Turkish strand batteries between Ras-
soya and Silistria, and it is possible enough that
the violent cannonade led to the prevalent report
of a battle having been foughtat Rassova, in which
the Russians were defeated. The reports that
General Schilder is preparing to pass the river at
Kalarasch are fully confirmed. A siege-train and
two rocket batteries are already opposite Silistria,
the gates of which are already closed on a garrison
of 10,000 men. The commander of the for
tress is the General of Ordnance, Musha ;
and the chief of the engineering department,
Mehemet Bey. Before we take leave of the
eastern end of theline of operations, it may be well
to state that the fleets cannot render any as-
sistance at Kostendjee, as there is only 7 feet of
water in the port. Proceeding up the river from
Silistria, we come to Turtukai, to which place the
Turks were forced to retreat on the 28th, after
having been continually engaged with the Russians
at Oltenitza from the 24th. The battles were
" murderous," and the Russians were obliged to
call up all their reserves before they could get rid
of their valorous assailants. It is now necessary to
return to Kalarasch (opposite Silistria), where the
Russians attempted to cross on the Ist. According
to a letter received by the Presse, a pontoon-bridge
employed on that occasion was completely destroyed
by the Turks. After the affair at Simnitza, 800
severely wounded Russians were conveyed to the
different hospitals.