The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-11 00:00:00

THE DOBRUDSCHA.

Russian reports transmitted to Vienna from
Bucharest, under date the sth of April, do not
make any fresh mention of the battle which 'o'o
announced in letters dated the 4th. The latest
despatches only speak of the unopposed march Of
the Russians towards the wall of Trajan.
M. de Meyendorff has had a Te Drum performed
in the'chapel of his hotel at Vienna, to celebrate
the victory of the Russians in the Dobrudscha. All
the persons belonging to the Russian Embassy
were present.
The Vienna Lloyd announces that 5,000 prisonell
were made by the Russians at Matschin, after the
two days' bombardment of that fortress. Their
have been conducted into Bessarabia. Many Eng"
lisp and French instructors are said to be among
their number.
It appears beyond doubt, says a letter from 60
Turkish capital of the 30th ult., that the Russians
have crossed the Danube at Matschin, or between
that place and Hirsova. A not uncommon opini°l:l
here is that the movement is intended to strengthel',
their line of defence against the expected advent 0'•
the allied forces, and that it forms no part of
system of attack on the Ottoman army. It is ,reci
presented that the enemy mighthave a well-grounded
fear of an army landed on the coast of the Euxine'
which could at present advance without molests"
Lion, and cross the Danube in that part of its tonne
in which it takes a northerly direction. By .015
means the Russians would be taken in the rear'
their supplies intercepted, and their communieatiell
with their own country cut off. What, thereforo
it is urged, is more likely than that an 0110,1,
so skilful and so well acquainted with t'l
country should endeavour to obviate a palpab,,,
"
palpable
danger ? From the Danube to the Black Sf):
extends a line of def-mce, the relic of Roraa'
times. A long and narrow lake with a wall- —tile
work of the Emperor Trajan— renders the u PPer
part of the Dobrudscha and the flank of the l 3,113"
scan armies easily defensible against a much su pe"
rior force. The policy of the Russians, then, t 11P
doubtedly is to intrench themselves betweel'
Tchernavoda on the river and Kostendjee on the
sea, to guard the most assailable part of their fleltu
of operations and to secure to themselves an eas
retreat in case of failure. Such is the plan of 0p43;
rations attributed to the Czar by many here, 1351 y.
whether it has any real foundation must be left is
events to show, or, at least, to the superior knovl
ledge of those acquainted with the country to d4„,'.
termine. Others regard the whole movement morel, Y
as a feint, intended to divide the forces of Onag, r
Pasha, with a view to an attack by the main ball
at some place higher up the river. It is not doubt
in any quarter that the Russians are eager to gal?
some important advantage before the powerful aA
sistance of the Western Powers can be brought b
bear, and we may be assured that every temptatioll.,
will be lavished to entice the Ottoman commando;
into some false movement, which may change
success the hitherto adverse fortune of the Russial
Generals.
The Austrian Soldatenfreund gives in the follow,:
ing statement a justificationcoomf
andr inthe trc
Mustaphae Paell:
conduct in his capacity of m
brudscha mustapha Pacha received the message
informing him about the preparations of the RT. c'-a
sians for crossing the Danube so early as on the 2,g s
ult., but he was also informed that the passage w
to be probably made by the main Russian army,
90,000 men, and tint the garrisons of Matchit
Isaktsha, and Tultsha could hardly impede the
advance and consequent operations. The OIL
mander of the Turkish forces would certainly ha
had time, as far as that goes, to reinforce the
rison of Babadagh, which consisted of 2,500 owl.
by despatching troops via Kasimtshi, on the r°7,
from Karassu ; strategetic considerations, how
ivt ever, us-
were opposed to this proceeding. ---;
tapha Pacha was already aware that the Russians
were at the same time making preparations
crossing the Danube from Wallachia at the fora
near Kiserdshi, six miles below Hirsova.
Russian encampment to the north-east of Kauu—i
was 60,000 strong, Mustapha Pacha was comPeYro
in making his arrangements to keep this fact
view. He was obliged at otict- to abandon the far
•
fence of the height near Ri.b.tdagh, and order
troops occupying the road along the coast,
as
as Kostendjee, to fall back on his own 13°,Tila
lied he acted otherwise, and occupied 11/0"

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