The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-28 00:00:00

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LONDON, FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 1854.

There is an evident determination on the part
of the Russians to concentrate, as quickly as
possible, the enormous forces hitherto scattered
over the Principalities. .In proof of this we
learn of late simultaneously that the troops before
Kalafat are retiring southwards, and that those
which had already crossed the Danube lower
down were strongly fortifying their position in
the Dobrudscha. It is what has been long anti-
cipated. It is the movement against which,
moreover, the Turks and their allies, whether
British, French, or Egyptians, ought by this time
to have been fully prepared. But are they ?
We question it. Firstly, the Turks themselves
have their must powerful body of soldiers strongly
placed not far from the hard-fought ground of
Citate, in Lesser Wallachia. Then it must
be remembered that the union of the
Turkish army near Kalafat with the
other division of the soldiers of the SULTAN
omfronting the Muscovite invaders of the Do-
brudecha, will require some considerable time,
comparatively speaking, for its completion. Then,
again, England and France are both—we all
know that—deplorably, we might almost venture
to say disgracefully, behind hand with their con-
tingents. As we observed in our remarks upon
this subject yesterday—there is a camp already
formed for the allied armies at Gallipoli, in the
Dardanelles---there is another camp about to be
formed at Buyukdere, in the Bosphorus—and
there is the talk of head-quarters being established
at Adrianople, half-way between the range of the
33alkan mountains and the city of Constanti-
nople. Now, We ask any rational man, taking
these facts into account, and placing the map of
the seat of war before him, and considering for
five minutes the relative situation of Kalafat, of
Bucharest, and of the Dobrudscha on the one
side, and of Gallipoli, of Buyukdere, and of
Adrianopleon the other—we ask any rational man,
we say, taking all these things into consideration,
whether he believes that by land Turkey, with her
allies front Egypt, France, and England, is pre-
pared for the probable result of a sudden coucen-
ru2oll of the Russian armies under Prince
ltTacitaisoee and Prince PASKIEWITCH ? For
our Part, we candidly avow, that we do not think
they are
Prepared on land for any such movement.
At
seanothing
all things considered,
could have been better arranged,
considered, than the whole of our vast and
rapid preparations. Considering the powerful fleets
which are now actually in the Black Sea and inn
the Baltic, we think the highest credit is re-
flected upon the marine
ocieertiPartment of both the
French and English
Governments. nts. Upon this
matter we have already ventured to
Admiralty,
express our
deliberate conviction that the Board of
presided over by Sir 'TABUS Gaesteat, has displayed
throughout a capacity, an efficiency, and a patriot-
ism
deserving of the fullest approbation of the
community. Not so, however, has it been witil
the Horse Guards. There, no kindred energy
and promptitude have been manifested. Instead
of all which, indeed, we have an extraor-
dinary parade reviews, and banquets, and
what not, all expressive of eagerness. to
place the land forces of the empire In a.
position in which they might be speedily em ibled
to do credit to theinselveA, to afford effectual a seist-
ance to the Turks and Ruptiiiiii.s and in U nick,
moreover, they might vindicate the glory of their
righteous cause by fighting bravely under the ban-
-111'".13 of their Sovereign. ';otwithstand in g all
h ch tumult of prel)aration—we can onl' r .1101 v,
towards the close of the April of 1854, .1; nn of
the disembarking of only 8,000 of our trc fops at
Gallipoli, not witl •an a brief interval of the actue./
seat of war, but at Gallipoli, an obscure 3ea-
port in a secluded part of the coast in the D,
dandles !
Yet the same intelligence
brings
us news iof th e
rapid withdrawal of the Russian troops before '
Kalafat, evidently with 4 view to the rapid cou•