The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-16 00:00:00

THE DANUBE.

From Krajova, Feb. 3, we learn that an order
of the day forbids the Russians in Lesser Wallachia►
to absent themselves more than 1,000 paces from
the camp, and to keep up relations with the " per-
fidious" inhabitants. On January 29 Prince Gort-
schakoff directed in person a grand reconnoissance
on the side of KalPiat ; the advanced posts of the
Turks withdrew into their entrenchments : both
at Kalafat and at Widdin every one was on the
qui vive.

A later despatch from Krajova, dated Feb. 11,
says there are, as yet, no preparations indicating
an immediate attack upon Kalafat.

A letter from Giurgevo, of the 6th Feb., states
that the Russians are keeping up their fire from
Rustchuk against that place.
General Schilders is inspecting the whole line of
the Danube up to ualatz and Reni.
Since the 28th of January the Russian line be-
tween Giurgevo and Kalarache has been reinforced,
but it is generally believed that no serious attack
will be made on Kalafat for some time, as the Rus-
sian generals are of opinion that the position can
hardly be taken without trenches, parallels, &c.,
for the construction of which some weeks are neces-
sary. This report has been forwarded to St. Peters-
burg, and instructions from the Emperor are ex-
pected. It is positively stated that the Russians
have by sickness, desertion, and the sword, lost
35,000 men since they crossed the Pruth in July
last, and that number must be deducted from the
list of troops. The total number of troops which
had crossed the Pruth up to the Ist of January was
129,188 men, with 408 guns ; and if we deduct
35,000, there are now about 94,000 men in Molda-
via and Wallachia. In Bessarabia there are 26,760
men, with 96 guns.
Scientific officers are of opinion that if the Wes-
tern Powers were without loss of time to take the
thing into hand the Russians might be got out of
the Principalities with little difficulty. An auxi-
liary corps of 60,000 or 80,000 men, and a little
help from the war steamers at the lower end of the
Danube, where there are now 9i Venetian feet (12
feet English) of water on the bar, would do the
thing.
The Russians now admit, to their cost, that the
Turkish army is something better than the wild
undisciplined mob of fanatics they took them for,
and that Omar Pasha is, at all events, not very
much inferior to Prince Gortscha.koff. This con-
viction may explain the precaution which the
various corps of the Russian army observe in their
movements, and the impatience with which rein-
forcements indispensable to resuming hostilities are
waited for. The difficulty is all the greater that
the Ottoman General is keeping in a state of inces-
sant alarm the Russians in the direction of Oltenitza
and Giurgevo ; and it is not at all improbable that
he would attempt something against Bucharest if
the enemy weakened that point by moving towards
Kalafat.

The Ottomans do not seem to repose on the
laurels they have already gathered on the Danube.
They have reinforced their left wing, intended to
watch the movements of the Russians. The garri-
son of Kalafat, which considted of about 20,000
men, has been increased by 10 battalions ofin-
fantry, a regiment of cavalry, and 12 pieces of ar-
tillery. It now consists of 30,000 men. Other re-
inforcements are expected, which are to be distri-
buted between Kalafat and Widdin.

It is not expected that any decisive events will
occur until the end of next month, when the Em.
peror will probibly arrive at the seat of war.
u aMiar, and thechther
eisto be a general
80,000
recruits,
co nI snc rtihpet imo :nit! of
Russia,
with the invalids, will maintain tranquillity in the
interior while the garrisons are fighting the battles
of the Czar in the Principalities "against the
Turks and the Anglo-French auxiliary troops."
The war is for the future, it is said, to be carried
on by land alone, and the fleets are to act strictly
on the defensive. As to the entente cordiale, peo-
plP at St. Petersburg flatter themselves that it will
not last long.
Since the Ist of January continual attempts have
been made by the Turks to force a passage of the
river at Giurgevo and Oltenitza, but up to the sth
without success, though there has been considerable
loss of life on either side.
On the 3d 900 Turks attempted to take posses-
sion of the island opposite Giurgevo, but were re-
pulsed after a battle which lasted about five hours,
during which the guns of Rustchuk continued to
play. On the sth there was also a sharp affair at
Oltenitza. 3,000 Turks crossed the river, and at-
tempted to regain the position which they occupied
in October last, but were repulsed by the Russian
corps stationed there.
The " great battle" of Padlofo, an estate belong-
ing to Milosch, was an outpost skirmish which
lasted two hours, and probably would not have
lasted half that time had the Turks not resolved to
rescue a superior officer who had been taken pri-
soner by the Russians. They succeeded in the
attempt.
The Russians say that on the 28th of January
they totally destroyed a strongly entrenched
Turkish strand battery below Galatz, between
Isa.ktchi and Tultcha, but no one believes it.
A letter from Warsaw, of Feb. 5, states that, in
the month of Aril, a map of 50,701.10 lam cam-