The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-21 00:00:00

LATEST FOREIGN NEWS.

RUSSIA AND TURKEY.

IMPORTANT FROM ST. PETE RSBURGH.

Advices of the 14th from St. Petersburgh, re-
ceived.to-day by telegraph, state that " the Minis-
ters of France and England communicated, on the
12th instant, to the Russian Government the Notes
of their respective Governments, announcing the
entrance of tha fleets into the Black Sea, and the
course of policy now determined on by the Western
Powers.
" Count Nesselrode made no comment save that
he must take the orders of his Imperial master."
It was said that the Emperor of Russia had de_
Itermined on giving a very decided reply to the
French and English note. This reply will be sent
through the Czar's Ambassadors at London and
Paris.

There was every reason to believe that the Em-
peror had already rejected the Vienna proposals as
quite incompatible with his dignity.

MORE FIGHTING ON THE DANUBE.

A despatch from Bucharest, Jan. 15, says, Prince
Gortschakoff starts to-morrow with his whole staff
for Little Wallachia, to superintend a grand attack
on Kalafat.

On the 12th inst. General Bogushewski repulsed,
after a short fight, an attempt of the Turks to
cross over to the left bank of the Danube by
Kalarash with 2,000 men.

On the 12th instant, at 2 a.m., 1,200 Russian
Infantry, 200 Cossacks, and 700 Moldavian work-
men went over in boats taken in tow by the man-
of-war steamer Pruth, from Galatz to- the Turkish
side, fired a Turkish inn situate there, and began
to clear the island before Galatz of the trees and
rushes. Up to 12 a.m. the Turks had made no
attack on the landing party.
Aiother despatch from Vienna this morning
says :

" The Russians at Giurgevo are preparing to
cross the Danube and attack Rustchuck.
" The Russians attacked Matchin on the 13th.
" Fighting continues.
" Prince Gortschakoff is at Krajova."

A telegraphic despatch of the sth from Constan-
tinople confirms those which have already been
received from Vienna, announcing the entry of the
allied fleets into the Black Sea.

The following is the text of the despatch
" Yesterday morning, at daybreak, the com-
bined fleets entered the Black Sea, leaving at their
old anchorage the Arethusa and three steamers.
" The Turkish fleet has not yet sailed, but six
Turkish steamers, carying 6,000 troops for disem-
barcation, besides artillery and ammunition, have
followed the fleets, which are bound for the Asiatic
coast."

A communication from Malta, dated Jan. 14,
says that the steamers Sidon and Vesuvius left
there on the 11th and 12th for Constantinople.
The Euxine had not yet arrived from England.

It was again asserted at Malta that the Shah of
Persia had concluded an alliance, offensive and
defensive, with Russia, and that the English and
Turkish envoys had, in consequence, quitted Te-
heran. Persia is said to be collecting three armies ;
—one is to operate in Georgia, under the orders of
Prince Woronzoff ; the second is to attack the
Pashalic of Bagdad ; while the third is to take a
position on the coast of the Persian Gulf to prevent
the landing of the English. Russia will defray the
expenses of the war.

This intelligence is probably only another version
of that which has been already proved to be un-
founded.

The Governor of Beyrout had despatched all his
disposable troops, together with a corps of 1,200
volunteers, to Aleppo, which is believed to be
threatened.

Letters from Constantinople of the sth inst.
state that preparations are being made to construct
fortifications round that city, which will render it
one of the strongest capitals in Europe.
The Lloyd of Vienna of the 16th says :—" It is
affirmed positively that the Russian troops before
Kalafat are 30,000 strong. Prince Gortschakoff
intends establishing his head quarters at Pogana
on the Danube. The Croastadt Gazette of the
9th announces that after the affair of Matschin,
the Turks advanced to the Danube, where they
established batteries. The Russians, it says, are
about a quarter of a mile's distance from Braila,
and the fire from the Turkish batteries can reach
them. .Combats, it adds, have taken place in the
vicinity of Braila, but the details were not
known. The same journal states that before the
combats of the Gth, 7th, and Bth Jan., there were
several others in which the Turks had displayed
heroic bravery."
Private letters from Erzeroum, dated 11th De-
cember, describe a disastrous state of things. The
civil Governor of the Province, Xarif Pasha, re-
turned the day before, bringing three battalions
of Redifs with him. He rallied the Ardahan
division, sent back four battalions to Kars, and sent
men all over the country to collect fugitives. But
the bulk of the Ardahan division is dispersed ; guns,
baggage, and ammunition lost, and the Russian army
has complete possession of Georgia. Ali Pasha
(Ferik) has arrived under arrest. Ho was the first
to run, and was provident enough to carry off his
own baggage and the military el; est. Badda and
some fugitives overtook him, upon which he was
so furious at their saying that they had followed
his example in deserting, that he shot two men at
once. Near Gumri the Russians, with 15,000
men, attacked the Turks, 25,000 strong, regulars,
Redifs, and Bashi Bozouks. After some firing,
the centres under Achmet Pasha, and right wing,
under Hassein Pasha, ran away to Kars ; but the
left wing, under Veli Pasha, stood firm, and only
his gallantry prevented the whole army surren-
dering to the Russians. The Turks are said to
have lost lost all their artillery, 24 pieces.
:3The Russians took up their quarters in the neigh-
bouring villages and the gallant Veli Pasha re-
mained at the villageclose by the field. There may
be some 25,000. men now at Kars, but they are a de-
moralized rabble.

The Russians are not likely to advance, but will
probably retire to Gumri, as the snow is now too
deep for active operations. The Turkish army has
so little coherence that it may not improbably
disband.

Schamyl is said to have about 60,000 men, and
to be marching upon Tiflis, where the Russian gar-
rison consists of but 2,000 men.
A letter from Kalisch, of the 14th, says :—" The
greater number of the soldiers, who, having served
10 •r 12 years in the permanent army, had' on
plausible motives obtained a provisional furlough,
have received an order enjoining them to repair
without delay to their respective depots. It is be-
lieved that the Emperor of Russia will make an
appeal to the different classes of the State for ex-
traordinary pecuniary contributions."

AUTHENTIC NEWS FROM ST.
PETERSBURGH.
( From the Press.)
- - - -

We lay before our readers the note of a conver-
sation very recently held at Gartschina, between
his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Russia and
an individual of distinction, whose character is not
only a guarantee for the authenticity of the mem-
orandum, but for the absence of any exaggeration
or false colouring in its expressions. We give it
simply as an important historical document, with-
out identifying ourselves with the views which it
conveys.
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