The Sun.
London, England, 1854-07-17 00:00:00

THE SIEGE OF SILISTRIA.

The Journal de St. Petersbourg, of the 9th of
July, contains a short article, to the effect that,
" in consequence of the progress of events in gene-
ral," Prince Paskiewitsch had raised the siege of
Silistria, and ordered Prince Gortschakoff to con-
centrate all his forces near Bucharest.

THE ADVANCE OF THE TURKS INTO
IVALLACHIA—GREAT BATTLE INEVI-
TABLE.
The despatches from Vienna and Paris confirm
the announcement made in this journal on Satur-
day of the defeat of the Russians at Frateschti.
On the 9th and 10th, says a despatch dated
Vienna, Saturday, the Turks attacked Brigadiers
Pauloff and Soimonoff with other Russian detach-
ments, at Frateschti, north of Giurgevo. The
Russians were completely routed.
The Turkish army of 25,000 men is advancing
towards Bucharest.
A great battle seems inevitable.
There are 25,000 of the allied armies at Rust-
chuk.

The following is published in the Ilioniteur of
yesterday (Sunday).
"On the 11th of July the Turks attacked and
routed the Russian rear guard at Frateschti, on the
road from Giurgevo to Bucharest. They are in
force upon the left bank, and have crossed the
Danube at several points.
" The number of auxiliary troops arrived from
Shumla at Giurgevo exceeds 20,000.
" Prince Gortschakoff, with the reinforcements
which he has summoned, has not more than 60,000
men.
" The Turks and the auxiliaries reach at least
that number.
" Everything announces an immediate action."
The Presse states that, according to advices from
Orsova of the 15th, after 5 hours' fighting, Mehe-
met Pasha drove the Russians from the Dobrudscha
across the river, and occupied Czernadvoda. The
whole of the left bank of the Danube between
Kalafat and Oltenitza is fully occupied by the
Turks.
Isli Pacha defeated General Popoff's division at
Nicopolis on the 9th.
From other quarters we learn that the Russians
lost 700atFrateschti, and thatOmerPacha marched
en potence upon Bucharest, the Russians retreating
as he advanced.
We find the following in the Journal des Debats
with regard to the above exciting news from the
East :
According to the foregoing news, the war had
made a decisive step forward. The Turks, with
the co-operation of the Anglo-French, had beaten
the Russians and entered the capital of Wallachia.
That would constitute the most important fact
among those which have already occurred, inas-
much as the allied troops would then definitively
form their lines in a very marked manner. The
combat adverted to had taken place at Frateschti,
against the rear-guard of the Russian corps. Let
us begin by specifying the situation of the field of
the conflict : Frateschti is a town on the road from
the Danube to Bucharest, at four leagues from
Giurgevo, a small fortified place on the left bank
of the Danube (Wallachian bank), situate opposite
the Turkish fortress of Rustchuk. The affair oc-
curred on the 14th instant.
A despatch from Vienna says that, after this
combat, Omer Pacha had proceeded towards Bucha-
rest. It states, moreover, that he had taken pos-
session of that important town. The distance from
Frateschti to Bucharest is 10 leagues, which makes
a long march, or two short ones. If the Turks and
the Anglo-French troops actually entered Bucharest
the Russians must have experienced a serious
check, for they had a great interest in not allow-
ing themselves to be violently driven from their
main resources and magazines, without time to
remove altogether the immense provisions of victual
and ammunition which they had concentrated there.
It is difficult to conceive through what succession
of defective and badly-directed dispositions a body
of the Russian army found itself exposed to receive
the brunt of the allied forces, without the other
bodies being within sufficient reach to afford it
assistance. The Russian Generals understand war
well. This cannot be denied ; nevertheless their
operations ever since the beginning of this month
are unintelligible, being the result of a strange and
incoherent strategy which puzzles all lookers on.
What are they going to do now ? Will the Rus-
sian army be made to quit en masse Moldavia, to
be marched towards Bucharest, with a view to dis-
pute that town with the allies ? Or are they going
to fortify themselves still more strongly on the
Sereth ? The former alternative takes us conse-
quentially to a great battle ; the second, to a peace-
ful occupation of Wallachia, thenceforth evacuated
by the Russians. But what will be, in that con-
flict, the attitude of the Austrian forces ? Can
they any longer remain motionless on their fron-
tiers ? Are they not at length about to execute
the treaty concluded with the Ottoman Porte,
which gives them the right of occupying the Danu-
bian Principalities ? Such are the questions which
moment.e.
have not yet sufficient data to s
every one puts to himself at thisolv
solve
them.

INTERESTING ITEMS ABOUT THE WAR.
According to letters from Schumla of the 4th,
Captain Butler, the heroic defender of Yelandi
'
Tabia a fort at Silistria, has died of his wounds.
On the occasion of the destruction of the Russian
forts at Sulina six Russian merchants were cap-
tured, and two powder magazines blown up.
The Austrian consular authorities in Wallachia
have declared to the Russians that their protection
is at an end.

It is said that the Russian General Aurep has
committed suicide by shooting himself.
The Oesterreichische Correspondenz of Saturday
contains the draught of a projected provincial re-
presentation for consultative purposes—a kind of
Austrian constitution.

A Vienna journal says that Omer Pacha has con-
fided to the command of an English officer (a volun-
teer), named Canning, with whom are united some
other English officers, a corps of 4,000 men, which
is to maintain the communications between the
Turkish army and the auxiliary troops.
A letter from Berlin says :—" The Russian loan
meets with very few subscribers. It is said that at
Hamburg none of it has been taken, and that at
Amsterdam, as well as at Frankfort, the amount
subscribed for does not exceed 1,200,000 f.

The British Consul at Genoa has issued a notice
to the British residents there warning them not to
contribute to the Russian loan, as such au act would
render them liable to prosecution for high treason.