The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-24 00:00:00

THE DANUBE.

VIENNA, APRIL 23.—1 t is reported -that Sills-
tria is hard besieged, and several points in llama'
. Reports speak of its surrender, and that the.
Russians have taken Rassova.
Both reports require confirmation.
The Russians send all disposable troops towards
Giurgevo and Kalafat. Their passage at Radjuge'
watt is shortly expected for a combined attack on
Widdin and lialafat.

The Sulina mouths will be closed by sinking
three vessels earth laden ; only Kilia, with eight
. .
feet water, remains open.
The Bashi Bazouks have burnt and evacuated
Bassardsik. deputation of Rayahs has requests('
the Rusiians to cross 'into the district' between
Silistria and Shumla, no Turkish troopsbeing there,
560 Russians still reside in Constantinople.
The banditti in Tliessaly and Epirus have de"
stroyed 178 villages.
The Cologne Gazette contains a Vienna letter of
the 18th, which says :—" The crews of the Russian
A
vessels sold at Trieste to the Greek Government
will arrive here to-morrow, under the escort of two
Austrian officers, Who are to accompany them to
the frontier. The officers have instructions to pro-
vide for all the wants of the Russian crews, and to
take measures to prevent their being molested er
insulted on the road. It would seem, from this,
order, that in' high circles the real sentiments 01
the public are well known. The mot import'
ant news from the theatre of war is that a Rut
sian division has seized on B'tbadagh, on the Black
Sea, almost without combat, the Turks withdravr-
iug at once. .At Kalarasch preparations have been
made for a speedy passage of the Danube, the
Russians appearing to have it in contemplation to
blockade Silistria. On the left bank they WI,
raised several batteries, and, it is said, only oral'
the arrival of a part of the corps of Luders to coin'
mence the bombardment of several places at the
same time. Tile news that the Court of Russia
intended withdrawing from St. Petersburg, and
proceeding to Moscow, is formally contradicted ill
letters from the Russian capital of the 9th. Not
only the Court, but all the aristocracy will rem
at St. Petersburg."
The Correspondance of Berlin says :—‘6 Tele'
graphic accounts from Bucharest announce that
M. de Meusebach, Prussian Consul-General in
the Danubian Principalities, has struck his flag)
and suspended his diplomatic relations with the '-
Wallachian government. This measure has beers
determined on in consequence of the Consul-Gene"
ral having applied in vain for some time past to
the Wallachian authorities'for a guarantee for the
privileges and immunities of Prussian subjects ; the
Consular offices will, however, remain open in the
Principalities for the protection of Prussian Sub"
jects. Other accounts from Bucharest of the 14th ,
announce that a fire had broken out in the tool..
of Fokschani, and destroyed the Russian hospital 4. '
The patients were, however, removed in sa,fety•
The Russian powder magazine, Which contained
an immense quantity of powder, escaped." •

GALLIPOLI.
We extract the following • from a letter dated
Gallipoli, April Bth, and written by a gentleman
who accompanied the British troops in the Gold
Fleece, which arrived at that place on April 13th
Unless there is danger of the forces of his Imperial -,ts
Majesty the Emperor "of All the Russias getting by
some 'means or other down on the very shores of the
Dardanelles, the advantage of fixing our position
it Gallipoli does not strike the unprofessional 'critic
very forcibly. It is a wretched collection of hovels,
of 10,000 inhabitants, Turks, Jaws, and Greeks, 00
the European side of the Dardanelles,' at thenorth-
western extremity of the strait, where it begins 0.:
expand into the '`'ea of Marmora. It is exposed.,"
to much of the sun's ray§ ; bi't a range of hills
running parallel to thecoast line affords considerable
facilities for pitching a healthy encampment. AS.
the brow flies it-would appear to be about 120.mile*, ••
from Constantinople across the Sea of Mariners.
The geographical accidents of Gallipoli would lead
one to think the army placed there is - intended for
occupation and defence. It would be within such
a distance of. Constantinople that, if the caPita'.
were in the smallest danger, the troops could he '-
sent there in a few days, artillery, baggage, an'
all, while it effectually commands the•Dardanellee
and the entrance to the Sea of Marniora, and makes
it a mare clauswria as it listS. But there are other.
considerations not to be overlooked, and which.
become 'significant • enough when it 'is recol'
lected that -a small town, on a spit of land op'
posite• the mouth .of the Maritza, on the coast of
Turkey to the , north-east
,of Samothrace, was sur: •
veyed and examined for the encampment byFrencn
and English engineers. 1 mean the town of Enos.
It is obvious that if some daring Muscovite General
fot cing a passage across the Danube beat the Turks
and crossed the western ridges of the Balkan,
he might advance southwards with very little
hindrance to the very lEgein ; and a dashing march
to the -south-east would bring his troops to the
western 'shores of the Dardanelles. An army- at
Gallipoli could check such a movement, if it, ever •
entered into the head of any one but the person wbo
is now writing of it. Gallipoli is in effect situ-
ate on almost the narrowest portion of the
tongue of laud or peninsula, which, running: be-
tween the Gulf of Saros Oli the *west and the Dar'
dandles on the east,- forms the western side of the
strait. An army encamped here commands the
.lEgean and the Sea of Marmora, and can 'he •
marched northwards to tließalkan,-er sent across •.'•
to Asia or up to Constantinople with equal facility
So far, then, if the Turks are 'beaten, this point is
of some strategical value ; but would it not be mach
better to let all, this generalship alone and march
at once to aid the Turks on the Danube, if We
seriously intend to .strike a blow for them I Till!
is the question ,asked by ignorant Turks and hY
some. ignorant Englishmen like myself. lam sure,
the- men would enjoy as good health and get into as
fine condition with.the excitement of a little Caw' •
paigning on the Danube, with •;the prospect -of 0
brush with the enemy to keep up their spirits, as
they possibly could crowded-in hot cantonments at
Etios, Gallipoli;- or Mitylene. On Thursday morn-
ing early a boat came off from shore, with two cool;
missariatofficers, Messrs. Turner and Bartlett, am;
au interpreter. Th.ey informed us that. the Consul
had gone up the Dardanelles to -look for us, but,
that he would return in the course of the day, anY,
added the unwelcome, news that horses- were 11°'
to be had at any price, that provisions were 11°,.
very cheap, and that the French being the fire","
comers,- had got hold of the best part of the
town, and of the best quarters as well. The French
mail steamer for Marseilles just put in at the
moment, and started so soon afterwards that 11
could , scarcely get the 'General. letters et
despatches on board. After breakfast- Lieutenant'
General Brown, COlonel,Sulli van' Captain Hain!,
well, aide-de-catrip, .and
.Captain Whitmore,
de-scamp, started for the shore in the- ship's boat,
accompanied- by the captain of the vessel,' and
the commissary officers. Sir George proceeded
to visit the Pasha of Adrianople (Ititstum Pashas,
who had -arrived here expressly by the orders (L'.,
his „Government to • facilitate the arraugernent'r
and debarkation of the troops. He
.is an ofic°,..
of high standing, and is said to be a Man c".
-great energy arid ability. After their, return; ~ _
about : half-past 2 o'clock, Lieutenant-Genera'
Canroberf, and one aide-de-camp, in full uniforro,
came on board, and was received by the Liont''
General. They had a long and, animated conversa-
tion, and Sir George led him down the hold'of t 11:
ship that-he -might have .an opportunity Of seVla'
how the troops were stowed,- and their arms,
carried. The visit lasted an hour, and was markt)" .
at its close with greater cordiality if possiblel,the•
at the commencement: After making the neceseal
arransements, the troops• Were disembarked- to-daYi. .
and marched out 'to their camp, miles north -
Gallipoli.

AUSTRIA:
THE EMPEROR'S NUPTIALS.
VIENNA, Sunday Evening, April 23.—The
perial bride arrived yesterday. She enterecUf_l
city in state. The solonwirsation of the Itoperl'h