The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-15 00:00:00

THE BLACK SEA.

CONSTANTINOPLE, May 4.—The Turkish fleet,
consisting of 22 ships, has entered the Black Sea.
The Sultan has returned Prince Napoleon's visit.
The Ost Deutsche Post of Vienna states from
Bulgaria, that 12,000 French and English troops
had arrived at Varna, and that a division of the
combined fleets was ockading the mouths of the
Danube. Troops, it was said, would be landed
on the coast, and establish themselves in a fortified
position.
A letter from an officer in the Descartes (one of
the ships engaged at Odessa) states positively that,
in consequence of the highly satisfactory experience
of the range of the fleets' guns as compared with
thos (3 of the Russians, the admirals had determined
to bombard Sebastopol, and that the fleets were off
upon i that service.
The Patric says the latest news from the Black
Sea cc Infirms the fact of a reconnaissance having
been n tade by the combined fleets as far as Se-
bastopo 1.
The ( )pinion of competent men here is, says the
Paris correspendent of the Times, that so far as the
Black Sea is concerned, very little of importance
will have been done until Sebastopol is attacked
by sea, while a descent is made on the Crimea
by the troops. To that object the undivided efforts
of the allies ought to be directed. That the source
of the n.taritime power of Russia in the south
of the Empire must be utterly destroyed, and that
it can be sa few doubt. Were that fortress razed
to the ground, and the Russian ships of war sunk,
burned, or captured, a few frigates would suffice to
keep the Black Sea open, and the squadrons could .

at once proceed to join the Baltic fleets, and with
their united and tremendous force repeat what had
been done in the Euxine.

THE DANUBE.

The Gaette of Cronstadt, in Transylvania, re-
lates the following incident of the siege of Sills-

trig :-

"The Russian artillery established on the left bank
of the Danube were keeping up a brisk fire in the
place, when the Turks had recourse to an ingenious
stratagem, While the Russians were showering their
balls against the fortress, the Turks collected in dif-
ferent points a quantity of wood and straw ; and the
Russians continuing their fire, in the evening the Turks
set fire to these combustibles, and it was thought that
the place was in flames. The Russians set up a shout of
joy, and thought the moment favourable for crossing
the river, and making a general assault on the place.
The Turks, however, had placed a body of men in the
adjoining vineyards, who allowed the Russians to ap-
proach within a certain distance, and then opened a
destructive fire on them. A sharp conflict took place,
which ended in the retreat of the Russians."
The Wanderer of Vienna of the 9th states that
Prince Gortschakoff has caused immense supplies
of flour to be conveyed from Moldavia and Wal-
lachia towards Silistria and Galatz.

The Post Gazette of Frankfort has the following,
dated. Bucharest the 2d :

" Events in the Dobrudscha are enveloped in profound
mystery. It appears that on neither side has an impor-
tant success been obtained. It is certain, however, thi.t
on the 29th ult. a great battle took place between
Rassowa and Silistria, and we can give you some in-
teresting details on the subject. The Russian. forces,
75,000 strong, formed in this sanguinary affair three
columns. The right wing was commanded by General
Kotzebue, the centre by General Luders, and the left by
General Utschakoff. The Turks, 70,000 men. Omer
Pacha commanded the centre, which Luders attacked
with all his force, but without success. After mid-day,
however, Omer Pacha retired with his corps, and
Luders hotly pursued him. In the meantime the
left and the right wings of the Russians were attacked by
the Turks, and Omer Pacha with his reserve fell on Gen.
Luders, and forced him to retreat—an operation which
he did not effect without disorder. Although very san-
guinary, this battle produced no definitive results for
either party. Both maintained their positions, and the
losses, which are enormous, are equal on both sides. A
letter from Braila estimates that the number of Turks
and Russians slain was 6,000. A large number of
wounded Russians was conveyed by water to Braila,
where the barracks of infantry and cavalry are full, and
where several boyards' houses have been transformed in-
to hospitals. The Turks did not again disquiet the army
of Luders. It is still in its position, near Trajan's Wall.
It is, however, surrounded on three sides, and has not
yet dared to attack the enemy in their entrenchments."

Wonderful as the following narrative is, the
Moniteur pledges its belief that it is authentic :

" We have received some information relative to the
passage of the Danube and the capture of Toultcha by
the Russians, which we have reason to believe to be
authentic, and which completes the accounts already
published. On the 23d March, at daybreak, two
Russian steamers, 16 gun-boats, and a battery on the
shore, in all 70 pieces of artillery, attacked the
Turkish battery of nine guns situated opposite Ismail.
The cannonade lasted until 10 o'clock. At noon the
Russians passed the Danube in several boats under
the fire of the batteries, and landed 900 men on the
opposite bank. The passage being covered by this
force, the bridge was hastily thrown over, and all the
division of General Uchakoff, composed of 16,000 men,
including two regiments of cavalry, crossed the Danube.
The force which the Turks had to oppose to the Rus-
sians was only 1,200 regular infantry, 800 bashi ha-
zouks, 400 Tartars, a squadron of cavalry, and four field
pieces. The Russians were received by a well-supported
fire from the infantry, which lasted until a late hour in the
night, and caused great ravages in the►r ranks. Although
they were about five to one they could not gain posses-
sion of the entrenchments from behind which the Turks
made such heroic resistance ; and it was only at mid-
night, when the 1,200 regulars were reduced to 160,
and of those 90 at least were severely wounded, that
the enemy was able to carry the position by assault.
The 90 wounded were made prisoners and sent to
Ismail. The loss of the Turks was 1,200 killed and
wounded, and 115 prisoners. The Russians had 4,000
put hors de combat, of whom 70 were officers. The
Russian army was so discouraged by the enormous loss
which it had experienced in this affair that it was not
until 3 o'clock in the afternoon of the following day that
it entered Toultcha. General Uchakoff had encamped
his troops outside the town, but he was obliged to send
three battalions to keep in order the Greek volunteers
in his army, who began to commit the greatest atro-
cities. These scruples of the general did not, however,
prevent him from giving the town up to pillage for two
days by his own soldiers. The loss of the Greek, Aus-
trian, and English merchants is very considerable."