The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-11 00:00:00

THE DOBRUDSCHA.

Russian reports transmitted to Vienna from
Bucharest, under date the sth of April, do not
make any fresh mention of the battle which was
announced in letters dated the 4th. The latest
despatches only speak of the unopposed march 'of
the Russians towards the wall of Trajan.
M. de Meyendorff has had a Te Deum performed
in the chapel of his hotel at Vienna, to celebrate
the victory of the Russians in the Dobrudsoha. All
the persons belonging to the Russian Embassy
were present.

The Vienna Lloyd announces that 5,000 prisoners
were made by the Russians at Matschin, after the
two days' bombardment of that fortress. They
have been conducted into Bessarabia.• Many Eng-
lish and French instructors are said to be among
their number.

It appears beyond doubt, says a letter from the
Turkish capital of the 30th ult., that the Russians
have crossed the Danube at Matschin, or beween
that place and Hirsova. A not uncommon opinion
here is that the movement is intended to strengthen
their line of defence against the expected advent of
the allied forces, and that it forms no part of a
system of attack on the Ottoman army. It is re-
presented that the enemy might have a well-grounded
fear of an army landed on the coast of the Euxine,
which could at present advance without molesta-
tion, and cross the Danube in that part of its course
in which it takes a northerly direction. By this
means the Russians would be taken in the rear,
, their supplies intercepted, and their communication
with their own country cut off. What, therefore,
it is urged, is more likely than that an enemy
so skilful and so well acquainted with the
country should endeavour to obviate a palpable
danger ? From the Danube to the Black Sea
extends a line of defence, the relic tf Roman
times. A long and narrow lake with a wall—the
work of the Emperor Trajan— renders the upper
Rus-
sian theaorfmie s Deaosburyuddefeschnasi
supe-
rior force. The policy of the Russians, then, abnled againstthe a flank
of
much the
Rus
un-
doubtedly is to entrench themselves between
Tchernavoda on the river and Kostendjee on the
sea, to guard the most assailable part of their field
of operations and to secure to themselves an easy
retreat in case of failure. Such is the plan of ope-
rations attributed to the Czar by many here, but
whether it has any real foundation must be left for
events to show, or, at least, to the superior know-
ledge of those acquainted with the country to de-
termine. Others regard the whole movement merely
as a feint, intended to divide the forces of Omer
Pasha, with a view to an attack by the main body
at some place higher up the river. It is not doubted
in any quarter that the Russians are eager to gain
some important advantage before the powerful as-
sistance of the Western Powers can be brought to
bear, and we may be assured that every temptation
will be lavished to entice the Ottoman commander
into some false movement, which may change into
success the hitherto adverse fortune of the Russian
Generals.

The Austrian Soldatenfreund gives in the follow-
ing statement a justification of Mustapha Pacha's
conduct in his capacity of Commander iu the Do-
brudscha :—" Mustapha Pacha received the message
informing him about the preparations of the Rus-
sians for crossing the Danube so early as on the 22d
ult., but he was also informed that the passage was
to be probably made by the main Russian army of
90,000 men, and tint the garrisons of Matchin,
Isaktsha, and Tultsha could hardly impede their
advance and consequent operations. The com-
mander of the Turkish forces would certainly have
had time, as far as that goes, to reinforce the gar-
rison of Babadagh, which consisted of 2,500 men,
by despatching troops via Kasimtshi, on the road
from Karassu ; strategetic considerations, how-
ever, were opposed to this proceeding. MUS-
tapha Pacha was already aware that the Russians
were at the same time making preparations for
crossing the Danube from Wallachia at the ford,
near Kiserdshi, six miles below Hirsova. As the
Russian encampment-to the north-east of Kalarasl.l.
was 60,000 strong, Mustapha Pacha was compelled
in making his arrangements to keep this fact 111
view. He was obliged at once to abandon the de-
fence of the height near Babadagh, and order the
troops occupying the road along the coast, as far
as Kostendjee, to fall back on his own positiori.
Had he acted othezwine, and occupied Babadligil

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