The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-08 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JUNE 8, 1 854.

lays, or other obstructiOns from public servants.
In this, as in many matters, they unquestionably
"manage those things better in France." And
the apophthegm of LAWRENCESTERNE receives al
new and powerful illustration.

LATEST FOREIGN NEWS,

out of the district around us. Immediately on
Lord Raglan's return, the various Generals of
Brigade visited him, and received instructions to
prepare for active operations. Major Dickson
was ordered to return to Varna in the Cyclops,
and several transports were detached from the fleet
to proceed up to the Black Sea with stores on the
evening of the same day. The brigade orders for
the Guards were distinguished by a great novelty.
They were ordered' to appear the following day on
parade without—Muskets ? No. Coatees ? No.
Epaulettes ? No. Cartouch-boxes ? _LN o. Boots ?
No. In fact, you would never guess it, good Bri-
tish reader, and least of all could you divine it who
belong to our glorious army. Her Majesty's
Guards were actually commanded to parade "with-
out stocks," and to march with unrestricted wind-
pipes.

THE WAR.
THE SIEGE OF SILISTRIA.

According to a telegraphic despatch from Vienna,
dated yesterday morning, the Russians have aban-
doned the idea of taking Silistria by storm, and
will continue their efforts to investing and block-
ading the place.

The most redoubtable of the Ministerial organs,
the chief of our morning contemporaries, has to-
day fallen foul of M. Louis KOSSUTH, accusing
him of being the advocate, and not only the ad-
vocate, but, if we understand the Times correctly,
an actual agent or emissary of the Russian Go-
vernment. The accusation comes before the
world, we cannot but think, both in regard to
the accuser and in reference to the accused, some-
what ridiculously. The Times, forsooth, of all
journals, charging M. KOSSUTH, of all men, with
being an advocate, or agent, or emissary of the
Russian Government ! Surely this is turning the
tables with a vengeance ! Surely (taking the
truth of our contemporary's charge for granted), this
is more wonderful than the most marvellous 0 vidian
metamorphosis ! M. KOSSUTH the champion of
the CZAR ? We shall be told next that M. MAZ-
ZINI is the champion of RADETZKY. That M.
RoLLIN is the champion of NAPOLEON. Much
reason M. KOSSUTH has, certainly, for undertaking
the defence of the cause of the Northern AUTO-
CRAT ! And a very pretty hand in truth that of
the Times to cast this particular pebble of accusa-
tion against the fair fame of the illustrious chief
of the Hungarians. But the clue through all this
labyrinth of absurdity, the clue conducting us to
the heart of the impeachment, bringing us to the
gravamen of the accusation, is the fact that M.
KOSSUTH presumed the other day to observe that
it would be better for the liberties of
Europe that the German Powers should be
against us rather than that they should be with
us. Hine ilke lcsehrymce—or rather, hence these
singularly incoherent and outrageous vitupera-
tions. Now, we venture to assert that there is
scarcely a journalist in England who could with
less reason be accused of a Russian leaning than
ourselves. Others, doubtless, have been more
eloquent in denouncing the atrocious policy and
the infamous proceedings of the Emperor NICHOLAS
—but not one amongst our contemporaries, we
are bold to assert, has, in so doing, been more
outspoken or more pertinacious. And long ago
we ourselves expressed, in the plainest words at our
command, precisely the same opinion as that which
has been very recently avowed by M. KOSSUTH, and
denounced by the Times as having a tendency to-
wards the championship of the utterly execrable
cause of the Russian Government. It is un-
necessary to add, therefore, that we coincide
entirely with the view of European affairs so far
taken by M. KOSSUTH, and manfully avowed by
his eloquent lips to au assemblage of our provincial
fellow-countrymen. We think with him, as we
have declared long ago in these columns, that—it
were better for the liberties of the world and for
the peace of Christendom that the German
Powers should, in this struggle between Russia
and ourselves, be against us rather than with us.
For we have no faith whatever either in
Austria or in Prussia--in the fidelity of
either the Cabinet of Vienna, or of the Cabinet of
Berlin to any engagements with which they might
pretend to enter as opposed to the CZAR, or as the
allies of France and England. We cannot dis-
miss from our recollection the damning fact that
Austria and Prussia were the accomplices with
Russia in carrying out the monstrous partition of
the Kingdom of Poland. Neither can we in any
way forget that while Prussia retains forcibly in
unnatural possession the beautiful Rhenish pro-
vinces, belonging by right to the French Empire,
Austria holds in her despotic grasp the fairest por-
tion of the Roman peninsula, and tramples under her
tyrannous heel the glorious nationality of the
heroic Hungarians. Wherefore, we completely
coincide with the opinion expressed by M. Kos-
SIMI, an opinion already explicitly avowed by
ourselves that, if Austria and Prussia in this
general war were against rather than with us, it
were better ultimately for the liberties of Europe,
and better also for the prospect of a permanent
peace throughout Christendom. As for the charge.
of Russian complicity hurled at M. Kossurit by
the Times, hurled with a hand at once efl insen-
sate and so blundering—it is a dangerc,us accusa-
tion, an accusation that recoils like) a boomerang
upon our contemporary.

With respect to the relief of Silistria, it appears
that the plan of Marshal St. Arnaud is to detach
24,000 French, 15,000 English, and 30,000 Otto-
mans of Omer Pasha's army for that service.
35,000 Russians, it is said, are on the right bank
of the Danube, employed in investing the place.
These 35,000 will be placed between two fires, and
will, it is hoped, be driven into the Danube, or
made prisoners. Notwithstanding the slight hope
of relieving that fortress, it is fully expected that
it will be relieved in time, and before the gallant
officer who defends it is forced either to surrender
or, which is most probable, bury himself and the
remnant of the garrison under its ruins. The
Danube seems also to be doing its duty against
the Russians, as the rising of the waters must have
greatly interfered with the operations against the
fort. At all events, an important battle will be
soon fought near Silistria, which cannot but pro-
duce a considerable effect on the campaign. The
fleet in the meantime will cruise oil the coast to
have au eye on Sebastopol and prevent the possi-
bility of any succour by sea, and also be ready in
case of need to promote the success of the opera-
tions.

However this great boon of " no stocks" was
granted to the Guards to celebrate her Majesty's
birth-day, and lam certain that never since they
were formed did the regiments give three more
ringing thundering cheers than issued from their
throats yesterday, when they marched on the
ground as erect and upright as ever but not
" caught by the throat" as before, to be inspected
by Lord Raglan. While talking of orders, I may
observe that the eccentric wide-a-wake hats, shoot-
ing coats, and trousers in which officers delight to
appear when enjoying the pleasures of " Mufti,"
have received a severe snubbing from Sir George
Brown ; and he has expressed his dissatisfaction at
the officers of the light division going across the
water to Pera and Galata in dresses which, he con-
ceives, would not be tolerated in England.

A letter from Constantinople, under date th
25th_ult., says :—.

" Since'theinterview of the Generals-in-Chief of the
English and French troops, the greatest activity has
prevailed. As we have been informed that Silistria was
invested by 70,000 Russians, and defended by about
15,000 Turks, and that a large breach had been made
by the Russians, and that the place could not hold out
more than 15 days at the utmost, orders were at once
given to remove the head-quarters to Varna. The
Marshal immediately sent orders to the first and second
divisions to embark without delay for Varna, so that
they will pass to-day or to-morrow before Constantinople
without stopping. The cavalry and artillery will pro-
ceed to Varna by land. The English troops are also
making their preparations to leave for Varna. A part of
them will probably leave to-day, and the rest to-mor-
row and the day after. Although the artillery
has not arrived, yet it is thought that the Marshal
will endeavour to succour Silistria, because it is a
strategic point of great importance—in fact, one
of the keys of the Danube. It is calculated that the
task of neutralising the Russian artillery, or rather
artillerymen, will bo left to the Chasseurs de Vincennes.
Nothing has transpired as to what took place at the Con-
ference of Varna. The English troops burn to come
to blows with the Russians. A Wallachian, a friend of
mine, has just received a letter from Krajova, of which
these are the leading facts Two days before the ar-
rival of the Turks the Russians sent off to Bucharest the
archives and all the papers belonging to the Chancel-
lerie. They also took off with them the employes of all the
administrations, the municipality, the members of the
tribunals—in a word, the whole of the public function-
aries, without distinction. They also took on the Doribas
(the irregular troops organised on the war looting), and
the Wallachian regular troops who happeneA to be on
the spot. They were placed between two batteries of
Russian cannon, and the artillerymen had orders to blow
those volunteers' to pieces if they made the slightest at-
tempt to escape. Before they left, the Russians addressed
a proclamation to the inhabitants of Krajova, which
states in formal and precise terms that all those who
shall accept the smallest employment from the Turks,
or who shall aid them iu anything whatever, will
be shot. Forged proclamations, in the name of Gomel
Pasha, have also been abundantly circulated by the Rus-
sians, which state that all the Wallachians who have ren-
dered the smallest assistance to the Russians will be
hanged. You may judge of the consternation that the
proclamation, with so agreeable an alternative, has pro-
duced among the inhabitants. The French Chancellerie,
which was at lieruianstadt, has received orders to return
to Krajova.'"

THE AUSTRIAN ULTIMATUM.
The local Austrian journals contain the following
stereotype notice of the Austrian note to St.
Petersburg :

" The note, with the summons to the St. Peters-
burg Cabinet to evacuate the principalities, was
despatched from hence to St. Petersburg on Friday
morning. In this important document, Austria, in
the consciousness of her own strength, assumes an
independent position, irrespective of the Austro-
Prussian treaty. Taking her stand upon the old
treaties, Austria- once more reverts to the question
of the occupation of the principalities, from this
point of view ; discusses the danger which it must
be expected will more and more increase, the
longer the occupation of the Turkish provinces be
protracted ; explains why this occupation, under
present circumstances, cannot any longer be tole-
rated ; and concludes with the declaration that it
has now become inevitably necessary to demand of
Russia to fix a period within which the evacuation
of the Danubian principalities, and such other
parts of the Turkish territory as are at present
occupied, shall be effected. The liberties recently
granted by the Sultan to the Christians are also
dwelt upon. It is said that a similar note from
Prussia is on the road to St. Petersburg."
Public opinion, says a Vienna letter, is rather di-
vided in its conjectures as to the probable answer of
the Czar to this Austrian note. The Lloyd thinks
that there is no difficulty in arriving at a safe opi-
nion hereon. " Russia will surely not evacuate the
Danubian principalities as long as the Sublime
Porte, in conjunction with the Western Powers, is
not willing to combine with this retrograde move-
ment some definite treaty of peace." Be this as it
may, it amounts to little more than idle and use-
less speculation to attempt to anticipate the resolves
et St. Petersburg. Tao diplomatic blunders of
Russia have become so proverbial throughout the
present complications, that we may well defy any
man to form a safe estimate of the future policy of
the Czar and his advisers. One thing, however, is
eertain—the'young and gifted Emperor of Austria
will never be entrapped by the wiles of his accom-
plished confrere. We now, therefore, have ue ap-
prehension on the score of Austria.

A LETTER FROM THE RUSSIAN CAMP.
The following letter from the Vienna Medica
Journal, is from the Russian camp :

"It was said that the difficulties and troubles under
which we have all along laboured in respect to lodging
and provisions would be at an end in spring; the
season and our progress on the right bank of the river
were to remedy all evils. Unfortunately, little or
nothing is changed ! I informed you that we were
obliged to carry even hay and water, pails, and bottles
into the Dobrudscha, and that the returning trains
brought across crowds of sick and wounded, of whom
one-third died. What was said then applies now ;
all the hospitals and infirmaries on the right
bank of the river are over-filled, and ague, catarrhal
affections, rheumatism, dysentry, scurvy, and hospital
mortification,' rage so terribly that it is a question
whether more of our brave fellows fell victims to the
sword or to disease. From Tultscha up to Hiraova,
from Basardshik up to Chernavoda, there is not a single
station which is not crowded with sick and wounded,
waiting to be transported across the river—or to their
last homes. The want of drinkable water and the pier-
cingly cold nights produce such a pernicious effect that
all the care of our Commissarist, which is this time well
arranged, is of no avail. The long fasts which took place
just before the army crossed the river had exhausted
the soldiers, who had already been weakened by
forced marches, miserable winter quarters, and overfilled
stations. Still these troops display the most remarkable
courage, and it is not the fault of the common soldiers
if Rassova and Silistria have until now been bombarded
and stormed in vain. The wounds of the men, almost
all dangerous, are inflicted by the musket or the sword,
and on the front of the body. Most of the men lost in the
various expeditions are drowned, as we are in great want
of good vessels and men to man them. How many brave
fellows have found their death in the river or in the bogs
during our. nocturnal enterprises ! Between Bucharest,
Budeschti, Slabosies, Kikinez, Odaja, and Braila—Braila
and Vezirkoi, Martinetschti, Golatschau—and Braila and
Fokschan—there are 23 larger or smaller hospitals. Along
the line from Fokschan to Jassy, the sick, wounded, and
those men who for the moment are incapable of service, are
transported. The consignment of provisions to the right
bank of the river (to the Dobrudscha) still takes place
from Braila. In consequence of the retreat of the troops
from the Schyl and the Aluta, the prices of provisions
are three times as high as they were formerly, and some
articles, such as fowls and eggs, are not to be had at all.
In Braila and Galata, which are the great depots, there
are, however, vast stores of salted meat of all kinds,
bread, flour, cheese, and salt fish. By the foreign
papers, which we now and then get with parts cut out,
we often learn things,which are occurring incur imme-
diate neighbourhood. As I wrote you in December
last, the passage of the river at Silistria and Rust-
chuk will be forced, cost what it may. The great
masses of troops sent to Kalarasch, Oltenitza, and
Giurgevo, and the uninterrupted reinforcements
going from Reni and Fokschan, leave no doubt as
to the resolve to go forwards; but the precautionary
measures, noticed in my last letter, forwarded about
three weeks since, prove that the line of retreat has been
oared for. Since the 'Job's news' from the Black Sea
has reached us, we feel ourselves more and inure isolated,
and it is evident that the whole population is more
averse to us since the retreat from Little Wallachia,
and our fruitless attempts on Silistria have become
known, and rumours of the mighty succour which the
enemy is about to receive have been in circulation.
Finally the ' pitched battles' of which your papers tspeak,
as having been fought in the Dobrudscha and at Trajan's
Wall, were nothing but sanguinary skirmishes. Thou-
sands fell in the attacks on the fortified places and in
the continual 1411(lingo"