The Sun.
London, England, 1854-08-30 00:00:00

VARNA.

Among our latest letters from Turkey we have
the following, dated Varna, Aug. 10 :
We are now approaching the moment when the
army must either quietly take up its winter quar-
ters or attempt an expedition to terminate its first
campaign by a first campaign. You are aware,
without doubt, that the corps of General Jussuf
was recalled from the Dobrudscha. The two bat-
talions,of Zouaves and Bashi-bazouks who chased
the Cossacks to within a few leagues of Kostendje
met an.infinitely more formidable enemy there, in
the cholera. It was on the night of the 29th of
July, at the bivouae of Kagarlik, after a violent
storm, and just as the troops were preparing to sur-
prise the village of Ka3samasin, then occupied by the
Cossacks, that this dreadful visitation fell on the
soldiers like a thunderbolt. The effect of the epide-
mic was instantaneous, the men-being at once seized
with cramp, which weakened them so terribly that.
they died almost immediately. It appears that
in- that marshy district the cholera assumes an
intensity quite unknown in the more western
part of Europe. The country was, besides,
covered with rank grass, which rotted on its
stalks, sending out clouds of insects, which infected
the air and incommoded alike man and beast. It
is no exaggeration to say that the Bashi-bazouks
in less than four days lost one-fourth of their
whole number. No description can give you an idea
of the courage and resignation of the men. Some
were seen to remain on horseback to the last
moment, and then, on alighting, fall to the earth
never to rise again. Others in their agony held
on by a tree or wall, and expired without uttering
a complaint. The greatest number of those who
succeeded in reaching Kostendje expired in the
mosque of that ill-omened town, which was aban-
doned by its inhabitants. The mosque was liter-
ally filled with dead bodies, lying one on the
Other.

The two battalions of Zouaves, who were visited
by the terrible scourge at the same time as the Ot-
toman troops, also experienced great losses. Ge-
neral Jussuf, in this painful situation, and in face
of an epidemic against which all human efforts
were powerless, displayed a calmness of demeanour
and a firmness which reassured the troops. He at
once ordered a retreat to Kostendje, and dismount-
inc, part of a regiment of Turkish lancers, he gave
the horses to as many of the men attacked by the
malady as it was pessilde to save. When -the
troops at last arrived at Kostendje they found there
plenty of provisions, brought by the frigate Des-
cartes, and every kind of aid. In addition I think
it only just to state that the troops never wanted
biscuit, coffee, or rice.
Marshal de St. Arnaud, as soon as he heard cf
the dreadful invasion of the malady, which no one
had for a moment anticipated, sent vessels to bring
by sea the two battalions of Zouaves to this place.
The four English divisions, which are dissemi-
nated in several positions, and occupy the first ris-
ing grounds of the Balkans, have suffered but lit-
tle either from cholera or fever. Their loss up to
the present time has been only 220.
The sth English division remains in the Bospho-
rus, on board the vessels which brought it out from
England, and can be immediately conveyed to any
point of the Black Sea selected for landing. Every
one here expects th;,t this year will not pass over
without warm work taking place in that sea.
The fire will not have any effect in arresting the
progress of the expedition in the Black Sea, for
which the preparations ate going on actively. Lord
Raglan was at Baltschik when the fire broke out,
and could not arrive until next day. The fleets
have weighed anchor to change the air a little, and
prevent the cholera from assuming a greater inten-
sity. They are, however, in the neighbourhood of
Baltschik and Varna, and hold themselves ready to
take the troops on hoard.
Two Austrian Colonels, Lcewentbal and Kalixt,
have arrived here as commissioners of the Austrian
Government. It is said that they have come to
request the allied army to await the reply to the
last ultimatum of Austria ; but I am decidedly of
opinion that, now that the cholera is declining, the
expedition will take place without any unnecessary
delay.
The Furious has brought very important de-
spatches from Afus Pasha, the Turkish Commissary
in Anatolia, to Marshal St. Arnaud. Reinforce-
ments were urgently demanded for Erzeroum.
" The Russians," says the Commissary, "have en-
tered the Turkish territories in three places, and
threaten Erzeroum. They are in considerable
strength, and will, probably in a very short time,
get possession of the whole of Anatolia, if their
advance is not opposed by European troops"
The following is an extract of a letter from
an officer serving in the Light Cavalry division in
the East :
" Camp at Jemi Bazar.
" Aug.. 6, 1854.

"MY DEAR C.—Since my last we have had great loss
of life by cholera, &c. ; 20 or 30 of a day have perished,
and perished ingloriously. It is the opinion of all that
the men sink in mind so much after being taken ill that
few rally; but I am certain that if we were ordered to
advance against the enemy the sickness would soon dis-
appear- Many of the men are badly behaved, and get
intoxicated ; but I think it proceeds from inaction, and
a reckless anticipation (too often realised) of the death
of a dog—added to which is the scarcity of water for
men and horses, although there is a beautiful spring near
Lord Cardigan's tent, but he will not allow the men to
go to it. A dam or reservoir would soon be made by
officers and men, so that we could have plenty, if he was
only a little more sociable. No paid agent or officer of
Russia could better serve the Czar than Lord Cardigan,
inasmuch that he has injured the horses, as warranted
by the late duty he was on, where, out of the small
force, 79 horses were unfit for duty on return to camp,
through irregular marching—gallop one moment, sudden
halt another ; all confusion for no purpose ; indeed, he is
thought by many to be partially insane, and is by
officers and men detested. It is reported that he will
be superededi and go borne to be Inspector-General of
Cavalry, and that General Thaek well will take up his
command. It will be fortunate for him if so, and als(i
f.itunate for us ; he is only fit for St. James's Park or
liounslow parades. There is little loVii lost between
him and the Irish regiments—he hates Irishmen or any.
thing Irish ; but I must say that the Irish deserve great
credit for their soldier-like qualities, never caring much
for any hardship, but bustle on very like the French,
"The Duke oiCambridgois ill and cannot g° ile

~ :..

troops to take Sebastopol.' General-Brown is a thorough
good officer, but very strict—one of the old school. I
shall write again after we take the Crimea.—Yours
affectionately. " J. H. 8—.."

THE RUSSIAN AUTOCRAT'S ADDRESS TO
THE GARRISON AT ODESSA.

With respect to this extraordinary document;
the Pays saYs
"'Tie German journals brought us yesterday a curious
document emanating from the Emperor Nicholas, viz.,
an order of the day read on the 13th inst. to the garrison
of Odessa, and which explains to the troops the pretended
motive of the evacuation 'of Moldo-Wallaohia. Never
was historical truth more audaciously disfigured by a
sovereign speaking to his people. The retreat of the
Russian armies has taken place, according to that order,
only in order to direct the forces of the empire towards
points which appear menaced by England arid France,
as if it was possible to conceal from the soldiers of
the Czar the immense checks which the Russian flag
has undergone on the banks of the Danube, and the
disasters which force Russia to abandon the provinces
which she had seized on as a pledge. The order of the
day goes still further ; it pretends that in order to pro-
tect the Principalities against an invasion of the Turks,
the ancient ally of the Czar has undertaken to occupy them
meanwhile,' as if it were possible also to conceal
from the Russian army that the troops of Omer Paella
have entered the Moldo-Wallachian provinces, and that
Austria is about to occupy the principalities in conse-
quence of a treaty of alliance with the Porte, and of a
political union with the Western Powers—decisive acts,
which henceforward range the ancient ally of the Czar
amongst his declared adversaries. In fine, the Russian
proclamation makes an appeal to the bravery of his
soldiers in affirming to them that this new enemy,
more able, more courageous,, and better commanded
than the Turks, was already on several occasions beaten
and conquered by their valorous fathers,' and it again
refers to that campaign of 1812, when the Heavenly
Father also sent his hosts against these impious and cri-
minal men and buried them all under the ice,' as if the
Russian armies did not know by experience that they never
once were able to beat the French in a regular battle, and
if the incendiaries of Moscow were seconded by snow
and frost, that is not the kind of triumph that a great
people can be proud of. That the Czar, after having
violated all laws, divine and human, and after having
seen the conscience of all well-thinking men rise .up
against him, and all Europe unite together to oppose
him, should still invoke the support of the Heavenly
Father, i 3 easily to be comprehended on the part of a
sovereign who has over-excited the religious fanaticism of
his subjects. But that the God of Justice should attend
to such prayers, is what we do not fear, for victory will
never be definitively with impiety and violence !"

The Cologne Gazette announces the existence of
a report that attempts are being made in the Duchy
a Nassau to recruit young, men for the service of
Russia. This report seems to be extremely impro-
bable, .and may originate in the number of Russians
that
,are congregated at various baths near the
Rhine, and especially at Ems and Wit eibaden,
where they are certainly not politically inactive.