The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-18 00:00:00

RUSSIA AND TURKEY.

REPLY OF THE RUSSIAN COMMANDER
IN-CHIEF TO THE TURKISH DEMAND.

Advices were received in Vienna yesterday,
stating that Prince Gortschakoff had sent a reply
to the demand made by Omer Paella on the part
of the Ottoman Government that the Russian
forces evacuate the Danubian principalities within
a period of fifteen days, otherwise hostilities would
be commenced.

The answer of the Russian commander-in-chief
is to the effect that he is neither authorised to com-
mence hostilities, nor to conclude peace, nor to
evacuate the principalities.
The Cologne Gazette publishes a telegraphic dis-
patch from Vienna, dated Sunday, stating that
Prince Gortschakoff had answered Omer Pacha's
demand in the negative, as he had no orders to
evacuate the principalities. The Gazette adds that
hostilities will not necessarily begin even yet, as
the Russian Commander-in-Chief, in reference to
the period fixed by Omer Pacha, meant that he
must receive instructions from St. Petersburg.
Omer Pasha has declared that vessels sailing
under a neutral flag will be allowed to pass on the
Danube till the 25th inst.
In Bessarabia, Bulgaria, and the Danubian
Principalities the smaller rivers and mountain
streams are dried up.
The Wallachian Militia, who were detached
along the bank of the Danube, have been ordered
to march upon Bucharest, where they will act as a
garrison.
The Russian subjects in Turkey are from the Ist
of October to be placed under the protection of
Austria.

The Monsteur contains a paragraph contradicting
the declaration of the Constitutionnel that orders
had been sent to Toulon to prepare vessels to carry
out troops to the Dardanelles. The official journal
declares this assertion to be without any kind of
foundation.

,The Wanderer of Vienna states that it has
learned by its latest intelligence from Constantinople
that the Russian merchants had received, on Oct.
Ist, notice, that if, in case of war, they intended
to leave the capital, they should lose no time in
setting their affairs in order ; if, however, any de-
sired to remain, they could place themselves under
the protection of Austria.
The Wanderer of Vienna, under date of Con-
stantinople 4th inst., says :—" Every one here is
procuring arms, and all the shops are cleared out.
Pistols have doubled in price. The agitation
among the Mussulmans is so great that the Otto-
man Porte could not, even if it were inclined to do
so, make any further concessions. It is worthy of
remark that the Christians are not exposed to any
molestations from the Turks as they were in 1829.
A letter from Warsaw, 12th, sap-44 We learn
from a source worthy of being relied on that the
three allied courts (?) have it in contemplation to
make another effort, by means of negotiations, to
arrange pacifically the Turco-Russian differences.
This last attempt is, it is said, connected with the
questions which the Cabinet of St. Petersburgh
addressed to the Divan simultaneously with the
dispatch of the 26th September. It is not, how-
ever, thought that the Emperor Nicholas will make
any further concessions as far as regards the modi-
fications. Nevertheless, it is certain that the three
allied courts wish to maintain peace, without, how-
ever, compromising the dignity of Russia. It is
needless to observe that this project is independent
of the operations of the Conference of Vienna. A
proof of this is the dispatch which England and
France addressed to the Court of St. Petersburgh
on the 6th. Field-Marshal Paskiewitsch has re-
ceived instructions relative to the operations of the
grand army, including the corps of infantry of
which he is the chie. The corps d'armoe in.
Poland will not advance until it is replaced by an-
other corps. Russia will not give up her repressive
and offensive position between the Vistula and the
Narew."
According to the German Journal of Frankfort,
the Russians have on the frontiers of Asiatic
Turkey 40,000 regular troops, 10,000 irregular
troops, and 30,000 Cossacks. The Turks have to
oppose them 100,000 men near Erzeroum, and_ as
many more are expected from Arabia. The Druses
of the Lebanon and other scheiks of Syria hare
offered 40,000 men to the Sultan.
The Emperor of Russia, on p g
proceeding from
Potsdam to. St. Petersburg, turned out eed
of his road
to visit Weimar, where he arrived incognito at a
He again set off' at mid-
late hour in the evening.
night after having had a long conversation with the
Duke of Saxe-Weimar.
The New Gazette of Prussia publishes the follow-
ing letter from London, dated the Bth :—" The
equipment of the legion of the refugee auxiliaries
of Turkey is being continued here with the greatest
activity, and more than 300 workmen are, it is said,
occupied in the preparations. The uniform of the
legion consists of a dark blue frock coat, with a
purple collar, grey trousers, a knapsack in black
leather, and a dark blue cap with the Polish eagle
and a cockade. Uniforms are also being made for
.carabineers, of a grey colour, with a yellow collar,
cartouche-boxes instead of knapsacks, and szapkas
of dark blue. The Polish Colonel Wierzicki directs
and superintends the depot of the workmen in the
name of the National Committee, The same officer,