The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-22 00:00:00

ST. PETERSBURG.

Letters. from the frontiers of Russia say. that the
Russian Government, having hitherto affected to
consider ,the neutrality of Austria and PruSsia as
an ascertained fact, is now obliged to let its doubts
and fears become visible.- A .new levy oft 11 men
upon every 1,000 of population is spoken of, to
correspond with the mobilisation by Austria of its
Hungarian contingent, in order to facilitate the
formation of an army on the Galliciau 'frontier.
It was known at St, 2etersbura that reliance
could no longer be placed upon the neutrality of
Germany, and the Cabinet Was- quite conscious of
the serious position of affairs.

The news from Finland continues to be very
melancholy. The whoie country is already nearly
ruined, and starvation stares the peasantry in the
face. Their corn. has been seized for the army. ;
not even seed-corn has been left'them ; and they
have been paid in worthless assignats. Their horses
and cattle are empleyed for military transports,
and themselves fear every illea°ality. The cruelties
practised on the unfortunate Alanders show what
they have to expect. Prices are rising every day ;
no raw material exists for the handicraftsmen and
manufacturers. Last year the harvest was very
poor ; this year their barns are plundered, and
their homes filled.
.with Cossacks.• The precious
metals have been removed from the Finnish Bank in
Helsingfors, and have been deposited "for safety" in
St. Petersburg, the whole country being thus plun-
dered and made bankrupt at one blow. The in-
habitants 'are flying from that town as quickly as
possible, fearing a bombardment. The University
library is transported into the interior, and the
archives are, similarly secured. But the most ter-
rible news is behind. Runeberg, the greatest
living poet in Christendom—Runeberg, the idol of
all the northern nations, the scald of his country
and of freedom, as far as the Russian censorship
permitted—has disappeared. He has been sent to
Siberia, or transferred to the interior of Russia.
His family.is inconsolable.
The Cologne Gazette, under date of St. Peters-
bUrg, Bth says :—" The Emperor has just decided,
on the manner of estimating the rate of prize
money to bey paid for the capture of the enemy's
vessels., Ships" of Moline, frigates, and steam bor=
Vettes, are to-be estimated at double their Ordi;
nary value, and steamers` smaller than corvettes,
at their ordinary value. Steam vessels burnt or
sunk will be estimated according to the number of
guns Which shall be taken."

THE DANUBE.
Metter from Orsowa states that the Turks have
completed a third rampart before Kalafat, so that
the Russians, if they wished to attack that place,
would be obliged to take three lines of well-de-
fended works before they could reach the fortifica-
tions of Kalafat itself. _

The Dresden, Gazette, under date of, Bucharest,
Bth, says :—" Orders have been given too, raise for-
tifications at this place, principally an the liortlr
side, with a view, 8.3 it, would appear, to secure the
Ora-lOWA M. iroM '.7308 moo
u,„ Ak,r, s ha, * • 2 .

41111•IMI
tries purchased. soul° time since for, pontons, are tx,'
be converted into palisades kir. these works."'

THE DOI3RTIDSCEfA.
The following is Wier Paeha's official report 0
the passage of the Danube by the Russians-:--

TO HIS EXCELLENCY TILE SERASKIER.
L.. (Translation.)
A Russian corps crannei, suppOrted by all the available
faces in the vicinity of Galatz; effected successfully, on the
30th Rebrulachir, the passage of tho Danube, notwithstand-
ing the valiant resistance of our small force, and is, now
stationed on the right bank. • Our strength having been,
owing to the force of circumstances, divided on several
points, and that of the enemy over Whelming, I deemed rat
expedient to transmit without, delay orders to Alustapba
Paella to concentrate the troops at Nazalkais
Tassactehi, and Others, and fall back in good' order; to
might best be done, in the direction of Karasou. I 'NO
apprised, moreover, that the 6th corps of the army of Bessa
rabia was also advancing with two divisions of infantrY and
one of cavalry from the Principalities in support of the
enemy's movement. Under these circumstances, convince", •
of the impossibility of resisting such a powerful force with
any chance of success, I considered it indispensable to direct
all my attention to our head-quarteri at Manilla; and there
muster the available strength of our extended lines. 'All
idea, therefore, of adv,,ncing to attack the enemy at Kara'
son with forces unequal to the occasion, and whereby
Schninla would have been neeessaKily left without sub'
eient defences, has been abandoned. AcCordingly; I lulve
forwarded orders ,to Alustapha Pacha, to relincimsh,thit
position and join me with the troops under his conunand•
iimilar instructions have also been 'transmitted to, other
points of our lines,. so as ,to concentrate here as much PA
possible our available strength, 'and meet the enemy Pre
long in a pitched' battle.'
Redjeb, 2d, Schumla.

t.
(Signed). OitEE.
• A different version of Omer Pacha's rjeport is
given by the Moniteur -
"The Russians, supporteny considerable forces which
they have on the banks of the river, and disposing of a greet
number of boats, advanced with a numerous body of troops
on three points at once —Pot-Bachi, which is lower thin
' Jilatschin; Tchatal Bournou above Tultscha, and at another
point below that town. Our troops fought, and displayed
_
the most extraordinary courage; so much so that a Russian
regiment, which first attacked the battery of Tchatal, va"
completely annihilated, not a single man remaining. Tao
other battalions sent to its support experienced nearly 0
similar fate, but the battery being, soon afterwards -11,_t.
tacked by 15 battalions at the same time, was taken. 'rue
Russian troops dir nted on Pot-Bachi were three time'
driven back at the 'point of the bayonet, and lost siert,
than 1,000 men. Six pieces of cannon which had been
brought by them from this side of the river could not t
taken by our troops, and 'remained en the groundnut?
the evening, beiug•unapproachable in consequence of an
cross fire of our batteries, of the enemy's artillery, and
their gun-boats. Our batteries having been placed by the
fire of heavy ordnance in such a state that they were no
longer tenable by.our troops, the &nag ceased on both sides,
after a combat which lasted more than 48 hours without oes.
nation, that is to say, after our troops had supported for Of°
(lays and two nights, not only the fire of the enemy's or
boats, but also that of 25 pieces of artillery;and two niortal
placed ontheisiand, and in the batteries on the bank ?
the river. Some hours afterwards, and during the nigh"
our troops retired with their artillery. The Russians hay?
hew), as above sta ed,*defeated in three places, and have
_
had an extraordinary number of men killed ; but theil
forces were very considerable on the river and on land, Oa
on the other hand our corps were too far from each other •
to give mutual support, and it is for that,reason that 0111
troops returned to Karason agreeably to instructions which
' had been given to them."
We are in almost daily receipt of intelligence frail
the Danube, says a Constantinople letter of the I.oth
inst., and all our letters bear testimony to the
astonishing bravery of two Turkish battalions, which
_resisted at the point of the bayonet the passage el
the stream by an overwhelming Russian force The
onslaught of this devoted little bandwas so obstinate
and terrific that the enemy's gunboats were eon!
pelled, as-a, last resource to exte:.minate it,
,indiserP
minately and bruta4, with a large body of their
•
own troops by a storm of .grape and musketry.
loss of the Russians in effecting the passage of the
Danube, including drowned, killed and wounded
amounts, it is said, to nearly eight thousand ine°'
That of the Turks has also, it is underatood, been
very severe, and of the two battalions above
mentioned in the foremosttankS three poor fell"'
~re all that remain to tell the tale. The Russians
tre now encamped on the northern points of th,.:
..0
,
Dobrudscha territory. 'Those plains are now, it 1
said, a scene of ruin and desolation :
inhabitants fled, the iillages deserted, the Oh'
novatia awl labours of industry all at the mercy of
those barbarous hordes. , Their plans of furthe.l.
operations will necessarily . combine to reach- .1
• ,d 1 possible haste. the foot of the Balkan ;
,but
whether this may be effected or not withOut.a ce?`,;
sive action and the.utter destruction of Otner
Pacha
.army is, of course, a difficult matter to determine
You will perceive by the brief and evidently 10;
complete report of the Commander-in-Chief 0"
•io is awaiting the • enemy with all his available
strength Shumla. Should the force of Europe
tactics,. but above all the skill of experienced
officers, prevail in this last struggle over the well'
known valour of the Turkish troops, it is ireP6,S:
sable. to calculate the deplorable results of such 4;
catastrophe. , Meantime, the Anglo-French for?
is lingering on .t he way,' and the commanders ban.
plotting and speech-making in every locality,
this most critical conjuncture. It is really deploy'
able, inexplicable, and a fatality seems to• liars
favoured the 'aggressor in every phase of this
just quarrel.
Other letters give a very olooruy account of the
state of things in the.Dobrudscha.
The following is from a French naval officer'
dated Varna, April 2 :
" The squadron continues at li.avarna, but several of 1.1,2
hare been staying in this plane for the last five daYs• ,
Jan sorry to say the . Turks have been. most dreadfullf_
eaten ; ,their loss must be considerable. The day befo!!
yesterday .70 waggons with the wounded. were' brought 14;
here, and we expect as many mere to-metrew. The bel.,
pitals are so' crowded that, the, uufurtunate fellows °A"
lodged in private houses.
" Yesterday it was reported here, but I know not ,„ with
what truth, that the Turks had been again beaten near
the Balkan. . .
" Should the Russians make a push on Varna, nothl
can prevent them from getting possession of it. It /
badly fortified, and has only a garrison of about 2,000 10`3"
whereas to defend it for any lenath of time, it would r""
quire at-least 20,000.
"I am informed that 11 battalions have left Sehuoil°,,
to support Seine Pacha, and that Ismail,Pacha is a dm:id??
for the same purpose with 8 battalions.
" The Cacique, Magellan, and two English steamers, 31::
0'
cruising at the mouths of the Danube, with orders to ,;
or burn all the Russian ships and boat/ they can capture!
A Constantinople letter of April 1.0 sayS :
" The news welave referred leaves no longer any dos of
that we have been beaten, and that to the astonishunnotfo
ever body Osier Paella has taken no measures to stop. tr
triumphal march orthe Russians. It is true that he 15 in
Constant communication with-the ministers, but his letter.:
anddespatches are kept s profound secret. Had they heel
favourable, be assured they would be made public. ps
only salvation is in thO allied troops they and they ?'49
..
can prevent the Russians from crossing:the Balkan. 13a;,
alas, where are these promised friends? Not at Coust°,
tiuople nor in the Dardanelles, for surely the. few hundrao:
of mon at Gallipoli cannot be called effective protectiean.
We are told that the allied army- will be at least 50,01
strong ; the. Turks will believe it when they see it. lei
cannot, however,' be. denied that there must be criminal
neglect somewhere, and great respousibility will have LD
be borne by those who have so grossly deceived the Too'
-by- first pushing them into a war and then giving Ahem !b
sort of negative assistance.
"Omer Pacha has withdrawn his troops from Sehutol.l4
and abandoned Matchin, which place the Russians ..6
pied, and got possession of several' pieces of cannon and '-
considerable quantity of ammunition and provisions.
" The provinces have not suffered half so much moil!
the Russians- its they have from the Bachi-bazouks
.Turkish irregular troops), who have burnt and pillag, ,
several towns and cities, after murdering their Christian la
habitants. Omer Pacha has done, and continues to dg's
everything he can to get; rid of these vagabonds ; but it
to be feared that, driven from the army, they would e
over to the Rus-tans.
" The Turkish army in Natolu is in a -state of com P-let:,
demoralisation. The tyelms is coinmitting great ravag%
and_ the want of money to pay theinhas caused the mon "
openly revolt., and many to desert."

• A French officer says :
; "This time you will receive bad news, and should Or
army delay much longer its arrival, it is all up with the
d.
Turks. I am. informed, almost officially, they have 10)3
' lost 3,000 men."
The passage of the Russians across the Danube at
Tultsha, says the Transylvanian Messenger, w& 53
follows :—"On the 23d ult., at five in the morn'
ing, the Turkish strand battery near Csatal wag
attacked by a heavy cannonade from two Russia"
steamers and gunl6oais, and then by the ft°-
sian battery opposite. The-fire was a very hot one
on both sides till `ten o'clock, when it began t°
slacken. About noon the Russians beaan to ores-
,
in boats below the Turkish battery, lanbded 900 lII'
fantry on the Turkish bank in the' Gerla, undee
the fire of the Turkish guns, and when the passsg
was thus covered, a bridge was promptly threso,
across, over which passed the whole Ussakoff
sion, about,l6,ooo strong, including two:regime° 0,
of cavalry. The. Turks had regular infautri;
,number of Buzuk Basi, and also Tartars with cavalry
and a few guns. The Russians were at once 111
ceived with a violent musketry fire that lasted
late in the night. The Turks, hoping to recoil 6
reinforcement from Isaktsha, so as not to lese-Yi
battery, fought with such fury that the Russians'
who were crowded in the Gerla, and fired on filo
the batteryi from four cavalry guns, and fronOciet
.
Tunish sharpshooters, all at once‘; could not li
ploy. The Russians did not succeed
and then only by making a hea,vt sacrifice,
ing the battery by storm. At the .storining:
made 90 of the defenders prisoners,, Col. All one of them, and sent them off to.fat%;
Sadik Pacha, commanding the , volunteers, wi,
,was formerly known by tho name of Czlik°w,as
being found to be among the prisoners, -lis
put to death in cold blood by the Jtilsa„
on the spot. The Turkish' regulars fought tivlta
uncommon gallantry, but the Buzuk Bas;
Isla
-i
the Tartars soon took to their heels, with -1-0,
Pacha and Khan Murza Bey. The loss on 110 1,5
sides was very great. The retreat of the'
from the town was'effected with cool precisi°l/311
spite of the-dangers that threatened from so rawitil
quarters. A number of thieves got in along
the RUSSitillS, and when the
_P.,nsian troops
alit 4444* Qie tow? ilk qii,erit9

care
spq
The
they
seiz,
fit_ t

trial
of ti
chie
beta

CaSll

bled
they
• they
only
' tray,

teas(

the
;,`of.
Turl
they
afid
the

Ti
here
ehas(

Its,t

Ttt

‘st
Chu
Not

im..k10..., .N.......

tons, are tel
rks."

1 report 0
tns,:—‘

the available
ifully, on the
ot withstand-
and is noir
having I)een,
d on several
I deemed it
to Mustapba
ais Eirsova,
god order; as
aeon. I was
rmy of Bessr
infantry and
sppoon it of the
as, convinced
al force with
able to direct
tin; and there
d lines. All
imy at Kara-
tncl whereby
without sofa-
ingly,, I have
its
lin quish Olt
command.
,ted to, other
as much as
lie enemy pre

OMER•
's :report is

forces wioh
ing of a grea_6
lody of troop'
s lower 11301
ad at another
Lnd displayed
rat a Russian
Tchatal, Wag
raining.
iced nearly a
fterwards -at'
a taken. The
three times
End lost more
ich had been
• could not 11
ground untu
inence of the
illery, and of
placed by the
they were ae
on both sides,
s without CM
)orted for Ova_

enemy '8
two mortars
the bank of
og the night.
lassians hate
.es, and hsr.e
; but thel
1 on land, au'
,m each other
son that our
notions WWII

:ouut of the

aval officer,

t several of
five da7B.
utt dreadfullf
'he day before
re 'brought 41
The 130.
e fellows or°

now. not witi3
)4ten near ,

hi
arna, no t
of it. It' l'
ut 2,000 inerb
, it would re"

left Sc:hU"
a is advai2GP,°

stoatners, tiV,
orders to Os;
can eapturci

a,ys :--- 4
ger any aoulif
tonishment:
s to stop ,i(a
that he is
but his lottell
lad they 100
public. °-111!
end the
lalkan..
d, at Coustol:
few hundrouP
re protectin
t least 50ruwo
ey see it. it
t be eritnill!.
• will have
Tads"
the Tori
iving theol •

om Schoull*
assians 0c,(4;
Bannon sou

,visions.
o much f 116,
bazouks
and pillag'r
Christian is
.noes to d°'
nds ; but it l°
ay would if°

) of comPlet4
rest ravageth
trio men t°

should- 011 t
up with the
y have Ist"