The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-17 00:00:00

THE DANUBE.

Letters from Bucharest of the Bth inst., to some
extent, explain the previous default of news from
the Russian side of the Danube since the entrance
of the Czar's troops into the Dobrudscha. The
difficulties of the Russian commander appear only to
have begun with the passage of the Danube. In
the letters just mentioned we read that the troops
are limited to slow and weary movements, through
the want of roads and the marshy natuie of the
ground. Moreover, they cannot advance without
dragging with them provisions and stores of all
kinds, so that forced marches are altogether out of
the question. To the 7th inst. Mustapl►a Paella
was master of Tschernawoda and Kustendjee to the
north of Trojan's Wall, and stood with his main
force of 50,000 at Karassa, on the sou, h side of
that defence, and about mid way between the Dau übe
and the Black Sea. Omer Pacha had been with
him, and a division of the fleets were supporting
his right wing. The Russians had appeared before
bothTschernawoda and Kustendjee, but in very small
force, scarcely more than with patrols of Cossacks.
No anxiety was felt at Varna, where on the 28th a
brigade of Turkish soldiers, about 8,000 strong, had
been landed. Between Rassova and Silistria several
smart encounters had taken place between detach-
ments of the hostile armies, the Russians making
repeated reconnaissances, but not attempting any
serious movement. It was believed that Omer
Pacha would not attack the Russians before the ar-
rival of the auxiliaries somewhere in his rear.
Mercantile letters from Bucharest of the 4th inst.
mention that the Russians made on the 2d a recon-
naissance in the direction of Berlik, and marched
from there along the road down the river side to-
wards the entrenchments close to Rassova. Vigor-
ously attacked by the Turks, they retreated to Ber-
lik, fighting all the way, and from there back to
the further bank of the river. The Russian column
was about 600 strong, and was supported by two
gun boats.
The Wanderer of Vienna states that up to the
6th the Russians had made no offensive movement
near Trajan's Wall, and that O►uer Pacha, with
au army of 80,000 men, was preparing to attack
General Luders.

The declaration of war made by England and
France was published on the 6th in the Turkish
camp at Kalafat. After a salute of 100 cannon and
shots had been fired from the ramparts the troops
marched out in battalions, and fired each three
volleys of musketry, the military band. filling up
the intervals with martial airs.
Advices from Bucharest affirm that the war de-
claration of France and England had produced
an immense sensation there, and that, in conse-
quence of tuis event, Baron Budberg, the Russian
governor of the Danubian provinces, has given
notice to all persons connected with the diplo-
matic agencies of the Western Powers to quit the
territory of the Principalities within eight days.
A letter from Shumla, of March 27 says :
" For the last three or four days a vague kind of
feeling had prevailed throughout the country that
something had happened on the line of the Danube.
One day the rumour was that Kalafat had been
taken, and the Turks driven into the river, the
bridge between the island and that place being de-
stroyed ; another, that the Russians had crossed at
Rustchuk or Silistria ;
but yesterday the matter
was finally settled by the return of Omar Pasha to
this place, with the certain intelligence of the Rus-
sians having crossed the Lower Danube, on the 23,1,
at Matscliin, opposite Braila, about 10 days' march
from this. This force issupposed to be the sth, Gene-
ral Luders' corps. Various conjectures have been
formed as to the numbers that have already crossed,
but the most probable estimate is about 15,000
men. If this be correct, I cannot imagine that the
present movement can he more than a demonstra-
tion to induce Omer Pasha to concentrate a large
portion of his forces in the Dobrudscha, and that
the grand coup will be made on the centre of the
Turkish line, weakened by the withdrawal of men
from the garrisons of Rustchuk, Silistria, Tur-
tukai, and other posts on this side of the Danube.
Be this as it may, the greatest excitement pre-
vails here at present. Most of the shops are
closed, their owners, in. common with every
available man in Shumla, being engaged on the
work% under the pergioual aupuiatexvionco of

Omer Pasha and an officer of the Etat-Major
specially sent here by the French Government. The
feeling of the Turks towards their French and Eng-
lish allies is most chivalrous, and the knowledge
that they are to be well supported has inspired them
with fresh courage and enthusiasm. They say that
now is the time for us to fight and save the shed-
ding of our friends' blood.' The Bashi-Bazouks
cannot, I am afraid, be included in this category
as troops they are perfectly tseless ; in fact, they
are mere marauders and pillagers, whose services
could not be declined, but whose absence would be
most desirable. The English and French fleets are
in Kavarna Bay, and strong hopes are entertained
that they precede the speedy arrival of the allied
troops at Varna, which is three days' march from
Shumla."

Another letter from Shumla, of March 29, is as
follows :—" I send you two words in a hurry, by a
special courier that is just starting. I have no
further particulars about the passage of the Russians
at Galatz. It is believed that another passage will
take place higher up the river very soon. If that
occurs, it is to be presumed that the Russians who

have crossed at Gaalatz are not in very great force.
Omer Pacha is making very good arrangements—
as good as the circumstances permit, and which be
had foreseen and calculated. For the present,
the Ottoman forces in the Dobrudscha are conCen-
trated on the river Carassu. You shall hear from
me as soon as anything of importance occurs."