The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-19 00:00:00

THE DANUBE.

VIENNA, TUESDAY MORNING.
An Austrian paper has the following telegraphic
despatch : .

The important frontier town of Fokshan, in
Wallachia which had just been fortified, has been
destroyed by fire.
All the Russian stores, provisions, arms,
clothing, ammunition, and all the military hos-
pitals, have fallen a prey to the flames.
The-Russians occupy Kostendje.

A communication from Orsorva, of the 16th,
states that on the 14th the Russians, occupied
Turnu Severin. On the 15th the Cossacks crossed
the Danube at New Orsova, a Turkish fortress on
one 61- the Danubian islands, and occupied Wart-
sierova. The Turks bombarded the place. Ac-
cording to these accounts it is not clear whether
a regular passage of the Danube is intended at that
spot. It is also affirmed that all the Russian
ports in the Black Sea ar© declared in a state
of blockade. A part of the fleets has anchored
before Odessa.

A Berlin journal- of the 14th states that the
Russian ambassador had received'despatches from
the Lower Danube, and that, as he had not al-
lowed their contents to transpire, it was assumed
that they were not favourable to the cause of the
Czar. _ _

Accounts from Bucharest, down to the 9th,
say :—A great part of the corps of Luders is being
marched towards the coast of the Black Sea, which
is being fortified. The greatest calm prevails to-
wards Trojan's Wall. The excursions of the Rus-
sians have not been renewed since the 2d.. Forts
are being built near the mouth of the St. George.
Between the Kustendjee and the lake of Ramsin a
camp of 20,000 men is to be formed. Omer Pacha
received on the Ist a reinforcement of 3,000 men,
and 30 guns \I ere sent from Constantinople. The
letters froM Orsowa of the Bth do not say a word
of the entrance of the Russians into Servia. It is
true, however, that the advanced posts of the
Russians have occupied for the last three weeks all
the line of the Danube along the Servian frontier.
The Vienna Presse gives some particulars of a
sharp battle which took place on the 4th inst., at
Giditsch, near Kalafat, and which ended in the de-
feat of the Russians. Achmet Pacha, the comman-
dant of Kalafat, thinking the opportunity for at-
tacking the Russians too favourable to be missed,
marched out upon them with a strong force, and
attacked them in their position at Giditsch. The
struggle was long and bloody, but was at length de-
cided in favour of the Ottomans by a brilliant charge
of the Turkish cavalry under Iskender Bey (Count
Kinsky), at 4 p.m., on which, after great exertion,
the Russians were driven from the place with im-
mense loss. The 'captors at once occupied the vil-
lagein force, and have since thrown into it astrong
garrison from Widdin.
The following is extracted from a Jassy letter of
the 3d instant :

66General Salla, who had been charged to orga-
nise a Greco-Sclavonian legion, arrived here on the
30th to complete the formation of it. On the 2d
he assembled the volunteers to the "lumber of about
120 at the Greek convent of the Three Saints. After
the religious service, which was celebrated with
great pomp, General Salla passed them in review.
Their chief, the Monk Constandinos, made himself
remarkable by the richness of his costume, embroi-
dered in gold ; the soldiers wore a white cross at-
tached, to their fez caps. The legion, which-left
on the 3d, to join the head-quarters of Prince Gott-
schakoff, is-Composed of Greeks or of Bulgarians ;
as to the. Moldavians who had inscribed themselves
in great numbers, their names were all struck out
by order of General _Salla. _ Since the- theatre of
war has been removed to the right bank of the Da-
nube, it ahnost impossible to receive at Jassyany
precise details of the operations of the two armies.
Private letters, however, which have -arrived from
Galatz, announce that the Russian army; which
was completely in the midst of marshes,: was in a
very critical position, and that the regiment' of
Hillanfi 01 the Grand Duke Constantine had been
surrounded in a swamp, and compelled to lay down
;their arms. There is evidently some truth in this
tumour, for if the Russians had gained the slightest
advantage they Would not fail to have had Te Dewm,
sting, and to publish pompous bulletins, but they
now observe the most complete silence. 7
The'. following is from a letter, dated Shumla,
April 2 the 27th ult. the number of Russians
then across the Danube was estimated at 15,000
men ;.they have since succeeded in bringing over
about 30,000 more, making altogether a total of
45,000 or 50,000 men, as near as can be ascertained.
The Russians have ready advanced to Babadagh,
and hold all the country of the Dobrudvha as far
._ • . • -

as the Kara-su, whence a niur d'orillon and an old
Roman wall extend to Kostendjee on the Black
Sea. Many officers here (French and English) are •
of opinion that the Russians are concentrating a
very large force in this district, and it is also ex-
pected that another passage will he attempted above
Rustchuk, between which and Widdin little opposi-
tion could be offered by the Turks, and we know
that the Russians have already made large prepara-
tions of boats and pontoons on the Wallachian sine.
Omer Pasha seems perfectly aware of his great defi-
ciency in cavalry, and the disadvantage of risking
an engagement on the open plains of Bulgaria. He
is therefore concentrating as many troops as possi
ble, principally infantry, in the neighbourhood of
Shumla. There are now here upwards of 20,000
men, and reinforcements are hourly arriving from
the reserve at Adrianople and some of the posts on
the Danube. It'is expected in the course of four or
five days more that 50,000 men will be assembled,
and ample preparations both in provisions and tents
have already been made for them on the hills around
this place. Ismail Pasha, the hero of Citate, arrived
on the 30th, with five battalions, from Turtu-
kai. He is one of the ablest Generals the Turks
have, and at the present moment is a great acqui-
sition, as there is an urgent demand for good staff
officers. Yesterday there was a current report of
40,000 French troops having arrived at Galli-
poli, but it is much to be hoped that it is not
yet too late for changing their destination to
Varna; where there is tolerable accommodation,
and supplies procurable as easily, if not more
so, than at Enos or Gallipoli. They would
thus hold the Russians in check, and be
spared a tedious march through the • plains of
Thrace and across the difficult passes of the Balkan,
at all times harassing, but especially so at this early
season of the year. A severe battle is certain
within a very short period, and it is the earnest
wish of the Turks that the English and French
may be present to help them, otherwise the issue
is very doubtful. Even at this critical period the
Turks are not so alert as they might be, and their
laxity of system and indolence . of character are
too apparent. A short time ago, two English
gentlemen arrived at Silistria at three o'clock
in the morning, and proceeded to the very
gate without being challenged or even ob-
served, and after violently knocking, they suc-
ceeded in rousing the guard and gaining admit-
tance: Provisions and forage,- although plentiful,
are doubled in price, and the town bears rather
the appearance of an intrenched camp than that
of the most flourishing town in Bulgaria. There
are a French, an English, and a Sardinian officer
of engineers here, who have rendered Omer Pasha
considerable assistance in the disposition of the
batteries which are now in the course of con-
struction. Besides these, three English officers
who have joined the Turkish army arrived last
night.
. A letter from Varna, dated 31st March, gives
I the following particulars :

"The Russians, of er waiting a few days at Galatz,
advanced on Matschin with 26,000 men, a large force of
artillery, but with few cavalry. The Turks had only
two battalions at Matschin, and retired before the enemy
towards Silistria, where they are in force. The Rus-
sians have also thrown a considerable force over the
Danube at Hirsova. 3 p.m.—An officer has just arrived
direct from Silistria, who states that an action has
been fought there, but I doubt the truth of the state-
ment. All the Turkish troops in the Dobrudscha, to
the number of several thousand have been concentrated
upon Kara-su, with the intention of falling back on
Shumla and Varna. Three steamers were despatched
from the fleet at Kostendje to intercept and bring to
Varna any Russian transports or provision vessels they
in;ght fall in with. Not finding any at Kostendje they
have proceeded• to the Danube. The Pasha of Varna
has made application for more troops. He has only 3,000
with him at present. The works are so extensive that
he would require 12,000 men to defend the place, as he
could get but little assistance from the fleets. There are
many thousand quarters of grain in Varna, and mire
daily arriving. Omar Pasha has withdrawn 10,000 men
from Widd'n to reinforce his troops i❑ the Dobrudscha,
and has applied to the Porte for further assistance."