The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1854-07-01

oI' S'TNdNI. ISEAEJ DJ'TNtN
To e.. MALONE.
loEEl'iN lNiELLGTNrE.
SILTSTRIAIN PERIL.
Vn the 18th OF MAY the Russians. 10000
strong, made a fresh and vigorous attack on
the place, but We're rcpuse,i with the loss of
5000, making total loss Of 1000 men in ter,
daE> On the 3o,h the garrison made SALLY
early IN the morning drove IL. Russians who
lost humber OF men in the affair. ont Of their
'n'rcnrhmcn'>, and spiked their guns Fur
ther Operations were then suspended.
According toa telegranhic despatch from
burharc>t OF the 2l>t OF Nav, the Russians
hai withdrawn out o.. gunshot rance of th.
walls. and it was thought there that some
weeks would now clapsc before Sili<tria
could t'c reduced. 1t would thus ao,car
that on the twelfth day of the >icrc of a for
tres which il is calculated could hold on.
seven weeks. the Russians had met with a
check which would otligc them 20 do most of
their preparatory work over AGAIN All this
tavOr> The hope that the fortress NAV he abb.
- hold out until junction has been effected
by Ii" French and English troops, and Tie
Turkish forces. under Omar P,>ha. conrer-
rra'rd IN front o. Shnmla. 1, will then bc
seen whether the Russian commanders vii.
have >uiic confidence in their soldiers to
accept the hattie which the generals of tie
allies may bc ready TO offer them. To de-
line The contest. and to raise the sicrc of
>I!l>trla, would have as bad an effect for the
Russian arms as defeat.
The principal reason for expecting that the
Russians will persist in the >icvc. and abide
,hc shock Of the allies. is the certainty that
Their abandonment ct it must spread like an
c.rrtric Shock through the whole Of Russia
1t woa.d he a confession OF fear and wcahnc>
that no mcn'larioU> bulletins or garl,ic,i ncwS-
paper narratives could varu>h oycr or con
cra!. For the Russians the Only alternative.
Is 70 risk battle i'll trc.; of :Si.i,tria. or risk
l'"'u'ar instructions at Moscow and 81. Pc
t,.r>hur.: and vet. if any faith ran be given
to he latest news from the Danube. a hatil,
must hc accepted under immense di>advani-
ages. The >wcllin. Of that river. it is assert
cd, has actually interrupted ior a time the
IL /
banks 7t the river. and will con,innc to rem
der II 'l.iiiruit .or some time. The troops
Tia; had already crossed are said TO havc
been cu. oil for some davS from the rest of
the array. The most modest and guarded
accounts estimate the loss sustained bv the
Russians since the commencement ut the siege
at not les than 1000 men. To bring into the
field 4 force Su,ccnt to cope with the allic>
the Russian commanders must make the req
imcntS III the DcLrud>cha. cncr,atcd ly the
swamp fever. and the troops in Wailaclia
who viii be closely followed up and Larr.,>>-
ed lv the Turks in their rear. effect June
iipli ".'il .I''>t diitViN ttECt!ltI dttl III iHc
nci.hholhood of Sli>,ria. The troops Of o.
mar Ha>ha have Only lew easy marches 10
advance: part, at least, Of the French and
English coniin.cntS will be conveyed to Var
na hy sea: and the rest can reach the scene
Of action in ample time, without force.
marches or rri,a,ions OF the usual da:> Of
rest. In other words the army OF the allies
can be placed On the battle field in the fail
possession of their physical health and
strength: whilst the Russian soldiers viii, in
all likelihood. more resemble iali-drowncd
rats than men fit for an arluous conflict
There is no cause for uneasy aprrchcnsion>
on the part OF the allied nations they may
await the event in cheerful scii:po>sc>>ion.
The bc>icsing force is said 10 be 10000
strong; and it is asserted that covering ar
nv Of Go,"co is intcrpo>cl between it and
Shumla. Sili>tria is represented toy military
men who have recently Inspected it as the
strongest Of the Turkish torlres>es and gar
soncd hy j.. 900 soldiers, Of whom 10000 al
least are regulars, the rest irregular cavalry /
and Araou,S. who are dead shots from be-
hind stone wall"
On the 2lst of May, Lord Raglan and Mar
,l:al ST. Arnaud had returned to CONSTANT
1oplc. and it was understood that marching
,rt!crs were forthwith issued. both 70 the rcg-
mcnts at Scutari and Galipoli. 4 more re-
'ent despatch from Constantinorle intimatcs
hat 25,opo French had actually marched By
way OF Adrianople to Shumla, and that l5,-
100 English had been sent by sea TO Varna
The overland march either from Gailipoli or
1onstantinople to Shumla, at the rate Of four
cen miles per diem, with rest every four {
avs, might be accomplished with ease in {
4 days; the troops forwarded by sea TO Z
arna :nay be in the field much earlier. In a
tile more than a month, therefore, frcn the J
ate OF the investment Of S:istria-tl.at is. !
early three weeks before the time when the 0
'r,ress, ur!ess relieved. nigh, surrender, l.