The New York herald., 1877-09-14


a ''miSed carriage which happened to bo at the
station.
RusTcHuK AFTER THE BoMBARpMENT-A WALK
PEDo.
RusrcHrK July Is, 1877.
Whom was last at Rustchak, toward the end OF
June. the Russian siege train was sun batterng tho
unfortunate town daily, and the inhabitants were
pouring out In thousands, either 10 encamp in the
neighboring vineyards to put still greater distance
between themselves and the Krupp shells Every
evening, as regularly rs cocKwork Russian gunncrs,
when the sun went down behind their backs, opened
Gre all along the line Of batteries and every morning,
just IS regularly, while tho sun as yet be-
hind theirs the Turkish artlerymcn omitted to
fire. Since the time--ths memorable Sunday-when
the Russians took the by surprise and began TO
hur death and destruction upon 1t, never TO my
knowledge did the Turkish batteries take the nisa
tive. But all was dltierent the batteries on both
sides were silent For days the great guns had re-
NAMED pointed threateningy at the hostile quarter,
but mute ana UNNAMED Over tho big gray Krupp,
which had paid such marked attention to Giurgevo,
stood solitary sentry and the ruined street, through
which, few weeks ago, had seen q tcrriaed crowd
rushing panic stricken the outlets OF the town.
cnce more peoped with Inhabitants TO whom the ccssa.
on Of the bombardmeut had gwen renewed ddsnce
and hope.
pEsoLATioN.
l made once more the tour of the bombarded quar-.
The English, French and Austrian ulates had
not been struck again, but remained IN the already
ruined and unnhabtable condition to which they had
been reduced at the commencement Of the lombard
ment The Kavass OF the British Consulate had swept
the fragments OF the tour shells which
had entered the building into q neat heap
on tho floor Of the ONCE; in the
ncghboring Consulate Of France the great ploded
eight inch shell renamed embedded In the inside Of
the front wall; the window frames Of the Austrian Con-
suate st hung away and threatening TO fall into the
street; and for all know, tho silver 1sh was sill.
swimming about merrily In his uncrackcd gobo Of
muddy wator, with hole in the wall three inches dis
tant, big enough to pass himself and bis habtaton
bodily through into tho next room! noticed, how
ever that shell had struck the iron railing OF river
side building belonging to the Russian Consulate and,
bursting inside had pitted the whole front OF the
building with deep holes, in many Of which the iron
fragment remained embedded. But II was in the
Kouak square that tho additional ruin and devastation
wrought by the latter days OF the cannonade were
had pcrshed, and remained only tho lowor por-
tion Of the walls and the shattered steps which once
led into the entrance hall
SWEET REVENGE
found sort Of grim satisfaction In standing upon
the broken heap OF rubbish which marked the site OF
the room from which had SO often been politely
bowed out with tho assurance that 'His Exccllency
the Vail asleep his divan and could DO dis
turbed," or that "Hs Excellcncy's rheumatism really
prevented his seeing any one that morning" ow
nicely calculated flights Of six inch shells had driven
HIS Excellency from his divan and the rheumatism
from His Excellency Tho side of the square adjon-
ing that occupied by the Konak was also of
terng ruins and tho mosque the burned and
shattered heap Of masonry Its tile covered dome
irregular jagged pyramid, and the top OF tho
minaret had been taken of cleanly enc can cut
a candle with knife. l searched In vain among the
for tho sharp pointed apex Of metal which gives
the minaret of Turkish mosque the appearance OF
candle with the extnguisher ieft upon It.
GOOD SHOOTING.
One hears often Of some "crack'' pistol shot who
snun his candle at twelve PAGES, but here
candle from which an articryman had knocked the
extingushsr at 5000 yards with q sixty -four pound
shel I never saw Rustchuk from tho wsllachian
side OF the ver but should say that that distance
mnarets OF the town must look lkc slender white
threads, and IL the mum who fred that shot roally
trained his gun upon the mnaret, which seems
ceedngly probable (whnt gunner could resist min
are. or a aagstafs) he ought to get marksman's
mosque was guIted, and presented to the street a
melancholy front oil ruined wall and staring .ramoess
WINDOWS Over the door oi the orphan Asyiam, which
was situated this row, still remained tho inscrip-
ton. In BugartAn Greek and Turkish, setting torth
the object and Of tho house. but the door led
into emptiness and desolation. On the opposite side
the the charrcd romans Of The printing
office aud pharmacy. hot and smoking still
THE TURKISH QUARTER.
Continuing my walk through the Turkish quarter OF
tho town noticed many preached wall and shat
tered root which had been SOUND and whole whom
nnco hV md he In ha
hind tho shore batteries at tho emb0uchure OF the
ri vor LON. saw many evidences Of the heavy nro
houses III the neghborhood were ridded and those
the OF the batteries knocked to pieces la the
ditcn by the side OF inc road lay an unexpoded shell;
water, every one tnat passed gave "a wide berth.
THE CAPTURED TORPEDO
Arrived at tho Naval Arsenal which Is situated on
the shore OF the river, south OF the town, was en-
aDled through the courtesy OF the Brtish-American
Consul whom had met during my stroll through the
town to accompany him inside the gates for the pur-
pose o seeing the torpedo found n the river aud shed
out by the Circasslans. The officer who accompanied
pointed out several places where the Russian smells
had fallen during the bombardmCnt; Tor, OF course
tho Naval Arsenal came in Tor good share Of atten
tioa but, apparently, NO damage OF any consequence
had been inflicted either on tho buildings or inc
stores. Passing between piles OF old round shot and
the war at the beginning OF this century, we ar
rived at the spot whore tho internal machine ayin
ali by itseL The torpedo was Of tho ordinary
sor, OF iron, shaped like boys peg top and Tired by
clcctricily from tho shore. The fragments OF the
wires stili remained dangling from beneath From
top 70 base the torpedo measured about ieet and
half, and upon the base was painted in rod letters
'No. l53."
NO OBITUARY POETRY
This torpedo, whose career was early nipped in the
bud, pulled out OF the river near Pyrgos, about
ten miles above Rustchuk by some daredevil Crcas-
Sans, who had tho wires which connected II with
tho Wallachian shore. They were well rewarded for
their service. No doubt this torpedo Of
erl winch had been laid down TO cut of the Turkish
gunboats lying a. Rus,chuk from Sistova and such
wholesome terror had the commanders OF the gun
boats OF these submarine macnincs that the TURKISH
otla on the Danube, which, In tho hands OF resolute
men, might have rendered invaluable service ia The
ienco o the river, was, from first To last parayze aud
ceased 10 exercise any influence upon the question 0 the
passage. And hero before W lay ono OF tue dreaded
engines when mad so much contributed to the success
tul accomplishment OF one OF these great military
operations Harmless enough now. We could take ali
sorts oi liberties with tho monster although TO light
match upon him. as the Consul dd Was perhaps going
too lar should care while those wires remain to
SIT mat torpedo during thunder storm. Ii would
not surprise me 70 hoar nno day that coftain of
the buildings and some OF the officers OF tho Imperial
Naval Arsenal at Rustchuk are missing.