The New York herald., 1877-07-07
ON THE DANUBE.
TIE urko-Bulgarian Situation
in Rustchuk.
DESTRUCTION OF TURTUKAI.
Russian Torpedo Warlare-The lhern in the
F.. Side Of the Danubian Flotilla.
PLAYING WITH. FIRE.
DESTRUCTION OF TURTUKAI.
PLAYING WITH. FIRE.

II .s almost impossible TO say with any certainty
what the plans Of the Russians really are, but IL is
eu.e aviecpt that large number OF troops ara sta
toned opposite us Not day now passes without
ocular evidences Of the fact; Russian orces are IN
ccssan,iy entering other Gursevo or the neghborng
village OF slobodscha About two thousand CossacAs
passed from the latter 10 place teaay; they
were followed by artillery, ambulance wagons ard an
ammunition tram. They from beyond the vii
lagei 'of slobodscha, presumably from
crcampmcnL further up tie river. At
the Nsame time thick c.omd OF dust
was seen rising in the at the force, which WAS
probably caused by regiments OF Infantry on tine
march, slobodscha stands groana rather elevated
above tho river. and from the iact that the long line
oil earthworks connecting it with Giursevo Is also or
ridge high road between the two places 10 almost
completely masked aud positions are difficult 10 deter
Inine II has been suggested that all the marohnss
to and fro which have witnessed with so much
curiosity and excitement nero dcmontrations,
and that the stage trick Of marching the
round and round to give the appearance Of
a large force has been resorted to rs "bInd" The
probability is however, that the Russians are really
collecting large force opposite kuschuk ana that
when all arrangements are completed 1t Will attempt
TO cross rver at great distance from the town,
simultaneously with the other columns OF invasion at
various points along The river There seems to be
general IMPRESSION that Rusichuk VIII be one OF the
lrst places attacked 1t being the central point In The
line OF defence aud the terminus OF tho railway which
Uonpec,s the Danube with the BLACK Sea- II the force
operating against Rus,chuk succeeds in making the
passage tho garrison will have defend the town from
two Sides for there doubt that the batteries
cross the river are mi ended work simultaneously
with the attack from iLland
The opinion OF the officers OF the garrison seems to
be favor Of Ncopols as Tho point where the strong
attempt will be made to pass the river, and that
the Russians will then march Rustchuk, secure tho
line Of railroad and establish steamboat communica-
ticn with Gurgcvo But Rustchuk will provo trou-
blesome place to take. The hare must be caught be-
tore hare soup can be made
The Turks evidently intend to act entirely on the
defensive and make incessant preparations TO give
good account of themselves. Earthworks are beng
thrown up and arms and ammunition poured into the
town. large consignment OF Winchester repeaters
having recently arrived
BoMBARDMEyT TuRTuKAL
The OF the bombardment ot TurtukaI
brought to us by two gentlemen who happened to be
there when the cannonading began. The Russian
guns sheed tho Turkish position for three hours, COM
mencing AT dnybreak; but the shells passed over tho
town, and doubtless intended TOR the camp
pitched beyond II. The women and children fed from
the village ea mGsse and made for The open fields Tho
Bulgarian Church was bit by two Shells and was shat
tered. This was II strange manner OF showing sym
pathy tor the CHRISTIANS whose condition the modern
Crusaders are coming to amel'orae, but gunners arc
gunners all the world over No doubt the Christian
church of Turtukai offered a capita mark from tho
other side of the and the artlieymen could not
resist trying their skill upon H. Perhaps, as Turk
Barcastically remarked to me, the Russians have
knocked the cnuroh of tho brethren down IN order
that they may build ihen better and larger one. The
TURKS did reply 10 the bonbardment having
probably received orders from headquarters to remain
silent
The next morning the Russians recommended tho
cannonade aud destroyed the town, Several women
and children were struck by The shells and about ny
killed The camp broke up and removed
somo distance inland The Russian riflemen hre at
every they ana when two or three men stand
together a sueli IS Immediately sent al them. The
Of the destruction Oi Turtukai has tended to l
crease the dsccnent among tue troops here, and the
gevo. 1t proDanls that before long thai place-wil
share the tate OF PurtukaL
From reports brought in by scouts from the other
hide 1t appears that the Grand Duke had
cape the day from shot nrcd at the ho
,n oy an nonc .d. Tho ball struck the carriage IN
froni OF the Grand Dukes and stopped tram for
little time His Imperial Highness is said to
have been very much enragcd aud declared that they
had been betrayed and that some ono must have gwen
notice by signals that he was in the lrain Several
persons were Immediately arrested and three shot
Of them being Pole and another the agent OF tho
company, an Austrian suoJec. do not vouch Tor the
truth OF the story.
uXEAsiNEss IN RusrcuuK.
There IS just rather uneasy feeling among
the mixed inhabitants oi Rustchuk-a sort OF sup
+ pressed panic which may some day cuniinato and
give rise 10 ''untoward events" fhe Turkish SOL
iiery am told, getting exasperated by the dis
couraging accounts from the seat OF war IN Asa, the
ACTIVITY OF The enemy the Danube and the grow ng
( insoence OF the Bulgarian Inhabitants. The popuia-
OF this town Is ABOUT lorty thousand, OF whom
three Christians that there Is certainly
reason for unneasiness and dlstrust part
OF tho turks. have been much I'M
panss which have occurred here 'uss per,odcany
for the past month and sent many families
flying OF to the railroad station route for Varna no
Bulgarian men lett Rustchuk They sent of tbeir wo-
mon and Children, out renamed Deh nd them elves
There can be but little doubt that these
armed. When the crisis arrives aud RuslohuK is at
tackled simultaneously by the river batteries opposite
aud by Russian army In the rear, hostile demon
straton by the Bugarans might prove to he q serious
for the besiegcd The situation raught with
danger and horror for the miserable and puslan mous
who have never been able TO help themselves,
are ready 70 turn against tho sO-called oppreesors
y when their ''big brother'' steps IN.
DEPoPuLATION DOBRUpscHA
News from the other advanced points OF the line OF
the Danube reaches us bore but slowly and amely |
hear that the Dobrudseh the inhabitants have fed
that the district Is lelt desvate Houses
gardens, growing crops all have been abandoned and
with the exception OF solitary tenant here and there
the vast reecss pain Is now AN untcnauted and uneu
numbered battle ground Toe tide OF war may ere
long sweep over 1t and destroy even what little
mains.
TIE TURKISH FLEET on THE DANUBE
The Admiral OF tue Turkish DanuDan iotilla is hero
at present, and from all accounts he cannot give
very cheerful view Of It's operations prospects he
gunboats arc not IN avery satisfactory position rhey
are prevented from active operation, II seems by the
Russian batteries which hem them III, aud as soon
they anchor they liable attack
from the torpedo boats which the Russians
have launched against them These torpedo boats arc
described being constructed steel, extremely
hight and fast ana work entirely under watcr. They
either throw ou the torpedo, which travels by
OF compressed air, or carry ia their and
c enemy, the rccoii driving the little sol back
Of danger The crews CONSIST Of from three SIX
IL ~ said thn tho Huss,abs transported no lrss
than thlriy o these Vicious te engines OF destruction
10 the Danube ny rail- They nav. already gwen proof
OF tncir deadly power only lew aays ago three OF
suddenly darled out from the Walachian SIDE Of
the river ana attacked Turkish iron clad which VAS
anchor A well directed shot sunk the first; the
second spat out us torpedo but missed The the
third, using 10 internal machine ram, charged
tho Runooat anu utterly destroyed hor The
Turkish governments has ordered small
s,eam launches to 10 conveyed Immediately to
the Danube for thc purpose oi clearing the river OF
, these misclicvous little "Thopoyc :" bus thoso
who beileyed that the Danubitn hol Ia woula embar-
rass and inpede the passage OF the not
sanguine The suddenness OF their attack and the
novel and almost Irresistible manner In wnich II Ia
made have perplexed tho commanders OF the Turk
ish gunboats thai IL B feared the defence OF the
will not derive much assistance from the hotilia
now THE IRoS-cLAD BLOWN UP.
Speaking OF the naval operations on the Danube we
have now reasonable explanation of the somewhat