Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-07-19
BOMBARDING RUSTCMUK.

A Sunday on the Dannbe FOur
Weeks AgO-Tha English COnsuI-
ate Pet Target OF she Russians.
London Times Correspondence. June %,
Last Sunday, about three in the
afternoon, some Englishmen were
sitting in the garden Of the Hotel
Hislah Hane drinking coffee; the
esplanade fronting the river was
lined with TIE usual holiday loung-
erS, men, women and children, in
Sunday fnery, for the late rumors
Of peace had induced numbers to
return to Rustchuk. A sullen
boom and puff of white smoke
across the Danube, and the
screaming Of shell, which seemed
to pass Immediately over the hotel,
excited interest but no great alarm,
That shell fell in the Armenian
quarter. After the first scare there
was laughter among the riverside
crowd and conversation in the gar
den.
About fifteen minutes later 8
puff all along the opposite bank
announced that the bonlbardment
Of Rustchuk had begun in earnest,
Holy Russia had selected that
peaceful Sunday afternoon for send.
ing her iron messengers of deliver.
ance to Bulgarians, Greeks and
Turks with cynical impartiality
The noise was deafening, especially
when, as they did soon afterward,
the Turkish batteries replied. Al
the shells began to fall all around
somebody cried out: "Why, the,
are not firing on the forts, but on
the town" It was true. A shell
exploded in the garden. 1t was
time to 60. A second, still nearer,
accelerated the strategic movement
But where was the place Of safety
In the streets, crash after crash
binding smoke and the noise o
falling building material gave rise
to very confused notions upon thai
subject.
Hour after hour the pitiless storm
fell upon us. The scene near the
principal hospital was at once grand
and painful. 1t was well known al
Giurgeyo that the principal build.
ing, with two red crescents on 3
white ground, was a hospital. On
tAat building the chief fire was di.
rected from the first. When | left
Rustchuk yesterday it was razed tC
the ground. The sick were brought
out and laid upon mattresses on
the ground. The Turkish women
exhibited marvellous sanglroid, as il
tired of their uneventful lives. They
were TO be seen quietly shufiline
across the open square under a
storm Of shells, while women Of
other, and men of all races ran like
rabbits into any hole which seemed
to offer shelter. So the work went
on till sunset. 1t was found that
the British consulate had suffered
great damage, as also had several
houses in the same street, which is
near no fort oe battery.
The Hislah Hane is Tarkish gov
ernment property, a larger house
than Mr., Reade's, and only separa-
ted by a garden: it was not scratch
ed when | left yesterday. | dined
there on Wednesday. From careful
inspection of two holes in the gar,
den it is certain that the shells
which made them wore destined fol
our consulate, but fell short, The
cavass Of the French consul said tC
Mr.. Reade, "1'hey are firing al
your flag; | saw two shells pass the
staff" Somebody else said, @They
cannot distinguish the Union Jack
hoist the larger one" Consul Reade
who throughout acted with great
GOODNESS, reluctantly ran up the big
flag, six yards by three. 1t was
still there when Ileft, but the build
ing oyer which it foated was {
wreck half an hour after it was
hoisted. The French oopsul called
land implored Mr.. Reade to com,
away, saying, at is evident tho!
are firing at your house."
Five minutes afterwagd p shel
crashed in the roof, exploding IN
L l--l..a... ..l Llnu.t.. q. Ahn III, al