The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1854-06-13 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

THE WAR.  On the 24th ult., the first British troops sailed from Constantinople for the actual seat of war ; neither Scutari nor Gallipoli coming under that denomination. The corps honoured by this precedence was that of the Sappers and Miners, one company of which, under Captain Bent-and Lieutenant Creyke, with a pontoon.train, must now be at Varna.  A letter from Barest of the 27th states that a bridge had been thrown, with some difficulty, over the. Danube, on the 16th, and that 15,000 Russians had passed over it, and joined General Luders' corps; so that an uninterrupted bombardment was kept up on Silistria, both from the land and river side, after the 18th of May. On the 20th the Russians attempted to storm a redoubt, but they were repulsed with vast loss. 'Oh' the 24th the Turks made a gallant sortie from the fortreis, and a murderous struggle ensued, which lasted twelve hours. There is nothing whatever now said of any re-occupation of the Lesser Wallacia by the Russians ; but the better class of Wallacians, especially the officials, are leaving the capital. in crowds for Russia and Austria.  AnDther letter gives some further particulars as to the rash and fruitless attempts of the Russians to storm the outworks of the Turkish fortress. Large heavy guns were brought across the river to the Bulgarian side ; and on the 22d and 24th, bombs were thrown into the fortress, in addition to the shower of red-hot balls. Three times in succession did the Russians attempt to storm the outworks, but they could get no firm footing behind the breastworks ; whilst the Turkish artillery, which continued incessantly to play upon them, mowed down whole ranks at each discharge, all the efforts of the Russians to silence it proving quite nugatory. On the 25th and 26th they began mining. On the same day the Russian head-quarters were removed to the Bulgarian side, and a body of 18,000 cavalry vvas brought across the river at the same time; these latter were pushed forward in the direction of the Balkan passes, The correspondent of the Pays says the Charlemagne had captured a Russian ship, with 300 soldiers and 60 women. The women had been sent to Anapa. A private letter from Gallipoli of the 25th ult. mentions that Marshal St. Arnaud had returned from Shumla. During his stay there he made the most careful examination of everything, and reviewed the Turkish army, by whom he was received with enthusiasm. News was received from Silistria, which still held out, and the assaults which had been repulsed on the 20th and 21st had raised the courage of the Turks, who were more than ever decided on resisting to the last moment. The rising of the waters had increased the means of the defence of Silistria, and it was yet hoped that the allied armies would arrive in time to force the Russians to raise the siege. General Canrobert was leaving for Varna. Prince Napoleon had arrived at Gallipoli to take the command of his division. At his audience to take leave on quitting Constantinople, the Sultan took off his own diamond star and fastened it himself on the breast of the Prince. The Sultan also made him a present of three magnificent horses splendidly caparisoned, Divers private despatches from Bucharest state that the Russian loss in the affair at Silistria, on the 28th, was 186 killed and 379 wounded. General Silvan was killed, and Colonel Constanda, and Count Orloff, jun., severely wounded. The latter was shot through the eye. Under the date of Schumla, May 21, the Presse says : " On the night between the 29th and 30th the Turks made a sortie from Silistria. There was a fearful carnage. The Russians lost from 1,000 to 1,800 killed." A letter from Bucharest, of the 2d June, says that the Russians have taken possession of some of the outworks of Silistria.  Tile Ost •Deutsche Post says that since the 2d instant, Silistria has been completely invested by the Russians, and .that 3,000 Russians were advancing on the road to Basardsehik.