TURKEY AND RUSSIA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IV, Issue 174, 6 May 1854, Page 9

TURKEY AND RUSSIA.

We copy the following additional particulars respecting the War from -the "Melbourne Morning Herald" of the 14th ult. : Constantinople, Dec. 15, 1853. The Levant Mail arrived yesterday from Constantinople. The news by her is very deplorable, confirming our worst anticipations as to the fate of the Turkish fleet at Sinope. The gallantry manifested by the Turks opposed to a force of such numerical strength as to render victory impossible, will prove a bright page in their history when placed by the side of the melancholy disaster, detailed in the following letter, written to us by a gentleman on the spot, and whose means of acquiring' information are undeniable. >. The Bussians had been cruising about for some days with a few ships, but sent to Sebastopol"for the large ones. On the morning of the action there was a thick fog at the entrance to Sinope, and when it disappeared, was discovered to the astonished Turks an immense Kussian Force bearing down upon them. The Turks were anchored about a mile from the Fort. The Bussians anchored between the Turks and the forts, and thus prevented the fire from the batteries, lest the Turks might also have suffered. The action commenced at 11 a.m. In two hours all was over. The Russians never went ashore, but from (heir ships'shelled the Turkish quarter of the town. The scene described on the arrival here of the Retribution was horrible beyond description ; mangled bodies and limbs of men floating about and lying strewed upon the shore; the dying and the dead and the wounded mixed up with wrecks and fragments of wrecks. The Turks are said to have fought to the last. Au English schooner was burned in the melee, and two men killed. The Taif steamer escaped by a miracle with 6 shot in her and 8 men killed. The captain is to he tried by court-martial for cowardice — On dit that he rushed to the bread room for safety. The Lieutenant has been fpromoted; he behaved most gallantly. The worst feature of the whole affair is that

after all the ships were destroyed, the Prussians fired grape and canister on the Turks whilst endeavouring to save themselves by swimming. They killed as many as they could after all resistance had ceased. The PortofogHo , published yesterday, has the following :-— Attempt against the Combined Fleets stationed at the mouth of the bosPHOEUS. During the darkness of the night of the 14th. December, a Russian schooner of war appeared off the Ottoman forts, having on board all the elements necessary for the destruction of the allied fleets stationed at the mouth of the Bosphorus, and which endeavoured to surprise the vigilance of those forts, when they, by great good fortune, fired upon her. Forced by the Ottoman artiileiy she came to an anchor, and endeavoured to throw overboard the abovenamed elements of destruction. She was however taken, fragrante deliclo, captured and held prisoner. The London correspondent of the Strait's Times, writes as follows— London, Jan. 9, 1854. We have been so frequently on the very verge of war within the last few months that ifc is hardly possible to persuade any one that the direful alternative has come at last. Taking the Moniteur as an official authority, however, it would seem to be now placed beyond all doubt. Two days ago, ithatfgovernment organ contained a circular note"addressed by the Foreign Minister to its diplomatic agents in which the various steps of theptussian aggression, from the Mission of Prince Menscbikoff to the destruction of the Turkish, fleet &t Sinope, were recapitulated, with the announcement that the combined fleets had received orders to enter the Black Sea in order to prevent any further outrage: on the part of "Russia : this manifesto, which is dated December 30th, will be viewed by Nicholas, no doubt, as a declaration of war, or else it will be evident that he has made up his mind to withdraw his insolent pretensions to settle the quarrel in his own way. The general belief is that he will notgive in but will consider|the entrance of the French and fleet into the Black Sea as equal to a decraiirfion of war. Our government, although it maintains the strictest silence as to its intentions, for which it is greatly blamed, is said to be making the most energetic preparations for the grand struggle. It is only a short time since the Royal George of 120 guns, and the Princess Royal of 90 guns, and the Cressy of 80 guns were ordered for commission, and last Thursday's Times contained the announcement of three more ships being all commissioned on the same day, a circumstance which has not occurred in the Admiralty for "many years. Another notable fact winch does not seem to have been noticed by the daily press, was the announcement about a fortnight ago, that the Sidon steamer, then at Portsmouth, had received orders to sail for Lisbon and for the Bosphorus. Those who profess to be well acquainted with naval matters affirm, that there is mnch more in this than meets the eye. It is well known that our Mediterranean squadron is now at Lisbon, and it is thought not unlikely that the orders sent out to. Admiral Oorry may have been to make him leave the Tagus for the Bosphorus. The understanding was that the Mediterranean fleet was to be kept in readiness for service in the Baltic, as soon as the navigation was open, but as that will not happen for a month or two, it would be good practice to send it to join the powerful fleet under Admiral Dundas; with it and the French squadron now at Constantinople there would be such a force as must soon settle matters in the Black Sea, and then it could make for the Baltic, '.vhere it would not be difficult to give the Emperor. another lesson which would teach him the danger of meddling with what does not belong to him. The latest accounts from Constantinople, received to-day, by telegraph from Vienna, announced the entrance of the combined fleets into the Black Sea. Malta, 14th January, 1854. —Five English war steamers and the same number of French had entered the Black Sea to tow the Turkish transports to Trebizond and Butoum. The Engineer's department of the garrison here are at present most actively engaged removing 32-Hounders from the batteries coin-

mandiug' the entrance of our harbour, and replacing them with 68'sBy French steamer from Constantinople last night (eight days out) we are in possession of the following:—Combined fleet (4 sail) had entered the Black Sea on the 3rd and 4th. H.M.s frigate Retribution had been sent to Sebastopol on an important mission. French steam frigate Vauban has just come in (10 a.m) from Toulon, after coaling she proceeds to join the fleet in the Black Sea. Smyrna, Ist January.—The combined fleet spoke Austrian Lloyd's steamer, and ascertained that 14 Russian sail were cruising 80 miles from Varna.—Fleet proceeded immediately in search. A Russian sloop of war (27 hands) laden with ammunition had been captured outside the Canal where she had been driven by a gale. She was in search of the Russian fleet, which her commander stated should have been off Batoum. From these accounts, the Russian fleet must be divided or one of these reports is incorrect. It is certain, however, that the fleet has put to sea, consequently the allies will undoubtedly fall in with it. Advices from ErzerounofTof 17th December state that 70 battalions of Ottoman troops were concentrated at Kars, 3 battalions and 1 regiment of horse had garrisoned Ardcham ; other troops had been sent to Zarusbett and Kaisman. The Russians had fallen back on Alexandropol, and all military operations had been suspended from the excessive cold and heavy fall of snow. Constantinople, Dec. 22.—Skirmishes still take place; the Turkish advance posts at Kalafat had been engaged with the Cossacks ; latter defeated. Mehemet Ructde Pacha, commander in chief of the Imperial Guard, had been compelled through indisposition to send in his resignation. SelimPacha is named as his successor. Eezeeoum, December lO. : —An engagement took place near Kars on the 2nd, the Turks, though inferior in number, carried the day; losses of both sides very heavy, A Russian General is said to have fallen, From Alexandria 22nd December we hear that 1500 men fully equipped were waiting orders to embark for Constantinople. Constantinople, December 10th.— The " Grand Conseil" had expressed its approbation to the Propositions, and had signed the adopted resolutions. The reply of the cabinet of St. Petersburg was anxiously looked for, and great hopes entertained of peace. ' By Submarine telegrayh. AUSTRIA. Vienna, Sunday Afternoon. Austria has demanded whether the Russian Court would object to a European Protectorate over the Christians in Turkey. The reply, in most positive language, was that Russia would permit no other Power to meddle in the matter of the Greek Church. Russia had treaties with the Porte, and would settle the question with her alone. M. Kaniloff, director of the diplomatic bureau at Tiffiisj.has gone on a special mission to Teheran, with four staff and six subaltern officers. ; The French circular of December 30, caused a panic 'Change yesterday. Foreign exchange rose above 3 per cent. The Austrian Correspondent publishes the following:— Orsova, Jan. 5. T?ro batallions of Russians, under General Balgarde, were attacked on the 31st ult., at Osestan, by some Turkish cavalry from Kalafat. The Turks were repulsed, and forced to retreat leaving several dead and prisoners behind. ' Tiie above account is re-published by the London Evening Journal of the 9th January which contains the following memorandum of news by Telegraph. Vienna, Friday, Jan. 6. According to the Oeslerreichische Correspondenz, the Turkish cavalry from Kalafat attacked two Russian batallions near Osestan, but were repulsed with the loss of some killed and taken prisoners. Constantinople, December 26. _ Constantinople is perfectly tranquil. Trieste is mentioned as a neutral town probable to be selected for the meeting of a congress.

. TT , r . Madrid, January 5. Her Majesty this day gave birth 'to a daughter; both the Queen and the youn«r Princess are doing well. ° We understand that the Spaniards were on the eve ot a revolution, but put it off in conipiimeutiotht! above event ,