æternum.—Done at Tzarskoe Selo, the 20th day of
October (1st of November), in the year of Grace, 1853,
and the twenty-eighth of our reign. NICHOLAS."

At the same time the following Circular Note was
addressed by the Russian Minister, Count Nesselrode,
to the diplomatic agents of Russia in foreign countries,
to be communicated to their respective governments.
The passage of the Danube by the Turks was not known
at St. Petersburg at the date of this document,
as some of its expressions suffice to show:—"St.
Petersburg, Oct. 19 (Oct. 31, N.S.)—Sir—The efforts
which we have not ceased to make for the last
eight months for the arrangement of our differences
with the Ottoman Porte have, unfortunately, been
without effect to the present day. Nay more, the
situation seems to become more aggravated each day.
Whilst the Emperor offered during his interview with
his intimate friend and ally, the Emperor Francis
Joseph, fresh facilities to the Austrian Cabinet to
explain the misunderstanding which attaches to the
motives stated by us for rejecting the modifications
which the Porte desired to introduce into the note
drawn up at Vienna, the Porte yielding, notwithstanding
the counsels of the European representatives at
Constantinople, to the warlike ideas and the fanaticism
of the Mussulmans, has, as you will have learned,
formally declared war against us. That rash step
has, however, in nowise changed the pacific disposition
of the Emperor. We still do not abandon, on that
account, the resolutions announced from the beginning
in our circular of the 20th of June. At that period his
Imperial Majesty declared that in occupying provisionally
the Principalities as a material security for the
satisfaction he demands, he was unwilling to carry any
further the measures of coercion, but rather to avoid an
offensive war, so long as his dignity and his interests
permitted him to do so. At the present moment, and
notwithstanding the fresh provocation offered to him,
the intentions of my august master remain the same. In
possession of the material pledge which the occupation
of the Principalities gives us, though still ready, in
fulfilment of our promise, to evacuate them the moment
that we obtain satisfaction, we shall content ourselves
with maintaining our position there, remaining on
the defensive so long as we are not forced to abandon
the limits within which we desire to confine our action.
We will wait the attack of the Turks without taking
the initiative of hostilities. It will then entirely depend
on other powers not to widen the limits of the war,
if the Turks persist in waging it against us, and not to
give to it any other character than that which we mean
to leave to it. That situation of expectancy does not
place any obstacle to the carrying on of negotiations.
After the declaration of war it is not to Russia that
it belongs to seek for new expedients, nor to take the
initiative in overtures of conciliation. But if, when
better enlightened as to its interests, the Porte shall
manifest a disposition to propose or to receive similar
overtures, it is not the Emperor who will place any
obstacles to their being taken into consideration. Such,
Monsieur, is all that, for the moment, it is permitted
me to inform you of, in the uncertainty as to whether
the Ottoman Porte will give effect to the warlike
project it has just adopted. Inform the Cabinet to
which you are accredited of our eventual intentions.
They furnish an additional proof of the desire of our
august master to limit as much as possible the circle
of hostilities, if they should unhappily take place, and
to spare the consequences of them to the rest of Europe.
Receive, &c., NESSELRODE."

The accounts of the military operations on the Danube
have been so confused and contradictory, that it as yet
impossible to ascertain the real course of events. The
following particulars appear to be authentic. The Turks
crossed the river in four places, between the 28th of
October and the 4th instant. Having made good their
position at Kalafat, they threw forward their forces, and
the Russians retired towards Slatina; between which
place and Krajowa the corps of General Dannenberg,
said to be thirty or forty thousand strong, occupied a
position en echelon covering the road to Bucharest.
The Turkish force in Lesser Wallachia, thus established
on the right flank of the Russian array, is said to have
amounted to 12,000, and it was intended that additional
troops should cross the Danube at Kalafat from Sophia.
Lower down the river, another and smaller division of
the Turks, 2000, crossed from Rustchuck to Giurgevo,
and bombarded the town, making good their footing.
The most formidable movement of the Turks, however,
was at Oltenitza. Here they crossed over from Turtukai,
18,000 strong—a Turkish account says 12,000. On their
landing. General Perloff, at the head of 9000 Russian
troops fell upon the Ottomans. The combat is said to
have lasted, skirmishing included, for two days. The
Russians fled, leaving 700 killed and wounded on the
field. The following details of this battle have been
given. The island in the vicinity of Turtukai forms a
natural battle-ground. The troops with which the Turks
made a beginning on the 2nd, after a corps of about
14,000 men had been contentrated between Tschatalscha
and Turtukai, remained concealed in the bushes, favoured
by the fog. On the 3rd, about 5000 men were posted on
the island, 2000 were on board of barges ready to be
conveyed to the opposite shore, and about 4000 or 5000 men
had already landed on the left bank. During the night
from the 3rd to the 4th instant, the passage was attempted
over the smaller arm of the river near Oltenitza, and was
also carried out by force of arms. The 2000 troops on board
the barges sailed round the island, and were the first to reach
the Wallachian shore. The Russian pickets were posted
along the Danube. One of these pickets was at Oltenitza;
the reserve were posted at the distance of a shot behind
this place, amounting altogether to about 5000 men.
During the combat reinforcements arrived. The
engagement commenced at dawn of day. On both sides
the troops fought with bravery and perseverance. The
cannonade lasted unremittingly for eighteen hours.
Towards noon the contest seemed to draw to a close by
the retreat of the Turks to their vessels, but was soon
renewed. In the evening the Turks were established
along the river-side, and the Russians behind Oltenitza.
The conflict is described as an exceedingly murderous
one, and the losses on both sides must have been very
considerable. The Russians performed all that could
have been expected of them, considering the disproportionate
number of the enemy. But the Turks also
fought with a bravery inspired by an extraordinary
degree of fanaticism, which is likely to destroy the
illusion which many have hitherto indulged in
with regard to the military prowess of the Turks.
Subsequent accounts affirmed that the victorious Turks
had followed the retreating Russians, and driven
them out of Bucharest, which had been bombarded and
set on fire. But no such thing occurred: on the contrary,
the division of the Turkish army at Oltenitza has
re-crossed the Danube. This movement, apparently,
was consummated on the 13th inst. An explanation of
its motive is supplied by the French consul at Bucharest,
who states that the heavy rains which had set in had
rendered the contemplated forward movement of the
Turks in Bucharest impracticable; and that they withdrew
to the healthy bank of the river "in the most
perfect order, without being disturbed by the enemy."—
A letter from an European staff-officer at Schumla,
dated October the 3rd, confirms the accounts of the
efficient state of the Turkish army which have arrived
from other quarters. This writer describes the soldiers
as jovial, obedient, and capable of enduring great
hardship. Omer Pacha is mentioned with great praise; and
the position of the Turks at that date is accounted
advantageous. Schumla has been made a very strong
place; the entire mountain country being turned into
a fortress, and commanding the flank of any army
marching on the Balkans. Selim Pacha has defeated a
Russian army on the frontiers of Georgia. He was out
on the 20th of October, inspecting the ground, when
suddenly a body of Russian cavalry appeared. The
pacha stood fast, and sent for reinforcements. Soon after
this, a Russian corps of 15,000, from Redout Kalé, fell
in with the pacha's army; and after an obstinate conflict,
the Russians fled. They were pursued for some distance;
and the pacha planted the colours of the Sultan at
Orelle, eight hours distance from Ciorock-Deré.—Letters
from Bucharest complain severely of the conduct of the
Russians. Prince Gortschakoff had drawn largely of
the public funds of the Principalities, and had ordered