The U. S. Mail steamship Pacific, which left Liverpool on Wednesday, April 19, at 2 P. M., arrived at New York on Monday morning about 9 o'clock.
THE BALTIC—CAPTURE OF THE FIRST RUSSIAN PRIZES!
The London Times of the 17th published the following telegraphic dispatch from its Copenhagen correspondent, and the information caused much excitement: "The British frigate Tribune has just arrived from Admiral Plumridge's squadron, having taken five Russian prizes and a number of prisoners!"
These ships had been for some time under surveillance. They were laden with sulphur, lead, and other contraband of war—were last from Lulea, and on their way to a Russian port in the gulf of Finland.
Napier's fleet now musters 37 sail, carrying 1,800 guns and over 18,000 men.
It was rumored that three French ships-of-war would be withdrawn from the Black sea to re-enforce the Baltic fleet.
On the 12th the French squadron under Admiral Parseval Deschenes sailed from Brest to join the fleet in the Baltic under Napier. Letters from Stockholm of the 6th confirm the statement that the Russians had dismantled all the fortifications on the islands of Aland and had retired with guns and stores to the main land.
The Czar had further ordered that all pilots and men capable of bearing arms should remove from the islands to the main land of Finland, and also to remove or burn all ships and boats. This system of defense is to be pursued all along the shores of the Baltic and of the Black sea.
FROM THE DANUBE.—
Eight thousand Russians attempted to storm Rassova, but were repulsed. On April 2, the attack was renewed. Seven thousand five hundred men had been landed to re-enforce Varna. The Cronstadt Satellite of the 4th announced the passage of the Danube at Simnitze by the Turks on March 27. It was further rumored that the Turks had taken Turna, and were advancing in the rear of the Russians. No pitched battle had taken place up to April 9, either at Rassova or Silistria, but much fighting and cannonading had been going on, from March 30 to April 7, in which the list of killed and wounded, especially of the Russians, was much augmented.
One mode of defending the entrance of Cronstadt is new and dangerous. Strong iron chests, charged with powder and other combustible materials, are sunk in the channel, and connected by wires to a galvanic battery. Above the chest is some machinery which, on being touched by the keel of a passing vessel, completes the galvanic circuit and explodes the mine. A hundred of these dangerous inventions are sunk in the narrow entry of Cronstadt.
TURKEY.—
Fifteen thousand troops were daily expected at Constantinople from Egypt, who will immediately on arrival be forwarded to Batun under the escort of English and French steamers.
Some excitement was manifested at Constantinople, and the new Mufti was insulted, April 3. The declaration of war by the allies reached Constantinople on the 5th, and the Porte was about to issue a manifesto in consequence. Lord Stratford had addressed to the British Consuls a circular condemning the Greek insurrection. Accounts from Constantinople of the 5th mention that the city was illuminated in honor of the Turkish victories in Dobrodja. On the other hand, Nicholas had sent an autograph letter, accompanied by his portrait set in diamonds, to Gorchakoff, in recognition of the feat of crossing the Danube.
ASIA.—
Accounts from Erzerum state that Zarif Pasha, General-in-Chief of the army of Anatolia, arrived at Kars on 6th of March, and had been received with the greatest enthusiasm. The army was being supplied with money, ammunition and clothes, so that the ensuing campaign would open under better auspices than that which closed so disastrously in December. Artillery was to be sent as early as the state of the roads would permit, but, at present, with some feet in depth of snow in the valleys and the face of the country a mass of mud and melting ice, military operations were impossible. Kurshid Pasha (Gen. Guyon) was still earnestly occupied in disciplining the forces. It is stated that the whole Russian army is concentrated at Gumri, (Alexandropol) which they are fortifying very strongly, so that should the Russians confine themselves to defensive warfare, the capture of Gumri must precede all attempts at aggressive movements on the part of the Ottoman commander. The voluntary service of the Arab and Kurdish tribes is continually offered to the service of the Sultan.
The navigation in the Baltic is opening.
Admiral Boxer (British) and staff passed through Paris 17th on the way to the East.
Prince Napoleon embarked at Marseilles 17th for Constantinople.
From Paris it is stated that on the 17th copies of a treaty of alliance, offensive and defensive, were exchanged between France and England.