The steamship Africa, which left Liverpool on Saturday morning, at nine o'clock, March 11, arrived at New York at eight o'clock on Tuesday morning.
THE EASTERN WAR—A BATTLE IN THE DARK.
On the 17th of February a conflict took place by mistake between two columns of the Russian army. The Turkish positions are extended in an easterly direction as far as the village of Cuiperceni, which is about a mile distant from Kalafat. For several days a Turkish corps 4,000 strong, under the command of Col. Mirolai, had been posted in front of this village and in the direction of the Russian outposts. On this corps the Russians determined to make an onslaught during the night of the 16th. For this purpose two Russian columns were brought up, each from 4,000 to 5,000 strong, one by the road which leads to Kalafat from about the village of Seriberzi, and the other from the left side of it from about Poisna, (Prince Miloseh's property,) to advance unexpectedly upon the Turks, to surprise, inclose them, and cut them to pieces. The Russian columns commenced their march at 3 o'clock, in the morning, and by 4 o'clock reached a position from whence they were only half an hour's march from the Turkish pickets. The second column seems either to have missed the direction by mistaking the road, or to have come up long after its time. Be this as it may, the latter column, in the obscurity of a foggy night, concluded the former one to be a body of hostile Turks, and instantly opened upon them a terrific cannonade, which the others, who labored under the same mistake, returned with yet more deadly effect. Pressing toward each other, it came ere long to a close fire of small arms. This ill-omened combat lasted for an hour and a half, until, when day dawned, the combatants saw with horror the error they had committed. The loss in killed and wounded in the course of this night's encounter is reckoned, by the Russians themselves at several hundreds. The Turks were naturally alarmed at every point; and at Widdin, which is but a league and a half distant, Omer Pasha, on hearing the cannonade, took all the requisite measures for defense. The Turkish corps stationed at Cuiperceni stood to arms in readiness for action at any moment, but did not advance as it was at a loss to imagine or comprehend what the Russians were about; murdering one another in that style. It was not till between 7 and 8 A. M. that the Russian columns withdrew to their respective positions, carrying their wounded along with them.
By the arrival of the Franklin, Thursday, March 30th, and the Canada at Halifax, last evening, we are put in possession of advices from Europe to the 18th inst., a week later than previously received. The first division of the British fleet, intended to operate in the Baltic, sailed from Portsmouth under Sir Charles Napier on the 11th inst. The Queen visited the squadron in her yacht, and escorted the ships to sea. The remaining division was to sail in a few days, under Admiral Chads. The whole fleet, when united in the Baltic, will consist of 44 vessels, with 2,200 guns, 22,000 men, and 16,000 aggregate horse power of steam force. From the seat of war on the Danube, there is no news of importance, beyond the partial retirement of the Russians from Kalafat. The auxiliary French and English armies will not reach Turkey and be ready to act much before April. The Greek insurrection is suppressed. The Czar has published in the official journal at St. Petersburg a reply to the recent invectives of Lord John Russell in the House of Commons. He accuses the British Ministry of having known and partially approved beforehand all the plans whose execution they now hold up as such a crime. The Ministers repel the charge, and promise to refute it by documents. Austria adheres to her declaration of neutrality, but while she approves the course of the Western Powers, states that her future course will be decided by regard for her own interests.