An item dated Constantinople 14 April reported according to tidings received from Rutschuk that of the there anchored Turkish warships yesterday afternoon twenty monitors, a wood built warship and two transports departed towards Silistria taking with them council Sadyk Pacha who wanted to inspect the defence works and the available victuals.(1) At Rutschuk stayed a damaged monitor and a transport behind although later some troop transports arrived. From Constantinople departed the 14th four armoured corvettes and two gunboats under command of Mustapha towards the mouths of the Danube. The Black Sea Squadron consisted of 15 large warships included four armoured.
Note
1. The movements are probably effected by the Russo-Turkish War between 24 April 1877 and 3 March 1878 which ended in a Russian victory. This war was fought in the Balkans and Caucasus and mainly caused by the increasing 19th century nationalism in the Balkans although Russia wanted also to restore her sphere of influence and territory after the disastrous Crimean War in which the Ottoman Empire had been one of her opponents.
