The Turkish Fleet has no doubt been of use to
Turkey, because it has prevented the Russians from transporting armies to the coasts of Bulgaria and Armenia, but it has done very little active service. No Russian port has been endangered, and the crossing of the Danube has never been impeded. The Fleet is not even very useful on convoy, for on the 26th the Russian screw steamer 4Russland ' captured, near Benderaklia, the Turkish transport Messina,' with an entire regiment of 785 men on board, and a large sum of money. The transport was one of three under convoy of two Turkish monitors, and was, we presume, separated from the squadron by some accident, for the engagement did not last five minutes. We are bound to add that if the Turkish Fleet has accomplished little, the Russian Fleet has effected nothing. The 4Popoffkas ' have remained in- 'visible, and until this exploit no Russian paval officer has made so much as a serious attempt to prevent the Turks transporting troops as they pleased.
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