The troops employed on the banks of the Danube, between Belgrade and Orsowa, under Generals Wartensleben and Papilla, have had several rencounters with the Turks, with various success; but the only event of any consequence, in this part of the seat of war, was an attempt upon Semendria, in which the Imperialists were repulsed with considerable loss. General Fabricius, who commands the Austrians in Transylvania, has done nothing decisive, and several of his posts have been carried off by the enemy. The Prince De Saxe Cobourg, a General I much admire, entered Moldavia early in March, with the most eastern of the Emperor's armies. This province is governed by a Greek Prince, who is appointed by the Porte, but who wishing to give himself up to the Germans, sent them a scheme to get possession of his person, which was executed with such secrecy, that in the night a detachment of the enemy carried him off from the middle of his capital. It should seem as if the Austrians thought the possession of his person of the greatest consequence, since the moment they got him, they fled with the utmost precipitation, without attempting to destroy the magazines, or to do any other damage. It does not, however, appear that the defection of this Chief was of any great detriment to the Turkish cause, since the Austrian General only passed through the north-west corner of the province, directing his march by Suczawa and Siret, towards Choczim, the most northern fortress in the possession of the Turks, and their chief frontier towards Poland, distant from Constantinople about five hundred miles. The grand exertions of the Russians are against Oczakow. The Captain Bashaw sailed for the relief of that fortress on the 20th of May, but it is feared that the enemy are already in possession of both sides of the Liman, by which means their ships, covered by the batteries on shore, may prevent the Turkish fleet from being of any use to the garrison. The rendezvous of the Ottoman army was first at Adrianople, about 120 miles from the capital, and afterwards at Sophia, near two hundred miles farther on the road to Belgrade. As fast as the troops were assembled, large detachments were sent to all the garrisons on the frontiers, and there are now 80,000 men still left at Sophia; with these, and some other corps, the Grand Vizir will march against the Emperor; and should his Imperial Majesty choose to enter the Ottoman territories, or attempt to besiege Belgrade, a decisive battle must ensue. It will be some weeks before you hear from me again from this port, since I shall set out to-morrow on a tour to Macedonia; and before I return, I propose visiting Lesbos, Tenedos, Lemnos, and several other of the Greek islands. LETTER XXVII. TO CAPTAIN SMITH. Smyrna, October 20th, 1788. MY DEAR FRIEND,