"At last the situation has somewhat cleared, and the presence of the Czar under existing conditions may possibly be an important starting-point for future developments. The declaration of independence is perfectly justified; it is a _fait accompli_, which must, in any case, be reckoned with hereafter. At the time this declaration took place, four weeks ago, I feared a considerable increase of the complications already existing, and could hardly become reconciled to it. However, I always remembered that your course of action must be based on motives of which we must be ignorant. Your wisdom in seizing the right moment is again confirmed. The foreign Press, although extremely surprised, has become more or less reconciled to the altered situation, and even the English papers have bridled themselves with decency.... "In my opinion the material military successes of the Russians will be in Asia; the moral successes in Europe; and the conception of a moral victory is so elastic that I see no reason why the war should be prolonged beyond reasonable limits. "The creation of a united State--Roumania-Bulgaria--of course with the freedom of the Danube to the sea, would be a magnificent creative idea, only the deep-seated difference of the nationalities gives rise to weighty considerations." * * * * * On June 28, 1877, the Grand Duke arrived at Simnitza, where the Fourteenth Division had collected a number of boats preparatory to effecting a crossing, aided by a vigorous cannonade the day before along the whole line of the Danube. The Volhynian Regiment embarked at 2 A.M. in absolute silence, and had barely landed when an alarm shot was fired. A short engagement terminated in the retreat of the Turkish force, and, in spite of hostile fire from the artillery, General Dragomirow succeeded in assembling the whole of his Division on the farther bank of the river, with the loss of about 30 officers and 700 men. The construction of a bridge was commenced from both banks simultaneously, though several sections were destroyed by a sudden storm. The bridge at Braila remained intact, and was crossed by Prince Charles on foot the following day. Notwithstanding the fact that Roumania had so far taken but a small share in the campaign, Prince Charles was able to supply the Russian headquarters with trustworthy information about the enemy's movements, especially with regard to the garrison of Widin, under Osman Pacha, who was now reported to be on the march to Rahova with fifteen battalions and two batteries. Though an advanced party of Cossacks seized Plevna on July 8, they were unable to retain possession of that town, a couple of Turkish battalions from Nikopoli forcing them to retire on the following day.