A Roumanian officer, when dining with the Grand Duke Nicholas, ventured to compare the ration bread of the Russians with the far better bread supplied to his own men at cheaper rates.

The Grand Duke looked at the two specimens and then--talked of something else[135].

Nothing could be done until the flood subsided and large bodies of troops were ready to threaten the Turkish line of defence at several points[136].

The Ottoman position by no means lacked elements of strength.

The first of these was the Danube itself.