The Virginia Gazette

Petersburg, March 18. The Court having resolved to employ on the Fortifications all the Prisoners of the common Sort taken from the Turks and Tartars, 4000 of them lately arrived here from the Ukraine, of which Number about 2000 have been sent to Livonia, in order to work on the Fortifications in that Province, and a certain Number of them are also employed in the same Work at Cronstadt.

Though the Cruelty with which the Turks use the Russians that fall into their Hands might give us a Right to treat them in the same Manner, by Way of Reprisal; yet we treat them with great Humanity, and provide for their Subsistence in a proper Manner: If an Aga or Mura is found among those Prisoners, he is only kept Prisoner, without forcing him to any Labour; but the Bashaws or other Officers of Distinction are treated in a better Manner, as is manifest by the Usage which the Bashaws of Oczakow and Perekop, and the other Turkish Officers about them, receive here.

There is no Likelihood that the Negotiations of Peace can be brought to a happy Issue this Year; however, the Grand Signior has lowered his Demands very much: At first he declared, that looking upon the abandoning Oczakow as nothing, he must have Azoph restored, the Expences of the War reimbursed to him, and several Articles of the Treaty of Pruth fulfilled; but at present he says he will be content with Azoph, without any other Conditions.

But though that Place is a great Charge on account of its Distance, and the large Garrison that must be kept upon it, yet the Court is no way disposed to part with it, because it serves as a Bridge to the Crimean Tartars, besides observing the Motions of the Turks in the Black Sea.