The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1877-05-29 00:00:00

THZ WAR.

It hat been rumoured that the Turkish Government
have tried to get Captain Shaw over to Constantinople
to form and indoctrinate a fire brigade. It lea curious
instance of the old world condition of society under
Ottoman rule, that until luite recently it was forbidden
by law to build a house f any material but wood.
Constantinople has, consequently, been notorious for
destructive conflagrations, awl nowhere have there
been scenes of so much and such general excitement.
Fire was one of the few things for which it was
permitted to disturb the Sok ereign's slumbers; nay, it
was even commanded, for it was regarded as a consti-
tutional maxim that the Sultan should preside at the
extinction of every tire within the capital. Five
female slaves were at the palase to receive information
at the earliest moment. One of the five ntraightway
donned a red turban, kept for the occasion, and enteral
the autocrat's chamber. If lie were awake the night
of the allegorical headgear would bring the fattest
and laziest of Sultans .sit of hed. If he were asleep,
the maid would proceed to gently chafe his august feet
between her hands—a delicate detail of Court
etiquette. The sudden anxiety (if such there be) for a
better system of fire-extinction is due, no doubt, to
the apprehension of a seige. If late account* are to
be trusted, however, a flame is kindling again in
C'enstantinople, which Captain Shaw and his fire'
engines would be powerless to put out, And when
the religio-political enthusiasm oh the Softas is
inflamed, Sultans are apt to experience worse
discomfort than that of having their toes tickled.
According to telegrams received on Saturday, the
Turks have experienced another great naval disaster
on the Danube. Early that morning a carefully
planned torpedo attack was made on the Turkish
war ships which have been cruising about near
Matchin • and no successfully was the scheme carried
Into effect that one of the monitors was blown into
the air by a torpedo projected from a Roumanian
sloop which had been fitted up for the purpose. The
whole of the crew are said to have perished. This is
the first instance in which these terrible engines of
war have been used with deadly effect in naval
warfare. The other news from the Danube discloees
little change in the military situation, no far as the
same can be guessed at from the slight indications
that present themselves. The Russians continue to
pour to tha westward in such a continuous streain
that it is beljeced the main Innly of the army will
cross nearer Widdin than Rustchtik. It is said that
they have abandoned their intentiou of crowing into
the Dobrudecha. The Czar will in a few days leave
St. Petersburg for the Danube ; and a Vienna
telegram says his Majesty will command in person at
the passage of the river. On the other side of the river the
Turks judging from the few whisjers that are suffered
to escape from the right bank if the river, do not
appear to be idle. It is said that is a great aincentra.
bon of troops is going on at Schumla, and the men
are kept in constant readiness to march. The defile at
Pravadeky, between the Schntula and Varna -a
position of some strata,ic importance—has been
strongly occupied with Turkish forces. The statement
that the Emperor of Austria will have an interview
with the Czar in Roumania is denied.
The operations in Asia Minor, as reported through
Turkish channels, are made to appear slightly aci.
vantageous to the Turks. The bombardment against
the outworks at Rare has become slacker, and it is
said that a body of Muscovite troops, whilst attempt-
ing to throw a bridge over the river near Batoum, was
driven back with loss. In the Russian telegrams,
however, the Turks are represented as having been
worsted. An important engagement is reported to
have been fought near Batouin, but the result has not
yet come to hand.
Some further Turkish successes are reported to have
taken place on the Russian Asiatic coast. A detached
equadron of the Ottoman fleet attacked the fortress of
Erdilli, which is situated to the north of Soukoum
Kai and destroyed the works, inflicting upon the
defenders a loss set down at 200 killed. The
ROMPAiIUI are stated to have suffered another reverse
In the same district during an attack upon an Abkah-
Man village.
According to some accounts, the Caucasian insur-
rection ha spreading.
The Circaasians in Trans-Caucaeis are reported to
have surrendered their arms to the Russians. The
Russians are also promised possession of the 2,000 rifles
which the Turks left behind them in a recent retreat;
15,000 boxes of cartridges fell into the Russian hands
on that occasion.
The event of the day upon the Danube is the
dwArnetion of a Turkish gun boat by torpedoes. Two
young Russian engineer officers made an attempt to
reach this gun boat, which was moored in the Matchin
channel, early in the evening. The moon however,
was bright, and the crew alert, and they had to retire.
At three in the morning they repeated the attempt,
and, if the version of the story sent be correct, the
Turkish look-outs and sentinels must have been all
sep at their poets, for the Russians were allowed un-
siged to approach in their skiffs near enough to
chain of floating torpedoes across the bows
gun boat. They then retired and exploded the
low by electricity. The gun boat at once went
with all hands. This is &serious catastrophe and,
so close upon the loss of the other gun boat,
. but diespirit the Turkiah sailors. It will pro.
have the effect of ensuring a brighter look out
future.
DISTURBANCES -
EXTENSION -

isiSap at
lodehter
of thegu
torpedoes
down will
following
cannot but
bably bar
for the