The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-02-02 00:00:00

THE EASTERN QUESTION.

A CABINET COUNCIL ON SUNDAY.

A Cabinet Council was held on Sunday at the
official residence of the First Lord of the Treasury
in Downing-street. The inisters present were—the
Earl of Beaconsfield, Mr. Secretary Cross, the Earl of
Derby, Mr. Secretary Hardy, the Marquis of Salis-
bury, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Right
Hon. William Henry Smith, Lord John Manners, and
the Right Hon. Sir Michael E. Hicks-Beach. The
Lord Chancellor and the Duke of Richmond and
Gordon were prevented from attending the Cabinet,
being abient from town.

THE BRITISH FLEET.

The following telegram is from Monday's Times, and is
sent by their Special Correspondent from Pera, under date
January 2f:—

"The British Fleet, under Admiral Ifornby, entered
the Dardanelles yesterday, and steamed up to Fort
Sultanieh, about slxt2en miles from the entrance,
passixig two batteries and excharging salutes with the
Tucks. It then steamed back, and is now at Besika.

"The explanation of the entry of the British Fleet
into the Dardanelles is that on the Porte persisting in
its previous refusal to permit the Fleet to enter except
as an avowed ally, the English Government informed
the Porte that the Fleet would be obliged to enter with-
out permission, in consequence of the Russian advance
towards Gallipoli and Constantinople. The Porte
then entered a formal protest, forwarding the same to
the Plenipotentiaries at the Russian Head-Quarters,
but did not actually oppose the entry. The Fleet
steamed to Fort Sultanieh, and there found orders to
turn back, in consequence of the news that the Porte
had instructed the Plenipotentiaries to sign terms of
peace."

A Reuter's telegram from Constantinople says :
"The statement that the Porte protested against the
entry of the British fleet into the Dardanelles is with-
out foundation. Tha Government, on being informed
by Mr. Layard that tho fleet had received positive
orders to enter the Straits, gave its permission to the
step."

The Special Correspondent of the Stan,lard, in a
telegram from Constantinople under date Sunday
says: --

Naturally the entrance of the English fleet into the
Dardanelles and its subseque—A withdrawal therefrom, have
caused great excitement here and given rise to a variety of
rumours. It is said that France, Italy, Austria, and
Germany remonstrated against the passage of the Darda-
nelles by the English Fleet, and declared that it would lead
to a general conflagration. It is also said that Prince de
Reuss had an interview yesterday with the Grand Vizier,
and told him the Porte had done wrong in permitting the
English fleet to enter the Dardanelles, as it would delay the
settlement of an armistice.

"As regards an armistice, there is some mist= derstanding
here. Although it is generally declared that an armistice
was signed on Friday, there are some who say that no
official information to this effect had been received, and
that the delegates have merely left Kezanlik for Adrianople
because the head-quarters of the Grand Duke Nicholas have
been transferred thence.

r• I am inclined to believe that nothing has been received
from the delegates since Thursday. Meanwhile it seems
certain that hostilities,.have not been suspended, and that
the Russian advance continues. I am told that the Rus-
sians now occupy Luleh Burgas, midway between Adrianople
and Constantinople, and also Ouzoun Keupre, which is
between Adrianople and Rodosto.

"Fighting is still going on in the Quadrilateral."

THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.

The Special Correspondent of The Times in a tele-
gram, dated, St. Petersburg, Jan. 29, says
"There is no longer any doubt that between the Cabinets
of St. Petersburg and Vienna there bas been what is called
here a "little misunderstanding." Austria, it seems, ex-
pected that the conditions of peace would be submitted to
a European Congress, or, at least, communicated for
approval to the two members of the Triple Alliance who
had observed a benevolent neutrality. Her susceptibilities
were ruffled and her suspicions aroused by the extreme re-
serve of the Russian Government. At that moment M. de
Novikoff, the Russian Ambassador at the Court of Vienna,
happened to be here on account of a domestic bereavement.
Re was ordered to return at once to his post and took with
him explanations and assurances by which it was hoped the
'little misunderstanding' would be completely removed.
flow far his efforts have been successful has not yet trans-
pired, but there is reason to believe that they had not the
instantaneous effect which was anticipated.—The peace
conditions published by various foreign papers are regarded
here as apocryphal, but grave fears are entertained that
there will be a good deal of disappointment when the real
conditions become known. The Journal de St. Pet3rsbourg
of thismorning says :

'We are still without any official information regarfling
the acceptance of the preliminary conditions of an armietice
by Turkey, but there is reason to believe that they have been
accepted, and that the suspension of hostinties will soon be
announced.'"

The semi-official Journal de St. Petersburg of Satur-
day, with reference to the motive given by the British
Government for demanding a vote of credit from Par-
liament. attributes to the Porte the delay in the com-
munication of the Russian peace conditions, stating
that it was from the. Porte that the British Govern-
ment expected to receive this communication. The
Journal proceeds to state that the British Cabinet will
now have seen that the Russian conditions Contain
absolutely nothing prejudicial to English interests. It
adds that Russia has counselled moderation to the
Greek Government at Athens.

ST. PETERSBURG, Jan:26, Eveni9g.

The send-official Ru.ssian agency says the British
Government, on learning the Russian conditions of
peace, became convinced of the moderation of Russia,
and the communication had a tranquilising effect upon
the erisis, which, it is to be hoped, will have no further
results.

BERLIN, Jan. 26, Evening.
The North Go.inan Gazette of this evening reviews the
proceedings at yesterday's sitting of the English Parliament
and adds the following remarks:—

"We note this termination of the English episode
of intervention, which ended as quickly as it began,
with the greatest satisfaction, especially as it afforded
a fresh opportunity of proving the unshakeable under-
standing which subsists between the three Imperial
Powers. All machinations which aimed directly or
indirectly at undermining the alliance between the
three Emperors—the most effectual guarantee of
European peace--were once more frustrated in this
phase of the crisis by the loyalty of Russia, who re-
mained throughout in communication with friendly
Austria-Hungary in regard to every contemplated or
necessary step to be taken, and by the unshakeable
adherence of the Austro-Hungarian Government to
the Eastern policy it has entered upon for years
past."

CONSTANTINOPLE, January 27, 5.30 p.m.
"Mr. Layard again questioned Safvet Pasha to-day con-
cerning the Russian peace conditions, but was informed
that it was still impossible for the Porte to communicate
them.

CONSTANTINOPLE, January 27, 8.55 p.m.

"Although the Porte telegraphed on Friday lasttccepting
the peace preliminaries proposed by Russia, it has not yet
received advice of the conclusion of an armistice. This nn-
expected delay causes apprehension here that the armistice
conditions proposed by Russia are of an excessively onerous
character.

"There is at present no cessation of hostilities. Yester-
day the Russians made several violent but unsuccessful
attacks upon ono of the redoubts defending Stlistria, and
upon a redoubt on the Medjidie road, near Battekik Some
Setvian attacks at Vaie, near Sienitza, and in the neighbour-
hood of Kourchuthli, as well as Montenegrin attacksat Kora
and Popova, near Mostar, are also announced to have been
repulsed. An engagement has occurred at Tchifflaki, thirty
miles from Tchorlou on the railway line, about midway
between Demotica and Constantinople."

"A Vienna telegram to the Journa/ dos DPbats, dated
Tuesday night, says :—' The latest advices from Constantinople
show that the ItuEsian army is continuing its advance.
Saf vet Pacha himself does not know whether the armistice
has been signed. It is feared that the Russians contemplate
a coup de main, so as to place Europe in presence of a fait
accompli.' This despatch also mentions a rumour which,
oddly enough, was current on the Boulevards last night
viz ~ that it was possible the English Fleet would be
despatched to Constantinople."—Paris Correspondent of
Standard.

BATTLE WITH THE SERVIANS.
(From Tuesday's Standard.)

BELGRADE, Monday.—A great battle has taken place
between the three Servian Army Corps of the Timok,
Schumadja, and the Morava, nearly 40,000 strong, andghar-
kir Pasha, in the neighbourhood of Ratcharnik. The fight-
ing lasted four days, and ended favourably for the Servians.
Accommodation in the hospitals here has been required for.
3,000 wounded men. Forty-five thousand breech loaders
have been received from Germany via Turnu Severin.