The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-01-05 00:00:00

fr.N

TURDAY, JAN. 5, 1878.

WAR NEWS.

4klter a severe engagement, lasting two days, Pirat
17;4, Place inhabited by 15,000 Christians and 2,000
nonarnmedans—was captured on Friday in last week
.7 the Servians, who found there several guns,
Ltzuber of rifles, and a large quantity of H ammunition, IS) and other war material. The victors are re-
Pprted in Belgrade telegrams to have been received by
wle Christian population with enthusiasm.
There -

trith- are said to be nearly 152,000 Turks, furnished
everything requisite for a long defence, at Novi
"44zar,

Op Saturday last, fifteen deputations from provincial
441
ZlllBOl-oss Societies were presented to the Empress
eh
sia who, in thanking them for their exertions,
1e
e hoped that their devotion to the wounded,
4h ha I afforded her such great consolation in the
vregeat time of trial, would not slacken in the future.

tht, te„lVam from Batoum, under date Dec. 28, says
Turkish yacht Izzedin, commanded by Hobart
ficsj'a, while waking a reconnaisa.nce off P!)1i, was
4'44 ePcn by the Russian batteries, but received no
kill; The Yacht, on its return, opened fire on some
Luicie dedand other buildings at Grigorethi, and also
a body of marines who set fire to the enemy's
PotB after repulsing, with loss, the garrison of the

ialthe Agence Busse declares to be erroneous the state-
ellt of
ehak 8 tne foreign newspapers that Prince Gorts-
re '3" has sent a circular despatch to the foreign
tvtille!elitatives of Russia. "A Circular Note,' it. is
letlct, would be useless, the Imperial Cabinet having
()lA.'? outset plainly set forth its intentions as to the
d"" uf the War- while as regards peace, the ulti-
kiiii:44t! conditions of which, though always subject to
Po 'all' events, were known to the Powers, those
sz,LerB who had special interests to protect frankly
14" 'rned them, and thus gave the Russian Govern-
°ethe opportunity it Icompletely reassuring them
kte 6 subject. Since uo change has occurred in the
eirLati°llB uf St. Petersburg Cabinet the issue of a
—"F Note has been unnecessary.

Salo
the 'Z.-pox of a virulent type has broken out among
se' “trkish prisoners at Bucharest; those thus
tzed .
Loth ere Immediately separated from the others.
t4el officers and men are in a state of indescribable
att.etrlllesss. The people here are lavish ill their
s4ll"ons to the wounded Turks. The hospitals of
The4arest and Turnu Severin are full of sick Turks.
14°.„f6cers have been set at liberty on their parole,
e to be met with in every part of the city.
4trie,„--u'g to a recent statement of the Whitehall
the r,'' „." respecting a possible purchase by England of
--..erainty of Egypt.,
the Gobs says that such a
raheeeding would not concern Russia, but only Italy,
Austria, and Germany.
I
Nigo',2).rePoB of the present state of the Turkish
Itiat 'Tell in the hands of the Russians, I may state
told to-day by one who belonged to the
that arrison during the siege in the Crimean War
;:eertaesa:ltikwoerasthe fall
of that fortress the Turkish Redifs
wed. to go to their homes, and being caught in
o
th„,,g"enh Mountains during a heavy storm, 4,000
Per of The Times.
114 I,7—"latelY on the news of the fall of PleYna
trieB.le, g England, Lord Derby telegraphed to the
to inin Axabassador at St. Petersburg, requesting him
the Russian Government that in the opinion
k.triv-pnglish Cabinet the time for intervention had
Ilete eu, and to ask whether the Czar was disposed to
ti .11 to peace proposals. The reply of the Czar being
N;itihost unsatisfactory nature, the early meeting of
'44lnent was deemed advisable.—Vanity Fair.

•crive of Russian prisoners taken at Elena has
thd at ConstantinoplP, where they were suppliedktip 3T:nts of the Stafford House Committee with
i kindly treated by the Turks. The committee
tebtf 4,".nat from want of funds they are unable to ex-
""ir :elief organization.

4,Ghui „
`44111, I'n/flan, on leaving Bucharest, expressed his
f 8 torthe attentions that had been paid to him,
afrlx or the care taken of the wounded Turks. He
tt ecl his
l)her Eli t to sketch taken by a photo-
a, ilre
a

It •
14,4 13 officially stated at St. Petersburg that the
the 2113118tained by the Russian armies in Europe from
Vfice,st tri the 26th ult, were one officer killed and six
Roldi" wad four soldiers wounded, and in Asia one
rkilled and eleven wounded. The total Russian
wir°lll the outbreak af hostilities to the 26th ult.
—'435 men.

The .
e,, ails Correspondent of The Standard says :
'eN'ts that England has acceded to the request of
eY to act as mediator between herself and Russia
haw-created a tremendous sensation here. The first
13e8:8810n was'that it would improve the prospects of
that Second thoughts, however, lead to the belief
luestion of peace or war will be brought to an
of ii`A Vile reply returned by Russia to tboa overtures
'8
"laiesty's Government.—The Daats highly ap-
e decision the English Government has come
11;1, r.lu says that by taking a step which must bring
ti o b t
osB 81, 00., and compel her to state on what condi-
Bervi 'e would make peace, England has rendered a
ce to the whole of Europe.
671,
t,41. tel
4.3 egrain from St. Petersburg says that the New
Contains a private telegram asserting that Mr.
has intimated at Constantinople that England
ca;°llPY Constantinople with sixty thousand men
I'4ll o,'Lhe Russians cross the Balkans, and that she
°f -,...‘410 as compensation the cession of the island
44 --r• There is no confirmation of this report,
'snot regarded as authentic.—The New Tinie,s,
Pape ng to the reports lately current in some foreign
tehtitB attributing to the British Government the in-
occupying Crete, Cyprus, Gallipoli, Egypt,
toteawalatinople, and Batoum, says that Russia has no
ckcilberll,,t, 111 the four first-named points, but that the
eql4/T°l3l of Constantinople and Batomn would be
etit to a declaration of war.

- --
1144Whhile it is stated at St. Petersburg that nothing
r! been determined by the Russian Government
I'l th,l!Peet to the conditions which it would propose
f bases of negotiations for peace, it is assumed In
Itilfornied circles in St. Petersburg that Russia
411
ths otill!dte no sort of harsh reply to steps taken with
11
shieet of Paving the way to peace, and that she
ekrn "1, as heretofore, that she is accessible to any
nd
.est eeavour in that direction.
tast
Areee c_Saturday afternoon Lord Augustus Loftus
ilil7l to Prince Gortschakoff, at St. Petersburg,
'q•vi,(4o in which the British Government offers its
48 mediator between the belligerents.
Z‘-ireat excitement prevails in Malta with respect to
an Which it j rumoured England intends to take
40fl-rt!le t).Btern Question. Several of the regiments
.7tonved orders to provide themselves with the
7,rvie,,,'e,rnenls and personal kit necessary for active
Ztekf, in the field; and the 71st Highlanders is
'y'reej 14 a position to proceed from the island at a
4414 notice The arrival of the Ist Royal Scots
144 "61et Regiment on the 10th of January will
1°4%42 the number of infantry regiments in Malta
i
1144;1M the Indian reliefs are to remain n the
"41:11 tiring the present crisis. It is considered pr0)54.17%-e
)54.17%-e Plat the 71st will be drafted to Crete. The
on of of GOZ3 have been fitted up for
erne 0f troops, in the expectation of further
''4rcir•_ll.ts being made to our Mediterranean forces.,,
•

4'4 THE QUADRUPLE ALLIANCE.
t,te5p0,.,78 has received the following from its special
tZtlig „"ent at Bucharest dated December 31 :—" The
k'tptiiroz.„°")::_.stronger ever; day in the East that the three
tot e zast u Italy have a definite programmejin Ot relation
of eta Question and ita final settlement, the chief
t;:ferj 41..ncertainty being the extent to which these four
o'npte.dged to co-operation. That theyatrl% lerz-
atlicgally allied, amildhanyteibneen o from
hoilitnt to
the 'Eastern capital;
traolutillt.on the Political situation without allowing their
britNe 14Udices to influence their perceptions. But of
trt,.„4l?, out g but the actual pressure of necessity will ever
bsi.e fact that they are prepared to proceed to ex-
auPPort of this common programme.

1/178BIAN PASSAGE OF THE BALKANS.
ta'oke"ft a BoGoT, IPecember 29.
14,4441411 exceedingly difficult passage over snow-covered
ao,d,
the frozen footpaths, through severe frost and
kth advance guardass of the Russian Western
e Th de „ e e Balkan passes between Arabkonak and
tt,kiirk 'avalry is already stationed on the Sofia read.
tra.qt 1144 ?Jere taken by siuTrise, and the loss sustained
tret4l4 ca"nisa: troops in debouching from the mountains
' tto if it at .luenco? but small, the official account esti-
diftie„t"e wounded only The official report adds :
Ito,e Yea,. ;It the crossing of the Balkans is at this season
Shown by l the circumstance that the march
-'ekew:'echech tc Negus che,as well as from Liechnitza to
", oCcupied three days."

,lt •kie c
MEDIATION.
u. 31 °trespondent of The Times, writing from Vienna on
1,48141„ berlit!T of English diplomacy seems to have been un-
tNt"'tined pu, for not only has Lord Augustus Loftus already
ttle,the ,i'e Russian Cabinet of Turkey t's readiness
an
to treat, th:uate ar's Government, too, has returned ire
th I,sffeetaniswi,er to the pacific communication. It Is to
-
nul;t- —ear, that if the Turks desire an armistice,
apply direct to the Russian Commander-in-
ft communication of the iii lush Government, as
ttCer of'r_waS in perfectly general terms. There was
le,, er kick' "4ethatioss, no mention of an armistice,
or any
liti
t, lOt b,l begintlillg
1 l
negotiations, and naturally . much
F,4,4forta:"lng as to conditions. It confined itself sin p y
trb'aud tug the Russian Cabinet of the Porte's having asked
4 kt, .„0 let
(14,447:311tuisian Cabinet declares, i
in reply, that it too,
the Czar know of the Saltan's readiness to
ki tho, egotiate with Turkey, but, n the first instance,
th Itietti ..: the question of an armistice—that is to say, the
Oe eiigeNe of the question must be held subordinate to
hl, ,•_`:etiels of the military situation.
lelt'yr yolloatel gence does not come altogether unexpectedly,
totiltlllaY remember that, ever since the idea of possible
laiLl'ste °1,14' was mooted, feelers were sent out both from
10.5 r, 1:;84;nrg and Berlin, and more directly fror.• the
tstice 'eating that the Russian Government regarded an
stitt;e the" the preliminary step to any pacific overtures,
it 04der additional hint that the Czar would demand the
thi7itbo,, of the Danube fortresses as the condition of such
DOt , a cessation of hostilities left little doubt
,iaLNi was fully alive to the advantages of her
r.., sc,-'..Dosition 4: and meant to make the most of rparTe aot +
A 1 .13 be the loser in the event of the
tit?Lis till:-
&s_ioeading to no satisfactory result. But
kr...7Ni l'l,log to maintain her advantages, it seemed
—ualat!e' whether Russia, at the same time, meant to
, „1n I"se, general preliminary conditions as the basis
:totiations. The answer, however, returned to
au Message, which only refers to the armistice and
bt e TUrks )apply directly on this score to the Corn-
41.4eat I..ehlef 'would seem to show that there is no such
-.tent,. '
.11,"”istila . lop, but above all things, a resolution to
,Slit,lrgeti,,lnillitary status quo for the time during which
, pending; so that those rumoursl4,,, t the
(ilons Would be
tilltillht to thfrerent political conditions said to have been
u
titieknowledge of the Porte by third parties, and
7•,:,tance of which Russia would make the armistice
atu4. do not look very probable—at any rate, they are
leSijthlor th
tiot, 0: rallitary advantages Russia might claim as the
4 an armiatlee, the Verras may turn out, after all,

pi,,t!,,,

to be less hard than araisounged beforehand. If the news
from various quartette can in the least be willed upon, weeks
must pass before the Russians are in a position to under-
take operations on a large scale acisoss the Balkans; so
that if the thing is not ohtained by stipulation de facto,
the Turks at the chief points of their line of defence will
have the benefit of an enforced arneietice One after
another the bridges over the Danube have either been
broken bY the ice or else have had to be lifted out lest
they should he swept away. In scarcely one instance do
the structures seem to have been completely secured, so
that the pontoons, chains, anchors, and other material
carried away by the ice and 'sunk must be replaced before
the bridges can be re-established, Of this, however, there
seems but little chance for the moment, as the cold weather
continues, and all the affluents of the Danube are floating
down large shoals of ice, so that for the present it looks
rather as if the river will soon be icebound. As long
as the present intermediate state lasts, all communi-
cation between the two banks is practically at an
end. Single boats, it is true, may after some hours'
struggle against ice and current, make their way across, but
this is all. Should the river become frozen over, some kind
of passage may be established, but it will be precarious, for
the periods of intense frost in those parts scarcely last
longer than a fortmight or three weeks at a time, when thaw
sets in, which soon makes the transit of large convoys over
the ice dangerous, if not impossible. Eut even assuming
that milder weather sets in before the river is bridged
across with ice, it will take a considerable time before all
the shoals and fragments are gone so RS to permit of the
pontoons being again constructed. In any case, therefore,
the Russians must resign themselves to having but very
imperfect communication, or none at all, with the Bul-
garian side.
In these circumstances it would seem almost impossible
for the Russians to think of leading a large army across the
Balkans, unless they have been able to collect stores in Bul-
garia sufficient to last at least a month or six weeks, which
Is notoriously not the case. As long as the troops are in canton-
ments it will be possible, though not easy, for them to eke out
their suppiies from the resources of Bulgaria itself; but even
were there stores enough to be amassed, such a work would
take considerable time. Being thus forced by circum-
stances to remain inactive, it may be expected that the Rus-
sian commanders will not exact too hard terms of an
armistice, contenting themselves with Erzeroum, in Asia,
and one of two fortresses on the Danube.

The Correspondent of the Daily Telegraph at Pere, in an
article entitled "Turkey at Bay," remarks :—" A great deal
has been said about Turkish stupidly and slowvess to act.
It is the fashion to abuse the Turk; no amount of proof to
the contrary will show him to be other than a most helpless
person. He has made many mistakes during the present
war, and, indeed, he once or twice lost the opportunity of
driving his opponent over the Danube headlong. But, pace
those who think him the incarnation of crassness, he is by
no means so slow as he is imagined; and if an instance of
this were needed, the movement whioli has just been inaugu-
rated should furnish a fair proof. A week ago came the
news that Plevna had fallen. Upon all alike there at once
fell a dread, which for several days lasted. No one saw the
way out of the difficulty. A hundred thousand more Rus-
sians would be set free to turn the Balkans and take Sophia,
and advance upon the capital—what was to be done? 'We
will try to make peace,' said the Porte, and after what
fashion she asked the Powers to mediate you all know.
We cannot hold out,' said the people; and they hoped
for England's aid. But suddenly Suleiman Pasha came here
of his own accord, offered to forego all his plans of cam-
paign on the Danubian side, move as many of his
troops as could be spared, and take the initiative
against the Russians on the Sophia road. A coun-
cil was held at the Palace: the Sultan agreed. Su-
leiman has gone away to Orkhaine, and his men, during
the last three days, have been incessantly passing through
the capital. Where they are going and what they are to
do will shortly be known ; for the present, I do not pro-
pose to hazard any conjecture; but they are likely to prove
a very serious stumbling-block to the Muscovites, who are
so jubilantly preparing to advance upon Constantinople.
Thus Turkey stands at bay. Whether she will evacuate the
Orkhanie position and Sophia, and fall back upon the head
of the railway at Tatar Bazardjik, or whether she will
advance against the Russians north of the Balkans, time will
show.". . .

The Berlin Correspondent of the Daily Telegraph also
writes —"An: exalted personage here observed to me this
morning—' The Czar will be delighted to make peace, but
on his own conditions; and we can scarcely hope they will
be found acceptable for Turkey by the English nation in
its present temper—therefore, we augur little good from
the British Government's latest effort to bring about a
conclusion of the war. It appears highly unlikely that the
Czar can keep his promises to England either in the letter
or the spirit, and it is almost as improbable that Eng-
land can submit to an obvious rupture of those promises.
We censider the aspect of the situation alarming, but not to
the extent of apprehending a general European war. The
bitterness of our so-called Liberal press against England is
chielly attributable to its want of accurate 'information
about foreign polities which leads it to fear that England
may draw France into a quarrel with Russia, which would
at once alter our attitude towards the Eastern Question.
We, who know how unlikely such a continuency is, think
, nothing of the silly diatribes in the German press.'"

ST. •PETERSBURO, Dec 31.—The Gales, commenting upon
an article recently published by the North German Gazette,
says :—" The British Government might use its good offices
by communicating to the Imperial Cabinet the wishes of
the Porte, by advising the Turkish Government to address
itself direct to the Russian headquarters, but to carry its
interposition further would constitute mediation."