The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-07-22 00:00:00

THE WAR IN THE EAST.

Tho Special Correspondent of the Daily News, writing
from Paratjin, on Friday night (14th) gives the following
partlAulars of an interview he has had with Prince Milan :

I had an interview with Prince Milan this morning.
The Prince is tall, stout, vely muscular, and greatly
resembles Prince Napoleon, but is more mobile. He
speaks with great fluency, and even elcquence. He
dilated with much aninrstion on the unity of the
Servian peoples. The Baenians, the Serviaos, the
Herzegoviniaus had all ideottcal characteristics, the
same customs, origin, and Christian faith. It was
impossible for Greece and Servia any longer to re-
main quiescent spectators of the atrocities practised
by the Turks on kindred races. He was fighting
for the withdrawal of the Turks from Bosnia and
the Herzegovina. and would not sheathe his sword
until this was attained. He commented somewhat
tartly on England's attitude favouring the Turkish
sfulus quo as a counter-balance against Russia. Toe
success of Servia he protested would in nothing be of
advantage to Russia. The Eastern Question could
only be solved by force of arms. Turkish rule is a
falsehood. Turkey exists but on paper. Its finances
are rotten, its Government corrupt, its very telegrams
are lies. It claimed and celebrated a victory over
Lescbjanin at Zaicar, whereas three Turkish assaults
thereon were utterly unsuccessful.
The Prince then gave an account of the military
position, and explained the reason of the present com-
parative inaction of Tchernaieff, on the march with
eight battalions northward along the eastern frontier
toward Zaicar to cope with a column of Turks from
Wictiin now at Isvor. His second command holds
Ak Palanka and the Clusnra Pass. No Turks have
passed the defile at Novi Bazar. The Turks and
Servians are contronting each other behind earthworks.
Leschjanin is holding his own on the eastern fr- ntier.
Olitopiez, after desperate fighting &roiled Belina, is
co-operating successfully with the Bosnian insurgents.
Montenegiiu co-operation is thorough and hearty.
The Prince concluded a long conversation by an
emphatic declaration that Servia would fight to the
last gasp for the emancipation of the Chri-tiaus of
Bosnia and the Herzegovina from Turkish oppression,
from the villainy of the Pachas, and the atrocities of
the Baelti•Bazeuks, who, pending the declaration of
war, had ravaged the frontier villages. The question
was no longer one for diplomacy or negotiation. The
people had taken it out of the hands of Governments
and diplomatists. It was a national question. He
was merely the instrument of the ungovernable impu)se
of the people. He professed a high regard for English
public opinion, and rejoiced it was turning in favour of
Servia and the Christian races against Turkish oppres-
sion.

The Tinies, of Monday, gave the following tele-
grams
MAKIN, July IG.

Do not believe telegrams from Belgrade. There was no
great battle between Osman Pasha and Lesehjaniu last Wed-
nesday. It is not true There is no news. The firces on
both k ides are meanwhile preparing.
ODESSA, July 16.

Contrary to official bulletins of Turkish victorits published
at Constantinople, telegrams received at the embassies report
that the Servians surrounded and bombarded Novi Bazar,
and were even said to have taken that place Ichernayeff
was victorious at Akpalanka and Chelr-Keny, and threatened
Sofia.

The Montenegrins have advanced within one hones dis-
tance of Mostar. The Montenegrins occupy Trebigne, Stolatz,
and Ndvesigne, and Gatachko has fallen into their hands
without resistance. The commuulcations from their frontier
to the sea at Klak are open to them. _ .

RAGUSA, July 16,

On Wednesday evening Lipnlk Muh village and a redoubt
at Eagtovatz were occupied without fighting. The
population, with the regatrs ard irregulars, retired into
Metochia, where about 6 ON) men are well entrenched. A
Turkish column marching from Metochta to Isrevesigne was
surprised by the Montenegrins at Salom, and some fighting
ensued. The Montenegrin loss was light, but the 1'1111(18h
was heavier. The Turks are surrounded.
LATER.

The town of Metocbla has hoisted the white flag. The
whole district of Gatschko is in possession of the Monte-
negrins, except some redoubts, with 2,000 men. These are
blocked up, and the army passes on to Nevesigne.
The population to the west of Lake Scutari has risen. The
Governor of Scutari has ordered a conscription of the entire
population of the city to attack the Montenegrins. There is
great distress among the Christians.
SEMLIN, July 10.

The defeat of Ostoitch it corfirmed. He was attacked by
superior forces at Florintin, hut cut his way through to the
frontier with loss. It is officially stated that the Turks
surrounded a village near Ntssa and de,troyed the women
and children, near Novo Varosch, between Vishegrad and
Novi Bazar, where the Servians captured the Tursish en-
trenchments a few days ago.

The Times of Tuesday published the following tele.
grams from their Special Correspondent :
PAIIAKIN, July 17.
A telegram received by Prince Alimpltsch elates that the
cruelties of the Turks in the villtg.s of Bosnia are atrocious.
They ate killing Christians and burning their houses, and are
cutting children to pieces, throwiug them into the air and
receiviug the falling bodies on the point of the bayonet. They
have kilied several hundred women and children. Nearly
all the Purkish troops have cut cif the heads or noses ot the
wounded and dead. Wounded Forks, on the other hand,
are treated as U they were Servlans.
RAMA, July 17.
The Montenegrin Army has arrived at Neve/Agile, and has
advance posts at Blagai and the hills above Mostar. Selim
Pasha, with two bstali us, reported to be blockaded at
Salem, has escaped to Mostar, leaving guns, bag.tage, and
ammunition. The consternation at Mostar is very great.
The garrison consists of four batallions of Regulars and
about 2,000 Irregulars.

. -
The opposition to the Montenegrin invasion is unim-
portant, the Turkish population submitting. All rights
are respected. Turkish prisoners from Klett have arrived
here under an Austrian guard in a miserable plight, bare-
footed and ragged.
BERLIN, July 17.
The statement that Russia endeavours to obtain an
armistice for Servia is repeated.

Fourteen thousand rifles have been bought in Germany
for Greece.

As the Roumanian Government and people have no wish
to promota the Russo-Slavonic interest in the Balkan penin-
sula, they are determined to remain neutral in the present
conflict. The mobilization of the Roumanian troops is con-
sidered a mere precautionary measure, intended to guard
against the chance of foreign occupation.

Information has been conveyed by the Porte to its repre-
sentatives abroad of a buccessful engagement between its
irregular troops and the Servians, on Saturday, beyond
Scharlidi-Keni. After three hours' flhting the Servians
wire compelled to abandon all their positions, and were pur-
sued for an hour, their loss being considerable, including a
major killed.

Details of the successful attack of the Turks on the Servian
camp near Novi•Banr, have been sent to the Porte by the
Gt.vernor of 139snia. The Servians, he reports, were beaten
and fled, aband,,ntng their arms, ammunition, and provision
train. St lirn Pasha, also, is reported to have gained an im-
p, rtant victory over the Niontenegrlns between Gatchko and
Neve4nje, and t) have effected a junction with the Turkish
forces at the latter place.

The Constantinople newspapers of Saturday published a
decbration of the lnrktsh Government, throwing upon
Servia all responsibility for the present struggle, and adding
that the Porte will endeavour to bring it to a speedy close,
In order to enable itself to carry out the proposed reforms
and improvements.

The Porte has telegraphed to its representatives abroad a
despatch received from the Governor of the Herz ,govina
emphatically denying all the bulletins recently sent from
Cettinje reporting victories and conquests in the Herze-
govina. No engagements, says this uespatch, have taken
place, with the exception of the combat sustained by Selim
Pasha in the defiles of Z sllom, on the 13th inst. ; the capture
by the Montenegrins of Galzko, Beliki, axed Nevesinje,
therefore, is pure invention.

According to a telegram sent on Monday by the Porte to
Its fordo represoutatives, an attack on the Servians was
made by the Palanka division on Sunday. After six hours'
lighting the Servians were diven out of their entrenchments
at the point ot the bayonet, leaving behind them a large
quantity of arms and baggage.

VIENNA, July 18.—The Presse of to-day publishes a tele
gram respecting the engagement fought by Peko Paulovitch
on the 13th Inst., near Kick, according to which a rtirkith
man-of • war lying in that port had participated in the battle
with her guns, notwithstanding the exprers protest of the
commander of the Austrian war-ship stAioned there. The
Presse p gas out that this act is a flagrant viaation of rights
on the part of Turkey.

The Pa7l Man Gazette correspondent at Belgrade, writing
on the 12th init., &Lis :—The bombardment and capture of
Nova Orsova by the Servians is of the bigne,t importance, as
it is a well-fertified place, commanding the Danube, and
fully capable of arresting the 11 Aida at Wichita from going
up the river. The Servians will have to contend with
Lurnerous difficulties on account of the great number of
fortified places which are near the frontier and are in the
possession of the Turks.

ThP Austrian Corregpondent of The Times, writing
from Vienna, on July 18, says :
Gradually 14ght is dawning over most of the military opera-
tions which have been carried on of late. First as rtg.rus
those in Herzegovina, the object of Prince Nikita has been
fully cogfirmed ; it Is, without relation to the Servia.n opera.
tions, tett occupation of Herzegovina, including Mostar. For
that purpose he assembled his own forces as well as the
Insurgents at Banjani, and he sent Paulovics, who had been
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