The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-04-20 00:00:00

AMATEUR BEAR-FIGHTING.

The town of Avesnes, in France, has been the scene
of no ordinary bear-fight (says the Daily News). The
sport of baiting the bear in France, as in our own
country, has yielded to the attacks of maudlin senti-
ment and sickly humanitarianism. Slender, if he were
living now, would find only stray Sakersons, trained
to dance, not to do battle. In the bear himself, how-
ever, the delight of battle with his peers is by no
means extinct. Show him the dogs, and he will prove
himself of the old mettle. This truth was unpleasantly
illustrated at Avesnes. A muzzled animal of the tribe
was disporting himself in the market-place to the sound
of the violin, and had collected a circle of admirers, while
a M. Joseph Mansy added to the public enjoyment by
dancing as the rit-a, vis of the bear. One of the spec-
tators had, as the French papers say, the deplorable
idea of letting loose a bull-dog at the animal performer.
The poor muzzled creature was unfairly handled
during the first round, but in the second the fasten-
ings brolee and the bear was free. Disdaining to
tackle the dog, he rushed on his human tormen-
tors. "Then began," as Mr. Kingsley used to
say, with unconcealed delight, "a murder grim
and great." Poor Mangy, whose intentions had
been of the best, was the foremost victim. The
bear struck him on the face, laying open his chin
to the bone. First blood for the bear. Workmen
came up with pitchforks, and waged a doubtful
battle. The military then, of course, appeared on
the scene and charged the bear with the bayonet.
After a gallant struggle the creature, with whom
it may not be unpatriotic to sympathise was
overpowered by the French soldiery, and re-mtizzled.
The following persons swell the roil of his conquests:
Theodore Rougemont, a railway porter, has a bite on
the knee and some bruises; Ernest Janson goes with
his arm in a sling,. and is lame of one leg; Edouard
Viseur has a cut in the thigh; Alfred Magy's hand
was nearly bitten off. A few other spectators were i
slightly hurt. The bear s gravely wounded, and
shows the natural goodness of his heart by licking the
i
hand of his master, to whom he s seriously attached.
The people of Avesnes are unlikely to revive the sport
of amatt.ur bear-baiting.

The horse-nail makers in the Sedgley district have
agreed to accept the reduction of 3d. per thousand in their
wages of whreh the roasters gave notice last week.

THE EASTERN QUESTION.

VIENNA, Sunday Night.—" Prince laortschakoff's reply to
Count Andrassy's• objections to the San Stefano Treaty
arrived yesterday. It proves to be very conciliatory in tone,
and the semi-official journals in consequence have suddenly
begun to speak coldly of an alliance with England. The
Frezndenblat, says that England, like Russia, cannot be
accepted as the representative of Europe. 'We shall take
care (it adds) of ourselves. Our ways and those of England
are parallel only as long as Russia refuss to act with
moderation.'"—Correspondent of Daily News.

Under date, Constantinople April 13, the Special Corre-
spondent of the Daily News writes :—" It is stated at the
Porte that Lord Salisbury's answer to Prince Gortschakoff is
a demand for the abandonment of all territory in Asia, as
well as all claim for indemnity until Turkey's other creditors
are satisfied, and the withdrawal of the Russian army from
the environs of Constantinople by the 19th inst. It is safe
to say that Russia will accede to none of these demands.
If pushed seriously, they can ouly result in a war In
which England is nearly sure to be without an
ally.—The Turks are continuing the fortifications in
front of Constantinople from Aladinikey to Buynkdere,
not including, however, the position of Suvelie Kayak, at
the Black Sea entrance to the Bosphorus. It is not true
that the Russian army is decimated by sickness. These is
little sickness except among the troops at San Stefano,
notoriously an unhealthy place. It should be remembered
that the same reports were circulated about the Russian
army when at Kischeneff, and Out those reports encouraged
the Turks to resistance."

The St. Petersburg Correspondent of the Dail,' News,
under date April 11, says :—" A good impression has beets
produced here by telegrams from London and Berlin stating
that the efforts of the German Government to comuliate
Russian and English views have been welcomed both
sides, and pointing out that mediation would have no
meaning unless each party were prepared to snake conces-
sions. Another telegram has beer, published in which it is
stated on the authority of the Memorial Diplomatique that
Lord Beaconsfield has declared that, if necessary, he will
change his Ministers and evtn dissolve P:trlitment in order
to have his own way, and carry through his-energetic policy."

Under date April 13, the Berlin Correspondent of The
Tunes says :—" I regret to say that, despite more pacific
intelligence reaching us from vArious parts, political ciclea
here still regard the Conference as doubtful if the Russian
Government cannot be inducad to comply with the British
terms. But the Russian Government refuse to comply
because they think they have reason to know that at the
Conference England is going to ask for modifications of the
Tzeaty of San Stefano greater than Russia will concede."

The Times (in a leader on Monday) remarks ;—" The state
of affairs with reference to the Eastern Question remains
substantially the same. We have no change to report in the
attitude of the European Powers. The moot point between
England and Russia is still unsettled, and while this is the
case the prospect of a Congress and of a peaceful arrange-
ment of the whole difficulty is as far off as it has ever been.
There is, it is clear, a strong feeling in both ctruntries that
war has now become inevitable. The state of Russian opinion
as described by our Correspondent in St. Petersburg points un-
mistakably to this. The Russian vie wErems to be that Eng-
land is determined upon a war or on inflicting upon Russia
what amounts to a grave national humiliation. The com-
plaint is that when onerpoint has been conceded in the in-
terests of peace another immediately springs up in place of
it; and that there is no choice for Russia but to go on yield-
ing indefinitely or to accept the issue of war as the less of the
two evils to which England insists on subjecting her. This
is a singular misrepresentation 9f the course our Government
has followed. There is certainl7 nothing in the demand we
are at present making that can be fairly advanced hi proof of
It. If we ask Russia to give way, it is to Europe, and not to
ourselves, that the submission will have to be made. For
ourselves we ask only a co-ordinate voice with the other
Powers. The burden of proof rests on the country which
refuses this. 14 is for Russia rather than for England to
Justify the position she has assumed. The general opinion of
Europe is pronounced in our favour. No only in England and
Austria, but in Italy, and even in Germany, a reaction against
Russia has set in. If Russia persists in making peace with
Turkey on her own terms, and in declining to take the lest
of Europe into her counsels on the whole case, she must
expect to stand alone. Such indeed, is the position she is
choosing for herself by her own acts. The only doubt can
be as to the countries which may think it expedient to offer
an armed resistance. The moral isolation of Russia seems
certain in any case. With England, and possibly with
Austria, opposed to her in the field, and with the rest of
Europe hostile in sentiment, her position will be one which
she can scarcely regird as tenable. The real choice offered
her is not between war and national dishonour. The paths
of honour and of peace seem rather to coincide, and the
stubborn ambl tion which would lure her away from one
of them can be followed only at the price of the abandon-
ment of them both together."

Under date Fern, April 14, the correspondent of the Daily
Telegraph says :—Bussian troops continue to be moved
southwards. Three batteries of artillery left Adrianople
yesterday and proceeded in the direction of the eastern end
of the Bosphorus, where a large concentration of the army
of occupation has already taken place. It is stated that these
movements are being carefully watched, and that the English
Fleet has instructions to keep the passage to the fflack Sea ciear.
Yesterday I visited the Turkish entrenchments at Alaslac,
on the road to Buyukdere, and I inquired of the officer in
In charge why the redoubts were being constructed, whether
against the English or against the Russian. Ile replied,
not against either specially, but against any Power threatening
Constantinople. As the result of fresh Russian remonstrances.
the works have been stopped for the present ; meanwhile,
the invaders are gradually and quietly gliding on to import-
ant strategical positions, and the general impression is that
they are doing so in order to be ready for any emergency.
Other indications of the same intention are to be found in
the fact that they have within the last two or three days
received large quantities of sappers and miner's tools and
other implements requisite for the construction of field forti-
fications. As I have already advised you, however, the con-
dition of their army is by no means such as to make a fresh
campaign a welcome contingency. They have now, under
90,000 combatants on this side of the Balkans.

Writing from St. Petersburg on April 15, the Correspon-
dent of The Times says :—"There is said to have been an
amicable semi-official interchange of views to-day between
the Caninets of London and St. Petersburg. The former de-
clares that it sincerely desires a peaceful solution, that it has
no intention or wish to put unnecessary obstacles in the
way of negotiations, and that all it desires is to
have the whole Treaty placed before the Congress.
The latter replies that it cannot see any difference be-
tween what has been done and what is desired. It com-
municated the whole Treaty to the Powers, declared
that there were no secret clauses, admitted full liberty of
discussion on the part of all the Plenipotentiaries, and
reserved for itself merely the same liberty of action as would
be possessed by other Cabinets. The pro memorict to Prince
Gortchakoffs Circular is cited as a proof of the readiness of
the Russian Cabinet to
.disCll93 even the most important
clauses of the Treaty. In unofficial conversations the views
of the Cabinet of St. Petersburg are more clearly ex-
pressed. 'The real object of the British Government,' it is
said, is to make us recognise the Congress as a tribunal, to
tear up our Treaty, and to inflict upon us diplomatic humilia-
tion. Of course anything savouring of humiliation..cannot
be accepted, and, though ready to make modifications in
what we have proposed, we will not allow the Treaty to be
cancelled.' The most promising issue out of the difficulty
seems to be the idea of a preliminary Conference, and the
Cabinet of Berlin is still working in that direction."

The Journal des Debats of Monday evening publishes an
article in which it says :—" It is useless to indulge in illu-
sions respecting the gravity of the state of affairs in Europe.
We are perhaps on the eve of a great war. We are in the
midst of a movement of so violent a nature that it threatens
to carry everything with it. Is it still possible to arrest
this movement? Every one believes so; but, there is only
one State at the present time with a sufficiently strong arm
to attempt such an undertaking. Grandeur oblige, and if
Germany, disdaining the appeal now being made to her
from all sides, allows events to take their present headlong
course and lets war break out, she will have failed in the
chief duty which is imposed upon any country that has
risen above others by its military and diplomatic power."

CONSTANTINOPLE, April 13.

Orders have been issued to the Turkish rnilitEry corn-
manders to resist any attempts that may be made to occupy
Constantinople.

We learn from an official source that the general officer
commanding at Malta has reported, in answer to inquiries
made by the War Office, that every available space nn the
Island has been utilised for the accommodation of troops and
stores, and that the fortresS is in an almost perfect state of
&if ence.—Whitehall Review.

The War Office shows up to the present time no signs of
relaxing its exertions in view of the crisis, and by the Foci of
next week the first Army Corps will be in a state of almost
complete readiness for embarkation, should it be found
necessary to despatch an Army Corps to the East,—W kite-
hall Review.

The Tablettes d'un Spectateur states that Queen Victoria
Is personally determined to prevent, by arms if necessary,
the execution of the San Stefano Treaty. Consequently,
while the ultimatum is ta be left to Russia, a reply of Lord
Salisbury to an Austrian communication of the 9th will be
an indirect menace calculated o bring matters to a crisis.

A telegram from Constantinople states that all the
precious objects in the Palace of Topcapou are being re-
moved to Scutari, as well as the arms cud munitions stored
in the arsenals. The Porte is also said to be considering the
question of transferring the Government to Scutari.

It is stated in an Athens telegram that Turkish reinforce-
ments continue to reach Thessaly, and that as many as
20,000 men are estimated to have recently arrived. Several
Turkish war vessels have arrived off Crete with troops on
board.

The number of Russian troops occupying Roumania is
daily increasing. Many of the villages around Bucharest
are occupied by the Russians, who are treating Roumania
at various points as an enemy's country, taking possession of
the town-halls, schools, and the dwellings of the inhabi-
tants.

- " Hundreds of empty carts are coming through Bucharest
from Russia (says the Correspondent of The Times). They
are going to the Danube to transport supplies from the
depots on that river to the troops in the field. The Russian
officials occupying quarters and offices in Bucharest have ex-
tended their leases for BiX months longer."

Eight large transports have left Constantinople for Odessa
to fetch home 10,000 Turkish prisoners.

A circular has been sent to the Powers by the Turkish
Government in which it recr)gnises the Treaty of San
Stefano, and expresses its determination to carry out the
stipulations in a loyal manner. It, at the same time, states
that it would regard as opportune any modifications which
might be ina:e by the intervention of the Powers and the
moderation of Russia.

It is reported that an intimation has been conveyed to
the Porte by Russia that In the event of Turkey giving
assistance to England such assistance would entail the im-
mediate occupation of Constantinople and the complete
overthrow of the Ottoman Empire in Europe. However this
may be, it seems certain that the Russians are exerting
great pressure upon the Porte in order to hinder the
Turkish troops from occupying any new positions which
might be of advantage for strategical purposes.—Observer.

It is telegraphed from Athens that Admiral Achmed has
been provisionally appointed commander of the Ottoman fleet
in the place of Hobart Pasha, who has obtained leave of
absence for three months to go to London.

It is officially stated that the prohibition to receive Rus-
sian officers on board British ships of war without an
Admiral's order was ordained because an officer visiting the
Temeraire had in his pocket a drawing of the vessel, which,
he compared with the original.

The Russian Government is, we learn, ranking inquiries at
San Francisco for fast-going steamers to act as cruisers in
the Pacific.—Whitehall Review.

The Turkish forces now occupy a strong position for pre-
venting a Russian march upon Buyukdere. It is believed
that there are 60,000 men echeloned along the heights from
the Valley of Sweet Waters to Kavarna and Maslak, a
position half-way between the two, is most strongly
fortified.

Telegraphing via Syra, the Constantinople correspondent
of the Manchester Guardian sa3s the Turks will take no
steps as yet with respect to the evacuation of 135.t0um,
which is provided for by the treaty of San Stefano. The
torpedoes which have been placed in the harbour during the
war remain there, and the Turkish garrison and squadron
have not been ordered to leave.

The Berlin correspondent of the Morning Post says that
the Prussian Government has strengthened the garrisons on
the eastern frontier. The mason given is that precautions
must be taken to prevent the importation of cattle disease;
but it is understood that the Government has acted with a
view of preventing disturbances in Poland, or suppressing(
them at once, should they :rise in connection with the Rus-
sian war. The Government of Berlin is determined that the
Polish question shall not be revived. The same corraspond-
ent mentions a report that M. Gambetta will Adel visit
Saha.

The warlike enthu.sitsim in Russia may be estimated by the
fact that the Militia Committee sitting at St. Petersburg
has received during the last fortnight 7,000 applications
from provincial landownersfor permission to serve as officers
in the national levies which it is proposed to raise.— I hite-
hall Review.

The Glsios publishes the following telegram from Tamboff,
one of the richest provinces in Central Russia, dated last
Wednesday :—" Subscription lists in aid of the fund for fur-
nishing Russia with a fleet of privateers have been opened at
the Government of:free of the province of Tamboff. Donations
are flowing in rapidly The officials are subscribing with
enthusiasm. The picject of establishing a volunteer fleet
meets not only the wishes of the town of Tamboff, but also
every district in the province."

The Golos publishes a telegram from Kishineff, stating
that agents armed with full powers are scouring the South
Russian provinces for supplies for the Russian troops in
Roumania. Immense quantities of forage and provisions
pass continually through Ilishineff on their way to the various
points in Roumania ivnere stores are being accumulated.