The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-01-12 00:00:00

WAR NEWS.

AN ARMISTICE.
CeIcITAISTINOPLE, Jan. B.—The Council of Ministers have
come to an agreement to-day upon the conditions of
an armistice between Turkey and Russia, and have
t.slibimtted them to the ratification of the Sultan.—ln open-
ing direct negotiations with Russia for the conclusion of a
Purely adlitarY armistice, the Porte is stated to be acting
Upon the advice given by Lord Derby.
jat?..9, 8.40 a.m.—The Sultan, having ratified the armistice
conditions submitted to him, Reouf Pasha, the Minister
for War, has ordered the Turkish commanders in the field
_o conclude an armistice with the . Russian commanders.
,efore agreeing to this course Server Pasha telegraphed to
Kusurus Pasha, instructing him to request Lord Di rby to
range with Russia the conditions of an armistice. His
ordship replied to Musurus Pasha that Russia would not
entertain any such proposal from the British Government,
and counselled direct negotiations between the belligerents.
In addressing the Chamber of Deputies (which was held
With closed do )rs) Server Pasha, Minister for Foreign Affairs,
!laid that the Government had made every effort to interest
d Ur°Pein the Turkish cause, but unfortunately its en-
teavours remained fruitless. Turkey was isolated, and had
ttl,hoPe of European alliance. The Minister concluded by
that an armistice leading to peace was being negoti-
, and when concluded would be submitted to the ap-
DroVal of the Chamber.

IS CONSTANTINOPLE IN DANGER
triehearest, Correspondent of the Daily News, writing from
o
says :----" I would remark, in reference to the cry
stantinople is it I danger, again raised by the Turco-
jles tat I have talked with all the military attaches with
BuiV/I'sgian army and with many Russian officers on this
Jest, and it is the universally expressed opinion that the
without any assistance from England, can alone, and
defend Constantinople agoinst any force the
irssians can bring. It is pretty certain the Russians would
ofeyvierr have taken Pleyna if Osman Pacha had not been cut
reinforcements and supplies. Now as long as ,the
en"ras have the command of the sea positions in front of
enlatentinople, the formidable Kujuk Chekmejes cannot be
or surrounded, or starved out. Thus far they can
,_certainly, but it is equally certain they can go no farther.
c'aiave every reason to believe that the Russian military
iefs have abandoned a 11 idea of an attack upon Con-
tlantinople. If the Turks refuse to make peace when
fee
e Russians reach Adrianople, the latter would pre-
fot,„—"PlY an attitude of armed observation until the
Yielded and came to terms. This waiting game the
Itc7„hails could stand longer than the Turks, because they
gon have the whole of Bulgaria, from the Danube to
r,-,78131na, from which to draw supplies. As this state of sus-
be detrimental to the interests of the whole
to 013 e, the Powers would probably bring their influence
iuear to compel the Turks to make peace.
1.4 e regards the apprehensions now so prevalent in Eng-
-7,7_ that Lord Beaconsfield means to drag the country into
Wi th Russia, I think these apprehensions greatly exag-
Z!ated. Even though we credit Lord Beaconsfield with the
e„lt Malevolent- intentions' it will be impossible for him to
,Tar.or invent a reasonable or even a plausible pretext for
tio,, Constantinople is not in danger. As regards the ques-
d,," 0I the Straits, I have every reason to believe that Russia
efe_a not mean to touch at all, unless she could have the Straits
pLed to every other Power but herself and Turkey, a
nir,which she hardly dreams of now. There is no arrange-
would suit her so well as the present. Her fleet is
ti73"411Y worth speaking of, and until she has a respectable
athing hardly attainable within the next twenty-five
Y years, the right to navigate the Straits and the
orx Sea with her ships of war would be rather too much
h_a_,Flatonid one when coupled, as it necessarily would
'"Ua the same right to other Powers who have fleets.
i question therefore can hardly be a bone of contention.
toee ki regards Bulgarian autonomy it was simply impossible
l'Ord Beaconsfield to propose war to prevent that
wo-,e• Probably not even the most rabid Turcophile
advocate war for such a purpose. The Bulgarian
tPB
have made Bulgarian autonomy inevitable, in
teepiiiie‘pBr,r
sgenry Elliot, Lord Beaconsfield, and the Tur-
-

e 4,1-he Russians have published long official reports
rltaimng details of the manner in which their troops
it°BBed the Balkans and subsequently entered Snphia.
t_ is stated that so enormous were the difficulties to
Znsrcome that the Orchanie column took six days
`4 81x nights to accomplish a distance which is esti-
ted at less than eleven miles. Another column met
t„ th still greater obstacles, and while crossing the
-4°llntains received an order to change its direction in
rollsequence of the Turks having fortified the new
_ sition of Tashkessen, where a battle was sub-
"qllently fought on the last day of the old year.
w°ll General Ghourko's entry into Sophia a service
fLs celebrated at the Cathedral. It was found to be
t(ll.rtified only on the eastern side. The Turks on re:
mie4.ating set fire to Sophia bridge, but the Russians
geout the flardes and sent their artillery across the
Lid.

outr Constantinople telegram to the Manchester
aian saYs that Baker Pasha, for his gallant con-
TQ4C't at Ramarli, has been promoted to the rank of
3°r•general.

tie
ourrual de St. Petersbourg of Monday says
ha.zussia demands, after the immense sacrifices she
diti,striade, to discuss with her enemy alone the con-
tiorlB of peace. Neither from this demand,
however,
t'real her refusal to allow the negotiations to be
ell(4racted by an intervention which might induce the
thaeltzlV to continue his resistance, can it be concluded
to ussia does not recognise the right of Europe
tiot, ake known its appreciation of the peace condi-
it a settled between the belligerents. But certain as
12,,,,133457 be that this right would be respected at the
I,l:Per moment, it is nevertheless important
.not to
e7:it pretensions which might mislead the vanquished
re eehlinz their position and also public opinion with
Tg_ard to the relations existing between the Powers.
e Press Should not lose sight of this."

e have 'reason to believe that within the 'last
ta-,,uaYs the French Government has requested infor-
kat:"3l:l from our Foreign Office as to whether any
xllllll with respect to Egypt is in contemplation by
ta gLando and that assurances have been given in re-
at no action is contemolated."—Observer.

Pasha's plans for the defence of Constanti-
Ito 1
pote bare been approved of and accepted by the
reo"'e. The only thing that is wanting now is the
thell,eY to Carry them Out. Constantinople would be
m tQade impregnable.—Vanity Fair.

tAeorrespondent of The Times writing from Rasgrad
vet "ember 24, says :—" Winter has set in with a
/4 gearice at last and the railway is fairly snowed up.
trjq'ite of large gangs of men and snow ploughs no
k 44,1 has been able to get here from Tchernavoda since
134,Ca3', the 16th, nor from Varna since Wednesday
rtle,.„ About 100 poor fellows wounded in the engage-
Ter at Metchka and Kadikoi are still lying at
aretrilav oda waiting to be brought down, and more
titee r'e than we have hospital room for. War at any
t a horrible thing, but war in the dead of winter
tit:„,""3' rnind far more horrible than at any other
The thermometer here for the last three days
k4citegistered 17 degrees Reaumur below zero in the
with a strong wind blowing from the icy north,
lowe",would have registered a good many degrees
the 'f exposed to the blast. What, then, must be
oet 6ntferings of men on both sides who have to sleep
ntifeao;l theY can, wet or dry, wounded or whole, fed or
and most probably the latter.—The corres-
,ente also says that he does not believe that there
o,
aliee,„ll anything in history to equal the carnage and
of this campaign since the Russian campaign
atioleon."
The

Russian and Turkish outposts at the Shipka
Ntcli so near together that the men can shout to
frotti other from either side. An officer just arrived
tollv tile Pass tells me that the following is a form of
ieer.,,,•el'eation often repeated there. The Russians ask,
" When are you coming up to take these
Vs To which the Turk replies, " Inshallah,
bit :',PaVaSh "—Please God, "all in good time; wait
4on't be in a hurry."— Vanity Fair.

41;114 italiaz Government are already protruding a
hath ger or two into the Eastern pie. News has
tevezved the Mediterranean Admiralty authorities that
°,cfser„reen-of-war hoisiting the Italian flag have been
,(51 thi,eu cruising off the coast of Albania. The object
retem.,•—.34ovement is ostensibly announced to be the
on of
the interests and persons of Italian sub-
evi4,,,itthe north of Greece.. King Victor Emmanuel
be7.1,61Y does not intend to permit the British fleet
only pervading influence in Turkish waters.
'"` t`cem for Italy to strut there too.—The World.

GLADSTONE ON THE EASTERN
QUESTION.
p&Gladstone having written to the Secretary of
t°ls—"f6eld Liberal Association recommending the
4941 t• °nen:Lent of public meetings 'till after Parliament
*l.4:assembled, a Liberal, dissenting from that
that
v,
thb tithe right hon. gentleman, representing t
14
Party was not as tnat the moderate Liberals one
ed
no the
faith
Ilsecitt"ia, while the extreme Radicals
lwere dis-
larke "
,to let Russia do as she ed in
e itcla 4,11 d Armenia. Mr. Gladstone 's letter, it
v4s 11"cl46°Was not generally understood, and he
/NI 4 to make his meaning clear. The hope
4ble
„ 6
la
,11:Teased that before long he would 13e
k Ki resume rightful position as leader
is ;Al Liberal party. Mr. Gladstone, in
'
while declining to express any opinion
ink ns3
ths desirability or probability of his resum-
i
4(
;le leadershp-oftheLiberal party, adds, with eril?" to eongratulations on his birthday, "1
tlisneu sincerely for the kind wishes you are good
writea
express On the Eastern Question he
(1114 :"--4 quite understand that there are shades ol
T
itkreet,„,"ce, even among those who have a genera
rt4i—hiellt,m regard to the Eastern Question; and
rnY letter does not aim at forestalling the
elti."Yl,laYing down the ba,.is of future arrange-
Meaning is, that which appears to me to b
urY widely, to the effect that neither in Asa
ope
" -r4 • air._ es the present condition of the war
" warrant whatever for measures tending to
nearer to bloodshed. Of the terms of peaee
fitithfreid by Russia I know really nothing.—Your
ana. obedient servant, W. E. GLADSTONE.

JAPANESE WORKMEN. ,
Mt, ''''.,, ei Publishes the followipg letter :
11/4oUtrs-4aY I, as one who has had the direction
in
for
4 uspati- ten years of extensive Government
Eiji: bbe Permitted to support the suggestions works
made
~ x-,dmund Beckett and Mr. Burns, which is to
.erit 4 'Japanese workmen, the place of those carpen-
go out on the threatened strike.
4,414:1:gi. a,-/no,ng the first civil engineers employed in
experience of the native carpenters be.
,tc,ethnrY were at all acquainted with Europern
D
i;l* !ter -i;" 18 C. f 'workmanship and I can bear testimony,
t-71 r°'ng erected over' 40 important public buildal-
n'illthwinille.h the general finish of the work is equ .
"e ato .g in this country, to their wonderful apti
intelligence. At first, an English foreman
of 1 d
tstiertoed ever about 50 carpenters, who gave them
1;* 4
"k riections and instructions regarding a class
~Ittt
so which was, in many respects, new to them.
.7.tiv-s1 I was enabled, owing to the efficiency of the
"atttoge-mcrenuan,to dispense with European assistance
m‘l'ia
eet,...er• SPecimens' which have been brought to
m.te-(l7'l4trY, speak to the extreme neatness and
exe
•.).. their work, while the expedition with which
-
Ckliliv. ected
/N is fairly comparable with that of an
If 1 it/flan.
NUltle: confident that any number of the best men
eoh_ JurQ
any reasonable offer to come to tbis
-ittrob.. lo great is the desire among all classes to visit
-v
Tbeir wages, in Japan, ranges from 50 to 75

47 L.

cents per day. I can testify to their tractability,
sobriety, and their gay, joyous, child-like good nature.
And I can conceive no difficulty likely to arise which
would prevent the successful introduction of these
men. That such a step may be succeFsfrl, however,
it would be necessary in the first place that no
attempts be made to transform them into European
carpenters, and that they themselves 'be prevented
from doing so. They must work with their own tools
which in many important essentials are different from
ours, and after their own methods, one of which is to
work on the floor and without a bench. They should,
as far as possible, retain their own apparel, eat their
usual food, and be lodged together—such being, in ray
opinion, the great secret of the success of the Chinese
communities in America • and, in the second place,
it is all important that the work of selection should
be intrusted to one thoroughly conversant with the
country and the habits of the people.—l am, Sir„ your
obedient servant, R. HENRY BRUTON, M. Inst.
110, Cannon-street London, Jan. 5