Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-07-20
THE EASTERN WAR.
A General review of the situation.

General HeVleW OF the s1tuatlOns
LONDON, July 10.
There is no trustworthy news from the
armies in Bulgaria. Recent special dis
patches announcing that great battles
were progressing there prove entirely
groundless, That the Russians are clos
ing in upon Rustchuk is probable, al
though their concentration must still be
in very backward state since telegraph
ic communication between Rustchuk and
Shumla was intact up to Friday. How
ever, Constantinople dispatch of Satur-
day announces that the Russians are ap-
preaching Rasgrad, and have probably
already cut the railway near that point.
1t is conjectured by some that the Turks
will maintain the defensive line extend
ing from Rustchuk UiG Shumla to Osman
Bazaar, and wilk give battle in the open.
The Constantinople telegram above men
toned, strongly opposes this presump.
tion, since the chief object of such de-
fensive line would be to protect the rail
way which feeds the quadrilateral. This
railway has now been apparently cut by
the Russians without opposition. A more
plausible theory is that the Turks will
await development of the Russian cam
paign, in expectation that Rustchuk and
Shumla must be besieged and one, or
both, be reduced before the advance on
the Balkans can be undertaken. They
hope thus to consume the season
wherein operations are practicable, as
Rustchuk and Shumla are believed
capable of heightened resistance,
and, meantime, the Balkan passes could
be strengthened and reinforced. Two
things appear certain: first, that the Rus
slams cannot seize the passes of the Balk-
ans or Sophia bya coup de main, as was
at one time expected, since the Turks
have already taken precautions against
such movements; secondly, the single
bridge at Simnitza remains the only
means of communication with and sup
plying the army south of the Danube
As this bridge must be barely adequate
for day to day requirements, and has
been several times broken by storms and
the current of the river, there cannot
yet have been any such an accumulation
of material and transport at Sistova as
would justify general advance. II
seems improbable, therefore, that the
Russians can originate any very startling
movement for the present, and, if the
| Turks choose to keep to their tortifica
tions, the advices from Bulgaria bid fail
to continue of the same uninteresting
character as heretofore, for several weeks
at least.
The position in Asia Minor is tolera
bly, clear. Moukhtar Pasha is at Kar'
with about 10000 men, all told, includ
ing the Kars garrison. Gen. Milikoff il
at Zaim with about So, 900 men, but il
superior to the Turks in cavalry ant
artillery. The garrison of Batoum ha'
made no important movement, as far al
reported, since Oklobschio retired. Tht
Russians still hold Ardahan.
The Turks having withdrawn all thu
troops from the Montenegrin frontiers
except the garrisons of the forts anC
block houses, Prince Nicholas is prepar
ing to besiege Ncsics again.
Official declarations of Austria's neu
trality continue to be issued in answer t.
the reports persistently circulated in
contrary sense. 1t is noticeable, howev
er, that the effusive references to gooC
understanding with Russia aud the in
tegrity of the three Emperors' alliance
which before the outbreak of bostilitle
characterized every communication from
the Austrian Chancellor, are now uniform
ly absent, and the declarations are continet
to the bare assertion of a continued neu
trality. That such neutrality is jealous
ly watchful of Russian progress may b'
inferred from the fact that Roumania ant
Servia still refrain active cooperation il
the war. Both are the merest creature
of Russia's will. Their help would b
valuable in Bulgaria now, especially tina
of Servia. If Russia hesitates to cal
them into action the reason, in all prob
ability, is the fear of Austrian interver
tion, which would be fatal to the Russia
plan.