Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-08-29
The Russians Still Hold the
Pass, and the Battle IL Mill
Progressing.
The Turks EndeavOrlng to
Capture the Heights About
the Pass. b..
But Meet a Terrible Warm Re-
ceptiOm.
The Russians Capture Pap koi
from the Turks.
The Roumanian and Serviau
Armies Preparing to Take
a Hand in the Fight.
The Grand Blowout of Knights
Templar at Cleveland a
Great Success.
By Gable 10 The Chicago Tribune.

LONDON OFFICE OF THE CHICAGO
TRIBUNE, 6PALGRAvE PLACE, STRAND.
Aug. PA A. M.-Thc struggle for
the possession Of Schipka Pass has
been maintained on both sides with
great determination. Suleiman Pa
sha began his attack on the Russian
position, which is fortified with 26
guns in redOubts, Tuesday morning,
and kept it up till late at night,
bringing forward fresh troops as one
body after another was repulsed.
The losses of the assailants must have
been severe, as from the situation of
the defenders no flank movements
could be made, but the Ottoman
troops must have faced the Russian
guns. At night the Russians MAIN
tanned all their positions, and at dawn
Wednesday the attack was again re-
newed with fresh troops. This day,
like the predecessor, was spent in
hard fighting, but a bulletin from
Russian headquarters, dated Wednes-
day evening, does not report the
state Of affairs at the close. We are
told that, according to the latest in
telligence, the Russian troops contin-
ued to repel the Turkish attacks up
on them, and Gen. Radetsky was
marching to support them.
THE TURKISH LOSSES
in these direct attacks must have
been enormous, and as only tho best
troops could be employed in such an
operation, they must tell severely up
on the future strength of Suleiman
Pasha's composite army, of which the
battalions who fought under him in
Montenegro were the backbone. OF
the extent of the Russian loss there
are no means of Judging.
WHAT suLEIMAN IS FIGHTING so HARD
The importance attributed by Sulei-
man Pasha to the capture of Schipka
is to be measured by the sacrifices he
is ready to make for that object. lie
is not fighting merely to effacc the re-
suits of Turkish negligence in July,
nor even to deprive the enemy of re-
suming the invasion of Roumelia as
opportunity serves, but in order to be
in position to cooperate with move
ments which Osman Pasha and Me-
hemet Ali are making on each side of
Tirnova. 1t is not a junction with
their forces which he seeks to make,
otherwise he could have moved down
from the Balkans without fighting to
Osman Bazaar from Semilno by Ka-
| san.
He WANTS TO REACH TIRNOyA,
because there he could have at his
right hand Mehcmet Pasha's army,
and at his left that of Osman Pasha.
After the losses he has sustained,
however, which must have fallen up
on his best troops, it is doubtful
whether his army could be used for
the further development of such an
enterprise. The movement of Osman
Pasha's troops from Loftcha upon
Selvi was arrested Tuesday by the
Russian forces on the spot, but was
resumed Wednesday morning. The
Russians have taken up position at
Selvi.
BEFORE PLEvNA
all is quiet. A special correspondent
states that the Russian force before
Pirvna has strength of 5000 to
10000 men, and still is inferior in
number to the Pasha's army.
LONDON, Aug. 25.--A despatch
from Shumla states that the Turks
last night at Papaskein, after severe
engagement, turned the Russian lett
wing. The Russians were repulsed
along the whole line and suffered a