, 1877-08-30

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THE WAR CRISIS
The crisis OF tho Turko- Russian wnr, for
tho present seasons campaign nj least, hangs
upon tho. fate Of sehipka Pess. vt Is now
evident thst. after the bhttlc Of plcvna,
OsMAx Pasha nlope, notwithstanding the
severe blow ho dealt tho Russians, was not
nblc to follow up tho advantage by striking
another immediate blow, neithtr was Me-
1,EMEr ALI able to form junction will, him
and 1aurl their combined forces upon tho
Ahatt ored columns or suddenly turn to tlo
South and crush Gen. GoufsA's corps be-
tween their armies and suLr1MAx Pasl,a'a
army, which had occupied Eski Saghra md
Kesa1ilik. Meanwhile tho Russians wero
rapidly receiving reinforccmeuts, md delays
wcre dangerous. Their line was dctlected
eastward until it occupied nearly n straight
line from Sistosa ID Schipka, with OsuAS
Pasha on their right and AfEu,lrr ALI on
their loft. 1nstead OF attacking aud forcing
battle, in which 1lEuEMET ALI might not
be able to tako immediate part, owing to
tho conformations Of the country through
which llo would have to trayel, thoy changed
their nun OF operations radically, mid
Su1KuuAx pasha was ordered 10 forco tho
acllpla Pass and then complete tho Turkish
linos saither by massing Lis forces at Gabrova,
whero 10 would be ready to tako part in auy
combined movement, or atfcngthen the other
two armsoa by rcaching out his left to OsstAN
pnsha mud his right 10 MEtiEMEr ALI. Upon
tho forcing of this pasH hangs tho issup Of
tho cahpaigi. It is evident that 1t Is moro
desperate task than tho Turks imagined. It
is equally evident that 1t must require most
desperate fighting and involve desperate
Losses to accomplish IT, but the very fact that
tho Ttrkish officers lavo already sacrificed
10000 Of their best troops OH those bleak
mounttiu-sides shows how important they
doom IT, willie tho reckless way in which the
Russiaus aze hurrying reinforceinonts from
IN army lommod In between two other
armies shows that they too look upon it as
the turning point Of tho campaign. How
over the issue may 10, 1t must pzec!pitate q
general battle in Dulgarla. II suLE1MAx
T'asha succeeds in forcing tho p4ps nntl fosms
front as Gabroya, co-oporstlng with tho
ether two armies, OF makes q junction with
either, the three armies aro virtually one aud
can close In upon tho Russians with crush-
ing forco upon both Aanks and in front,
with tie not improbable result Of driving
them oyor tho Danube. On the other hand,
however, should 8uIE1MAs Pasl,a fail In
forcing the pass and be kept at bay by
s4all torco, ono Turkish army, made VI, of
tnt best troops In the service, would bo CON-
pclied to lie south Of tho Dalkans crippled
4 T.
unskiIled iudeed II they did not strike a
powerful blow from their strong position
between tho other two armfos, holding o1
ono by concentrating force at Tiruoya
Willis they attacked the other with superior.
numbers at Plavua,
: 4 few days must decide the issue. How
it will eyentuato Is not easy to calculate, o.
new elements are constantly entering into
tho calculation not previously known. it's
evident, however, That the Russian forces
destined to tako part in this great conflict
ars now substantially massoa iu Bulgaria.
soryia is preparing to throw herself into tic
struggle, ,dIut she iaso worn out with the losscs
Of last years campaign tha& ahe cannot at
tho maximum furnish over 25,O00 and prob
ably not ovor ID, QUO men, and those, oven ii
they should Immediately take tho field, would
not actively assist Russia, but occupy po-
kitlon slong tho Timok on tho Berviau frou-
tier 10 resist any attack from tha Turks
which declaration Of Independence might
provoke. Dosnia can do nothing, her
insurgents having but recently been
defeated and driyen over the frontier
Into Austria for tie second time within q
few months. Tho Montenegrins Of ncces-
aity must eoufne their fighting within their
owp mountain walls, not yenturing further
from the czags Of Czernagora than tho plain
OF Nikxic. Noumania, although ale has In
trusted her independence to tho arhltramont
Of was, has not lent very material all to
lsussia, chRfea under Russian discipline, and
u halnpered by financial embarsussmenss.
Greece and Crete azs held in check not only
by fear OF the Porte, but also by tie strong
influence Of England. Meanwhile, 1t II TO-
ported that the last Of the Russian reinforce
1nenta will reach The trout in September, add
= whole corps lies idle In the anarshes Of
the Dob1utlscha for some mysterious pur-
pose. Upon Tho Turkish side, It Is to be
taken into account that t6eir Numbers have
been undsrestimated froln tue very tlrst.
They have in the acld force which
il nearly, II not quite, as large a. the
Russian, and tho whole Turkish population
IL In arms. It IL virtually levy <a masse OF
tho most desperate and reckless nghters In