The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-08-25
FOREIGN.
The Turco-Russian War.
THE BULGARIAN CAMPAIGN.
The Situation at PIevna- Russian Rein
forcements Slowly Arriving.

THE BULGARIAN CAMPAIGN.
The Situation at PIevna- Russian Rein
forcements Slowly Arriving.
LONDON, Aug. 24.-The Daily News cores
pondert's telegram from the Russian headquar-
ters dated Wednesday, says:
1t is a nervous time for the Russians until
their strength is increased sufficiently to put
them comparatively at ease. Any day blow
may fall and strain their resources to the ut
most. The Turks are actively menacng the
Russian positions all around, and do not allow
the Russians to believe that there will be no
hard fighting until the Grand Duke Nicholas
gives the signal.
The defenders of Shipka Pass are but twenty
companies, consisting of relays of the Bulgari-
an legion and few battalons of the 9th Rus
sian division. The second division has there
fore been diverted from its intended destination
before Plevna and is marching on Shipka Pass
one brigade being at Gobrava today and others
at Tirpova.
In a recent visit to the front before Pleyna
was surprised to find that so few reinforcements
had yet reached the Russians. They are un-
questionably inferior in numbers to Osman Pa
sha's army. Since the battle there has been
but one addition of Roumanians, and the six
teenth division. But today 5000 reserves are
crossing the Danube to fill gaps in the ninth
corps.
On the other hand, Prince Schackakony has
marched his brigade of the SD infantry dvs-
ion back his original position confronting that
of Osman Pacha. Accordingly, on the Plevna
front, when the ninth corps gets its compile
ment, the Russians will have two army corps,
the fourth and ninth, including the forces watch
ing Lovatz and Selvi. | roughly estimate the
Russian force confronting Plevna at 10000
men. There can be no question of their eager
ness to fight again. Indeed, they openly muir
muir at the delay, which think will not be as
long now as most people imagine.
The bulk of the reinforcements is somewhat
delayed on the way from the Russian base, but
a cavalry division of the guards is expected to
cross the Danube in fortnight, and brigade
per day is to follow in a steady stream
The water is bad here. The Emperor has
been slightly indisposed, but now has quite re-
covered.
Shipka Pass ImpregnabIe.
Vienna correspondent remarks of the at
tack at Shipka Pass, that all along the main
range of the Balkans the face of the mountain
is precipitous rocks, and however much Sulei-
man Pasha's force may have been Injured to
mountain warfare, it will be little short of
miracle if they succeed in carrying the Pass.
The Battle at Bankol Pass.
A correspondent at the Russian headquarters
explains the mystifcation concerning the re-
ported capture of Banked Pass. He says that
on the 10th column of Suleiman Pasha' force
attempted strenuously to force the pass, but
| though the column did indeed force its way into
| the defile, it was there SO roughly handled by
| the Russian artillery and the regiment holding
| the pass, that it was compelled to retire.
The Fighting at shipka Pass.
| CoNsTANTMoPLE, Aug. 24.-Suleiman Pasha
| telegraphs August 21st that three of his brig
AIDES assembled the heights of Shipka Pass in
| spite of shower of Russian projectiles, drove
| back Russian outpost and advanced to within
| hundred yards of the enemy's entertainments.
There was desperate fighting for fourteen hours'
| at the end of which, however, although the
Turks retained the ground which they had con-
quered, the enemy still held their fortified po-
| sitions, which were defended by fourteen can
non and large force.
The telegram concludes; Tomorrow we shall
bring up our siege guns and renew the strug-
| gle. We hope to be successful.
| LONDON, Aug. "a.
Detailed bulletins from the Russian general
commanding the Shipka Pass, show that on
August 22d the Turks erected two batteries of
long range artillery and made trenches through
| which they approached the Russian position.
The Russian loss on August 21st was 200, and
on the 22d much less.
The latest bulletin recounts the operations of
Thursday. 1t says the Turkish fire commend.
| ed at o'clock in the morning and lasted with
| great violence until noon. Meanwhile the
| Turks made several desperate assaults but
were repulsed. Our heroes did not yield foot
AT noon the firing slackened and the reserves
| under Radestky, began to arrive. Our losses
| have been great.
A Bucharest despatch statessthat the popula-
| ton of Guirgevo have been ordered to leave
town because of the cannonade which is pro-
i crossing between Rustchuk and the Russian
batteries on the northern bank of the Danube
The Position i'm Roumania.
The News Vienna correspondent says:
| A telegram from Bucharest states that M.
| Brationa and the chief the Roumanan staff
| have returned from the Cars headquarters
| The negotiations respecting the conclusion of
| the military convention fall to the ground
Il The Grand Duka Nicholas dpclarnd hot no
| Independent action of the Roumanian army
| was not permissible. Meanwhile the Russians
| have incorporated Roumanan division with
their own troops before Plevna, and are greatly
| pleased with the efficiency of the RoumaniaE
artillery. The Roumanian troops are every
| where now spoken of with consideration not,
| previously evinced. 1t is still believed that
| some compromise will be effected.
Russian Standardization NIussuImans
| Massacred at Observation-Disclosures
Scenes ut LoYaIx-Women Outra 3 ed and
Slaughtered by Scores.
NEW YORK. Aug. 24.-The Turkish Legation
furnishes the following to the Associated Press:
The Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs has
| sent the following circular to the diplomatic
F. agents of the Porte abroad:
| A telegram from Suleman Pasha describes
| as follows the conduct of the Russian army
during the eleven days it occupied Esk-Saghra.
The first act of the Russians on entering the
| town was to disarm the Mussulman populs ton.
They employed the moldars of the place who
deceived as the real object Of their mission,
were ordered to fetch the Mnssulmans out of
their houses, and as soon as the latter appeared
| trey were massacred. Eleven hundred Mussul-
mans were thus put to death.
A telegram from Karmakour of Lovatz re-
ports that when the Russians entered that town
| fifteen women and children, fleeing from the
invaders, were killed by the fire of the enemies
| artillery. Others of these unfortunate prison.
| oners in order to escape outrage or death, had
| to abandon everything, even their children.
| Every Mussulman's house in Lovatz was pill
LACED by the Cossacks and Bulgarians. After
| the recapture of the town by the imperial army
| the Russians carried the devastation and car
mage into the neighboring districts. The Rus
SLAMS and Bulgarians drove out all the Mussul
man inhabitants of the village of Heuste and
burned all the men and some of the women.
| Their bodies were removed by the Bulgarians.
Only one woman succeeded in escaping. Sew
enty Mussulmans and the Imoum of Yukelm
were shut up by the Bulgarians in barn, to
which the LATTER in conjunction with the Cos
| sacks, set fire. Forty-four other Mussulmans
OF the same village were massacred and all the
Mussulman women outraged. Eight young
girls who resisted were killed and two others
burnt with the men. The greater part OF the
oInei women with their children were taken
outside OF the village where one after another
with their children were slaughtered. Twenty
women and children, who escaped the massa-
ere, were rescued by the imperial Ottoman
troops Inc Enghsh military attache himself
| witnessed all these horrors.
The Russians on entering these parts dis
armed all the Mussulmans of Eski-Saghra
Kzamlika and neighboring villages and distrb.
| uted the arms seized among the Bulgarians.
The latter then drove down 400 Mussulmans
| from the Noghlis in the district of Kezanlik to
the bank of the river Tundji and then massa.
| cred them. At Eski Saghra and it's neighb or
hood the Bulgarians continue to massacre the
Mussulman population.