The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-07-14
FOEIGN NEWS.


~ turtle Russian VAL
The situation on the Danube shows little
change since our last. The Turkish line is
consolidating daily more visbly from Ru's'
chuk to Shumla, with Rasgrad as It's center
facing west, while the Russians are deploylng
in front Of it, with their left on the Danube,
facing eastward. When the movement Is
completed, the first great general battle Is ez'
pected, unless the Turks Suddenly abandon
their line and fall back on the Balkans The
plan, as touching the Russians is criticised,
as ignoring SlistIa, Varna and KustendJi,
where large Turkish forces are left IN a posi-
ton to fall on the Russian TANKS, while other
large Turkish forces at Rutschuk and Wild
din are in 9 like favorable position on the
north. The Russians, apparently in view OF
this, made violent assault on Tuesday on
Rutschuk in the hope of carrying il by storm
but were repulsed.
There is no doubt that the Russians, by a
sudden dash during the week, have taken pos
session both Of Bella and Tirnova. The Rus
sian advance to the interior is admitted to be
Islncularly slow, which is attributed mainly
IN thc miserable condition of their commits.
sariat, and for the same reason they dread
the falling back Of the Turks on the Balkans,
which would duplicate their CON missariat
difficulties and cause so many other annoying
delays as inevitably TO drag the contest over
to another year.
St. Petersburg dispatches substantially AZ
nit the failure of the Russian campaign IL
Armenia. They have not only retreated from
| their advanced positions at Wan and OH, and
around ErzerOum, but have raised the siege OF
Kars and Batoum, and fallen back on the
Russian border. The only consoling tact 10
temper the humiliation is, that Turguessof
in falling back, attacked Bayazid, and driv-
ing out $1,000 Turks destroyed the town.
leaving strong Russian garrison In the Fort
From this it is argued by some enthusiastic
pro RUSSIANS that their apparent retreat in
| Asia is but an ingenious piece OF strategy
my boy" the object being 10 draw the Turks
out OF their strongholds at Batoum, kars,
Soglan,i, + an, &c, and then fall OF
and crush them. This hypothesis, however,
! ia inconsistent with the stubborn fact, thai
the Car has ordered tie withdrawal OF the
Russian army from Armenia; and that Gen,
Milikof has rendered his resignation and
asked for a court martial.
As to England, the sending OF Heet to
Besika bay continues to be the absorbing
topic of the British press, the liberals assail'
ling tic ...c1t as giving the Turks hope
of British interference when nothing OF the
kind is intended. The feet consists OF u iron
clad vessels, with 100 guns and manned by
: 800 seamen.
The general opinion, bo'h in Europe and
at Washington, seems to be, that If RUSSIA
consents to give England Egypt, England Will
allow Russia to occupy Constantlnopie, Rus
sIa, on the other hand, has no idea of possess
ing herself of Constantinoplc, but will be
content with Armenia and the independence
of the European provinces; while Germany
will be satisfied with the Baltic provinces OF
Russia Austria, meantime, announces her
purpose to occupy Servia and Montenegro