The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-09


That the russians were not so completely
overthrow by the defeat Mt Plevna as was
thought il evident from the fact that the
first important effort of their enemy to
ascertain their precise whereabouts and
gather mp the scraps Of distracted and
disorganized army has resulted unpleas-
antly to him. The efficient repulse of the
Turkish irregulars in their attempt to get
through the Russian lines, at point be-
tween Plevna and Selvi, indicates at once
that the Turks believe themselves in u con-
dition to push in that direction the success
Of the 31st ult., and that the Russians have
taken the proper precautions TO meet the
natural inquisitiveness of victorious COM
mander. 1t is pleasant to hear that these
defenders of Islam are sometimes caught on
field where there are livelier occupations
than the butchery Of the wounded. Tho
discrepancy in two reports of this collision
is reconcilable on the theory that the Rus
slams drove the irregulars into Lovatz, where
they were themselves stopped by the Turk
ish lines their repulse thence being reported
rs an Ottoman victory.
Apparently the endeavor of the Russians
to secure such a change in the attitude of
Austria as would permit the passage of
Russian troops across Servian territory has
not had a satisfactory issue and the Otto
man is able to lean on the Servian frontier
rs an absolutely safe support. Consequently
the Russians have modified their plan of
operations in that direction from concep-
ton that it was bad strategy to fight battles
where victory itself would yield only
negative results, and where the enemy
might be rendered harmless by much
cheaper processes than the assault of his we'll
chosen and adequately fortified positions.
Their present plan appears to be to turn
their backs to Osman Pachn in the
Servian corner of Bulgaria and their
faces to Mchemet Ali in the quadri-
lateral. They have evidently a good
defensible line in front of the line
Tirnova-Nicopolis, and can more safely
defy the Ottoman to waste his force in the
attempt to get through there than to waste
their own in an Improbable attempt to
push him to extremities. 1t seems they
have now seventy thousand men on that
line. With their right rear held in that way
they are advancing from the line of the
Jantra to the LON, where defeat cannot be
more disastrous than it would be on the Vid,
but where victory will yield an infinitely
richer harvest than the mere safety it would
insure at the other point.
Our dispatches tell the story of the con-
centration near Rasgrad. which is the essen
tial fact In this operation, and which indi-
Gates the near approach of battle that may
be decisive Since the Turkish policy in re-
gard to the uses of the quadrilateral has
changed with the change Of conn anders it
is O wise course for the invaders to adapt
their movements to that modification. With
Abdul Kerim's plan of keeping his men
safe in his strong places the Russians had
only the option to besiege him or to pass
the mountain and defy him to come out and
assail their lines but with the Turks seek
ing the Russians with view to fight an open
battle the Russians must naturally prefer
to be found for such o purpose as near to
their base as may be.