New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-07-06

in full retreat on Ears and Bayazid and that
the COMMANDMENT Chief has been sent to the
! rear in disgrace.
| The battle has rot been - the strong. At
the outbreak Of The war Mukhtar Pasha bad
under his command about G3,OcO infantry,
| 5000 cavalry, and $50 guns, with which to
defend the line OF fortressos from Baum TO
Van and to meet the enemy in the field. Ihc
lowest estimate of the force opposed 10 nm
was 100. 900 men. His field artillery was shut
ND in the fortresses and his troops were sup
plicd with no heavier ordnance than Nhlt-
worth mountain guns; bis commiSsarnt was
exceedingly defective; there was no enihusi-
asn among the men, no 6sprHdc corps among the
officers: his force was as inferior to the Russian
army in discipline, organization and equipment
as it was in numbers Nor has the battle been
In the wise. Mukhtar Pasha has been Thought
by the European critics TO have been out
generated from the outset. The Russian cam
poirn was boldly and brilliantly planned.
Four columns were hurled against the four
fortresses of the first line OF Turkish defense.
The garrison at Batum was isolated from the
main base of operations; kars was Masked
and the mountain passes on the road to Ere
and a thanking column set in motion against
Olti; and on the extreme left a second lateral
column surprised Bayazd and struck across
the mountains in the direction OF EFleruh-'ho
center of the second line of Turkish defense.
The Russian right and center encamped III
front of Olt and Bardess, and watched Tor
the appearance of the left wing on the plain
of the ancient Araxcs. At last the outposis
were seen at TopIal- Kaleh. and on the l1th
If lime the column attacked the Turks above
Dellbaba fifty miles from Eizcl1ln, ana put
them to rout. The three columns lad oDy I'D
ioin hands and the enemy would DE NJ uhelr
mercy But there was one 1atai delecG IL Is
one of the cardinal maXims OF war never 10
divide a force in the face OF IN enemy unless
each division is strong enough to take care Oh
itself Mukhtar Pasha caught the kuSsliils
divided. With his main force he fell upon thc
Russian lett wing, and crushed 1t before 1t could
rnite with the center. This was what the
oreot Napoleon had done time aud again. III
was tbe strategy which defeated Custer, ana
sovod from destruction so humble and Ignorant
. etraterist rs Sitting Bull in the Valley of the
al, HON If has crowned the Turkish arms
with triumph. The Russian left wing has
been driven Ddck w 'i'' hi"'"''' ''
rible slauchter and as it had not protected It's
own flank from the attack Of the kurdish
cavalry from Van, its position Is exceedingly
critical. The Russian center ana right, unable
to carry the mountain deiles in front OF them,
have fallen back in disorder. The TURKS
finished with triumph, are pressing forward -
relieve Kars. The Russians have lost Ill hort
night all that they have gained i'll two tollsome
months. except Abraham. They have lost
something else-the prestige of success
One fact must not be lost sight OF. Inc
Turks have had tremendous aily-Nature'
Some of the levels on which they have been en-
trepcbcd. and where they have waited Tor Inc
onset Of their foes are eight thousand feet
ohovo the sea-two thousand feet higher than
lIouut Washington. The roads over when the
russians have been dragging their aIuile'E'
their supply trains and themselves are scarcely
more than goat-tracks winding among inc
craos. Torrents Of icy water have drenched
the soldiers on the march III the denies
where the sun has mcl,ed the drifts their
horses have sunk to their grthS III the
mnd : higher up the weary pattdhohS
have encamped in the snow with the clouds
for blankets. Thus they had to night with
v,tnre nc well as the Turk, and it was an
unequal combat.
The Turks are triumphant in Armenia ana
Montenegro. The Russians must retrieve thelr
fo.,n.s nm the historic battle-ground o. Bul-
|