The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-08-25
FOREIGN NEWS.
The Eastern War.

! known what Osman paSha and Mchcmct All
are doing to meet the tide. England Is becom-
| ing nervous that the inaCtion OF the lurklsh
leaders may enable the Russians to cut OIL Us
mans communications south through the Bal
kans to Sophia, thus iSolating and ultimately
starving him out A division Of Russian cav
airy has actually been sent from Tirnova to
effect that object while there are indications OF
Russian operations ut Rathove to take Osman
in the rear Either Osmans inaction, it is
agreed, is misunderstood, or it is madness.
Aside from these threatening movements on
his right he is met by more than equal num-
Der of Russians and Roumanians in his front.
In short the Russians have now over 100000
men extending from Pyrgos to Gabrova and
back to Nikopolis, while it is not believed that
the entire Turkish force in Bulgaria exceeds
12j, 900. At the same time, however, the Turks
are best concentrated, for which reason it is
agreed that they ought TO attack before the
Russians can entrench
Turkish dispatches state that Sulelman pasha
attacked Schpka, at the northern entrance of
the pass, on the 21st and drove the Russians
out, in which event Tirnova would no longer
be tenable by the Russians The Russian dis
patches, on the other hand, say that the attack
on Schpka on the 2lst was repulsed. They
claim still to hold the pass with two regiments
and % guns, as well AS Hankoi pass.
The latest dispatches throw more light on
these operations They make ii clear that the
attack of Suleiman on the 2lst was serious and
very determined, but not being successful was
renewed with more vigor next day and the
next, so that it has grown into Il pretty big,
Istubbornly contested battle, of which the end
! is still awaited with great anxiety on both
sides Meantime, as Il diversion in aid of Sui
eman, Mehemet Ali is threatening an imme-
diate attack on Trnova and Osman is moving
columns towards Selvi and Gabrova. If this
| last intelligence is confirmed, the English COM
plants of Osman's inaction may as well cease.
The Russians having learned that the Egyp
tan army had landed in the Dabrodja on the
10Th, sent Il force to Kustendji, but found no en-
envy there The place was occupied by Rus
SLAMS and fortified 1t appears that the Egyp-
| tians instead OF going to Kustenji, landed at
,Sulina 5000 in number, and then marched for
Tschernavoda. These movements appear to-
have compelled Gen. Zimmerman to return
with his army to the Dobrudja.
1t looks as il the Russians were expecting a.
long war They are gathering fire wood for
winter and abundant winter clothing.
A great difficulty on both sides seems TO be
to obtain sufficient supplies; in addition to-
which Russian operations are impeded by san
itary difficulties.
| The outrage mill' is vigorously kept in
motion on both sides, and mutual accusations
are made of atrocities sufficient to make ones
hair stand on end. A telegram from the Tur-
kish side reports from Yeni-Saghra:
| went with the Turkish army on the 14th
to Chain. Baghaz At Lanell, two hours and a
half from the pass, | saw the bodies OF one
hundred and twenty persons murdered by the
! Cossacks and Bulgarians. Among the victims
were two women one very beautiful and young.
She had been killed and thrown naked into Il
pool of water. saw families, including chill
dren, who had been thrown in a well. The
houses of these people, and the handsome EN-
broidered dresses of these women showed that
they had been rich. In one house the women
and young girls had been shut up and subject
ed during ten days to outrages by the CoSSacks
and Bulgarians The Bulgarians, when they
heard of the arrival of the Turkish army at
| Chain. Baghaz, carried off the Turkish women
and children from 3 to 30 years OF age, and
fled to the Balkans. The victims of whom
spoke above, were all collected together and
murdered in succession Many more were
butchercd, but | have not had time to 20 and
see them.
On the other hand pro Russian correspon,
dents doubtless with equal truthiulness, rep
resent that the territory lately occupied by the
Russians in Rumiia and Bulgaria, and now
abandoned by their retiring forces, is in Il nor
rible condition of anarchy, and completely
given up to the murderous Bashi-Bazouks;
that the excuses of these savagcs are OF the
same character as those attributed to the most
barbarous tribes of American Indians when on
the war-path; and that, if 1.-THE of the stories
told of these atrocities are true it will not be
surprising if the remOnstrancc of the German
government is quickly followed by something
more forcible.
| From Asia Minor the dispatches of the week
relate entirely to II movement on the nth to
which different degrees of importance are at
tached on the opposing sides. The Turkish
accounts say that on the date named $4,000
Russian infantry, with 10 regiments of cavalry
and l10 guns, attacked Mukhtar pasha along
his whole line and after fighting all day at q
O'Clock in the evening retreated with 4 loss of
| 1900 killed and some 1000 wounded, while the
Turkish loss was but lO5 killed and 800 wound
ed The Russian dispatches on the other hand
say the affair wasonly ii strategic movement to
cover another of great importance and It's OBJ
iect being accomplished, the Russians fell
back, their loss being but 800 killed and 700
wounded.
England.
Errlnrick CnNill ON The pom inst. accOm.I