, 1877-11-07

they are again investing the fortress Of
Kars, from which they had been compelled
to retire ; while still further south it does
not appear that they have attempted to
recover Bayazid from which they had been
driven by the Turks.
Lastly. The seat of war 10 Europe.
The country between the Danube and
the Balkans is mostly of on undulating
or billy character rising gradually to the
summit Of the chain, where there are peaks
of S 1000 and 5000 feet in height. From
Sistova, where the Russians crossed the
Danube. the Balkan crest is not more than
seventy miles distant, Across the sloping
country numerous small streams run from
the Balkan valleys northwards into the
Danube. One of these, the Jantra, enters
the main river a little west of Sistova,
and about half way up its course, has on
its banks the important town Of Tirpova.
It's sources are near the now famous Ship
ka Pass, and the valley of the Jantra has
been the highway Of the Russian troops
in reaching that position. Into this valley
they are now pouring the thousands of
reserves constantly being brought into
Bulgaria. Roughly parallel to the Jantra,
and at distances of from fifteen to thirty
miles from it tow ,rdS the cas-, runs the
LON. a mach smaller stream formed by
two branches. the Western called The
Kara LON, the eastern the Axiom. In
spreading over the country, the Russians
crossed the Kara.Lohl, but were driven
back by the army of Mshemat All, or
according to .heir own version) the
retired. At present the Russians hel
the western, aud the Turks thu caste
bank of the Kara LON. The Turkish arm
here is supported by til, four fortresses I,
Rustchuck and Slllstril on the Danube
Varna on The Black Sea, and Shumla near
The Balkans. Joining these fortressts by
straight lines we get a four sided figure.
and hence the four fortreSSes and he coun-
Try protected by them are OF en- spoken of
as the Turkish Quudrilateral.
Turning now to the opposite fink of
The Russian army, we finl w st Of tho
Jantra a small stream called the Osma,
at the mouth OF which is Nikopol, and
higher up the town of Loyalz, both of
which have been captured by the Rus
siacs. Still farther towarda the vest is
the river Vid, at present the limit ct the
Rrssinn occupation. Here they have
been stopped by tia army of Osmau
Pasha, occupying the nov famous earth
notifications around PIevoa. The attacks
Ola the redoub:s of Pl. vna during the lat.
ter days of July are estimated to have coat
the Russians 20, 900 mon in killed and
wounded The allied army of Russians
a d ROunIanians under Prince Charles OF
Roumania is said to have now completed
the investment o. the town. and the d.
%rec'ion of the siege operations has been en-
trusted to general ToIeben who made aim
self so famous by his defence Of Ssbastopol.
The importance Of Pievna is fouad in the
tact that it blocks the main road to Sophia,
from wberca the Russians would pnss the
Balkans and march down to Adrianople.
Early ia the war the Russian generals ap-
peared to make light work of the Bal
kans. They sent an advanced guard
Immediately to the chain; SCI d.
and held the shipka Pass AID
ma lie cavalry raids into the open country
TO the south. The movement has since
proved to have bean too precipitate. The
armies on the Russian TANKS have been
found to be much more formidable than
was expected, while Suleiman Pasha wish
a third army has held back the troops In
the pass.
The position of She Russians in Bulga-