The Portland daily press., 1877-12-31
FOREIGN.
The I'urcO-Russian War.
ENGLAND'S OFFER OF ME.
DIATI0N.
Comments of Leading Journals.
Russia Not Likely to Accept.
PIVOT CAPTURED BY THE
SERViANS.
Russians Marching OH Sophia


touching her approach to Constantinople.
despatch from Vienna says that Austria
has iDtmated that she will permit peace only
on the basis Of the treaty of Paris.
Constaetnople despatch says bread riots
are appreheDded.
NEW YORK, Dec 29.-The Herald's London
correspondent telegraphs that he is informed
on good authority that n English military Cir
Giles war IS considered almost inevitable. Ar
rsngements have been completed and regiments
allotted for an army of $4,000 men, and steps
are already taking toward the formation of a
nucleus for reserve army. Profound uneasi
ness prevails and there is great depression in
trade and finance.
is not improved, and the news in today's papers
increases the uneasiness. 1t is most unusual to
hold cabinet meetings in SO unceremonious a
manner. That held yesterday was hastily sum-
moned. 1t considers that the meeting was oc-
casioned by disquietng reports from the CONT
nent regarding the armed attitude of Russia
1t states it is believed Gortscbakoff has ans
wered EDglands inquiry of Rassia as TO the
terms of peace ia an mperious way, which is
equivalent to resenting any efforts at mediation
or Intervention 1t quotes the reply of the Gar
to al address presented by coIgrauulatory
depntation headed by Prince Gortschakoff, as
follows:
England will apparently exercise pressure
upon the liberty of our action; bat we will not
consent to mediation, and are armed against
intervention.
meanwhile, Russian armameDts are pushed
with reckless vigor
1t says also that the news from Berlin does
not indicate speedy return of peace. The
times have been wolnlly out of joint for many
months, and the whole course of events runs
counter to the notion that the war is only To-
Cal war, in which other nations than those inn
mediately concerned have no interest
Unless all Europe lie under an illusion and
only the friends of Russia in England are wise,
is would be mere imbeclity on the part of the
government If, like 90 other European minis
try, they take no thought for the armament of
the nation. 1t may be that the signs and tok-
ems of today belle the real condition OF affairs
1t may be that the cabinet meeti ng had good
and not bad news before it as sufficient reason
for not making preparations for the impending
storm.
CoNsTANTINoPLE, Dec. 29.--An official an
nouncement that England has agreed to ap-
proach Russia relative to peace at the request
or the Snltan has had reassuring effect.
LONDON, Dec. ga despatch from Bueha-
rest says that is impossible to procure full in
formation regarding the condition of the Rus
sian and Roumanian soldiers and Turkish pris-
oners on the way to Bucharest during the snow
storm, but from disconnected details at hand, it
is evident that terrible suffering has been eaus-
ed among them.
LONDON Dec 29.-The Times says the an
nouncement that the Sultan has invited Her
MaJesty's government to approach the Gar
with a view of bringing about negotiations for
peace, will tend to calm some of the fears
which have been exciting the country and to
hold out hope that the dreadful war may be
brought to a close more quickly than by Thea
shock OF battle. The Sultan mas taken the on
y course coHsstant with calm review of
what the war has already done, and what it
must do if it should last much longer.
The circular to the powers showed that the
peace party had for time got the upper hand
1t proposed terms which would no doubt have
been inadmissable even before the war; and
which would not bear discussion after the ter
rible battles of the last six months Du5 Jno
Porte did not intend the circular to be taken as
its last word. Now that all the powers have
courteously but firmly declined to approach
Russia with impossible con 1itions, the Sui
tan has wisely asked this country to use it's
good offices to bring about negotiations for
peace.
1t is important that the government should
conduct the negotiations in spirit absolutely
free from partisanship. We are no parties to
the present contest AS mediat0rS our essen
tisi duty is to convey message from one pow
er with which we have doubtless great interest
at stake, political as well as commercial, and
they will be urged at the proper moment.
But meanwhil' it is our duty to act as friend
" intermediary and not as rulers of the Indian
Empire. To take sides with ons of two pow
ers which we must bring into contact would
simply be to make our mission useless and de-
stroy the prospect OF peace.
Our government will have to ascertain
whether Russia is wiling to open negotiations
and what are ber conditions of peace. 1t will
then have to offer Turkey such advice as may
seem proper and to present her answer. 1t may
nave to reason IN an earnest spirit with both
belllgerents in order to secure common ground
1t may be obliged to urge the Porte one hand to
be wise in time, and Russia on the other not to
demand such terms as would goad the Turks to
desperate course and thus multiply the perils
of Europe.
The News says the Ottoman government de-
clares its desires that negotiations for peace
may De brought about on the present basis of
facts, and as its professions must be accepted
as sincere the public will wish its success IN IT'S
new policy. 1t cannot be necessary to point
out that even upon the most limited interpreta-
tloo OF the office 1t has assumed the Queens
government has assumed task Of great deli
cacy. Inc present war primarily concerns
Russia and Turkey, but the Eastern question is
one which must be considered by Europe. By
IT'S present action our government has taken
apon itself the character of intercessor
for one unfortunate belligerent while
acting also officially for Europe, but it has
TO harmonlze this new character with the
declarations which it has repeatedly made, and
with whole course of conduct of which the
least that can be said is that it has not pre-
pared the world for the part it has now under
taken to play. On her msjssty's ministers
may very much depend whether the Eastern
question shall be now settled al least for many
years to come, or this war will be followed by
mere truce, the prelude to a war even greater
and more disastrous than that of which we are
now Spectators. We are bound to hope they
will prove equal 10 their responsibilities
Two meetings of workingmen were held in
Trafalgar Square to-day. One was pro-TRrkish
and the othsr anti-Turkisb. There were 1000
persons present. The meeting resulted in
free fight, lasting an hour The police inter-
tered and two arrests were made Nobody of
Importance was present.
BERLIN, Dec. 29.-The North German Ga |
zette SAYS: III England merely seeks to
sound Russia respecting her willingness to
make peace and the chances o. success of
direct application OF the Porte. to st. Peters,
burg, credit may be awarded to Great Britain
for ber mertoriOus intent Ons. In any other
case the theory of the Agence Russo, that |
mediation unless solicited by both belligerenis
becomes Intervention, may assert itself. Re- |
gardng intervention, Russia in the fnifllment
of her mission can scarcely be stopped, even |
by the cieverest moves on the political chess |
board "
BELGRADE, Dec. 30.-The garrison of Nisch |
seems lnclBed to surrender, and negotiations
have opened for capituiation.
The Servsns have captured Pivot with % |
cannon, 1000 rifles and 90 prisoners.
LONDON, Dec 30.-The New Times of st. |
Petersburg reproduces various reports current |
ln foreign newspapers that England intends to |
occupy certain points in the East, among others |
Gailipoli, Constantinope and Batoum. The |
New Times considers that the occupation of |
Batoum or ConstantIDope would be equivalent |
TO declaration of war
The semi-oficial Agence Russo says the re-
poi that England has notified the Powers of |
her intention to occupy certain stations in the |
East is incorrect. The English government |
has simply expressed to the Russian cabinet its |
apprebensions that a Russian occupation of |
Constantinople, though; merely provisional, |
would so excite English public opinion that the |
government would be compelled to take certain |
precautionary measures
The Agence Russe adds that the British gov
ernment has not specified what the measures |
would be, but they cannot be those cited by the |
New Times, as it woald be impossible to take |
such measures without declaration of war;
Relative to reports concerning Eugsh media
tlou the AgeDce Russo points out that accord
ing to international law mediation Is only pos |
STOLE when solicited by both beIligerents. Rus.
sia, though always ready to listen to any over
lures the Porte might address to her direct, has
never done anything to show she had any iu-
teution of accepting mediation.
The London Observer says: We believe the !
government up to a recent date intended imme-
diatelyupoD the Resembling of Parliament to
introduce series of resolutions defining certain
general principles In regard to the attitude Of |
England on the Eastern question and the Rus
so-rnrkish war, aud specifying the mode in
which those principles were to be applied. If