, 1877-08-21
| ON THE WATCH.
Position Of the Great Op-
posing Armies in
Bulgaria.
The Invaders Forces Supposed
to Number Nearly
10000 Men.
Neither Army Appears to
Be Anxious TO Begin
the Conflict.
Extent Of the Recent Russian Re-
verses South Of the
Balkans.
The Principal Mountain Pass
es Strongly Fortified and
Closely Guarded.
A Considerable Turkish Force
Sent to Operate in the
D0brudscha.
Preparations in CONSTANT.
nople for a Winter
Campaign.
The Moutenegrins in a Pair Way to
Capture The hutl-Bombardtd a..
kicsies.
Another English Correspondent
Tells His Tale of Cold.
BIooded Butchery.
Greek Frontier Fortrcsses to Be
Put III State Of
Defense.
Preparations in CONSTANT.
nople for a Winter
Campaign.
Tho Moutenegrins in a Pair Tay to
Capture The hutll-Bombardtd =.
kicsics.
Another English Correspondent
Tells His Tale of Cold.
Biooded Butchery.
Greek Frontier Eortrcsge8 tn Re
Put iii q State of
Defense.
FACE TO FACE.

FACE TO FACE.
POSITION or THE GREAT ARMIES IN nu1aAn1A.
tI5y Cable TO The Chicago Tribunal
LONDON Orr1cE OF The CHICAGO Tn1nu,E.
No. pAIanAvE p1AcE, STRAND, Aug. GA
o. m.-Tho Grand Duko's command in Bul-
garia is detailed in Tho form Of horseshoe.
tho two extremitics Of which rest upon the
Danube, Pyrigos, and NIcopolis, whilst tho
centre curve III Gabrosk on tho northern
slopes Of tho Balkans. This horsoshoe Of war.
riorH consists af from 10000 to 1so, 900
troops Of al arms, and it will bo manifest
to any one who will take the trouble to look
out their positions on the map, and realize
for himself the cxtent Of tie lines thoy oc-
cupy, TINT there must DO
MANI wEAk POINTS
In their dafenses, which IN expert and active
enemy could not fail to hit upon by means
Of reconnoissances in force; besldcs which
such Eeconuoissanccs would provo extremely
harassiug TO tho Russians in their present
phase Of encouragement, and would also
PRODUCE DESIRABLE xx7Ecr
in hindering them In concentrating troops
taken, with m imprudence that ia little less
than astounding, from various sssailablo
sections Of thotr thin limo Of defense. It
soema Incredible; hut Mother Of tho CT.
Balkanfan Turkish armies have, ,sinco Osmana
victories, executed single Reconnaissance Of
the character above indicated. They have
allowed the Russians to move their troops
from east to west to strengthen tho Biela md
TfEnova defensive forces; to transport trains
Of artillery within dozen versts Of their own
line. F,old.guns aro dhmounted and packed
In bullock-carts,
UTTERLY uNouAnpKp,
save BY Rouman'an and Bulgarian peasant
drivers, without bndging yard from, their
intronchments. Whatever of offensive h.s
been taken since tho last battle has been due to
Russian, not Turkish, initiative. Dragami.of
put out Ills feelers tho other day ut Lottcha,
"nd bad to draw them In again with conspio-
noua promptisuae, after sustaining sharp
rebuko for his ill-timed inquisltiveness; but
It, was surely rather Osman's than
Dragnirofs business to make e.
per'naonts under existing circumstances,
md above all 1t was to be expected that
Mehemct All, whose army is comparatively
fresh, would hayo
STRUCK OUT ONCE On rwzox.
and hard, during tho past fortnight, Moth
ing OF all this las been done by tho Turks.
except TINT oamau has extended his front bv
occupying and solidly iutrenchtng himself
at Loftcha, whero they vera Oh tho soth
ult., whilst tho Russians have withdrawn
unmo1ested many thousands Of their men
from positions Of great risk, have received
aud are receiving cop1ous reinforcementa,
and hare from strategical point Of view
bsttered their situation, while,
had tho Turks but followed up their a.
yautages with one-tenth Of tho energy they
displayed In gaining them, would By this
time
HAVE BKxh so DESPERATE
as almost To cry aloud for the Intervention
Of friends in their behalf. Tho Russian
cavalry IL now all this side OF the Balkans.
Schipka Pass Is strongly fortified and armed
with twenty-eight guns, and gaszisoned
by q regiment Of tho Ninth Division.
Two regiments hold Halakot Pass.
which presents = series Of formidable Dc.
lenses. There arc fex troops for tho present
at Drenoya and Gahrora. brigade 1t tho
Fourteenth piviaion Is Ut Ti1no1a. Be-
lnfoxcetnenss are moving south to strengthen.