Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-08-15
THE RUSSIO.TURKISH WAR.
POSITION OF THE ARMIES.


A large Russian army under the Caro-
witch is facing Eyoub Pasha on the left
and Mehemet Ali Pasha on the right.
The former is threatening from the di-
rection Of Rasgrad, and the latter from
Osman Bazaar. Eyoub is believed to
have 40 battalions of infantry, 81 squad
rons of cavalry, and Is batteries of ar
tillery, while the army of Mehemet Ali
Pasha contains about 100000 men of all
arms.
IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN
whether the Turkish armies above
mentioned will make an attack or re-
main until the Russians are ready to as
sail them
Suleiman Pasha is believed to be en-
deavoring to force the passage of the
Balkans, so as to form the centre of the
Turkish line, Eyoub and Mehemet Ali
forming the right, and Osman Pasha at
Plevna the left. Such an extended line,
should it be formed, would be IA danger
Gus one, as it would be crescent with
the Russians inside and free to concen-
trate upon any point.
A STRONG RUSSIAN ARMY
is in front of Plevna, and the Rouman-
ians are crossing to operate on the
Turkish left Should they be actually
called into active cooperation every
thing points to the probability that for
the present active operations will be
only carried out in the region between
the Osina and Vid.
Grand Duke Nicholas has removed
his headquarters from Biela to Bulgar-
eni on the river Osina, half way upon
the road to Plevna.
The determination of the Russians to
crush OSman Pasha is manifest, and the
latter must maintain defensive atti-
tude In the face of superior numbers
Although he cannot be free from alarm
at the movements of the ROumanians
upon the northwest, and the renewed
signs of activity in Servia on the other
hand, the Turks have been relieved by
the collapse of the Bosnian instruction
and the fight of Despotovitch, the ablest
leader of the insurgents, who has been
nierned by the Austrian government in
Dalmatia.
There can be no doubt that the Rus
slams are making all the eXertions Of
which they are capable to overwhelm
the Turkish army in the west, but pos
sibly for the present they may be able
only to harass Osman Pasha with a sue
cession of blows or feints until they
have relieved their right from the pres
sure Of the hostile forces between the
Osina and the Nid 1t will hardly be
safe for them to engage Mehemet Ali
Pasha in front of Rssgrad, or push for
ward to intercept Suleiman Pasha in his
n, n roh ooroc, tho Ro lions
SERDER EKREIN
evidently hopes to make Rasgrad an
other Plevna threatening and checking
the Russians in their advance, while
Suleiman Pasha is marching northward
upon the theater of war. It is indeed
into Suleiman Pashas hands that the OPP
portunity for winning distinction by
sudden and timely blow has now
passed
That Gen. Gourka has retreated be-
fore the Ottoman commander is now
officially admitted in Russian dispatches
from adquarters, but, of course he
will not relax his grasp upon the Shipka
Pass unless be finds his northern COM
municatlOns threatened. At present
there is no sign that Mehemet Ali Pasha
and Osman Pasha are able or willing to
threaten Gen. Gourka's communications,
so that in all probability the Russians
can maintain themselves in the Shipka
Pass and oppose successfully any adj
vance in that direction by Suleiman
Pasha.
MENNONITES
A Berlin correspondent telegraphs
under date of August 18th, that the
Mennonites who refuse to do military
duty in R lssia are still increasing. The
Russian government, in view of the
possible prolongation of the war, have
resolved to prohibit their departure for
the future.
RESPECT FOR THE RED CRESCENT
The Grand Duke Nicholas has issued
an order that the red crescent of the
Turkish ambulance and hospital corps
shall be respected by the Russian
troops the same as the red cross of Ge-
neva.
Tchernavoda dispatches say since the
withdrawal of the
TURKISH IRONCLADS
from the blockade of Kustendji, ten
days ago, occasional raids have been
made by the Circassians, which have
been the only interruption to the tedi-
Gus monotony of camp life in the Do
brudscha. Bulgarian refugees report
the enemy advancing in force from
Karvama. A detachment of Cossacks
advancing beyond Mongolia found only
a squadron of marauding Circassians.
A sharp skirmish ensued resulting in
their being dispersed. Several of them
were killed. Notwithstanding the re-
ports of engagements at Silistria, this
was the only skirmish since the line of
the Kustendje railway was occupied 10y
the Russian army The situation in the
Dehrudscha is simply the occupation
of that district with force of 10000
men, sufficient to prevent the landing of
Turkish expeditionary force at any
point between Sulina and Mongolia
Zimmerman's corps, the Fourteenth, is
not strong enough to enter the quadri-
lateral. The country between Medu-
dich and Bosardschik, fully 100 miles in
length, is wholly deserted. 1t is water
ed barely enough to keep alive the
meager population which in peaceful