New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-05-26


drawn around them. The generals may ahluSe
themselves by sticking pins in their maps out
nothing will be decided until the armies are
brought face to face and a supreme ehoIt Is
made.
The movements of the two Russian armies
have presented striking contrast Each mas
had 10 face bad weather and worse roads.
The defles of the Armenian mountain ROADS
have been blocked with SHOW, and the HOODS
have claimed their hands. in the Danublan
Valley and turned Roumania into vast
slough. But while the Grand Duke Nicholas
has been cautious and deliberate, Gen. Nell
koff has been bold i'm conception ana RAPID III
execution. The commander IN Asia has ia'lly
earned success, for his strategical design mas
been mastery.
II does not appear that any additional
CORDS were dispatched to the Caucasus
The army consisted of seven divisions OF IN
fantry, one division of cavalry, seven brgades
of field artillery, and large body ot local
or sedentary troops. On peace i0OtlhS
the army comprised about 100000 men; on a
war footing the strength OF the force would
be 100000 men; the available force at the
outbreak of the war was about 100000 men.
According TO the most trustworthy estimates
the Turkish army did not number more than
80. GEO men, On the first line Of defense
stretching from Batum to Bayazid through
Arabian and Kars, about 10000 men were
stationed and on the second line of defense
10000 men were concentrated at Ezerum.
midway between Trebizond and Van. Three
of the four points in the First line OF defense
have been uncovered. With Batum as pivot,
the whole line has been swung around IN the
direction of Erzerum-thc center OF tine second
line of defense. The first attack upon Baum
was evidently fcnt To cover operations III other
quarters. and the assault has been twice renewed
10 prevent the movement OF Turkish re-
endorsements southwark and eastward. Mean
while three Russian columns have been
making determined concentrlc move
mcnt in the direction OF EHerum. BaJdhd
and Arabian were captured on each link OF
Kars. and Ahmed Mukhtr Pasha, to avoid
being outfanked, was compelled to Withdraw
from Kars, after leaving a garrison III the
town, and TO make a stand midway between
that point and Erzcrum. The Turkish gar
rison which was driven out of Arabian was
unable to Join the main body, but retrcatcd in
brrn invested, and the Russian forces are
closing IN upon Ahmed Mukhtar Pasha's
army. While Turkish yalormay vet atone for the
military mcaplcity of the commander, 1t Is
manifest that me has been outgcnsralcd. There
are grave suspicious that the troops posted
between Barlc>s and Olti are provided only
with few mountain guns, and that the field
artillery is shut up in the fortrr>>cs; and.
what is more important, that the arrange
mcnt, for providing them with supplies and
ammunition are very detective. The Russian
troops Me better organized, equipped, aud
handled than the Turks, and The chances OF
war are in their favor. Canuon"ding ana
skinnislIng may 90 on apacc at Baum, hu'
the decisive battle will be fought in the noun
tain passes between Kais and EWerm If
The Turks retreat from the mOuHt1inS without
fighting. a. il is now announced thcy VIII DO,
and seek refuge behind the walls Of Ellorum
IA city On Il broad plateau which infantry
can take by storm without bringing forward
their artilcry-thcr whole campaign III Ar
menia will suddenly collapse.
While crisis is close at hand in Armenia,
the Grant Duke Nichllas Is qjir.l} paa, NJ
his forces on the upper Danube The TX
CORDS which were concentrated "a the frontier
wicu hosjIlit.es opened and which numbered
between 10000 and 100000 mci, drc now
in Roumania. II las been ruuorai th3t sty-
cral additional corps have crossed the Prtth,
but even with then origjna! force ih" Rrs,jan5
outuumhcI the Iuhs. While they nave been
slowly and silently taking up their positions,
the GiDloma;i-js have been busy. 1ne iuuc-
urudpuc. OF R0uuauia has been declared and
the active cooperation OF is army, inefficient
and iI-dl,cipm,d though il be-. has been Sc
cured: and nov The air is rhlck with nlmols
that Srrya is preparing to renew ho>tiiitieN
wih tie Porte. The movement 81 Russian
troops in the direction ol k.Iaiot may
have diplomatic as we'll rs military sig
nifcance. 1t * probable, however that
the Russian commander simply wishc, to sup
port the Roumlnian army, and 10 provide
against Il flank movement from tine Turkish
camp at Wiidin, while the main body o. his
army is crossing The Danube between Giur-
pryo and NikopOliS