The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-08
THE WAR.
The Russians Strongly Intrsnchsd
in the Balkan Passes.
CONCENTRATION FOR ANOTHER BATTLE
Rasgrad Probably the
Point Of Attack.
MEIIEMET ALTS PLAN.
The Porte Still Wailing Over
Russian Atrocities.
LORD SALISBURY ON ENGLAND'S POLICY.
MEIIEMET ALTS PLAN.
LORD SALISBURY on ENGLANvS POLICY.
[Bx CABLE TO THE HERALD

(BY CABLE TO THE HERALD
LONDON, August 8, 1877.
The HzRALD correspondent with the
Turkish headquarters at Shumla telegraphs
that the Russian army. which had passed
the Balkans, has retired from the plains of
Roumelia to the mountain passes at Shipka
and Demir Kapu. In these positions they
are strongly intrenched, and, it is believed.
are well supplied. It is thought that the
Russians will hold the passes until the large
reinforcements said to be moving from Rou-
mania arrive.
NO RUSSIANS SOUTH OF THE BALKANS.
A special from Therapia says:-"It has
been officially reported to the English EN-
bassy that the Russians are no longer on
lhis side of the Balkans"
THREATENING RAsaRAD.
The headquarters of the Gear are now at
Bjela and the Russians are concentrating in
large force on the lines of the Kara-Lom
and the Jantra. Three hundred Russian
tents can be seen at Prepuskoi. This is an
advanced detachment covering the main
body in that direction. 1t is believed that
the object of the Russian concentration is
an attack on Rasgrad. -.e
MEHEMET AIRS PLAN.
According to official news from CONSTANT
nople Mehsmet Ali intends to convert Ras-
grad into fortified camp. The forces con-
centrated in the neighborhood of Rasgrad
consist of forty-eight battaions of infantry,
fifteen batteries and eighty-two squadrons
Of cavalry; altogether 40, 600 men.
ATROCITIES IN RouME1IA
suleiman Pacha reports that fresh atroci-
ties have been committed by the Russians
and Bulgarians in the villages south of the
Balkans. The British military attache,
Colonel Fyfe, is said to haye Witnessed them.
THE PORTE ISSUES A CIRCULAR.
The Porte has issued circular recomtIng varl-
GUS horrible massacres which It alleges have been
perpetrated by the Cossacks and Bulgarians. These
include the burning alive of seventy Mussulans of
the village Of Ayukemi and the cold-blooded mas
sacre Of forty others, as well as women and chill
dren. The circular declares that the English
military attache has ascertained the truth OF the
foregoing.
DIFFICULTIES or TRANSPORT.
Bucharest despatch says there is some want
OF provisions among the troops between sistova
and Tirnova on account OF the diniculty in pro-
curing wagons to transport supplies beyond the
depots along the Roumanian side OF the river.
MUKHTAR CLAIMS SLIGHT SUCCESS.
Mukhtar Pacha has teiegraphed to CONSTANT
nope, under date of August s, as follows:-.One
thousand Karapack horsemen have defeated two
Russian battalons with three guns, at Demircapon,
near Arabian"
LORD SALISBURY ON ENGIAND's Foley.
At conservative demonstration at Hatfield on
Monday Lord SALISBURY, in speech, made the fol.
lowing reference to the governments foreign
poncy:-"We earnestly deprecated this war. We
are the allies and friends of both contending
parties We desire our neutrality not only 10
be neutrality Of act, but of speech. But will asx
You to believe that while we are thoroughly con.
vlnced that the patriotism OF Englishmen II we
need to appeal to 1t, Is equal to any emergency and
will shrink before no sacrifice which the in
terests or honor OF the country may demand,
we feel In all Its intensity that horror OF the
crimes and caamifies Of war which this country
has always been honoraby distinguished for enter
tanning. Let earnestly hope the two objects
that we shall be able to conduct this country
through all difficulties without trenching In the
raintest degree its interests or honor and with.
out losing for q single moment the priceless bless.
ing Of peace"
now ABOUT THE FINAL SETTLEMENT
Lord Sandon also spoke He said that he trusted
when the moment of settlement comes we shall all
bear in mind that 1t Is the greatest interest of Eng
land that every country in the world should be
prosperous, and that II any country runs the risk
OF being humiiated we should try to prevent the
humiliation whether 1t should be the as
sailant or the assailed, and ~ hope also,"
he said, that we shall avoid the fault which,
In my opinion, has been the great iaut OF European
Powers in the past, Of interfering on behalf only Of
our corcligionsts instead OF asking tho Turk to Sc
care good governments to all the people OF his vast
empire, whether they be Druses yczidees, Mahom-
mcdans or Christians
AusTRIA's ATTITUDE
An occasional correspondent OF the Times at
Vienna says the assertion Is untrue that Russia
has asked Austr1a's permission to march troops
through scrvia II Is far more probable