The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-06-09
FOREIGN NEWS.
The EASTERN War.

~ !"lteL dClou!I'o was IbtilISi WHICH, lOStH
with the arrival of the Emperor at Plo,
on the 9Th, gives promise of speedy
ruption Of the present inactivity.
something Of the kind seems necessary,
Russian army, on account of its inactiTTy l
said to be already suffering learfully from
sickness
\ London Times correspondent, giving a
account of the opposing armies on the DaI
ubcsaysthc Russians are about $4,000 strong
while the Turks number 2JO,00l, with the ad
vantage Of occupying strongly fortified pos
tons, the chief drawback Of the Turks bein
a want Of competent commanders ard thei
deplorab!c financial difficulties.
There has been some pretty sharp tishtin
during the week between the Turks and MOI
tencgrins in Montenegro snd Bosnia. In a
engagement at Kretcas on Monday the MOI
tenegrins lost six hundred killed and woun(
ed and the Turks twelve hundred tn
Turkish army in that quarter is represente
to be IN very sad condl,ion-sick, half fe
and badly clothed, Though oCtnumberin
the enemy two to one, they are worsted i
nearly every encounter.
The accounts from ASIA are as usual meage
and contradictory, Tho general belief
that the Turkish army IS much weaker tina
is generally represented, and it is adm!tc
that it is deplorably deficient in artillery
There was no truth IL the story that tn
Turks had rctakcn Arabian, nor is 1t believe
that the CirCassian uprising, though ne
without its annoyances, Is likely TO interior
with the Russian communications. The Ru
SLAMS are evidently not deferred from adval
cling 10 the interior on account of leaving Ri
toum and Kars in their rear, for they are ne
only in strong force before Erzeroum, bu
their advance has reached Olh, Van and eve
Darbekr, while the Turks are retreating "
on Erzeroum Even Kars has been Hanke
and its communications with ErzerOum ar
cut or Indeed Constantlnople dispatches
the London journals say the war in Asia ma
be regarded as virtually settled. Mukhta
pasha being driven from all points back upo
Erzeroum, finds himself IN position bot
open and unprotected, which he must su
render at the first determined Russian assault
Per contra, Vienna dispatches say the Turk
In Asia are unnecessarily scared, and that Il
Russians really have not penetrated beyon
Kars, except few rowing bands of Cossack
There was report on Monday that ACC
Circassian cavalry under Moussa pasta hsI
been surprised in the night at Bekli-Ahmel
on their way to Kars, by superior body 4
Russians, and all killed except feI
hundred. Later accounts of the affair, hoy
ever, say the Circassians lost but 81 killed 4
the Russians 30.
Accounts Of the unhappy condition OF q
fairs in ConStantnople continue. The soft;
boldly parade the streets, demanding the hes
of the grand vizier AMI the return Of Midi
Pasha, and threatening the slaughter of d
the Christians To Gppease them $4,000 Chr
tlans have been drafted into the army. I'LL
sultan is afraid to ride in the streets.
Rumors OF peace negotiations continue, b
they are said to come mainly from Paris al
Vienna, and are inventions TO promote stot
speculations. The Grand Duke Nicholas
doubtless correctly reported i'll saying tn
there will be no peace until decisive ever
have occurred on the battlefield, and til
neither PRICE Bismarck nor Lord Deri
will prevent US from entering Cons,antinop
as the Germans entered Paris"
The Russian reply to Lord Derby's moi
asking Russia to explain her objects, has be-
received at London, and is said to be qui
"pacific." Russia protests that she has
other objects than those embraced in the pr
tocol of the powers-obtainlng guarante
for the Christians in Turkish territory-ai
that on Turkey giving these guarantees, al
ccding, say the territory already occupied
the Russians, she is ready TO conclude pea'
She has no purpose to interfere with Bri'i
interests anywhere, and has no trsignS on
Dardaneles, Ccnstantinople or the Suez can'
England.