Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-08-22
THE RUSSIO-TURKISH WAR.


Cablegrams from London, of August
18th say: 1t is reported that Prince
Hassan, in Dobrudscha, is marching
rapidly with his Egyptian troops with
the object Of cutting off the commune
cations of the Russians with Bessarabia.
simultaneously eight Turkish steamers
have received orders to disembark their
forces north of the Danube mouths with
the same object.
Montenegrin outposts report that a
Turkish army of twelve battalions of
regulars and several thousand irregulars
have begun a movement on Drobriak.
The Montenegrin force, utterly made
quate to oppose them, will fall back for
the protection of the inhabitants until
reinfOrcements arrive.
PREPARATIONS FOR A LONG WAR.
Every detail of preparations shows
that the Russians have made up their
minds for long war, and are preparing
great deposits Of tirewood. The Rou-
manian government is also asking ten
ders for the supply of great quantities
of clothing and stores.
Rain, of less than twelve hours dura-
ton, has rendered the roads at Sistova
over which the Russian supplies are
transported q sea of mud, with gaping
holes at frequent intervals. 1t will be
very difficult for the Russians even to
maintain their armies between the Bal
kans and the Danube when helsummer
weather breaks I'D.
HOW THE BAsHI-BAZoUKs PUNISH LYING.
Three Bashi-Bazouks in their wan
behring's came across the body of a Rus
sian soldier. They determined to bury
it, and were on the point of placingit in
a hurriedly dug grave. when the Rus
sian came to his senses, and observing
their intention, remarked that he was
not dead. They looked at him for few
seconds, when one of them remarked
Really, you Russians are such horrid
liars that it is impossible to believe any
thing you say. We found you here dead
so you must be buried" and they buried
him.
AN ENTERPRISING RUSSIAN CORRESPONDENT.
The Russian journals are exceedingly
enterprising.. One of them has special
correspondent at Constantinople. Dis
guised as Polish deserter, he has pene-
trated as far as Pera, and sends two let
tiers a week to ST. Petersburg. To keep
up his character he has taken the oath
of allegiance to the sultan, joined in the
worship of Mohammed, and cursed his
country His dialogues with the Turks
are racily written, particularly one
which he had with an old priest, who
compared Turkey to a ball tossed be-
tween two kittens, and denounced Eng
land for her shabby treatment Of the
porte.
SOME HOPE FOR RUSSIA.
In London we hear nothing but ru-
mors of the southwark passage of the
Balkans by Suleiman Pasha. 1t is said
he is descending upon Bulgaria by
Elena, but there remains the fact that
Gen. Gourko has not been dislOdged
from Shipka pass. The latest report is
that Osman Pasha, leaving his main
body at Plevna, has advanced with con-
siderable force upon Tirnova, but it is
very doubtful whether Osman Pasha
would, at such time as this, divide his
forces. The correspondent of the Daily
News, writing from Sistova, discusses the
SITUATION OF THE ARMIES
now confronting each other in Bulgaria
The great desire of the Russians, he OBJ
serves, is for pitched battle, in which
their superior organization would give
them advantages which their enemy is
determined to deny them. Of course
the Russians are waiting reinforcements
but when the latter have arrived, if the
Turks are attacked in their positions,
the Plevna contest will be between sol
diers and soldiers plus earthworks. The
correspondent thinks
THERE CAN BE LITTLE DOUBT,
when the seven divisions now on
their way to reinforce the Russian ar
mics arrive, that the Grand Duke Mich
olas will have men enough at his dispo-
sal to clear Bulgaria north of the Bal
kans of the Turkish armies in the field
before winter Before the time comes
for going into winter quarters, Rustchuk
will almost certainly have fallen, proba-
bly, Silistria and Widden also, and there
will remain only Shumla in Turkish oc-
cupation north of the Balkans.
AT THE SAME TIME
he perceives that the maintenance of
an army in Turkey during the winter
will involve strain upon Russian re-
sources more serious than many mag
inc. There must be a long period of
unbroken weather, "hen communica-
tons all over the country from the Rus
sian base up to the army will be wholly
impracticable. If the winter is an open
one, like the last, the Danube will not
be wholly frozen over so as to admit of
traffic on the ice, but the floating ice
will necessitate the removal of bridges.
DDUNCCTU TNunMES