The Portland daily press., 1877-08-28
The TurcO-Russian War.
FIGHTING STILL CONTINUED
AT SHIPKA PASS.
The Hills Covered With Turkish
Dead.
RUSSIANS CLAIM A VICTORY
I'm ASIA.
TIE BULGARIAN CAMPAIGN.


LONDON, Aug. 27-The News correspondents
description of Fridays battle in Shipka Pass,
shows that the central peak of the Turkish po-
sition was carried with the bayonet by the
Russians Part of the troops who accomplish
ed this, were led by Gen. Radetzyky in person.
pulsed. After thus clearing his flank, Radetz-
ky pushed back the Turks from his front.
The Turks were expected to renew the tack
on Sunday with fresh troops. They were re-
ported pressing on through narrow and diff
cult pass on the east side of Shipka, leading
down into Triavana, but the Grand Duke
Nicholas ordered a brigade to that point with
more troops to follow, and reinforcements were
streaming to the Shipka position. Radetzky
has broken the dangerous pressure on his
atmosphere looks much clearer. The Russians
lost on Friday 1900 killed and wounded.
Shipka Pass Still Held by the Russians.
ST. PETERSBURG, Aug. N.-The news from
Constant nople announcing the capture of sew
eral forts in Shipka Pass, is according to the
present information, unfounded. According to
The latest news from headquarters, our troops
have not yielded an inch of their positions in
the Pass.
LONDON, Aug. 27.-The Russian bulletin
says Saturday our troops maintained their po-
sition in the Shipka Pass. In Saturday
fighting, which lasted until 10 p. M, we lost
80 officers and 400 men, During the night the
Turks renewed the engagement with troops and
the fighting was still going on at noon Sunday.
When the despatch containing the informant ton
left the Pass the Russians still maintained their
position.
CoNsTANTINopLE, Aug. q, evening-No off.
cial despatch has been received from Suleiman
Pasha today.
Russian Defeat Reafirmed.
LONDON, Aug. PA telegram from Ere.
roum the Goth inst, reafirming the defeat of
tI.DI rnAN 1T
that renewed fighting is imminent. Russian
reinforcemeuts continue to arrive at AlexaD-
dropol. Twelve thousand men and 4S guns
hsve reached Erivan to reinforce Gen. Tergu-
gasoff.
Gossip about the Campaign i'm General,
LONDON. Aug N.-The precise object of the
Turkish activity since the 21st inst. rem aims
doubtful 1t is difficult to understand why Sui
eiman Pasha should have wasted the lives OF
his men by the endeavor to force Shipka pass
by front attack when he could have effected a
junction with the Turkish forces north of the
Balkans by marching through the Demir Ca
pom pass, so as to join Mehemet Ali Pasha, or
could have joined Osman Pasha by the way of
Sophia, both of these routes being unquestion-
ably in the hands of the Turks and offering ad-
vantages of rendering Shipka pass untenable
for the Russians. In this connection it is note
worthy that the estimate of the forces engaged
in attacking Shipka at 40 battalions comes
from Russian sources, and it is pointed out that
the pass does not offer front for more than
800 or 1000 men. 1t is possible that the attack
on Shipka pass was intended as a feint, while
the bulk of Suleiman Pasha's forces effected a
junction with Mehemet Ali by some more east
erly defile There already have been rumors
that the advance guard of Suleiman Pasha's
right wing has appeared at Gabrova, on the
northern slope of the Balkans and that Niche
met Ali's army, for the first time in the CAM
palgn, has been showing activity, as though
feeling forward to meet Suleiman Pasha's ad-
vance,
1t is reported that the Turkish attack on Tir-
nova is probably merely an exaggerated version
OF the movement of Vehement Ais forces
from Eskl DIuma in the direction Of Aghazlar.
and the apparent object of which is to effect a
junction with Sueiman Pasha on the road from
Eski Djuma to Tirnova. 1t is thought that a
few days must clear up these points, as it is ev-
Ident that crisis is approaching when the
Turks must do something before the bulk of
the Russian reinforcements arrive The Turks,
aided by their command of the sea, have al
ready brought up reinforcements. and though
they certainly have more men coming, namely,
the $4,000 from Bagdad, and further levies Of
militia from Asia Minor and Syria, they will
represent smaller ratio to the number OF
TURKS now between the Danube and Constan.
tinople, than the Russian reinforcements will
bear to the Russian army in Bulgaria. More
over, Turkish reinforcements must hereafter be
largely employed in maintaining order in the
provinces which are threatened with revolts
The Daily News correspondent at Sistova
telegraphs on Monday that the fighting is still
going on in front of Shipka Pass, but General
Radetzky continues to maintain his ground,
although his losses are serious. hold to my
conviction that Shipka Pass is safe, and that
thus is defeated the great strategic scheme Of
l the Turkish leaders to hem the Russians in
Bulgaria with the ultimate intent of driving
| them over the Danube.
l MThe next few.day will be full of interest
These past, shall expect the Russians to tax
| thelinitiative in vigorous offensive policy on
l TANKS and so relieve themselves from existing
| pressure and, having done SO. pursue their de.
| sign of sweeping the country.
The Times Bucharest correspondent tel
| graphs that said hills around Shipka are cover
| ed with Turkish bodies, and their loss is al
ready as great as the Russians at Plevna.