The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-16
The Devastation of the Russian Black
Sea Ports Begun
BURNING HER ABANDONED TOWNS.
English Sentiment and the Parlia-
mentary Debate.
WHAT MUST NEUTRALITY ENDURE
CDY CABLE TO THE HERALD.1

OF Russian troops is taking place at Lurnu-MagureI,
at which point the Eighth and Twelfth Russian army
corps win probably the Danube thereby turning
the Bulgarian quadratcra The Seventh and Eleventh
corps will invade the Dobrudcha II is stated that
these corps with cavalry and artillery, have already
crossed ut Fotbach in the Dobrudscha, and that an ~
gagemcnt is progress. Tho Russian iron{ai7il
be covered by ten regiments Of Cossacks The hun.
datons have now decreased in the Bnla VALLEY. ana
5000 troops arc marching down. The Russian army
for actual operations numbers nire corps onit
two are destined Tor the Dobrndscha The main
body, according to military calculations, Will
cross near Giurgevo and move southeast, to.
ward Varna. Further confirmation of the Russian
crossing seems to be contained in Daily Telegraph
special, dated Matchin. Monday, which says:-.Tho
Russians are apparently making attempt to cross
the Danube Heavy artillery nr1g has been gong on
up TO the moment OF my sending this despatch. The
Turks have been successful repelling the attack
The Russians are believed to be in great forccn The
capture of the Turkish gunboat which tried 10 pnss
Kaiafat is confirmed The gunboat was forced 10 sur.
render near Kalaiat because Of a heavy are from -
battery.
VALUABLE CAPTURE
The Russians performed very clever act on Sunday
which will far toward rendering useless the Turkish
0otilla now the lower Danube. A steam tug was
sent down the river from Ibrail to Galatz, where
several lighters secured and 200 Iaborers were
taken on board Tho tug then steamed across the
riVa m o.
tons OF steamer coal had been accumulated for supply
ing tho Turkish fotilla This coal speedily trans.
ferred TO the lighters and safely taken to IbraiL
. A scn.xE OF DEVASTATION
Tho policy Of tho Turkish navy now seems to b, 70
devastate the coas OF the Black
Sea, good being taken, however to give scbas-
apol, Odessa aud Pot wide BERTH II is officially m.
nounced from ST. Petersburg that on May
II Turkish squadron bombarded a vii.
lage near Sookgoom-Ka a Black Sea port
TO the northward of Poti In Abkssia Near
this port, 1t is reported, LOCO Circasslans wero
landed that the commander the Russian fortress
1t Sookgoom Kae sent q detachment Of Cossacks and
militia In pursuit The Turkish iron.clads, six IN
took up their position or the fortress OF Sooxgoom-
Kae May IA, with evident intention Of attempt
Ing Its destruction. The commander is we'll prepared
with torpedo boats and the fortress is stocked with
provisions and ammunition for siege. This town is
\ place OF some Importance Tho next ports to DO
attacked, carrying out this scheme, will be 81.
Douka, Konstantino point. The next will
be Navasinskoe, which Is at the base Of
Mount Nougangous, one OF the loitest Of the
Caucasian range, and which Is capped with snow
nearly all tho year. The next forts will DO Fort
Bolovin and Fort Lazarcr, under Mount Goethe, a
low peak close to the The next point OF attack
Will be Touabs, located short distance TO the SOUTH
west of Chardak Point Lighthouse. Then Naecp-
souko will be bombarded, alter which an attempt
Will undoubtedly be made on the port Gheenjik a
sheltered harbor the north western extrcIiHtt
OF the Caucasian range, southcastward OF SouJak
Bay. Ghelcnjlk will however. be well protected
by torpedoes, which, with tho rocks at tho
entrance TO the harbor. wiz afford ample
protection for the port. But Iandrng
be effected at Messp, coast village to tho soptp-
eastward, whence Gheenjik can be approached ard
the heights southeast OF the town occupied. The i'm
portant town Of Anapa will then be attacked. This
indeed would be prize, rs II is the port Of tho
sntire territory north OF the Caucasian mountains,
stretching to the Dom landing cannot be effected
here because the garrsons Of three strong positions,
inland from Anlpa be readily concentrated TO op.
pose II. However, Anapa may suner severely from
bombardmen because, from Its position
promoniory, the western sido OF tho town
Is exposed the fire OF heavy guns. The
Turkish cruise of devastation will probably cease at
nal ,ha of kar int IN
Sea OF Azov would be impracticabc indeed, II ~ not
improbable that the Russians would deliberately leave
the passage open In to tempt the Turkish fleet
into a cai-ie-sdc, where they would be promptly
added to The Russian naval forces In the Black Sea
rnerc arc no points along the south coast OF tho
Crinea worth the expenditure Of coal and gunpowdcr
10 destroy. Consequently we may look Tor a concen.
tra,ion Of tho Turkish fleet In the neigtborhood Of
Odessa SIMPLY as bIockadins squadron. A despatch
from Kcschcncff says:-s'Thc Turkish squadron Is
pcctcd Oft tho Crimca account Of symptoms OF dis
affection among the Tartar chiefs"
"Sor rK4JUpcED; OH, SOL
In order that the readers OF the HERALD may fully
understand the feeling Of the conservative party here
toward their old friends the basin bazouks, send
you ar extract IRON the Standards Constantinople
special as It appears this morning The conservative
organ correspondent evidently loves the Turk, and
his employers permit him to color his tale to SUIT
his audience. lie says
am glad TO report great success or the Turks In
ASIA ON Monday. Admiral Hassan Pacha, after BON.
harding the Notifications OF Sukum- kacb, landed
number OF soldiers. VINO were Immediately joined by
900 natives. A violent combat ensueu. The Rus.
sinus we're driven out OF Sukum-Kalch to-day. Up.
ward 10 0C0 natives Joined the Turkish forces who
hold tho Notifications The town Is IN flames. All
inc surrounding country Is rising In support OF the
Turxq Tclcgraphc communication bctwccn Con.
stantnoplc ana kars BY way OF Erzcroum remains in.
tao.
TUE ASIAN ADVANCE
Tho universal desire Is TO know tho truth about the
0cht at Bstoum. so FAR all the evidence has come
from Turkish sources ana has indicated disastrous
Russian defeat The Central News Association, how.
over sent out the following 81. Petersburg despatch
,ast uicht:-"The Russians attacked Batoum on
ss,aas, Amor dssncrais ensaSsncnt wherein both