The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-08-05
WHAT'S GONG ON ~ EUROPE.

Tho week has been "A disastrous one for
Russia. The defeat Of Baron KrUdncr ana
Prince Shahovskoy at Plcvnn will probably bc
still moro important IN its moral than in
its material results. The highest estimate Of
losses given is seven thousnnl men. The
Turks lost more than that in the capture Of
Nikopolis But they had not H. the Russians
have. an army Of some $4,000 men rccklcssy
thrown far ahead OF their main body. The van
guard Of Gen. GourAo. whi'h contains some Of
the best dragoon regiments Of the Russian
army and includes two ncphews OF the Car
the Grand Duke Nicholas, Jr.. and the Duke
OF Lcuchtembcrg among its superior on crs
will have a very hard JoD Ia make u retreat now.
True. that the main body OF the army Of inya-
sion is intact yet at and around TirnoVa. and
that II will make a good stand; but 1t has not
only the army Of Osman Fasha. now encour-
aged 10y success. TO contend with but Suleinan
Pasha will undoubtedly follow up Gourkos re-
treating vanguard. The armies Of Shumla and
Narna are close at hand. And should the Rus
SLAMS be compelled TO withdraw part Of their
forces b,sicsing Ku-trhuk and Si-tria. the
garrsons Of these iorircsses may cause "a deal
Of trouble on the Danube.
The defeat Of PlcVna has only confirmed the
general belief that the Grand Duke Nicholas is
hearing that Baron Krndner had made the blum
der Of not protecting his flank 10y occupying PEE
WA when II WIS defenceless. he sent an order 10
capture il 1T all hazards when au army OF 50 QUO
men under Osman Pasha had already in
trcnched itself Tor the defence OF the place. The
Grand Duke sent reenfor 'cmcnts. but what did
they consist OH OF some ten thousand men
under Prince ShahoVskoy. and Of u Cossa'k
brigade under Gen. Skobecfr. The combined
troops OF Kr1dn-r and Shahovskoy did not eX-
coed 10000 men. with 100 guns. The result Of
an attack ofsuch corps upon an enemy nearly
twice ~ strong and intrenched IN most adj
vantneeous position was 10 be forcseen. The
q eat WAS so complo tie that most OF the wounded
had to hc abandoned.
The lesson is a severe one and the Car will
have TO mediate a good deal ON the capacity OF
his brother the Grand Duke Communicating
Chief. and on the ACCESSIBILITY Of placing parade
and drawing room Generals a, the head OF in
dependently acting military divisions. Both
kr1dner and Shahovskoy are officers Of the
Imperial Guard; neither OF them has ever seen
var service before; and both have now been
proved TO Ice destitute 81 even that sort Of ability
which theoretical studies give, us in the case Of
Gen. Drngomiron.
The plan Of masking forresses and boldly
advancing into the interior OF the invaded coun-
try il u very sound one when applied IN rich
country. we'll cultivated and provided with good
roads. In Turkey. however. where the invader
has himself 10 make the roads and to carry his
provisions and all other supplies with him. the
case is different. The Russian rover-os in Asia
Minor. as well IA the disaster Of Pleyna. are
eloquent illustrations Of this fact.
The Russian papers argu" however. that the
check which the Transcau asian army received
has been misroprescnred. They view theMove-
ment of Gen. l"ris- Mrhkhon on ErDroum in
the light Of a great c'onnoltcrluG expedition.
which WAS cal, ulnted 10 draw Mukhtir P,sha
from the stronghol3s of the sasanlou range.
They pretend that everybody knew that IL re-
treat was TO he made aud the work Of tao siege
%, Kars resumed neain. Gen. Mourayon went
in lsj4 Just as far rs Gen. Lors-Mehkhon has
now done. Not having met any enemy. he re-
turned under the walls Of Kars.
Whether tbs Interpretation of the case be- true
or not % 81, >pai0h of yesterday announces that
the Russian ccutrc % the army OF ASIA Minor
has been ,on~,d rnhy Reinforced. ami that one
ward movements have been Resumed On the
whole line.
Should thu Russians not obtain any deeid "A
! success either in AsM VI lnor or on the Dauuho
within TIE nrNtton or fifteen days. au ho,. ~
seeing a spcedy end So the Wlr wall have tp la
! given up. The Cu.r is reported to Doe greatly u
! favor ~ peace hut he docs Mt dare to rr-.d.
/ from the demands he made at III, outset. AMI
| To these demands tie Sultan cannot pos, b y
agree, unless it be under tie pressure Of 4
tonqucror's hand.
| In France things grow moro and more favor
able for the Republicans. The Cons uati,os oi
various shaics who, in May D-t, seemed O.
have formed Il compa alliance. have now
| broken NJ. OrrNn SITS. L. gilu -t.. ANA HHul-
| partist~ are n-Iltu- ct .'i 800 thr|r nWu -'uuuf
md the Two former parties fr linz th t.l.,
have 10 chanreoi -u russ. alb th'Ig Best O. pur.t
! lyl' the Efforts Of the j. uniult ..~. rhr-t
again n~ II NOT rontruted W.ih cNI-t.u a IN .ur
ties. imcnt Internal di-,, ri ia ilrIr ranks
| pwu IA tons have now O. .eu formed ~ the H..
/ lcrlahst camp. The clt u ads immc
diato return To the empire. thn utAcr advise,
mod ion and patience. Tuo Prince lmp.riu
has no prc-ts" Of any Ninl. II Ae had not boo o
! az agr, Mas .ul Ma Mahou could bee mad. re
gent during the Frances minority. WMo y. ~
the young NAPOLEON must bee l-tt to- rrisn as B.,
ploasrs, and that must nee sear..y moan M.
hated influence OF tAcoN- Empress r. stab she.
for years 10 come Bos,l,s the PRINCE has nu
shown any great ability for study. ana BIAS uu
displayed any military talent ci,hor some al
the sighted lmpcril.lets suggest that 81,
should Join tho Russian army. frl o. di-fusliS 81
| himself, marry some niece If the Car. am
come TO Paris with the Cross o. -. George ol
his breast q Russian wife under his arm and
Russian Sc ret a!huunc I'm his pocket. H. woul,
then, they say, be acclaimed by the whole "
Fran q. All lhos" plans al slo u.atlous are
however, of 10 avail. II the republic maintain,
itself for three or four ycurs moro. wthou
leading TO civil war. or TO another German in
vasion no form oil monarchy will De poss ihle il
France again
In England everything Is calm and dull. Thu
London season is over though Parliament Il
still sitting. But there is no opera now and N