The Portland daily press., 1877-05-02
FO r E I q N.
The TurcO-Russian War.
The Turks Driven
Back at Kars.
Austria COmpels the ReOp-
ening of the Danube.
England Strengthening her Fort
resses ON the Mediterranean
An English Steamer Blown up by
TOrpedOes.

NEW 1ORk, May L.
Naval movements on the Danube promise
stirring events. 1t is stated that the Russian
fleet will come down to the mouth of the Dan
ube to help the army in.its passage across the
river.
The Grand Duke Alexis received despatch
Sunday, from his father, the Emperor, stating
that no bombardment at Pot had taken place,
not shot having yet been fred there, and
nothing more than ordinary skirmishes between
the vanguards of the two armies having yet oc-
CURED, either in Asia or in Europe.
No intimation has yet been received that the
Russian fleet will be ordered hence.
LONDON, May 1.-The Times Vienna des-
patch says the Porte has given official assur.
ance that it does not intend 70 carry on the war
On Servian territory. This doubtless is in con-
sequence of the representations of the Powers
at Constantinople. Despite the foregoing, the
Times Belgrade special says Servia is still I'M
decided. Turkish troops have appeared in the
neighbOrhOod of Supavatz. 1t is reported that
the militia will be modified within the next
day or two.
gives an account of Hobart Pashas running
the blockade at Galatz in his steamer Rethymo
The Admiral left Rustchuk at night. Arriv-
ing at Galatz, the lights on the steamer were
extinguished, but rocket from the Roumanan
shore showed that its approach was discovered
and apprised the Muscovite gunners. On COM
ing abreast of the batteries heavy guns began
fire, but the Rethymo was run so close in shore
that the gunners were unable to depress their
pieces fast enough to get good aim.
Recruiting is progressing so briskly lately
that nearly every regiment in the service is
full.
In the House of Lords this afternoon Lord
Derby, in reply to a question by Granville, said
the government had prepared an answer to the
Russian circular which has been approved by
Her Majesty, the Queen. 1t will be sent out
tonight, and laid before the House as soon as
delivered to Russia,
The Times, in discussing the governments
naval preparations, says: The recent reported
declaration of Stafford Northcote that the
measures of the ministry are tempered by the
conviction that they had done and mean to do
their duty by the country receives curious COM
mentary in the naval intelligence we published
yesterday.
The ministry have been contending for peace
and cannot have forgotten the ancient maxim
that to ensure peace is to prepare for war
But foreigner might fairly suppose their
preparations have been exclusively of diplo-
matte kind when he reads of the Hercules
Triumph and Inconstant being all in the dock
and requiring labor Of months to refit them for
actual service. Though we have more and
better ships than any other power we cannot
use the ships we have.
A despatch from Vienna says: The chances
of the pour pdrlerS between the powers con-
corning an answer to the Russian note leading
to any result seem very small indeed. AS
IcSdIuo buc lIdSUoIu QucotlOu ud6 I6tlIGu
or is in fair way to return to kind of
natural. state where no solidarity is recognized,
and where every one conSults his own
interests only. Had Russia not foroseen this
she probably would never have ventured to
take the line she, has. The whole course of
preceding events leaves little doubt that the
deeply seated distrust among the powers has
from the beginning been the cause, why. the
moderating councils of the powers could pro.
duce so little effect on Russia. Not one power
felt sure of finding trustworthy ally. There
was not single power who did not suppose
cooperating with Russia for its own special
interests. at least Of allowing Russia to have
more or less of her own way on the under
standing that its special interests should not
suffer thereby.
Had it not been for this suspicion the
chances are that the solidarity of all those en-
dangered interests would have been recognized
before now and precautions taken to protect
them. As things stand it may be we'll that
from sheer short-sightedness either one or an
other of these adverse interests will have to
carry on an uphill fight or Europe will awake
one morning with the din of general conflict
A despatch from the Vienna correspondent
of the Telegraph says: The Russians are ad-
vancing slowly. owing to the floods and partly,
ALSO to insufficient transport. L hear that
Odessa and ST. Petersburg have been tels-
graphed to for $50 wheeled vehicles
A despatch from Ragusa says the first en-
gagement since the expiration of the armis-
tice occurred yesterday.
A Herzegovepian insurgent force attacked
the Turkish vanguard near Nevesigne, killing,
it is stated. 10.
CORFU, May 1.-The iron-clads Alexandria,
Monarch, Swift, Sure Devastation and Hotspur
of the British Mediterranean squadron arrived
this morning.
RIGA. May 1.-Seventeen steamers have
reached Reoel. Navigation is now open. Fifty
steamers bound for Riga put into Windam.
VIENNA, May IA despatch from Bucharest
reports that the Turks have captured Rou.
manian war vessels Fulgurel and Stefano
Almane. All the disposable Roumanian
troops were again moved today in the direction
of Kalafat. Refugee families are arriving
from Galatz, Ibrail and Giurgevo.
RAGUsA, May ALI the Mussulmans in
Bosnia and Herzegovina between the ages of
16 and 60 have been summoned to Join the
army in those provinces.
PERA, May 1.-The Bey of Tuhis has offered
the Sultan 18, 900 infantry and 5000 cavaly pro-
vided the Ports pays part of the expense of
transportation and equipment.
BERLIN May 1.-Germany insists that the
Russians now in Turkey be allowed to remain
there. Having undertaken their protection
germany now considers herself entitled to make
this demand. The departure Of the Prince of
Reuss threatens to be delayed In consequence
of this controversy
A Viepna correspondent confirms the news
from Erzeroum that on both the 29th and 30th
of April battles were fought before Kars with
strong detachments Of Russians. but the result
is still unknown.
The correspondent remarks that the news
seems to show that the Russians are mainly
against Kars, their other two
lines of advance at Bataum and Arabian being
only OF secondary importance.