New Orleans Republican., 1877-05-05
% it win Be to take the Russians at their

SO it viii be to take the Russians at theii
strongest point and court repulse.
In Asia Minor the main attack has dc
yeloped, according to the natural lines o
the country, into new siege Of Kars
The battle began at daybreak on Sunday
and the Russians are stated to have 'con'
centrated and advanced their siege train
for the purpose. Here, as in Europe, the
eelerity and order of the Russian move
ments show good discipline and q mastery
of the question of transportation, The
little skirmish at Batoum, magnitied by
the early kilograms into q real battle,
sinks into its proper place, and the true
line Of operations stands revealed as the
advance on Erzeroum. The sudden at
tack on Kars at daybreak shows that the
Russians trusted to overwhelm the place
by a general bombardment with modern
heavy rifles and SO clear it out of the path.
If they failed to do this at once, it is most
probable that they will leave a sufficient
force to mask Kars, and push on with the
main body to Erzeroum. Whatever is
done in Armenia will be a work of time
and hard fighting. If Kars suecumbs to
the first bombardment Erzeroum will fol-
low, but if it comes to a regular siege,
Turkish obstinacy will hold Russia at bay
for long time.
THE BEsIEGED TOWN.
Kars the town in Asia Minor, which
the Russians are now bombarding, is the
capital of the pashalic of the same name
on the northern frontier of Armenia.
1t is q aspecimen Oriental mountain town,
situated on the rocky plateau 1000 feet
above the level of the sea, and having
narrow, dirty streets. 1t finds a reason
for its existence, like all the towns of that
neighborhood, in the caravan trade, of
which it is recognized stopping place,
as the long trains of camels file from
Persia and Armenia into Georgia and
Circassia, returning by the same route.
The trade carried on is in silks, Cashmere
wool, Persia carpets, Latakia tobacco,
wax, gallunts and opium, going into
Russia, the manufactured goods of Eng
land and America returning. Kars has
always been the first bone of contention
in any Armenian campaign. In the wer
of 1S28-1829 it was captured by the Rus
slams under Paskievitch with very little
trouble and held for two years. In those
times it was surrounded by low wall,
almost indefensible. At the treaty OF
Adrianople it was restored to Turkey. In
1855 it was again attacked, this time by
Muravieff, but he found different men
and works there. Ismail Pasha (the
former Hungarian General Kmety) an
General Williams, of the English army,
were sent to Kars, and set the Turks to
work on new Notifications to such good
effect that they ended in repulsiDg the
Russian attempts at storming, with great
slaughter, September 30, 1866. Muraviefi
was compelled to invest Kars, and finally
reduced it by famine at the end of No.
vember, 1855. It was given up again by
the treaty of Paris. The fortifcations Of
Williams were adequate to resist eighteen
and twenty-four pounders-the siege guns
of those days-but will probably sue.
cumb to the tive-inch rifles which Russia
can now bring against them. Kars is q
| decaying place, with about II, 00J people
and 300O houses. 1t once had twice a.
many. 1t possesses no military i'm
portance except as the first step on tht
| road to Erzeroum.
The latest by cable from the scene o.
war is given below, as received by Asso
ciated Press from London yesterday:
A Reuter- Berlin telegram says: Letter
from st. Petersburg say the mobilization
of the Russian army will not become gen
eral. Three divisions of the st. Peters
burg corps have been placed on q wa
footing. The first and second division
of infantry of the guard are being mobil
lied. These troops will for the presen
remain as a reserve in their garrison guar
ters.
Prince Charles of Roumania is workin
hard to effect an active alliance wit
Russia. This idea is opposed at the Rus
sian headquarters. The Generals are ur
willing to allow the Roumanian forces t
be made a separate corps, under th
command of the Prince, or any othe
General who is not Russian. 1t is sal
there is some disagreement betwee
Prince Charles and the Grand DuB
Nicholas on this account. If the diff
Guilty can be overcome ROumania wi
make common cause with Russia, but NJ
otherwise.
The Bucharest official journal has seize
the occasion to suggest that the lombard
ment of Ibrail is cdltSuS bell.
The Roumanians are making extraord
nary preparations. Toe militia has bee
called out.
The Porte notified the representative
of the powers yesterday that it had d
clared a blockade of the whole of Il
Russian coast of the Black sea.
A delay of three days would be grant
vessels wishing to enter, and five da,
: those intending to leave the Black sea.
A dispatch from Muhtar Pasha, dat
| April 80, announces that the Russia
have advanced in great force toward Kal
in a westerly direction, with the object
intercepting Turkish communication wi
Erzeroum.
e The Turkish commander, leaving 81
2 ficient force at kars, marched out wi
l nine battalions and occupied the villa
: of Ichilakh, near Gardin, and west
a Kars.
J A subsequent telegram from Muh
q Pasha, dated May l, announces that sol
1 of the inhabitants of kars had broug
: him reports that the Russians had
: tackled Kars, but were repulsed with 10
According to telegram from the Tul
u lsh commander at Batoum, the Russi
a military operations are arrested by rai
weather.
s Turkey has positive assurances FRI
e Count kndrassy of Austria's pacific int
l- tons.
> The Porte has issued circular decl
"a ing that RoumRnia, by her convent
u with Russia, is betraying the interests
+ the country and the confidence of I
u Sultan's government.
z The Porte henceforth considers r
l. mania as in the power of the enemy; the
g fore, all acts issuing during Russian oc
L pationare in usurpatiou OF the Sulta
B. authority.
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