The daily gazette., 1877-08-07
THE BULGARIAN CAMPAIGN
ABDUL KERIM'S PLAN TO CATCH
THE RUSSIANS IN A TRAP.
"THE SPIDER AND THE FLY. -
SHuMLA. July 10.

SHUMLA, July III, 1871.
The lull in military operations on the
Danube during the past week is believed
L might say known-to be due to the
preparations which are being actively
made or both sides for great battle
which is almost certain to take place be-
fore you receive this letter. | have he ws
from Tchervenavoda up to Saturday
night, and from the details of military
movements given me by your special cor
respondent there-which, for obvious
reasons, cannot now communicate
am encouraged to think that the Russians
may possibly be the victims of overcon-
fide nee in themselves. They do not ap-
pear to have been well Informed iof the
movements and positions of the Turkish
forces, which have been man1uyred in
such mystfying way that, even on the
spot, it would be diff cult to say at "a Civ
en- moment what is the strength at a par
ticular point. Thousands of men come
and go during the night in the principal
strongholds. To-day the camp may be
swarming with troops and the next morn
ing one may wander through large por-
tions of the canvass city without encoun-
Il
again, however; and so it goes on, a con-
| tinual tlux and reflux. These movements
are probably made with a view not only
to exercise the troops, but to puzzle the
enemy, assuming that he obtains infor-
nation OF what goes on. The Russians
are advancing over the ground evacuated
| for stragetlc reasons, by the Turks; so the
latter will have the advantage of fighting
| under the most favorable conditions they
oh fA, fb.,,
ABDUL KERIM's PLAL.
The Commander-in-C Chief has been
| sneered at by certain croakers in Con-
stantinople for rot having a plan OF
compaign, but he not only is putting a
comprehensive plan into execution, but
| every move that has been made up to
the present has inspired great confidence
not only among Turks, but among
| foreign military men. Apropos of this
plan it is related that it comes from
| Moltke, who was school fellow of
Abdul Kerim Pacha. 1t is said that the
latter telegraphed to Moltke for plan
of campaign against the invader, and re-
ceived it on paying the expense of
is somewhat shaken by the addition
which always accompanies it, that
NJ oltke has been equally obliging to the
Russians. | cannot say exactly what
the Turkish plan is, and even what | do
know about it must keep to myself un-
til its accomplishment; but, speaking
generally, may say that the evacuation
of Bjela by the Turks, and their allow
ing the Russians to occupy Tirnova,
Plevna and Selwi--which must be taken
to be part of the plan-leads one to sup
pose that the plan my be likened to the
fable of the spider and the fly. Up to
the present the Russians have played
the part of fly to perfection; it remains
to be seen whether the spider will do his
work effectually. 1t has long been the
opinion of some military men out here
that the Russians would make bold
dash of cavalry across country to Satia
and seize the railway, regardless of what
happened in their rear. The advantage
of this stroke would be that the Bulgar-
ians. not knowing the real state of affairs,
would think the Russi ans had already
conq uered the country and would at
once rise to help them to finish the
work. The Bulgarians, in all probabili-
ty, would again find they had been made
catspaws of; but they are used to that.