The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-07-05
The Operations ON the Danube.

the 9umHtC, OF the DaIkahs y s-Auueeus iIg - y
matter of almost inevitable inference, from
the facts known OF the progress OF, the Rus
sian operations anti the suptneness of the
Turkish defence, that 4 practicable road
Eoyefs this yaunted barrier is In possession
ar the invader It is now confirmed from
official Il Russian sources, as we con-
iectured two or three days since to
be the case, that the Russians pass
ed the river at Sistova with i compara-
lively little loss. They had noGoccasion
to Yai1ut their heroism by braggart state
ments Of the carnage through which they
bad moved to victory, and they recount the
event as 1t was. But the Turkish command:
ers north of the Balkan, from Abdul kerim
down, ARE in al different position. They
must Justify themselves at Constantinople
for their failure to prevent, the passage OF
the Russians by declaring the aimpossibility
of moving down the innumerable masses OF
the. enemy with the artillery on hand: and
these stories, exaggerated at Constantinop
in their massage from banG to hand, become
the stable of turkish reports OF the ware Z
As the Russians passed the river without
real difficulty they also found open to them
the whole line OF the Jantra, than which
there is no more satisfactory route to the
Balkan. They have seized Biela, and re-
ports now three days old tell Of flying
column at Tirnoya. This place fs about
thirty miles from the summit Of the Balkan
by one good road (as good as any in that
country and between fifty and sixty by
another. It is an oversight on the part OF
the Russian commander II his cavalry
is NOT already on both those roads, particu-
larly as roads from Shumla reach the latter,
and his operations hitherto have shown such
well-considered regard to all the possibili-
Sies that there Is no reason to suppose he
will be caught mapping in so plain case as
this. From the Danube at Sistoya by the
Jantra line to the beadwaters of the funds
cha, south OF the Balkan, ne distance by the
road is about hun dred miles, anffrom what
we hear Of the dispersion OF flying columns OF
CossacKs on the northern slope OF the Bal
kan it is likely that every point necessary to
make the line OF the Jantra safe, foropera-
tions is now occupied by the invader. The
passage Of the Balkan at the point thus in
dicated is not an operation OF great diff
Guilty. On the southern slope the mountain
is scultivated to its summit, and axes to cut
away the brush or other wood are all that
are necessary to make roads that artillery
can pass with facility; for the soil is in
great part q broken-down limestone that
macadamizes under the wheels OF heavy We
hicles. This has been proved by Russian
operations in the same district. ..+-E
From what is reported OF the Ottoman
movements and intentions it will be seen
that Abdul Kerim ;apprehends his is,enemies'
purpose to give the Equadrilateral" the
go-by, and pass the Balkan west of Silimno,
covering his left by holding the Jantra line
with large force. Hence the significance
OF what is said Of probably decisive bat
tie to be fought near Biela. Biela is the
point at which the road from Rustchnk
to Tirnova passes the Jantra. No other
road approaches that line from the east
ward except the road at the edge OF the
Danube: II it is the intention Of the Turk
ish commander to stake the fate OF cam
paign on a decisive battle in the present
state Of the case that is the point at which
he must fight it. It is not easy, either, to
show that he could do better. His troops are
as good now as they ever will be. he is
near his base, and his troops are OF little use
for any sort OF campaign but fighting one.
II he should whip the Russians badly he
greatly retardS and may completely upset
their schemes; while, il beaten himself, he
has the fortresses near, to which he can run
and give his men chance to recover their
morale. It is therefore not improbable that
IOT LucSe TettSOus3 duu UuUc1 tuo IA oeoui VA
orders from Constantinoples. he will en-
deavor to force a great battle at onGe.'
In this contingency Bjela will, as we have
said, likely be the point of contact; as it is
the only point at which he>ean get at the
Russians whose operations are proceeding
behind the Jantra. deed, the latest dis
patches from the East report Russian re-
pulse at Biela following an attempt, TO cross
TIE. river Jantra: AL the fighting: reported
as having occurred for some days past :be!
low ,sistovais, perhaps, preliminary to this
battle-the collision of minor forces in the
manGhTres for, position. Neither COM
mander WilI Immediately urge matters, as
each will, naturally desire ,to..concentrate as
many men as possible, so That the maneu.
vres may continue Tor somebody's yef: But
a battle at this point may prove Of great
conscquence.-Neao York Herald: p