The Morning herald., 1877-10-31
EMEHaRCR 20 CONSVANIINOPiF

General Gourkus operation in rear o
Plevns is Of the greatest importance in the
critical condition of Osman's forces. For
| over three mouths the Russian Army in
| European Turkey has Iuade no advance.
| It has gone 3 step beyond the point it has
| reached early in July. It's march, which
| threatened to sweep over the Balkans and
into the surprised cities bey ond, waa arrest
| el by the occupation Of Plevna on its
TANKS !; and the presence Of q Turkish ar.
my, comparatively inconsiGerabe in num-
bers, at that point has paralyzed all that
momentCus sCtivitv and forced halt that
has continued through the'summer. Fifty
ttousap, men in a fortified position have
stopped an investing force Of least two hun
dred thousand. checkma,ed them completes
", compelled them to waste the slmmer
in futile operations to free their aanks from
ihis dangerous presence, and finally
brought them Perilously near to the winter
without permitting stepo practical pro
gresa beyond what was attained before
plevna was occupied. This is 4 great
military SUcvess, and if it shall be main
'atnca 70 the sul-ir at tie last the Rus
SLAMS are fnaIiy foj!ei in front Of tbe
stronghold on the Vid-Osman Pasll.',
triumrh VIII be one Of the most note,
worthy in the history Of mod,rn wars:
one OF Tie greatest successes OF skill and
tenac.ty that ever restored the equilibrium
Of an unequal conflict. But the end is not
reached yet, and crisis is at hand tha,
may overwhelm the corqueror Osman.
If Osluan can hold out for a short time
between this and winter, and then gel
away, he wilt accomplish wonders for
when tie winter has rendered operations
impossible his presence at PIeyna will be
unnecessary to prevent the Russian ad-
vance, and the point desirable then will be
to save the army.
Eut II Ghazl Osman's success is not car.
ried to the final point If at last the Musco-
vites overcome his gallant resi- lance, their
triumph will be almost "a grea, rs if they
had reached Constau incl pie for the effect
Of The events incident 10 the occupation Of
Plevna has been 10 concentrate the war in
Europe at that point. Save only the force
necessary to hold other meraced points ali
the power that the Porte can WELD in Bul.
garia is in P'evna or near it, and if thai
power is crushed, more especially now ths,
ihs Russians have gained great success in
Armenia, the Ottomans will not be able TO
fight another great battle in Europe, aod
the complete destruction Of the force a,
Plevna is imminent. 1t was intended
perhaps, that it skould retreat and winter
at Orchanie, and, therefore, the story was
spread that it was intended to supply
plevna for the winter. But the Russians
have taken bond Of fa,e' on this point.
the establishment Of rong force in rear
Of Plevna will compel = general action,
for which they are certainly far better pre-,
pared than The Turks. For if the Turks
are on the run they will have to fgh,
their way out; but if thev anticipate snps
pies and the supplies fail 10 reach them,
hey must fight battle rather than starve
iu their lines Decisive events are, there
fore imminent ; tor, if the Turks win, the
csmEaigu reaches a close disastrous for the
Russians, while, if they lose, they have no
fgrlher hope in battle and must make peace
on the victor's Terms.