Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-06-11
The Eastern War.

great causes Of the proclamation OF a state Oh
siege was the delay and unsatisfactory Working
of the Rcumanian railways. All railway CHI
cia|s are now brought under ELECTION to the
military authorities.
The Russians attempted 10 cross the Danube
10 force between NIkopolis and SlstoVa or bril-
day, but were repulsed.
The secret of the plan Of Russian operations
on the Danube has been We'll kept. The lew spe-
cial correspondents who are allowed to accom-
papy the Russian array arc forbidden undcr pain
ofiustaut expulsion from camp, to scad any de-
| tails which might give clue to the Russians
designs, and consequently there has been little
news from the Russian side, where operations
have been confined to reconuolSsapces, ty which
the Russians are being kept fully posted IN the
disposition of the Turkish commanders. The
same cannot be said for the Turks, who see q
regiment 10 every Cossack, and shut their eyes
| in terror. They have not, like the RusslaD7
any freddy population to assist them with in
| formation The disposition and State OF pre-
marathon Of the opposing forces lead to the be-
lief that there will be heavy canoradbg all
along the Danutc, coupled with raids aud 'cints
in various directions, under cjvcr Of Which
there will be simultaneous attacks by the Rus
slams in force at OItcuitza, Rustchuk. Sistova
and Turnu Masurelli, with diversions at X ala
fat and IbrsiI. 1t is not probable that any
thing of importance in the way OF crossing IN
| force will take place for the next week. What
ever may be the other points at which coss-
ing will foaIly be attempted, Rustchuk seems
particularly unlikely 10 be left unmoe3icd, as
on the possession Of Rustchuk will depend the
command of the railway, which ls OF tie great
cst importance to Russia. In reference ID the
| report which states that another crossing Is
confidently expected at Iierzova, with view
of gaining the short line railway running from
Tchernavoda to Kustepdji, any atteupt at au
effective resistance would probably cause such
an attempt 10 force TO be abandoned, as i
march through the fever hauutcd Dobrujia
ought to be as rapid as possible. There are
two Turkish gunboats in The mouth OF the rl7
| er l4om and Two at the mouth OF tic lantra.
Two Turkish monitors which had been pre-
vented from ascending the Danube - iorpc-
does placed off HeIzOva succeeded III exiicat-
ing themselves and reaching Tchcr1avoda, thus
furoishiog an additional obstacle to any kus'
sian attempt 10 capture the runway NCIF ithti'
navoda to KusteudjL
The Roumanian militia have bacn disbanlel.
A cauponade from Turkish batteries near
Rustchuk continued all day. According to !hc
latest accounts it was directed agaiust large
bodies Of Russian troops aud Russian batteries
on the opposite bank OF the Danube, causing
considerable damage.
A dispatch from Silistria says i! is; reported
the Turks, by agreement with the railway cnN,-
pany, have cut the dykes and flooded The kua-
tendi and Tchernavoda Railway, aud convert,
ed the hills sklrting the road into line Of de-
| fence extending from the sea 20 the Danube.
Large numbers Of Circassian hnrsnmea Assem-
blcd at Rustchuk are being equipped With arms
OF precision and put under command OF coupe
tent officers.
| A Russian force from Arabian has rcchri
Ardanudsch. The Governor and four battal.
ions Of the garrison OF Abraham lave reached
ErZaroum. The Governor sill b. caurt mar.
tailed. There has been sklrmlsh with the
advance Of the Russian right wing near Mari
man. Mukhtar Pasha has sent force to cut
the communications Of tho Russian tight and
centre. There is no news from kaT$.
| Mukhtar Pasha tclegrapha that the Russians
have retrcated from OH to Penck. There
| had been DO engagement.
| Inc iQlcSl uiSpdtCICo llUuI iIihGipuLI Hl'lE
| that the Russians continue their advance.
| Mukhtar Pasha has drawn closer to Ei2arouEl,
where battle appears imminent.
10 the movements 90 the Aslallc side re-
corded last week, which showed that the Russian
centre and right wing had joined and advanced,
the former on the passes OF the Soghauiu Noun.
tains, and the latter on Olti and along the Cha
ruk Valley, there must DOW be added the Tact
| that the Russian centre has obtained communi,
cation with the left wing, 50 that the eastern
| heads of the passes between the Soghaulu and
Kireth ranges, near Mdshiper, are already in
| their hands, Mukhtar Pasha having Withdrawn
| from his position between OH and Bardcz and
taken up fresh line between koprukoi ard
| Hazzan Kach. Mukhtar has thereby i'm.
proved bis position, il he has sufficient force
north Of ErZeroum to check the advance Of the
Russian right wing This, however, is very
doubtful, especially as his position at Kylly,
south of the Araxes. is threatened by the ex.
treme left of the Russian wing left wing. y
portion Of tho Russian left was detached at
Jeranos, probably With the desire to turn Mukh.
tar s strong position at KopruEoi, on the ArsX.
passes leading down the valley of the Araxes, is
steep and difficult, as indeed is also the descent
| from the Kasber range to Kylly, which is about
one half hours march from the AraXes. II the
Turks stand their ground, which they can only
| do if they have sufficient men guarding the
northern approaches to Erz:roun, tie plain OF
Araxes will be the scene of 6 sanguinary battle.
The great length Of the Russian lines of com,
munication, with the two fairly gartisoncd fort
| resses Of kars and Batoum 10 their rear, ncccs-
states great caution on their part because if
the Turks had sufficient enterprise or available
forces they would long since have sent large re
Inducements by sea to Batoum and endoavorcd
to break through the circle which the RuSsiao
Rion corps has been forming on The heights
around the land side Of that towu. A vigorous
effort 10 this direction might yet save Erze-
roum. The Turks appear to be becoming hast
| lily aware of this fact, and some reinforcemcnls
have been ordered to Batoum; but efforts in
| this direction do not appear very serious
Mebmet Ali Pasha. commander at Novi ia
Ear, telcgraphs as follows 1.-THE Turks cor
tnue to advance into Montenegro territory.
They havn thrnUn hrlen over the river | in