, 1877-12-12

O1clOfy, Que gay suTHlieiuS QUO | Inys
the next day something else, ard the
third day contradicting both surmises, and
fsretelling quite a different possibility.
If such is the case, we must. while plead
ing guilty 10 the charge, point out the
many extenuating circumstances in our
favor. In the Crst place al our remarks
on this head must be (f we would keep
pace with the limes) somewhat hypothe-
tical. Our news, liz its telegraphic form
is 90 vague, sometimes so contradictory
that it is impossible to say what 10 be GER
tain of or what to doubt. And after all
this is but a slight addition to the Difficult
ties that the European Journalist has to
contend against, for even the most
authentic aud elaborate accounts must
needs be CO contradictory, for the war itself
lie but a series of the most startling con-
tradictions. The Turks are beaten to-day,
the Russians to morrow. So in the pre-.
sent instance, up to the date of our last
issue, the prospects Of the Turks were
decidedly very bad Indeed, 80 much SO,
that we ventured to ~loreteil that unless
some great Improvement took place, and
that speedily. We should hear soon Of q
general retreat of the Turkish forces.
We fortunately left a loophole Of escape
in thu at little word "if,'' tor even while
we wrote the great improvement had
commenced, and up to the date of the
present issue we ave received nothing
but favorable reports of Turkish fighting.
Their successes in Europe have been wonder
full and startling, and again taking refuge
for our reputa ion, behind the conjunction,
we say "if' the present Turkish successes
continue we must look for a decided
check to the Russian advance and an indie
6nite prolongatiOl of the war.
From the ASiatic side We have had no
fun Their news, we left Erzfroum IN immi-
nent danger of being taken, and so the
matter stands now for all we know to
the contrary.
From Europe, however we have daily
information. On the 9th instant we fad
Mehemet Ali was not so overwhelmed
by the reported panic at Sophia, but that
he was ready to give the Russians a warm
reception, ultimately rePulsiaS their
attack at Kamarli.
On the sans date we fad Suleiman Pasha
assuming the offensive against the Russians
at Elena, a town about 80 miles from
Tirnova. and after desperate fighting sue
ceeding in capturing the place, killing
5000 Russians. This success besides
beiag in the desired direction, has been
the cause of the liberation of 10 battalions
of Turkish troops who were penned in
by the Russians while guarding the
Hain-Boghaz Pass, about 10 miles south
of Elena. The intention OF Su'eiman
appears to be to advance on Tirnova.
where he will be within so miles OF
Plevna, where Osman Pasha is still sur
rounded by an army said to amount to
100 900 men composed of Russians and
Roumanial IS. THIS spirited action on the
part of Suleimao, points to the possibility
OF Osman Pasba being relieved, when. as
he is reported to have an army OF nearly
so, 900 men with him, he will be able to
present a serious obstacle to the Russian
advance. Mehemet Ali also appears TO
be pressing forward to join Suleiman, or
to act in concert with him, for on the
9th he reports improvements in his posi-
ton, and the falling back Of the Russians.
On the 18th the capture of Popkoi by
the Turks is reported, and the fact hat
Russian accounts state that Suleiman's
advance on Tirnova has been checked,
proves that he is at least maxim some
progress in the right direction.