The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-05-11
THE WAR IN THE EAST

Cable dispatches state that in the Caucasus
the Russian army crossed the frontier at three
different points. There was some sharp fight
ing, resulting, according to Russian reports, in
the defeat of the Turks. The fortified town of
Bayazid was abandoned by the Turkish troops
and occupied by the Russians. The Russian
advance into Roulnania was being conducted by
slow stages, the campaign being seriously
hindered by wet weather, flooded streams and
boggy roads.
Berlin advices bring the assurance that Bis
marck fully concurs in the opinions expressed
by Won Moltke in his recent speech in the Prus-
sian Parliament.
The cable furnishes the following brief ac-
count of the battle of Kars in Asiatic Turkey ::
The center of the Russian army, 40, 600 strong,
tackled Mukhtar five miles from Kars. The
Turks fought desperately. The Russians sup
ported by powerful artillery, succeeded in dis
lodging them from their positions. Mukhtar
called out all his reserves and attempted
to recover the lost ground with 10000
men. but was defeated and driven back under
the guns of Kars. The Russian losses were
considerable, and those of the Turks enormous.
A Turkish monitor commenced to lombard
the town of Ibrail in Roumania, but was COM
PEELED to withdraw, having been set on fire by
he Russian batteries.
The Turks are evacuating the Dobrudscha,
and slowly falling back upon the line of defense
The Roumanian troops have taken possession
of Kalafat, and will defend it against the Turks.
The Turkish newspapers have been placed
under administrative control.
Turkey has declared the whole Russian coast
of the Black sea in a state Of blockade.
Dispatches from Bucharest of the Sth inst.
tate that the Cossack advance guard was not
ar from that city. The Russians were in
trenching themselves very strongly between
Ibrail and Reni and mounting heavy
guns in the intrenchments. The
bulk Of the Turkish army was
thought to be massing toward silistria and
Rustchuk. A dispatch from st. Petersburg
states that the batteries on the Baltic sea are
being put in effective order, and that the tor
pedoes are ready to be placed in the Gulf OF
Finland. The cause of all this preparation fan
from the seat of war is the great distrust OF
England which prevails at the capital Of the
Gar
In the recent encounter near Batoum, on the
Black sea, the Russians were defeated with the
loss of three pieces of artillery.
The people Of Greece are clamoring for war
The Ministry, however, are in favor of main
tanning strict neutrality in the present compli
cations.
The blockade OF the Russian ports on the
Black sea will be maintained by fleet Of twenty
Turkish ships.
The Russians began the bombardment OF
widdin, opposite Kalafat, on the Danube, or
the Sth inst
meeting was held in London, the other
night, at which resolutions were passed declar.
ing that for England TO engage in war which
might have the effect of the prolonging OF
Turkish rule would be crime against the
world.
At Constantinople confidence has been some
what revived by the tone of Lord Derby's let
ter, and the Turks are again hoping for armed
intervention in their behalf.
Vienna dispatches report that the Russians
were repulsed at the stor1ning Of Kars on the
18th and 9Th Of May. 1t is stated that two
fruitless efforts were made to carry the citadel
by assault. The Russians, it was thought
would invest the place and proceed with the
bulk of their forces toward Erzeroum.