The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1877-06-02
THE WAR.

war news by the last mail our latest San Fran
cisco files to hand are to May 23rd
The special correspondent of the Daily Tele-
0raph sent a despatch from Batoom, giving the
particulars of the great battle between the bel
ligerents at that place. The engagement began
about 5 A. NJ. The nights ON the side of the
land were occupied by Bashi-Bazouks; the
Russians, with field artillery, advanced in strong
numbers to attack the nights forming the land
side defences of Batoom. The intrenched Otto
mans met this furious onslaught with a deadly
FIRE of artillery and musketry, which strewed the
field below with heaps of the Russian dead and
dying. Meanwhile, a force of Turkish cavalry
and infantry, under cover of the cannonade from
the front, made an attack upon the tanks of the
Russian assailants, committing dreadful havoc,
till the arrival of Russian achievements from
the rear somewhat relieved the position of the
Muscovites. The battle ragged with undated
fury till noon, all the efforts of the Russians to
storm the Turkish intrenchments being repulsed
by the Bashi-Bazouks. Shortly after midday,
the Russian fire began to slacken, and they soon
after retreated, leaving the enormous number of
1000 dead and wounded Russians as the result of
their operations against the intrenchments of the
DdEUl-bdZOuh6 III u uucl VI tOO 1hO
London TeIegrdph's special correspondent adds
that the Russians lost many guns, and that the
actual fight lasted over eight hours, but the
Russians did not finally retreat till near midnight.
Khalim Bey was killed on the side of the Turks.
The advantage gained by the Turks at Batoom
was a compensation for their subsequent reverses
at other points along the Georgian frontier.
After several days of unsuccessful assaults upon
Arabian which were repulsed by the Turks,
General Melikoff telegraphed to the Grand Duke
Michael the capture of that place on May 18th
TNthe wall was preached on that day by the Russian
artillery, and after a hard fight the Turks re-
treated 10 good order to Ardeludzb. General
I Melikoff reports bis losses in the engagement, to
have been l officer killed and so soldiers, with 4
| officers and $50 soldiers wounded. The London
Times considers the fall of Abraham a 90 great
advantage - to the Russians, as 1t will enable
them to engage more troops against Kars and
subsequently against Erzeroom.
Meanwhile the old castle of the Pagratides,
invincible Kars, resists all the combined efforts of
the Russians to capture it. Our last London
telegram of May 22nd, states that the Russians
were preparing for a vigorous attack on Kars, and
a Turkish telegram from Erzeroom of May 23rd,
reports an assault. The troubles of the Russians
in that part of the world weie on the increase,
as the latest kilograms report an Instruction of
the Circassians and other subjects
of Russia in Trans-Caucasia. A telegraph from
Constantinople, May 22nd, states that the Sultan
had ordered the purchase of %, 1000 reviewers,
out of the privy purse, for the Caucasian insur-
gents.
The Turkish feet was causing a downright
panic along all the coasts of the Black Sea. The
Russian port of Soukoum Kaleh had been bonn
barded and destroyed by the Turkish shells.
Odessa was in an aproar, and the Russian Gov
eminent was taking measures to strengthen its
defences.
The Crimean coasts were watched by IL Turkish
Squadron, and the people of the Crimea, of the
Old Krim Tartars, whose grandfathers were
Turkish subjects, were preparing TO rise against
the Russians to a man. On the whole, the oper-
atoms in Asia and on the Black Sea so far
appear to be in favor of the Osmanlees. But
the fall of Arabian might occasion serious diff
culties in the way of the concentration of Turkish
troops for the defence of Kars and Erzeroom.
On the other hand the occupation of SoukOum
Kaleh by the Turks and the insurrection of the
Mohammedan races in the Caucasian provinces of
Asia are likely to counteract the advantages
gained by the Russians at Arabian.
In Turkey in Europe, the movement of con-
centrating the Russian army on the Danube
continued up to the latest dates. A force of
300, 900 Russians was reported as only a short
way from the Danube, and it was expected that
they would attempt the passage of the river at
several places. Oltenitza was bombarded by the
m II U.-kIras - l. 1911 II n IL
Danube was set on FIRE. At Ibraila, a Turkish
ironclad was sunk by the Russian shells, with
800 men on board, and Hassan Bey, on May
18th. A despatch from Vienna to the London
Standard, dated May 2lst, announces that the
Russians were expected to make a powerful
attempt to cross the Danube at Turtukai and
Sistova in q few days. Up to the period of our
latest dates, no general passage of the Russian
army of invasion across the Danube had been
undertaken.
The " diplomatic situation. = according to our
last reports, shows no interference as yet of the
other powers in the Eastern war. Roumania
had formally declared war against it's Suzerain
the Padishah, and being n Vassal state, the
Porte is now free from all the treaties which
guaranteed it's autonomy. Austria seemed in
clined to occupy Servia, in defence of the inter-
ests of that power. The Hungarians at home,
and in Pera, i~nstigated by kossuth, were calling
upon the Emperor to declare war against Russia.
An attempt had been made by Turkey to raise
the Poles, against which Prussia protested.
England was still resolved to protect the Suez
Canal, and the Khedive was about to send troops
to help the Turks, which was likely to compli-
cate the Egyptian difficulty. The shereef of