New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-05-12
NEW ORLEANS, SATURDAY, MAY H. 1877.

that Muktar PaSha has abandoned it, and
concentrated his efforts on saving Erze-
roum. He lies between the two places, so
as to delay the Russians from at once be-
sieging Erzeroum, and in the hope of de-
feating them in the mountains A tele-
gram from Erzeroum, but not official, nor
from Muktar Pasha, announces that the
Russian right and left wings are moving
from Batoum and Bayazid straight for
Erzeroum by way of certain villages so
small as not to be on any map. The Rus
sian centre, according to this telegram, re-
mains near Kars waiting for the success
Of the movement of its wings. A
glance at our summary map will show
the advantages and perils of this sort of
movement If it has taken place. If the
Russian wings are all cavalry and horse
artillery, they can dash in behind Muktar
Pasha, cut his line of supply from Erzer-
oum, and compel him to fall back
Should he attempt to crush them they can
defy his efforts, for good cavalry well sup
ported by light guns can always laugh at
any infantry that tries to bring it to action
against its will. On the other hand,
should it prove that these Russian wings
are Of infantry, they will run grave
peril, should Muktar Pasha prove an ac-
tive leader. He has evidently eoncen-
trated his forces in one spot, and is su-
perior in numbers to any of the Russian
divisions opposed to him, they being at
Bltoum, Kars and Bayazid, or Ardabau,
Kars and Bayazid. In the first case these
detachments are seventy miles apart; in
the second, thirty-fve and seventy re-
spectively. Should they attempt to move
on him in three bodies, with infantry in
all three, Muktar Pasha can, if he is ac-
tive, crush the whole three, one after the
other, cutting up Melikoff in detail. That
the Russians have any infantry in their
side columns is, however unlikely. We
may in any case expect to hear of isolated
actions during the coming week on either
wing, and most of them will be reported
as Turkish victories. Really they will
only be the attempts of Muktar Pasha to
keep the Russian cavalry from cutting his
communications, and as the Russians are
certain to retire and avoid serious ac-
ton, the Turks will be able to claim nom
inal successes.
If Kars has really fallen and the main
body of Melikoff advances, the battle for
the possession of Erzeroum will be fought
between Bardess and Hassan-Kaleh either
in the mountain gorges around Bardess
or on the banks of the river Arras before
Hassan- Kaleh, which is only fifteen miles
from Erzeroum on the straight caravan
road to Kars. In any event decisive
battle is not likely to be delayed longer
than the end of the present week, as the
Russians have already advanced so far
that not a days march separated them
from Muktar Pasha's forces.
There are only six places in Armenia
capable of resisting assault. These are
Batoum, Arabian, Kars, Bayazid, Erze-
roum and Trezebond. OF these the Rus
SLAMS have taken or neutralized all but the
last two, which are the prizes of the cam
paign. The other towns and villages are
open.
Meantime the Turkish government has
evidently walked up to its danger in the
East, for Trebizond advices report heavy
Krupp guns as being constantly landed,
while reinforcements are being hurried to
the front. The Turkish feet continues to
hang around Batoum, occasionally firing
a few shots at the Russian Black Sea vii
lagos, and generally the Turks occupy an
attitude of apprehensiye defense, waiting
patiently for the Russians to strike where
they please.
ALONG THE DANUBE.
Matters are slowly drawing to a focus.
| The Grand Duke Nicholas has passed
through Ibrail and is to-day at Ployesti.
He is expected at Bucharest day after to-
morrow. This means crossing the Dan.
ube by Sunday at one or more points. A
Constantinople telegram announces Rus.
slams at Kalafat bombarding Widdin, but
this rs obviously untrue, as the Russians
have had no time to get there. 1t is quite
! possible that the Roumanians have done
so, however, exasperated by reports oil
Turkish cruelties. The Turks seem tc
be going up and down the river while they
have the liberty, bombarding Roumaniar
villages, and one report states that the
Bashi-Bazouks made raid over the Dan.
ube during a recent bombardment, re,
turning with their plunder to the Turkish
side. This is hardly possible, unless 6
very small party was sent over in boats
| but single action of this sort would
arouse such feeling in Roumania as tc
drive its people headlong into the war al
any risk.
Heavy rains all through the Danube
valley make rapid movements very diff
cult and any advance toilsome, but all the
| kilograms, whether from Bucharest OF
Constantinople, report the Russians as
unweariedly pressing their preparations
| for crossing the river. Their advance has
now passed Bucharest, and is half way on
the road to Guiergevo, the Roumanian
village opposite Rustehuk. Meantime the
Roumanian militia has been modified, is
full of enthusiasm and will occupy Often
itza at once with all their disposable force,
division of infantry with forty guns.
These heroes, however, need not be ex-
pected to do much. They will turn out
much the same as the Servians, gorgeous
in dress but tinlid in action. All the
military movements indicate that hostili-
ties can not be put off on the Danube
frontier many more days.
The debate on English action in Turkey
is still in progress, with every likelihood
that the decision will be in favor of war
with Russia. The Greeks are also getting
ready to cross their frontier and scramble
for the spoils. The only powers that hold
off from the fight so far are Germany,
France and Italy. Austria remains doubt
ful, not neutral.
WATCHING THE BRITISH.
A London dispatch, May 8, to the Chi
cago Inter- Dee an, gives the following:
The British press is sensitive regarding
the presence of the Russian squadron at
San Francisco. 1t expresses the belief
that its chief purpose is an attack upon
and seizure of British Columbia in the
event England allies with Turkey in the
pending war. Many concur in the re-
Gently expressed declaration by the Pal
Nal Gazette that in no other part of the
world could British commerce be SO Sc