New-York tribune., 1877-05-28
rHE ADYANCE on ERZERUM.

TIE ADVANCE ON ERZERUM.
THE BOMB ,EpMENT or KAbs sLACKENiNG-THE
RUSSIANS RFPUIsED AT BATUM.
LONDON. Saturday Nav 26, 1877.
r,ro1o Tidis il is reported that the Russian COM
oonJr-iu-eief is about TO transfer his headquarters
+.,ro ,bat city TO Aexandropol, town close at the
T,rlisb frontier A telegram from Ererum says
,bo Russian bombardmert of Karadagh and TAX
-, forts and outworks Of Kars is now only carried
~ a. intervals. the Turkish batteries replying It
:; bovreyer. admitted at CouStan,inopie that the
p,.;ans continue To advance on Er1ergm. A battle
i.evnected shortly. The Russian right wing is at
Ot,i and the left az Van. A Russian attempt To
throw a bridge over the river before the Turkish
l;,os at B,tum was repulsed with loss. The Turkish
r,versss are accounted for by a report from Sir
Arnold Kimball a British military attache, who
Gives a yerv deplorablc account of the Ottoman
ries in Asia which he represents rs lacking every
thing an army should have, except courage and
nat,ence. Sir Arnold anticipates that the RuaSian
armies viii not find any serious military resistance
in Asia and that tho only real difficulties they Will
baveto encounter are those of the country and eli
mate. - ...-,.
One cf the best roads in Asia Minor runs from Ba-
tpn along the River Choruk through Arivin to Olti,
NJ
ohut 80 miles northeast of Perta'yrak and follows
atributarv \ of the Ch0ruk 20 TOrtoum guarding tho
northern entrance Of the pass leading into the valley
oftLe Kara or Western Euphratcs. Thence 1t runs
Though q swampy valley, south of which lies Ere
rnm The importance of this road cannot be over
rated Il is the best and shortest line OF c0mmuni-
cation between Erzerum and the sea coast. The OBJ
ject OF the Russian attack on Batum is thought to
be- less 20 obtain possession Of the town itself than
10 control this road and cut of communication with
Eucmm. They have succeeded and pushed their
advance already TO Aryiu 40 miles from Batum.l
From Arabian one road runs south 10 Kars, an
other 10 Arlauudsch. where it branches west to
Aryin and south to Tavasgerd and Olt third
road leads from Arabian via Urut across the noun
tgins TO Olti and BaIdcss On their retreat from Ar
daban the Turks used the roads leading westward
and south-wcstward, part escaping 10 Ardanudsch
AID part across the mountains to Oti.
Dispatches received during the past week from
Turkish sources report that The Russians have since
occupied the Olti road from Kars to Erzerum, which
divides a short distance from Kars. branches rum
nng nearly parallel. the northern through pass in
the soghaulu range htle south OF BaIdess, and the
southern through Deli Musa and across a similar
pass TO junction with the northern branch at
Chorsan One road leads from Eryau, through the
valley of the Arras. to Kaqsman. Here 1t branches
uorthward TO Kars, communicating by side road
with Getscheven. A more important road from
EIiyan Is tie highway leading via Aralych across
the Persian frontier, TO Bursian, Sulmursa, and
Bayazid. This road WAS used 10y the Russians in
their advance upon Bayazd. The Eryan column
had at last accounts reached JeranOs.
sTRENGIH OF Tia CONTENDING FORCES.
The plan of the Russian advance is thus clear.
Tie center of the Asiatic army under Mclikofi, Is
estimated nj 10000 men and 2f0 cannon; the right
WING or Rion corps, under Gen. OSOlojio, numbers
$1,000 men and 10 guns; the left wing, or Erivan
corps, under Cen TergukadoG, 10000 men and 15G
guns
The Turks have about 10000 men in the NEIGH
borhood Of Erzerum and about 10000 in Kars
It's impossible 70 give a truStwosthy account
OF tie number of guns, as those sent from
Constantnoplc may be still at Trebizond or on
the road An signs indicate that the Russians in
tend 70 attack Mukhta's position by two flank
Kovemeuts one from the line Of Batum, Ariyin, and
Arlanudsch the other from Bayazid. The Turks are
already foriiying ErzinRan 80 miles southwest Of
Eiz.uml i'm anticipation Of being forced to
leave Frzrrum. revolt in the Caucasus
can be productive only Of petty ANNOYANCE
III view of the precautions adopted and the advance
Of tie Russian army. which is closely followed by
another army OF civil fuuctonaIics; so that by the
time the Russian commanders get To Lrzerum All OF
that Pashail east OF the River Choruk will be q
Russian province. The districts of'StuTage Blya-
zil, and Dalm are already under Russian admins
trs'ion That Elzerum viii be permanently occu-
pedis The conviction openly expressed III authcri-
tatye circles IN TiIis.
ST. PEIaRsmRG, May q, 1877.
dispatch from the army Of the Caucasus says:
"G.n. Meliko1, with eight battalous and some
artillery, and Gen. Dewel, with seven batialiOns,
have left Arabian TO join She forces near
Kus The Bayazid column had made
reconnaissance toward Van. Kurdish
iuegan VINO had been threatening their
rear del before tLe Russian advance. The health
Of the troops everywhere is satisfactory Tranquil
lty is restored ~ the Terek territory in Circassia
Deghestan is quiet"
The Circassians in Trus-Caucasia have sdrfeh-
oeTed theirauu to the Russians
Tie Russian General, Prince Tscheokoicf, who
was wounded al Arabian, is dead.
The Russian official Messdger announces that the
Persian Mohamuid Ali MeIza has entered the Rus
sian army Of the Caucasus