Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-06-06

chief, is old and in bad
health. The troops are we'll armed,
the cavalry especially, and fairly
horscd. Hospital arrangements not
worth mentioning and there is much
sickness and scurvy. Vegetable diet
lately issued at the request Of an Eng
lis: doctor proved beneficial. Chic
reform is much needed. Three
fourths of the officers are newly APP
pointed and have had no previous
training. The general fault of the
army is lack of organization and
Oriental slowncss. Some Of the Off
GERS, however, are able and hard
working. At Varna the Austrian
Gen. Strecker, works day and night
Only one English officer is in the ar
my and he is merely captain of
cavalry.
LONDON, June A despatch to the
Times, from Danilograde states that
the bulk of the Turkish forces at
Podgoritza, except about Is battalions
have advanced to Spuze, probably
with the intention of attacking Soga-
nu. Suleiman Pasha, Turkish Com
mander in Herzegovina, has recciv-
ed considerable reinforcements A
hard fight is expected at Krustaza.
Four hundred and fifty insurgents
and Montenegrins attacked village
Of Stozer on the 3lst of May and des-
troycd the village. The Turkish loss
was lis regulars and 80 irregulars
killed. The Montencgrins lost Ill
killed and 10 wounded.
LONDON, June, 1.-The Daily Tele-
graphs story of the destruction of
Moussa Pasha's Circassians'is a gross
eXageration. A Russian official &C.
count says the Circassians were dis
persed, losing the modest number of
50 KILLED, out of total of 1900 en-.
gagged, which is much more proba-
BILE story.
The Standards Constantinople COR
respondent says the fate of the cam.
paign in Asia is practically settled.
Mukhtar Pasha is about.to fall back
on Erzeroum, which he learns from
the best authority, is wholly open
and cannot be helped. The Russians
arc advancing in force toward Diar-
bckir and there is nothing to prevent
them from getting possession of the
Euphrates valley.
Reports from Turkish sources con-
corning the Danube army are on the
other hand exceedingly hopeful.
By Cable to the Inter- Ocean.
LONDON, June 4.-The Herald cor
respondent at Erzeroum telegraphs
that Kars in not completely invested
by the Russians. The Russian forces
are concentrated around Kukhtar,
Asia, and their headquarter have been
advanced, SO that we may look for
decisive news from that quarter very
soon. The situation is grave in the
extreme. A great battle that will de-
eide the campaign in Asia must be
fought soon, and there can be but
little doubt of its ending in Russian
victory.
The Herald correspondent at Blu
charest telegraphs that the Car will
arrive at Ploejesti on Wednesday
next at o'clock p. m. Col. Porcovich
and the Minister of Foreign Affairs
will meet the Emperor at Kischcnefi,
and Prince Charles Of Roumania will
receive him al Jassy. Gen. Ignatief
will arrive at Ploijesti on Tuesday.
1t is known that on the demand Of
Austria Little Wallachia will be con-
sidered neutral ground,
. The Herald correspondent In Con-
stantinople announces that the news
of theicapturc of Fort IN, near Sukum
kaleh, by the Turks Is confirmed.
Musta Pasha Bey, the Turkish COM
mander, compelled the Russian gar
rison, which was 5000 strong, to fly,
leaving their tents and munitions Of
war behind them. The Russians
crossed the river kodar, destroying
the bridge behind them. The Rus
slams lost 800 killed, and the Turks
captured eight guns.
TERRIBLE STROKE by THE RUSSIANS,
+ LONDON, June "A correspondent
OF the Daslg Telegraph sends the fol-
TRzERouM, June AL have, to
record the most terrible event of the
present war. Two. nights ago 1900
Clrcassian cavalry, commanded by
Mousha Pasha, We're ordered to pro-
coed towards Kars, entirely unsup-
ported by infantry or artillery. They
rested for the night at Bekli Ahmed.
The Russians secretly organized a
powerful force, and during the night
surrounded and surprised the village
IN which the Circassians had halted.
Only five per cent of the entire force
OF 4,0W Circassians escaped the car.
mage which followed. Mousha Pasha
himself is among the missing. The
Circassians fought desperately, and
no quarter was given.
LONDON, June "a dispatch from
Calcutta to the Times says the latest
news from the famine districts is
more cheerful. A general rainfall
has greatly improved prospects.
sf SOME CATERPILLARs.
LONDON, Ont, June 5.-Trains on
the different railroads are much de-
layed, this morning, by caterpillars.
The tracks arc covered with millions.
NEW YORK, June 1.-The Heyala's
London says a dispatch from Ere
ronm, dated Yesterday, p. M, says
Russian scouts have been seen from
the Heights Of Jeneky. The retreat
Of the Ottoman corps from Karaki-
lissa to Brak Kaleh and Delibia is
threatened by an advance detachment
Of the Russian center.
The news received at Russian
headquarters ut Ploegesti, from Asia,
is very meagrc. From the army op-
Grating In the neighborhood of ,Kars
is announced that heavy fighting is
taking place near Oltor, on the lower
Bodor river. AS yet no details are
given. The fighting arose from an
attemptt to pass the river.
A dispatch from Rustchuk says
Notwithstanding reports published in
English journals not a single Russian
soldier has yet crossed the Danube.
Attention is now concentrated on
Nicapolis and Oltenitza, but every.
thing is now comparatively quiet at
those points.
NEW York, June IA London
special says despatch from st. Pc
aCI sDul ons thut IluCt uOrtScnAks
offs note to Lord Derby, of which
Count Schouvalof is bearer, states that
the Car does not want any terrific
rial increase in Europe, but only de-
sircs autonomy for Bulgaria and the |
of Roumania and Ser
via. He also demands the cession Of
Armenia from Bayizad to the coast, |
but not including Erzeroum.