The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1877-05-26

tha, the Turkish frontier line Of defence in front
of Russian Georgia consists Of Batoom, the left
flank centre, Kars, an the centre, and Bayazid,
as its right flank central position. Russia has
parallel centres OF operations, at Fort Nicolai,
which holds Batoom in check, Alexandropol or
Goomree, forty miles from Kars, and Erivan,
watching Bayazid. Biblical Mount Ararst tow
ers above Erivan. About fifty miles to the north
of Kars is Arabian, where the last kilograms
report an engagement between the belligerents.
The position Of the two armies in Asia aiinor
may thus be briefly summed up: The Russians
took the offensive, attacked Batoom on the coast,
where the victory was claimed By both sides, but
is given to the Turks with best right; in their
attack on the centre of the Turkish line Of 'front.'
Ter defence at Kars, the Russians were hurled
back from the fortress with heavy loss, after two
unsuccessful assaults, the old city of the Pagra-
tides maintaining its fighting reputation unsul-
lied; in fine, at Bayazid the Russians have gained
a slight and unimportant advantage.
Thus far, we have explained the land opera
tiOns in Trans-caucasa: Meanwhile the Turkish
feet has been engaged in the bombardment of
Russian places upon the coasts OF the Black sea;
Poti and Anaklia were both shelled by the Turk
ish war vessels. The former place is at the
month Of the river Rioni; its harbor is not good,
and it is protected by oblong forts, fanked by
large towers. Anaklia is about twenty miles to
the north of Poti, and poorly defended. The
Turkish attack on these two places seems to have
been made for q diversion Of the Russian land at
tack from Batoom. The Russians appear to have
had no war vessels, and the towns were probably
destroyed by the Turkish shells. On the opposite
side of the Black Sea, in European Turkey, 1t
Galatz on the Danube, the Turkish hotilLa has also
been active, and bombarded that place. Galatz
is a very important strategic point; it is the
Danube terminal station of the Roumanian
Railway, and is a large and prosperous Rouman-
ian port. The Russians have been concentrating
their forces around Galatz, having occupied
Roumania without opposition, but in fragrant
violation of the treaty Of 1856. The lombard
ment of Galatz, then, opens the lighting in
European Turkey.
Having thus detailed the actual war operations
which had taken place up to our latest tele-
graphic dates, we now proceed to glance at the
g diplomatic situation observing before pro-
ceeding to this subject, that as a strategic meas
ure Russia was preparing, it was thought, to
send troops across the Danube into Servia, 60 as
to revive the war in that Turkish Principally.
From a diplomatic point of view, it was stated
that Turkey sought friendly Intervention with
out success; also, that Earl Derby had
minated to Russia that England did not
approve of the course followed by that power;
to which Russia made no reply whatever. As
regarded Egypt, the threat of Russia to have
recourse to reprisals in case the Khedive aided
the Turks, caused anxiety in great Britain, but
England was not prepared to shut out war-vessels
from the Suez canal,-which would be tanta-
mount to a blockade of the Khediye's Red Sea
squadron,-and seemed inclined to protect the
canal "a ct arms, SO that a Russian attack upon
Egypt might lead to very serious results.
France is reported to have counselled the Khe-
dive not to aid the Padishah, and has also de-
clared a strict neutrality. Singulary enough, the
kilograms say not a word about Austria or
Prussia, which powers may be supposed to be
anxious spectators of this bloody drama, whose
first act has already commenced. Heaven only
knows what will be its last act; but the respon-
sibility of all this human bloodshed rests with
the Russian Gar, who has taken the initiative.
The next mail from San Francisco will proba-
bly, convey some very decisive news, and the an
noupcement of a general European war cannot
take any person by surprise. But in conclusion
let US ~fervently pray that God may avert such a
calamity