New-York tribune., 1878-03-30

retention office everywhere regarded as synoh!-
nous with the preservation of peace.
The National Zeifung remarks that England Is uh-
doubtedly preparing for warlike enterprises.
HORRORS OF WAR AT ERZERUM.
THOUSANDS WITHOUT FOOD--AN AMERICAN MIS-
sIONARY DOING HIS UTMOST FOR THE NEEDY
FUEL sCANTY-TREBIzOND DECLINING.
IFROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE ]
TREBIZoND, Feb. Notwithstanding negotia.
tons for peace have been gong on for more than a
month with apparent success, Erzerum was, down
to the 31st ult., under close siege. At that time
messenger from the French Consul passed the Rus
sian lines, bv special permission, bearing the consul
lar official dispatches. and by courtesy few pr-
vate letters. The cold too intense and the snow
too deep for active military operations, but it was
only necessary for the Russians to wait quietly
until the gaunt wolf. hunger. should do
his terrible work. Prices had reached ten
times their usual SCALE and thousands were with
out bread, some having already died of starva-
ton. Mr.. Cole, the only American missionary now
on the ground, was doing his utmost with the
limited means placed at his disposal to feed the
starving throng that daily crowded his rooms He
then had 300 families on his relief list, with the
prospect that the number would soon rise to 500.
Before this he will have received the news Of n
second appropriation of about $1,000 from the
Turkish Compassionate Fund.- which is under the
special patronage of Mr.. Layard, English Ambas'
sador.
1t may be hoped that the raising of the siege OF
Erzerum. now near at hand, if not already accom-
plished will partially relieve the suffering But the
region has been so thoroughly stripped and devas-
tated by the two contendng armies during the past
year that many months, if not years will be neces-
sary for a complete recuperation. Efforts OF the
benevolent should be continued yet for many
months to come. Any one who may wish TO share IN
this help can forward contributions to Rev {. T..
Bush. ID. d. 80 Bible House, New-York, or TO l.. :.
Ward, esq. Treasurer American Board. Congrega-
tional House, Boston.
Thus far. little has been attempted in this relief
work, save 10 give scanty supply OF bread to the
suffering If there were sufficient means, meats,
soups fuel, and medicines might be furnished. Thus
far all this has been impossible The desitution OF
fuel has been most appalling. In the best tnneS
wood tor ETZerum is brought on clumsy ON.carts' OF
the backs of animals five or eight days Journey.
The supply is scant and the price so hgh that at
all times thousands of the poor can have Tor VIM
ters supply not more than cart LOAD or TWO. tOr
cooking purposes all stable refuse Is carefully pre-
served. and made INTO cakes and died. lhls fuel,
called "tezek," is lighted with brush IN thc
cylindrical ovens Of the natives, sunken IN tnc
ground. After the days baking is over, sort OF
table is set the oven. and that Is covered Win
blankets as To retain all the heat OF the oven.
Under this table the people place their feet Keeping
them well roasted while their shoulders and backs
are freezing in the outside frosty air An earIhen
dish of burning Goals Is sometimes placed under nls
tabie-affair, when the heat of the oven HIS Inc
villagers, aud those in the city who have cattle,
crowd a large number of them into a cl lose stable
and congregate with them as to share their
warmth. With mercury at TO- to 20 below zero
Fahrenheit outside the temperature of such a
stable often rises to so above zero. The hot tunes
and the disgusting smells of such place can Oe
better imagined than described. But 9i'eh nave hnIe
welcomed nights lodging ID such place after q
long ride in the slngng air OF these mountains oi
Ararat.
This wear nearly all :hese expedieI rs for warmth
have failed The carts that were accustomed to
carry wood to market were pressed INTO the service
Of forwarding munitions Of war from this city &c
Erzerum and kars and the little wood that found
it's way TO market was bought up by the Govern
ment no one being allowed To compete for II. The
animals have largely died been killed. so that the
stables are cold aud there is but little stable refuse
TO work into fuel The city Is. therefore, driven u
desperation. Nearly all the shade trees0there were
but few-have been cut down, many buildings nave
been dislnantled and the process still goes on. IL
seems certain that many must perish from cold, as
well as hunger, in the beleagured city.
There are 1900 patients i'll the military hospitals
of Erzerum I'm our English hospital, containing
300. one-half were cases Of typhus. or 36 doctors
only q were able TO work. OF the remainder, IL
were sleeping under the frozen clods, and 20 were
in various stages of the prevalent feyers. From 20t
to 400 are daily removed from the hospitals to the
cemeteries. The graves generally very shallow
in this country; but with such u number to dig
with two three feet Of snow ON the surface allo
the ground frozen a foot deep. Ii Is probable hun
dreds of bodies are covered with only few inches
depsli of earth When the warm Spring sun begins
10 beat on these grayeyards, and on the oa OF ti'
sI,u0hf.r places and the dead bodies of animals
living about the streets, it would seem that pest
lerce must cnsuo.