The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-02-16


TURE OF KARs-In the meantime tn
war was being prosecuted with equal vigo
and success in Asia. During the earl
autumn nothing was done, the first Rus
sian campaign having failed, but about tn
18th of October General Lazareff turnet
the Turkish position by flank movement
and made direct attack at the same time
which resulted in the great Russian vic
tory at Aladja Dagh. Thirty-two battal
ions, seven Pashas and thirty-six gun
were captured. This victory was followed
by others of minor Importance, until No
vember 18th the fortress of Kars was takeI
by assault, but not without suspicion o
treachery on the part of the garrison, 70
the Russian force did not exceed the gar
rison, and the place was supposed to b.
impregnable. Mukhtar Pasha retreated Il
ErzerOum, where he was joined by Ismai
Pasha, and the Russians have since in
vested the place. On the last day of the
Armenia and Kurd Ismail Pasha appoint
ed Commander in Chief of the Turkish
forces there.
PROPOSALS FOR PEACE.-Two DAYS
after the fall of Plevna December II, !
Server Pasha requested mediation on the
part of the Powers, and about the same
time Seryia declared war. The Turkish
armies having been broken up, the cam
paign of the Servians was scarcely resist
ed, and they had no difficulty in capturing
places in Old Servia heretofore occupied
by the Turks. Before the close of the
year the sultan requested mediation on the
part of the British Government Russia
replied to Great Britain's note on this
subject that the Sultan should apply di-
rectly to the Gar, which was ultimately
the course pursued. The discussion Of
peace conditions aroused the war party in
England, and the Cabinet seemed to be
divided on the subject, the Premier finally
ordering British vessels to pass the Oar
danelles, ostensibly for the protection of
threatened British interests. The order
was afterwards rescinded, but, in the
meantime, Earl Derby and Lord Carnar-
Won resigned, believing that the order had
been prematurely issued, and was calcula-
ted to precipitate a war between Great
Britain and Russia. Earl Derby subse-
quently withdrew his resignation when the
order had been rescinded. Parliament
had been called to meet January 18th, and
its session led to violent demonstrations by
the people of London in favor of war with
Russia. The negotiations for an arnistice
were greatly delayed, possibly in the hope
that Great Britain would be led to inter
fere, and, in the meantime, the Russians
continued their advance on Constantinople.
ADVANCE OF SoFIA-Gencral Gourko
advanced across the Balkans and on Jan
uary I'd had severe engagement with
Turkish forces guarding the passes. Sofia
was entered January 3 and about the same
time General Radetzky advanced with q
Russian force through the Schipka pass,
capturing the Turkish army there's 600
men and 81 guns. Suleiman Pasha had
collected the scattered forces in Roumelia
and organized an army of 10000 men,
which occupied the Ikhtiman defle with
the purpose of preventing an advance from
Sofia to Adrianople. The capture of
Schipka pass, however, turned his position.
He was attacked by General Gourko, near
PhilippOpolis, January IA, and series
Of engagements followed, ending January
Is in the retreat of Suleiman Pasha over
the Rhadope mountains to the sea. He
escaped with 10000 men, who were trans
ported to the peninsula for the direct de-
fence of Constautinople.
PHILIPPoPoLIs AND ADRIANoPLE.-
The Russians entered Phillippopolis Jan
16. On the preceding day Server Pasha
and Namyk Pasha were appointed Com
missioners to secure an armistice, and sent
to meet Grand Duke Nicholas at Kezan-
lik. The Russians entered Adrianople
Jan. 10 or 20, and the Grand Duke Mich
olas arrived there Jan. 20. The Russians
have since advanced in the direction of
Constantinople, and the signing of the
armis.ice leaves them in real or nominal
possession of all Of European Turkey ex-
cept the fortresses known as the Quadrila-
teral, and the peninsula on which Constan-
tinople stands. The peace preliminaries
and armistice we're signed Jan. 81 The
Servians, Montenegrins, Cretans and in
habitants Of other insurgent provinces Of
Turkey have been exceedingly active since
negotiations for peace were begun, and
they have succeeded in wrestling several
fortresses from the ''sick man." Official
returns show that the total Russian loss to
January 30 was s9,304 in killed and
wounded