New-York tribune., 1878-01-01


sent into exile, and Edhem, Turkish Tory was ai,-
pointed his successor. The turkish Parliament as
semblcd March 19'. and did much 10 Ienaer lie
policy Of The Government popular. Inc fofte con
Guided peace with Scrva early IN larch; on tle
basis of general amnesty, the withdrawal 81 the
Turkish troops, and the contirmatiou OF Prince
Milan's title by an Imperial fiman. The Montene-
erins demanded a treaty, and tie peace negoila-
tions were not successful, although the arinistce
was prolonged.
Meanwhile the pressure of nat ion of Slavs was
forcing the Car INTO war IN behalf 81 iciiow SiaVs
The army in BesSaTabia had been mobillzed uh9er
new system of cOnscriDton, and was not ready 10
move. The interim between the Conference ana the
war was padded out with diplomacy. Prince GortS-
chahol, after pointing out in circular February
81 that the demands Of the Conference, like the
AndrasSy propositions. had 10 executive fore ds-
patched Ignatlef to Berlin, Paris, and London 70
negotiation the Protocol was 81 2Ded early IN April
II gave the Porte auot her chance TO accept
terms which it had already rejected with scorn.
As soon as il was signed, Lord Derby attached q
memorandum that il would be void, II Rissia dld
not dsaTm we'll as Turkey thus virtually scpar-
ating Great Britain from her five European col
leagues In the second week of April, the Turkish
Government replied TO the Protocol, de'@tinng I"
disarm. The Russian Government having gone 700
far 20 rcccde and having virtually obtained n t'-
lease from the conditions of the Treaty OF fars d'
cared wa on April "a. The Cars nanlite.,,o.
which ascribed The war 10 the persecution OF The
Christians and the obstinacyof the Porte contained
no promise that Russia would abstain from making
cOnqUess.
TIE CAMPAIGN IN EUROPE.
When war was declared, the mobilization OF the
Russian Army was noninally complete. The Minis
ter of War had agreed to dispatch force of 100000
men across the Pruth, and plan OF the cam
pain had already been outlined by the Chief
OF Stall Two corps were to march through
the Dobrudja occupy Kustcndjc, protect the COM
,nunlcations of the army. and either besiege
Sllistria OF threaten Shumla. The main army was
To cross the Danube between the Jantra and the
Nid. Two corps were to invest Rustchuh; ono
corps was TO capture NikopOlls and hem in the gar
rison of Wddin; and column OF 100000 men
was to thrust aside the man Turkish Army ana
force its way over the Balkans. Count lleldaus
plan was based upon the nominal rathcr than tLc
actual strength of the army. Nj. Forbes is conf
dent that not more than 10000 men crossed the
Pruth during the first three months OF the war, and
shat there were never more than 10000 men under
arms in the D,brudja and Bulgaria until reinforce
men;s began to arrive aoout the middle Of August
The army was well equipped at least 600 cannon
were taken across the Danube; but the rank and
file of the army of $50 900 men were largely on
paper. The sah, inflated with seif-comiidence
undertook to carry out the original plan without
regard 10 the default in the estimates
The advance guard crossed the iruth Oh April ~
and on the following day occupied the bridge over
the Sercth near Gaatz, thus securing control oi the
railway system of Roumania. Four corps marched
SLOWLY through the l'rincipah} and eioaili"d along
the Danube aud there they remained uDtil the See
ond line of three corps was ready 10 cooperate with
them. The Danube was unusually hlIh, bui me
numerical weakness Of the army WAS the MAN
cause OF delay. The passage made with unex-
pected ease at Braa and Galatz June 81 and AT
Simntza CIrlnc ~ TIE left wing. under General
Zimmermanu did not exceed 80, ,O0D men. II marched
through the peninsula. and occupied t'" line ol
Traians Wall. Here this corps has renamed piao-
rcaly bottled up. Meanwhie the >tdf was blum
derinC at SiSova, and the army seemed To he IA ma
chine that was ont of gear and needed oiiing. II
was not until July l6 that Nikopoh, was carried by
storm aud the river basr secured. ana u W1s h"'
until July \ that the Crown Prince crossed TIE
Jantra and Threatened 80 invest Ru-'cluk. and
even then he had only 10000 men. Ia Tie Sou
delay followed clay unti! Gnourko with rs
cavalry sealed The Balkan. al" with me
aid Of the vanguard Of "a" EIRh'h
Corps opened Shipka Pass. This Russian SncIidan
pressed on as far AZ hara"nnar, bnl =" ihiA",iI
could be spared t. support hiin. ad he iri A'E IT,
fore the advance oi SGlcimaus army. I'm tho M".t
kriideuer Instead of holduc the garrison Of " n'dm
in check, had been caught III a tI'p ~ 1''H';
Schder-Schuduer's brigade WAS surprised ana
well nigh crushed, and bcior" the attack conld lee
renewed. OsIuan concentrated his army and ,ir-
rounded thc town with intrcnchmentS. He hh,-
san reserves were brought lup and an HNsaul
was ordered GUy ~" but the force ii"'
was, thrown against 'he 10000 t'fts ',l"J ngI
hind those cntrcnchmcnts dld NOT, '%ctcH
10000 men. The recol of single defeat
sr..ucd to paTalyzc the Whole army Dte.siv"
operations were temporarily abandoned. hrid'nrI
began TO IOrty his position; Ghonrho IecTo>,cd u.
Balkan, and tie amy OF the Crown FRINGE instead
OF hr-irgiug ustcimk occupied defensive line
the Kara Loui. covering tAc left ntnk a'id barely
holding II, own. 1ne 81 rai, Ccai plan was virtually
abandoned. There had not been strength enough
ia the blow. .
In ihc Sprlnr the ring Of Pashas hoas'cd that half
a million Turks were already enrolled. This "is
empty brag; bnt through thc tITcless en"rgy Of ne
War Minister recruits were SEM TO the front until
there vas = Tur,; cor every Russian under arms ne
commanders Of the two main camps were en9be to
agree upon plan OF campaign. W bon the hus. 'hs
nation in the Turkish capital; and whor
Gh9urko pushed hir way over the baiAin al,,a
Wmhop1 no hnag e hGu gu Etr lye was was sent +" the
r,.aud Mccmet Ali was ordered To take ~" oih
sye. II at this stage III the campaign ihat %
man. aftcT failing 20 relieve tn" garrison OF NIk"pn-
lis 0rcupicd a strong pO-tion OF the cncNy's Hank
and held his ground when he was attacked u WAS
q happy stroke; for the battle oi I.vna served not
0uiV ~ check the advance of the russians, bu 10
lay bare the exhaustion OF the Russian reserves. Su
lehman had transferred hls forces from Montrncn"
to Adrianoplc. The position OF the huSsiahS "aS
InrcariOus. On each flank they were mcnaced BY
a strong army, and III the rear force OF veteran
mountain fighters was at the gatcS 81 the Balkdi
The cooperation Of The three Turkish Generals would
have driven the cnthy back 20 the DauuDe. Bat
they frtered away their advantage by aciIng indr-
pendcntly. Sulelnan, ilisiead Of crossing the noun
tailis by the Elena Pass and Joining Mchcinet All ~
an attack upon iiroya, hurled ms army
against the stone walls OF shipka IasS'
and as Mr.. Forbes says, fairy Drained H.
IL was not until the smoke lad cleared away from
the defilcs of The Balkan that Mehcmct Ali mad.
furious assault upon the Russian lines on the LON
August 30, carrying several important positions
Subsequently, Suleiinan renewed his attack at
Shipka Pass (Septcmbrr l1) and after three days
of terrible fighting fell back defeated. An army
had been strained by unnecessary eXerlOls IN Mon
tencgro, exhausted by forced marches and finally
flung against the walls OF the mountains. Bui the
Turks had wasted something u. >dcs an arIny-thty
had allowed their opportunity ia pass
The objective point i'll the Russian campaign
,,o,v iopiHrauf town I'm fafJb had