The Bee-Hive. — 1876-08-12 (London, England)

THE BEE-HIVE.  Brightling.  The remonstrances of all the rest of the world would probably be insufficient to restrain the Turks from cruelty and devastation when once their passions are let loose. Wherever they advance instead of being driven back, they burn and destroy. No sooner had the Servians abandoned the town called Gurgusovatz than the Turks set fire to it. On both banks of the Timok, the same fate has befallen every village that fell into their hands. How differently their antagonists behave, to those whom they capture! So far from Prince Nikita, of Montenegro, beheading Osman Pacha as alleged, he treats his prisoner with all possible consideration, and Seim Pacha, who fell in battle, was buried by the Servians with military honours. Because they cannot help it the Turkish Government pay forty thousand pounds to the families of the consuls murdered at Salonika; but, unless the Servians repel the invaders with there own arms, it seems pretty certain that the Turks will create a moral necessity for somebody's intervention in' one way or another. The politicians of Vienna are discussing the probability that Russia will avail herself of the savage character of the Turkish warfare to recover her waning influence over the Southern Sclavonians, by a bold stroke of decided policy. It is certain that the evacuation of the town named above has broken the Eastern line of Servian defence, making their double line almost useless. For five days the place was defended; but then the whole fighting strength was exhausted, and the defenders retreated before a superior force. The Servians must now do what they can to preserve their capital and keep possession of the interior country. They carried with them their wounded, their guns and material of war, as admitted in a Turkish despatch. The town had been previously deserted by the whole-population. Shutters were closed everywhere, and the sacred insignia had been removed from the church. The aspect of deserted streets and closed houses pretty and well-built waiting their doom of fire and plunder, was inexpressibly mournful. A Turkish attack on Saitchar was imminent, and the result regarded with serious apprehensions.  Agricultural prospects are acknowledged to be good by farmers themselves, though the wheat, it must be feared, is often short in the ear, thin in the rank, and only moderate in the yield. Notwithstanding the dry beat to which the ripening is owing, there has been moisture enough, it is affirmed, to enable the root crops to bear the hot sunshine without injury. Potatoes are believed to be unexceptionably good. The hay, as well as the corn, is being gathered in under the best conditions. Oats are the only cereal that is very short; and the principal deficiency is in fruit; especially apples; but of these, no less than of breadstuffs, we can happily depend upon a good foreign supply.  Sultan Murad is not, it appears, in the utterly hopeless state represented in certain quarters. In the first place, as we are reminded, the throne does not become vacant except by death or abdication. Consequently, the work or administration goes on. As to the real facts of the case, our present information seems to come from British medical authority near the person of the Sultan. His illness is attributed to the shock which his system sustained on hearing of the suicide of his predecessor. It manifested itself first in carbuncles which were followed by ague. Towards the end of July, he was deemed convalescent, though too much enervated to be invested with the sword of State, or to give audience to foreign ambassadors, or to transact business with his own Ministers.  The Agent-General for South Australia has received the following telegram from the Government in Adelaide :—" Hesperides " (464 emigrants) arrived 28th June. " Lightning " (406 emigrants) stranded on Tronbridge Shoal on the 6th July ; emigrants all landed safely; ship got off. The Port Augusta—the North West Bend of Murray—and the James Town Railway Bills have passed third reading in the House of Assembly. Revenue for year ending 30th June Z 1,316,800 (his shows a very large surplus over the estimated revenue). Wheat shipped since let January 147,000 tons. Present price of wheat 4s. 11d, per bushel. Fine rains. Prospects of growing crops improved. Propopd Immigration Vote £100,600. Building tradesmen much required.