Year: 1877




present this morning from our correspond
ents at the seat Of war, in advance even OF
the London press, shows that the Russians
have been successful at almost every point,
and develops their strategy and the pur-
pose and meaning of all their preparations.


We now begin to understand the reasons
for the apparently inexplicable delays
that have SO long marked the Russian
advance Entering Roumania by sin
gle route it required vast amount OF
preparation and labor to deploy the immense
Russian army along the line OF the Turkish
defences on the Danube. This extremely
difficult and. in some respects. extraordinary
military undertaking has been accom-
plished in o very complete and successful
manner The time expended in it is not
more than commensurate with the magpi-
tude and difficulties of the object in view.


The movement was begun during sea-
son when alterations Of heat and cold
produced heavy freshets in the rivers and
converted the roads into mere miry
tracks. With admirable patience the
Russian commanders pushed their ad-
vance slowly but surely westward
through Roumania, until their right wing
rested on the Aluta Valley. The extension
OF this great line. as well as the protection
of the Russian right, was committed to the
Roumanian forces under Prince Charles.
This disposition served the double purpose
of securing the cooperation Of the Rou-
manian army in the general plan of cam
paign and restraining it from premature
hostilities against Turkey. Thus the
Russian advance was combined
military and political measure. When all
was ready, but not until then, the Russian
army began its grand advance upon the
Danube, and by series of finely planned
strategic movements has at comparatively
small cost seized the chief line Of the Turk
ish defence.


Beginning at Widdin we may this morn
ing follow on the map the line OF the
Danube to its mouth, and discover the
Russians in possession of every strategic
point, with the exception Of Rust
chuk and Silistria. Rustchuk,, though
held by the Turks, is now only





spatches state, ten thousand Russians are
believed to have already landed near Silis-
tria.


Our opinion that the bombardment Of
Rustchuk was simply intended to cover
some other Russian movement not far away
was correct, and the other movement was
the crossing Of the Danube at Sistova by
part of the Russian right wing. The report
that the bombardment had no other military
object than the reduction Of the place
accords to the place as fortress far
more respect than the Russians proba-
bly, feel for it. It is one of the queer
traditions of soldering science that great
deal Of noise made with the artillery at q
given point will so concentrate the enemy's
attention Upon that point that hswill lose
the faculty Of common observation
even as to some other given point
where it is intended to deliver
serious blow. This theory Of observation
and attention is continued in the regular
practice of war despite the well known fact
that it must necessarily be of no value, mas
much as those appointed to watch one place
are Indifferent to noise made at another
place Indeed, the sudden commencement
Of fierce bombardment is rather notifi-
cation to the enemy that you are on the
move and should therefore excite him to
more than usual vigilance, and generally
does. But the resistance to the passage at
Sistova was not effective, and was certainly
Ia IN,
has, therefore, not drawn any consider
able part of the Ottoman army from it's
camp within the quadrilateral, and it may
be taken for granted that the Russians have
by this time obtained good footing on the
southern side of the river, to the west of
the Jantra.


The crossing at, Sistova and Nicopolis
was accomplished, our correspondents re-
port, under the immediate inspection of
the Gar. By q strange fatality the
Turks seem to have overlooked the
possibility that the Russians could
use the rivers in this immediate neighbor-
hood for the construction of their pontoons
and avail themselves Of the numerous
islands, many of which are densely
wooded, to cover their preparations
The capture of Sistova gives the Russians
strong tete de pont for a military bridge over
which they can draw supplies for their
centre. This bridge will communicate
with roads leading almost directly
to Alexandria, Bucharest and the Rouma-
nian railroad system. AS the supply of the
army in Bulgaria forms even greater diff
Guilty for the Russians than defeating the
Turks the seizure Of defensible points of
crossing, connecting with main roads, is of
the utmost Importance to them.


The heaviest fighting appears to have been
at Sistova and Nicopolis, where the Turks
made gallant and desperate resistance.