Year: 1876

Ihe Defeat Of the ServiaHs-What NoAb


EFrom the New York Tribune.l


There is no longer any doubt that the
Servian line of defense has been COM
pletely broken, and that the whole conn
try now lies open to Turkish invasion.
The capture of Gurgusovatz renders
both Saitschar and Alexinatz untenable,
and it is scarcely possible that the rem
nants of the Servian army can be con-
centrated in any new defensive position.
Gen. Tchernaveff has shown that he is
no match for Osman Pasha; he has prob
ably been outgeneraled from the begin
ming, and his whole campaign must be
set down as an inglorious failure. We
cannot assume that people 80 warlike
the Servians have shown any lack OF
bravery; but the most gallant troops In
the world lose both faith and force when
they feel that they are badly command
ed. If the report be true that Gen.
Tchernayeff failed to send reinforce
ments to Gurgusovatz in time to save
the place, his incompetency is equivalent
to treason.


For the past fortnight the movements
OF the Turkish army have been so rapid
and well directed that the chance now
opened to it is sure to be seized. The
two roads into the valley of the Morawa
one from Gurgusovatz to Banja and
Alexinatz, and the other from Saitschar
to Paratjin prince Milan's headquarters)
cannot be held by the defeated, scat
tered, and demoralized Servians. A
rapid advance of the Turks will open for
them the way to Belgrade, before reach
ing which the Danube gives them new
base of supplies. If the struggle were
solely between Servia and Turkey, the
speedy triumph of the latter power
might now be accepted as certain.


But the interests involved extend far
beyond the question of the independence
of province or two. The latter is the
very least of them. The features of
long delayed yet inevitable religious
conflict become every day more ap-
parent. The horrible massacre in Bull
garia, incredible as they seemed at first,
prove to have been scarcely exaggerated.
The released fanaticism of Islam has
helped Osman Pasha to his victories,
and the march of the Turks through
Servia will leave only blood and ashes
behind it. Such devices as are employed
in Constantinople, of enlisting Christian
vagabonds under banner blazoned with
the cross and crescent, side by side, de-
ceive Europe no longer. Even in Eng
land the conventional pro-Turkish feel
ing is rapidly dying out the London
Times of yesterday simply gives late
expression to sentiment which has been
spreading and growing for two months
past, until it has become something very
like indignation at the cool, Indifferent
attitude of the Government. Even the
plea of maintenance of the Ottoman
power in Europe, as a political neces-
sity, will have little weight in the face
of such evidence as has now been fur
nished to the world.


The defeat of Servia is thus coincident
with an immense accession OF sympathy
for the interests she represents. If for
tune further deserts her arms-as IS
most probable-it will be impossible to
prevent that sympathy from moving to
her aid. On the other hand, the hate
and barbarity of the Turks, who seem
bent on reviving the spirit OF the seventh
century, and are hardly restrained By
Government still in a state of revolution,
will be stimulated to new atrocities. In
the present temper of the people, success
means excess. How long will the policy
of non-intervention tolerate such stu
ation2 1t is already responsible for sew
eral weeks of slaughter. Ii either a
Eueopean war or barbarous and intol-
erable peace is to be avoided, the great
Powers must not lose another day.
They must agree upon some temporary
platitude, as heretofore, and enforce
pacification upon the basis of complete
and guaranteed protection to all the
Christian subjects of Turkey.