Year: 1876

The War in Servfa.


There is one point tolerably clear in the
many brought into notice by the war. and
this one is that the Servian authorities are,
of all known authorities, the most persistent
and pertlnacious in the denial Of every IN
pleasant fact Indeed, if the Servian SOL
diery could hold their fortified ground with
half the tenacity with which the government
sticks to the falsehoods it puts forth as war
news Abdul Kerim would never get to Bel
grade. Despite all the stout denials of de-
feat, however, and the shane elessly false dec
larations Of the government as TO the co7rse
OF events at the seat Of war. it is certainly
known that the Servian defence Of its own
frontier has been as ineffective as was the
Servian war Of invasion, and that the COM
bined forces Of the two field marshals, Ali
Sahib Pacha and Ahmed Eyoub Pacha
are now in position from which
their cavalry can reach Belgrade in
two days or less if pushed. and from
which their infantry can reach the neigh
borhood of the same capital in week





for Servia, and the moro terrible because
there seems to be no likelihood that the Ser
vian army is in a condition to oppose the
Turkish advance. II the Servian commander
had so little intelligence, and his army SO
little adhesion that they could not dispute
passage whore. though outnumbered. they
had more than equivalent advantages in po-
sition and in the support of lines deemed
impregnable, how shall the same dull-witted
commander and the same army. cut up and
shaken by its latest defeat hope to oppose
the march of the victors without such sup
port as they had at Alexinatz. They seem un-
likely indeed to do more than run before the
invader as loose rabble and announce his
arrival at Belgrade. It seems to be assumed
in Belgrade that the presence Of Tcher-
nayeff and his army at Deligrad is Of some
consequence to the Turks, but we do not
believe they will waste any thought on that
place. They will turn their faces toward
discovers whittier they are marching he will
be found on the run out Of Deligrad; and he
may make this discovery couple Of days too
late Only great blunder on the part of the
Moslems can now hurt their campaign, and it
is not even certain that they may not blunder
with impunity in the presence of such an
enemy.


Thus ends in collapse war which, when
the Servians began it, it was believed
throughout Europe that they could carry to
q conclusion glorious for their arms. All
anticipations formed in regard to the
probable result Of the struggle have
been disappointed, and this simply
that it was not believed in any court
in Europe she would assume. and which,
indeed, she would not have assumed
if her conduct had not been guided by
spirit of haphazard temerity which imagined
brilliant consequences and refused to recog-
nize solid reasons. BY the conduct of Eng
land and by some yet unexplained hitch in
the relations of Germany to Russia the two
Powers were left to fight out their quarrel,
and good army we'll commanded has con-
stantly whipped poor one not commanded
at all. Englands warning to the Turks, that
she will abandon them to their enemies if
they are obstinate on the subject of peace,
may have salutary influence if they can be
induced to believe that it is not given with
view to diplomatic effect in other countries.


The next step must be an armistice or
general European war. Russia is too far COM
mitted to Servian support to allow Belgrade
to fall into the hands Of the Turks. Eng
land, on the other hand, is too thoroughly the
friend Of Turkey by traditional policy,
rather than her own real interests, to allow the
Sultan to be overcome by the Gear. Fortu-
nately neither Of. them have any object in
going to war with each other at this time,
and together they are able to command and
preserve the peace Of Europe. Turkey can
no. fail to listen to English and Servia to
Russian counsels. These Powers can CON-
pei an armistice and establish peace and
all the signs are that they will do So If
Russia had been really anxious for war Servia
would not to-day be in the plight in which
she is. However friendly the English Min
istry may be toward the Turks, the Bulga-
rian atrocities and the natural sympathies Of
Englishmen with the Slavic Christians
have created sentiment which mast over
come any State policy. The press and the
people both favor moderate counsels, and the
support ST Turkey, except in the most mod
crate demands. will be anything else than
agreeable. These reasons make Us think that
ON armistice is probable and that peace will
follow.


sleepy Campaign.