Year: 1876

| which it changes its character in the most


important particular. 1t was an advance OF
the Servians to the invasion of Turkish ter
ritory. Ii it is further continued it will be
an advance of the Turks to the invasion of
Servia. This is an important change in
any war; but it is change of the gravest
nature in a war between Christian State in
| the enjoyment of an advanced degree of civ
ilization and Mosem State that hurls
against its enemy the savages produced in
the most barbarous parts of its territory. 1t
means that the hostilities between Servia
and Turkey, which were lately only as fierce
as must necessarily be the acts of any war,
are now suddenly to be aggravated by the
occurrence on Servian territory of repeti-
ton OF all those atrocities which have re-
Gently been practised in Bulgaria, and which
recall to mind the horrible recitals of what
occurred in the same districts some hun
this critical period in the conflict was
one likely 10 lead to the mediation of
the great Powers. Indeed, the astute
| diplomatists were of opinion that the neigh
| hors of Servia only waited for the demon
stration of the incapacity of the Servian
force to keep the war from the frontier of
that country for interference in the in
terests of peace But the declaration re-
ceived by cable that the war is to 80 on dis
courages that hope. 1t is an odd piece Of
the irony of events that with the news of the
discouragement of that hope comes the dec
laration on the part of the Sultan's govern
ment of the Turkish view of the war, in
which the position, purposes and intentions
of the Ministry at Constantinople are pre-
sented in light so widely at variance with
the Turkish conduct of the war that it be-
comes very tarcical document


Prince Milans determination, upon con-
ference with his military advisers, to ''con-
tinue the war to the last extremity" will not
change the character of the operations nor
modify the common result ofthe collision of
his forces with those of the Turkish COM
manders. The resolution to continue the
attempt to arrest the march of the victors
with beaten army is not often of great con-
sequence in war. 1t may imply an excess of
desperate courage on the part Of him who
announces this resolution but the desperate
courage Of the Prince does not make n
demoralized army fight any better. There is
no good reason to suppose that the Servian
soldiery is in better condition now than it
was early in the summer, for the world
knows well the value of the statement that
an army has been completely reorganized"
on it's line of retreat. Prince Milans re-
70 fbo h
part either faith that he will be able to re-
sist effectually if hostilities take the form of
guerilla conflict, or hope that a mere
continuance of the war will effect such
changes in the aspect Of politics that the
Power disposed to come to his rescue may do
so without putting itselfin such an attitude of
distinct hostility to England as may imperil
the peace of Europe. These are the only
rational interpretations of his attitude for,
| if he is still of opinion that he can, unaided,
oppose the Turks with success in regular
operations, this must be taken as a new
evidence of his incapacity. AS to the like
lihood that any favorable change in the
course of events will result from the opera
tions assuming the quasi savage character
of a guerilla warfare, we apprehend that this
will prove delusion. No warfare can
be made too savage or too barbarous
to be agreeable to the forces that the Porte
sends into Servia. That sort of warfare dis
tresses and annoys, and may ultimately de-
feat armies organized on military principle
and operating under the restraints that are
necessary part of discipline. But the men
who have made desert of Bulgaria are not
that sort of soldiery. Moreover, they have no
communications to cut no supplies to be
captured, no assailable side to the sudden
descent and assault of concealed foe.
They live on the country, and the only way
to deprive them of supplies would be to act
on the tactics of the Moscow campaign and
burn up all before them. For this the Ser
vans are evidently not ready. In fact, if
the Servians turn their troops into guerllas
it will be found that the bashi-bazouks are
the best guerillas of the two. Guerilla war
fare could never last six months, even in the
Basque Provinces of Spain, if the invading
force were at liberty to act the Turkish
irregulars acted in Bulgaria. They who kill
all they see-men, women or children
who take what forage they want and burn
the rest; who apply the handy torch to
every house, do not leave the country
in Il condition to support even guerillas
But this is what the Turks have done in
one revolted province this summer; and the
rosewater of diplomacy will not prevent
them doing it in another.


AS to the hope that mere continuance of
the conflict will force the great States of
Europe into new attitudes toward one
another, it is not without a reasonable basis.
Russias attitude has been explicitly made
known. She is we'll disposed toward the