WAR.

Clutha Leader, Volume IV, Issue 189, 22 February 1878, Page 7

WAR.

Archibald Forbes, the War Correspondent, reports terrible sufferings by the army of invasion. Words cannot descride the misery of the situation on ' the Danube. The Russians suppress telegrams with a view, to preventing the state of affairs becoming known in Europe. Spotted typhus has broken out among the Turkish prisoners in Fratescht and the neighborhood. It is whispered that it is plague. Germany and Italy demanded for their fleet the same privileges in Turkish waters as England. , ■-. A London Times special of the 14th reports a heavy battle near Tartar Bazaagik,' between- Radetsky and the Turkish force,' ■; the;, latter; falling back from Schtiraan. The victory is claimed by. both sides, one report saying the

Russians were defeated with a loss :of 3000 killed and wounded.

The Turks are bombarding towns in the Crimea, and causing irritation at Petersburg, seeing* that peace negotiations are proceeding."

Erzeroum was little better on January 17th than a huge hospital. Hundreds of soldiers die daily, and two or three are frozen to death every night. Typhus is raging, and the corpses are barely covered with earth, so that the consequences are terrible when it commences. London, January 20th. The Turkish peace delegates arrived at Hermanli, and were received with military honors by the Grand Dnke. Austria demands a voice in the peace negotiations, and ivill not recognise a peace concluded without her consent. The Austrian position is regarded as an understanding with England. Vitcnna, January 20. A Vienna political correspondent's special from Constantinople states that Sulieman Pasha was relieved of the command, and summoned to Constantinople. A special says : Tzzed Pasha conveys to the Turkish plenipotentiaries full powers, and will inform them England is not likely to g*o to war. Another correspondent says : It is stated that the Turkish plenipotentaries have been instructed that they may offer to make Batoum a free port, cede territory to the Asiatic frontier, and dismantle the fortifications of Kars and Erzeroum. They also proposed the following programme for discussion by a European conference. The Balkans to be • considered the southern limit, Bulgaria and Roumania being independent, ; the Dardanelles to be opened to men of- war of all nations ; the settlement of the Montenegrin and Servian question to be temporarily deferred.

Difficulties have already arisen. It is reported that Russia demands Adrianople to be included in Bulgaria ; also the cession of Batoum and the opening of the Dardanelles to. Russian and Turkish men-of-war only

The Grand Duke Nicholas telegraphed to the Emperor from Sovitria : "I am happy to congratulate your Majesty upon a brilliant victory. General Radetsky, after * desperate fighting, captured the whole Turkish army defending the Schipka Pass, consisting of forty-one battalions, and one regiment of cavalr}'.

Flags were displayed all over St. Petersburgh in honor of Raddtsky's victory.

The Bucharest correspondent of the Times says the battalion's captured in the Schipka Pass will probably number from 300 to 400 men each. The victory was the result of the combined movement of Generals Radetsky and

Skobeioif through tho Schipka and Trojan passes respectively.

The loss of the Russians in the capture of the Schipka was 800 killed and 2000 wounded. The Turks,.surrouni!ed, became demoralised.

The Turks bombarded the town of Theodosia, in tho south-east of the Crimea, burned 10 houses, killed one person, and wounded I*3. They also bombarded Anapa on the Black Sea, but did little damage to the town. One person was killed.

A correspondent of the Pera says it is calculated that 20,000 fugitives arrived at Constantinople from Roumania during the last week. A train crowded with fugitives ran off the track near Chattalia, and about 50 were killed and wounded.