THE RUSSO-TURKISH WAR IN EUROPE.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 933, 21 June 1877, Page 3

THE RUSSO-TURKISH WAR IN EUROPE.

PKOGKRESS OP EVENTS TO MAY 23. Owinc to the mixed manner in -which the San Francisco newspapers receive and publish their European telegrams, it is exceedingly difficult to comprehend them by mere hastv reading. When they are transmitted by telegraph in New Zealand, they become f confusion worse confounded." So it was on receipt of the last mail at Auckland, and anything which we might add from our Californian exchanges, just received, might only make the darkness more visible. We are'therefore the more indebted to the New Zealand Times when quoting from its columns the following.comparatively consecutive narra-

tive of events as they had happened and been telegraphed prior to the despatch of the mail. The Times has a correspondent in San Francisco—if we mistake not, a journalist who was once well-known in New Zealand —and he has compiled for the last month the following somewhat intelligible summary of events: — San Francisco, May 23.

The telegraphic news in our papers of the war in Eastern Europe and Western Asia is very full, and the progress of the struggle, apart even from its possible culmination in a general European war, is watched with the greatest interest. After the formal declaration of war and the Tsar's celebrated address to his army, one of the earliest incidents was particularly interesting to Englishmen, recalling as it did the dashing times of Cochrane and other British naval officers. This was the ESCAPE OF HOBART PASHA from the meshes of the Russians. Hobart Pasha was cruising up the Danube in a gunboat, when the Russians seized Galatz and some other well-fortified positions near the mouth of the stream. The Turkish Admiral was thus apparently caught in a trap, his gunboat being situated between two of the places occupied by the Russians and commanding the passage of the river by guns of considerable calibre. Of course by disembarking on the south bank and abandoning his vessel, Hobart and his men might have easily returned to Constantinople overland, leaving their little vessel to her fate. But Hobart Pasha, as all are aware, is an Englishman, and would not condescend to anythingso paltry. He determined to run the gauntlet of the Russian batteries, and to force a passage, so, ignoring alike the torpedoes which were reported to have been laid in the river by the enemy, and the heavy guns in position along the bank, he waited for nightfall, got up an immense pressure of steam in the gunboat's boilers, put out all lights on board, and went full speed ahead down the Danube, right under the muzzles of the Russian guns Aided by current and engines, he went past them at the rate of something like twenty miles an hour, and by keeping close in to their bank of the Danube, passed the Russians at such a range that they could not depress the muzzles of their cannons sufficiently low to hit him oven if the terrific speed of his vessel had not made shooting at him about as difficult as hitting a swallow on the wing with a blunderbuss. The disgust of the Russian commander can only be imagined when he found that Hobart Pasha had made good his exit to the Black Sea, sending back, as he did so, a Parthian bolt in the shape of a shell, which fell plump right into the Russian camp. THE OPERATIONS ON THE DOBRUDSCHA. The following gives a summary of the operations on the line of the Daimbe in the vicinity of the Dobrudsclia. Four Turkish monitors made their appearance at Ismail. One of them returned to the mouth of the Danube; one went down another branch of the river to Tultcha, and the other two remained to watch the Russians. A correspondent, telegraphing from Pera on May 4th, declared that the Turkish military authorities had resolved upon the evacuation of the Dobrudsclia, and that the Turks were slowly working back upon their lines of defence at its base. The PIRST ATTEMPT TO CROSS THE DANUBE was reported in a despatch from the Sulina mouth, on May 10th, when the Russians attempted to cross at Reni. They threw a bridge over the river, but were met by the Turkish infantry and artillery, assisted by three Turkish gunboats. The bridge was broken, and large numbers of Russians were killed or captured, the troops of the Tsar being completely defeated. It was then announced by the Turks that two monitors would be stationed in such a position as would best enable them to harass the Russians. On the other hand, news was received of the construction by the Russians at the mouth of the Sereth river, which flows into the Danube through Roumania, near Galatz, of a very ingenious pontoon bridge, which was to be towed into the Danube and anchored there, almost ready for the immediate passage of troops. A St. Petersburg official despatch contradicts the attempted passage of the Danube by the Russians at Reni. There is not the least doubt, however, that a large reconnoitering expedition which attempted to make good its passage was driven back with heavy loss. The Turkish commanders on the Danube were empowered by the Porte to close the river to all navigation, and a squadron was despatched to make a reconnaisance of Odessa and Sebastopol. A band of Cossacks crossed the Danube at Ibrail (or Brahilov), and burned the Turkish blockhouses. The shelling of Matchin, at the western comer of the Dobrudscha, which had been commenced and interrupted, was again renewed. Rumors now began to be circulated in Tultcha, which is at the head of the road leading south through the Dobrudscha, that in the event, of that place having to be abandoned orders had been given that it shoidd be destroyed by the retreating forces. OPERATIONS AT GALATZ AND IBRAIL. Fire was opened at ten o'clock in the morning by the Russian batteries near Ibrail. Three Turkish monitors began to bombard Ibrail; but were compelled towards noon to withdraw before the Russian fire. The Russian batteries and the town were uninjured. The Turkish gunboats attacked the Russian batteries at Tomrova, below Galatz, and destroyed a portion of a battery, dismounting a gun. They also drove back the Russians. On May the'Oth two Turkish monitors, supported by the shore batteries on their side of the river, opened fire upon the Russian batteries at Ibrail. 800 Cossacks crossed the Danube in boats from Galatz, and encountered a numerous body of Bashi-Bazouks. Tlie Bashi-Bazouks crossed the Danube at Kernodki, and the Roumanian peasants with guns and axes drove them back, killing two of their nmnber. TURKISH MONITOR AND 200 MEN SUNK. _ A special from Jassy says that the entire Turkish flotilla appeared before Ibrail, and on coming into position began bombarding it. The fire of the Turkish vessels was at once returned by the Russian shore batteries and artillery. The battle was soon fierce and deadly. At length two shells were fired from the Russian batteries, under the direction of Commandant Lamailla, at one of the monitors. The vessel fired at was at a distance of two miles from the battery, yet both shells struck her as they fell. The yessel in less than ten minutes afterwards sank. A boat was despatched from the shore to the scene of the wreck, and though the crew were unsuccessful in finding any of the officers or crew of the snnken vessel, they had the honour of capturing the Hug of the sunken monitor. The ill-fated vessel had 200 men aboard at the time she was destroyed, and out of this number but one was saved. THE TUKKS PALLING BACK ON THE DOBRUDSCHA. The latest advices state that the Turks were biu'ning their villages opposite Galatz,

which would seem to indicate that they intend to carry out their formerly expressed intention of not seriously defending it, but of falling back on their lines at its base. The operations described have been carried on by the eastern or left wing of the Russian army. The Russians seem to have crossed subsequently to their defeat into the Dobrudschaat a point between Reni |and Ibrail, and are now waiting the development of their centre and right wings on the line of the Danube, or, in other words, their MOVEMENTS ON THE CENTRE AND WEST _ line of the Danube. It is considered certain that the Russians will bridge, or attempt to bridge the Danube below its junction with the Pruth, and also at Turnu, nearly opposite Nicopolis. A torpedo depot has been' established at the mouth of the Pruth, and early in May 35,000 of the Russian advanced guard had passed Bucharest for G-iurgevo. The Russians, after passing Bucharest, exchanged their ordinary regimental colors for flags bearing a double cross. Such flags are only carried by the forces when the war in which they are engaged is looked upon as a religious one. On May 15th cannonading was proceeding at various points on the Danube, and three columns of Russian soldiers were reported as marching towards Giurgcvo, Simnitza, and Nicopolis, with the probable intention of crossing the Danube at those points. One object is to break the Turkish line, and separate the advanced corps on its left wing at Widinfrom its communication with the main body. Advices from G-iurgevo say, however, that the movements of the Russians show that their chief point of operations will be the Upper Danube, and that it is not likely that the passage of the river will be attempted until all the corps are in position. A London Times Bucharest despatch 'says that the Russian corps are gradually but surely getting into their assigned positions. The infantry and waggon trains of the twelfth corps are still passing Bucharest, and forty-seven Russian battalions, with three batteries of artillery and some cavalry, had just arrived on the bank of the Danube at Oltcnitza. Eight thousand Russians belonging to the twelfth division will march towards Crajova. They will be succeeded by the thirty-third division, and all indications denote that the Russians are making a serious movement on Western Bulgaria. THE SERVIANS AND ROUMANIANS. The Servians are making defensive preparations at Saitchan and along the river Timok. They have ordered the fortification of Alexinatz and Nisova. On the other hand, the Turks have stationed a strong corps of observation near the frontier, to guard against a sudden movement on the part of Servia. It is reported in Vienna that the Servians are to operate in the direction of Bosnia and against. Nisch. Prince Milan was about to leave Belgrade to visit the Tsar at Ployesti. After the Russians iiad occupied all the positions in Roumania, the Roumanian forces which had marched out of them went westward to jointhe other Roumanian troops, who, according to an official statement, are to be concentrated in Little Wallachia, to maintain a defensive attitude. Prince Karl is in command of the army. The Russian commanders have received orders not to cross the Danube near Kalaf'at, nor to join anywhere with the Servian army. The Roumanians have taken military possession of Kalafat, occupying it in force to the number of 9000 men, with twenty-four Krupp guns. Roumania declared war against Turkey. The murder of a number of Roumanians by the Turkish Irregulars greatly strengthened the hands of the Avar party. A resolution was carried in the Roumanian Chamber, by a vote of 59 to 29, declaring that Turkey had severed all bonds between herself and Roumania. Prince Milan and his Ministry formally assured Count Andrassy that Servia would not disturbe the peace, and the exportation of corn and feeef from Servia hns been prohibited. It is said, however, that Servia is ready to take the field with 40,000 men, on condition that Russia pays the expenses of her doing so. It is asserted in the highest circles that the Servian Government lias received proofs that a convention exists between Austria and Russia, by Avhich they agree to act in most complete harmony,'and the Russian troops will not, therefore, for the present enter Servian territory.