YESTERDAY'S TELEGRAMS

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1085, 20 December 1877, Page 2

YESTERDAY'S TELEGRAMS

[BY SUBMARINE CABLE.] [REUTER’S SPECIAL TELEGRAMS TO THE PRESS AGENCY.] Severe Fighting at Plevna. Defence at Erzeroum. Russia will Prosecute the War. Turkey Resolved to Fight to the Last Extremity. The Pope Hot Expected to Recover. London, December 3. The Roumanians occupied Lorn and Palanka Lom. The Turks have retreated towards Widdin. The condition of the Pope has changed for the worse. According to a Russian official account the Turks have abandoned, and the Russians have occupied, Chozobeni, near Batoum, The Italian Ambassador at Constantinople addressed a protest to the Porte against the stoppage of an Italian vessel in the Bosphorus. The Porte offered ample satisfaction. December 4. Perfect communication is opened between Erzeroum and,Trebizond. The Russian troops are wintering on the plains of Pessini. The Russian advance guard is at Devebokori. The Turkish troops are making a desperate resistance on the Sophia road, Mehemet Pasha has attacked the Russians. The Turkish left wing retreated to Kamauli south of Hititiza, where they were defeated with great loss, and were compelled to fall back. The Pope is not expected to recover. The Russians have occupied the Balkan defiles, Grista, and Sholitza. Mehemet is pressing forward and the Russians have been obliged to retreat. Sulieman captured Elena and took many prisoners and much war material. The Russian loss is estimated at 3000 killed. Sir Stafford Northcote, at a Conservative demonstration, repeated his assurance of continued neutrality, on the part of England, and of mediation if necessary. December 8. A Turkish force attacked the Russian General Rakowitza, who was compelled to fall back. The Russians captured Balitza, turning the Turkish right wing. The Russian press propose the following peace conditions —independence of Osterlitz, cession of Batoum and Kars, and the free passage of the Dardanelles. December 10. The Russian loss to the 17th November was seventy-four thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight men. According to an official Turkish report Plevna was amply provisioned for the siege. Several Russian attacks were repulsed. The French Republican leaders disavow the negotiations with Du Faur. A serious crisis is threatening. December 15. Firewood at Plevna is being exhausted. Osman Pasha, with his whole army, on the morning of the 10th attacked the Russian grenadiers on the left bank of the Yia, attempting to force his way through the trenches and batteries. He found himself unable to break through, and tried to return to Plevna, which meanwhile another Russian division had occupied, assaulting the Turkish rear and flanks. After five hours’ desperate fighting, Osman surrendered his sword. He was slightly wounded. He was received with marked attention by the Russians. Du Faur has undertaken to form a new Liberal Ministry. The crisis has ended constitutionally. The capture of Elena has secured the Kainhogas and Slivna passes from attack. The Turks under Sulieman captured Tirnova, Pappoi, and Keoropa. The Russian staff were aware of the intended sortie. Three days beforehand a spy had informed Skobeloff. The Turks made two attacks westward of Desbride, with great fury, nearly destroying a grenadier regiment. An epidemic in Plevna hastened Osman’s sortie. He had three weeks’ provisions, and a thousand cattle, but no forage or fuel. An attempt to kill the Prince of Montenegro by explosion was made at his residence. The Prince was absent. Several attendants were killed or injured. The bulk of Melikoff’s troops are detained by snow between Kars and Erzeroum. Sulieman’s advance against the army of the Czarewich is checked. The surrender of Plevna was celebrated with great rejoicing and illuminations at Bucharest and St. Petersburg. The Pope’s condition is alarming His death is frequently announced. A Vienna telegram asserts that the Porte consents to a British fleet passing the Hellespont without abandoning neutrality. Austria protests. The Duke of Manchester will probably succeed Lord Dufferin as Governor of Canada. The Marquis of Bute’s mansion, at Rothesay, has been partially destroyed by fire. December 11. There was great slaughter at Plevna. The Turks were compelled to surrender after a heroic struggle. 40,000 prisoners were taken. 20,000 of the garrison died of cold, hunger, and wounds. It is officially stated that Russia intends prosecuting the war in consequence of the fall of Plena. December 14. At« Orti&ot Council tO'd&y it ms decided

that Parliament should be prorogued to January 17th. An early peace is considered impossible without British intervention. The Turkish Supreme Council of State have resolved to continue the war to the last extremity. Paris, December 14. Balber was unable to form a Ministry. Dufaur succeeded after great difficulty. Waddington is Minister of Foreign Affairs; Borrel of War, and Leon Say of Finance. [SPECIAL TO THE MELBOURNE “ARGUS.”] London, December G, Germany recommends Austria to annex Bosnia and Herzegovina. Tunis has promised troops to the Turks, and the Russian Consul has left Tunis. President Hayes has addressed Congress. He advises the consideration of a Samoan petition for a treaty of commerce and protection. Tenders were called for a Cape mail service. The passage is required to be done in from thirty-five to forty days. December 12. Thirteen thousand additional Egyptian troops have been sent to the aid of the Turks. AUSTRALIAN. [Per City of Sydney, via Auckland.] Sydney, December 14, A man named Krutz shot his wife at Thornborough, and then fired two shots at his own head, with a revolver. The woman is dead. The man is not expected to recover. Typhoid fever is prevalent in Brisbane. There has been a stabbing affray in Melbourne. An Englishman interfered between two Greek sailors, who were quarreling on the barque James Service, and was attacked by one with a knife and stabbed behind the right ear. He is not expected to recover. His assailant is in custody. Cooper and Bailey’s circus has finished a successful season in Sydney, and goes to Goulbourn. Mr Severn has finished a series of lectures at the Sydney School of Arts . The “Morning Herald,” referring to the competition in mail services, puts the question whether it would not be better to withdraw the subsidy on the completion of the several contracts, and merely give a bounty to steamers delivering the mail within a specified time. The Sydney representatives to pull in the intercolonial match in March are Messrs Benson, Arthur, Bull, Strange, Wilkinson, Medcalfe, David, McKensey, with W. Bull as emergency. Melbourne. The purchase of Marshal Wood’s statue of the Queen has been mentioned in the Assembly, the Chief Secretary regretting that the House declined to authorise the purchase. The sum of £2500 for the purchase of a statue of the Queen is likely to be restored. It is stated that Sir William Jervois will not visit Queensland to advise upon defence, in consequence of a communication having been received from the Government of the colony that it has withdrawn from the arrangement as to defence. Large bush fires are raging on the Flinders Ranges, near Port Pirio, and several fires occurred in Port Littern district. Francis Conway Mason has sent a letter to the Elections and Qualifications Committee asking for permission to withdraw the petition against Dr Macartney. In the Assembly the Tariff Bill has been read a first time. The second reading is fixed for Tuesday. The Public Works Committee of the City Council, after hearing Mr Yarley’s explanation, decided to allow him the use of the Town Hall. Morris Anger, storekeeper, Lonsdale, has been committed for trial on a charge of fraudulent concealment of property. An enquiry as to the case of jewellery seized aboard the Woolonga, showed that the jewellery was claimed by W. Carlreach, working jeweller, Little Collins street, and was sent over by a person named Hogarth from Sydney. A fearful thunderstorm discharged itself at Violet Town. It is stated that there were hailstones six inches in circumference. Adelaide. Captain McGowan, concerned in the recent boat accident at Port Wakefield, has disappeared. A warrant was issued, and a steamer has been sent in search of him. Brisbane. The blacks on the Nicholson River, about 270 miles from Georgetown, have murdered Mr Wm. Button. The deceased was a grazier. A man named Cunningham has been sentenced to death at Oooktown, having been found “Guilty” of the murder of a man named Frank, an Austrian. INTERPRO YIN Cl AL, [per press agency.] Auckland, December 19. The mail steamer City of Sydney sailed at noon to-day for San Francisco. There were only five passengers from Auckland, and three from Wellington. The railway from Ngarawharau to Hamilton was opened to-day. There was great rejoicing at Hamilton. An excursion train left Auckland this morning, and returned in the evening. At the City Council to-day Mr H. Brett was inducted as Mayor and delivered an address. He referred at length to water supply and other prominent civic topics. The barque Glencoe, on her voyage from Auckland to Bateman’s Bay on November 30th, in lat. 35.22 south, and long. 165.20 east, sighted the French barque Belle De Frontigin, Captain Allan Roux, seventy-eight days out from Marseilles, bound for Noumea. A sea had struck the vessel off St. Paul’s, carrying away the bulwarks, stanchions, water casks, and everything on deck. The crew had to heave a large portion of the cargo overboard, and had no water for thirty days. The Glencoe relieved her. The following handicap has been declared for the Hurdle Race, to be run on the 26th of December :—Whitefoot, aged, list; Butcher Boy, aged, list; Tom Finn, 6 yrs, 10st 101 b ; Tui, 6 yrs, lOst 4lb; Luna, 5 yrs, 10st 41b; Shaughraun, 5 yrs, 10st 41b; Greyhound, aged, lOst 21b ; Don, aged, lOst. Wellington, December 19. The Chamber of Commerce this afternoon voted £SO towards the purchase of New Zealand woollen yarns with the view to assisting Mr Monckton Synnot, of Melbourne, to prosecute his experiment of developing a market for New Zealand and Australian wools in China, to bo manufactured into cloth composed of woollen and native cloth. A sample of this Chiosse cloth hap bees exhibited bm for eme fciaj®.

Supreme Court. Timaru. [_FEOM THE CORRESPONDENT OF THE PRESS.] Timaru, December 19. The breach of promise case brought by Flora McKinnon against John Loudon, in the Supreme Court, was concluded this afternoon, £3OO being awarded to the plaintiff. Messrs Joynt and Hamersley appeared for plaintiff, and Messrs Stout, White, and McGregor for the defendant. The case occupied two days and a great deal of interest was excited, it being the first case of the bind heard in Timaru. The parties are residents in the southern part of the district, and are well known, Loudon being a member of the Waimate County Council. The sessions of the Supreme Court are now concluded. Judge Johnston returns to Christchurch by the first train to-morrow.