THE WAR.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 431, 19 July 1877, Page 3

THE WAR.

The following war news is extracted from the San Francisco papers brought by the mail: The Russian advance through R£utnania was reported to be most orderly, and brought a rich harvest "to the inhabitants of tho principality. Six men were picketed on each house in the towns occupied. The line of railway from Jassy consisted only of a single line, and was so badly constructed that no higher speed than fifteen miles could be obtained. The Russians employed thousands of men to lay the line. Several German ironclads have been sent to the Mediterannean to act Hnder orders of the German Consul. Belgian advices say the Russians reduced the town to ruins before the Turkish entry. The Russians hare evacuated the whole coast line of the Abates country. Tho Czar formally takes command of both Russian and Roumanian armies. All cause of jealousy has thus been averted. I A Vienna dispatch says that Count SchouvalofF informed Prince Bismarck that the Russians, as indemnification for war expenses, would eventually claim Upper Armenia as far as Kars. General Toaleben, of Crimean fame, has arrived at Sebastopol to take command of the defences. Popular excitement in favor of the war has taken place in Greece and Servia. In the latter principality public prayers were offered up in the presence of tho Prince for the success of the Russian arms. In Greece the King, yielding to the clamor of the people, formed a Ministry possessing the sympathies of tho people of Russia. The Porte made levies on the Christians for 200,000 troops, but on remonstrance withdrew the order. Five millions of roubles exemption money was paid by voluntary subscriptions in Russia for the tfar. Charges of malversation have been brought against Mukbta Pasha, who is threatened with courtmartial for saying he had equipped 70,000 troops when he had only 30,000. The Bashi-Bazouks erdssed the Danube, and slaughtered a party of Roumanians' On the 31st May Mr. Gladstone received an ovation in Birmingham. Business was suspended, and 30,000 people attended his night meeting, at which the Liberal leader made an eloquent attack on Turkey, and challenged the Government to dissolvo and test the feeling of the country. An enthusiastic resolution was passed calling on tho -Government to demand a guarantee for Christians in Turkey. The 'Times" correspondent estimates the Turkish army in Europo at [200,000, well armed, but snort of artillery and cavalry. He says the Danube fortresses have been placed in a wonderful state of efficiency by earthworks on Mader's principle, but is in total want of military organisation. The ' Tribune's ' London " special" says a correspondent in Constantinople writes that it is by no means certain that treachery has not much to do with tho bad performance of the Turkish army in Asia : and those who have been at Erzeroum and Ardahan can only account for the insufficient fortification of these places by the theory that coveted Russian gold has been at work. They assert that many Turkish field officers nave been heavily bribed by Russia. Things are even worse at Constantinople. It is said that both Mahomed and Rcdif Pasha have been bought by tho Muscovite, and that they wilf get a large sum when a peace advantageous to Russia is concluded. Instances are given of influences of this kind which Russia heretofore has used disastrously to Turkey.

The 'iN'ow York Herald's' correspondent nt Eussian quarters at Ployesti, describes tho destruction of the Turkish Monitor on tho Danube : —Four gunboats left Ibraila on the 25th. About two hours' steaming brought the gunboats where the Turkish ironclads lay, and, without delay, a signal to attack was given. Lieut. Denbasoff ran his gunboat in between tho Turkish ironclads, without paying any attention to the heavy fire. Selecting the largest he ran his gunboat alongside, and succeeded in exploding a torpedo under her side, causing a bad leak, but did not damage her sufficiently to disable her. This partial failure was soon remedied by the gunboat Crossema, which had closely followed the Czarowitch, and approaching the Turkish Monitor, succeeded iu exploding under her a second torpedo. This brilliant action did not occupy more than twenty minutes from the moment of giving signal to attack to the withdrawal of tho Russian gunboats. During the attacks, the Turks kept up a constant lire on the assailants, but the aim of the artillerists Was so bad that not a single Itussian was struck. The effect of the torpedo attack is likely to prove very demoralising to the Turkish fleet in the Danube, and finally settles the question of the value of the Turkish fleet in preventing the passage of the Danube, nnd will probably induce the Turkish ironclads to remove from the dangerous neighborhood of the Russian gunboats.