THE RUSSO-TURKISH WAR.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 143, 19 June 1877, Page 2

THE RUSSO-TURKISH WAR.

DATES VIA AMERICA TO MAY 23-

|From the N. Z. Times' Correspondent.] San Francisco, May 23. The telegraphic news in our papers of the war in Eastern Europe and Western Asia is very full, aud 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 Czar's celebrated address to his army, one of the earliest incidents was particularly interesting to Englishmen, recallingas it did the dashing times of Cochrane and other British naval officers, [This was the running of the blockade of , the Danube by Hobart Pasha, an account of which we published yesterday.] THE OPERATIONS ON THE DOBRDDSCHA. The following gives, a summary of the operations on the line of the Danube in the vicinity of the Dobrudscha. Four Turkish monitors made their appearance at Ismail. One of them returned to the mouth of the Danube; one went dovyri another branch of the river to Tnltcba, and the other two remained to watch the Russians. A correspondent, telegraphing from Pera on May 4, declared that the Turkish military authorities had resolved upon the evacuation of the Dobrudscha, and that the Turks were slowly working back upon their lines of defence at its base. The FIRST ATTEMPT TO CROS3 THE DANUBE ' was reported in a despatch from the Sulina mouth, on May io, when the Russians attempted to cross at Reni. They threw a bridge over the river, but were met by the j Turkish infantry and artillery, assisted by three Turkish gunboats. The bridge was broken, and large numbers of Russians were I killed or captured, the troops of the Czar 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 IJqunjania, near Galatz, of a very ingenious poptocn brjdge. which was to be to ived 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 UjaJ. c good its passage was driven back with heavy loss. The Turkish commanders on the Danube >vere empowered by the Forte to close the river.. to.all navigation, and a squadron was despatched to make a reco'nnaisance of Odess* and Sebgstopol. A band of Cossacks Crossed the Danube a£ Jbmjl (or Brahilbv) aud burned the Turkish bLocthbjuseg. The shelling of Matchin, at tbe western corner 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 plg,ce having to be abandoned orders had been given tfa^tjt should be destroyed by the retreating forces'.' OPERATIONS AT GALATZ AND IBIU.L. Fire was opened at 10 o'clock in the morning by the Russian batteries near Ibrail. Threa Turkish monitors began to bombard Ibrail ; but were competed towdg noon to withdraw before the Russian fire, The Rug. sian 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 9th two Turkish monitors, supported by the shore batteries on the other side ot the river, opened fl -c upon the Rus-

sian batteries at Ibrail. 800 Cossacks crossed the Danube in boats from Galatz, and encountered a; numerous body of Basbi-Ba-zouks. The Bashi-Bazouks crossed the Danube at Kernodki,' and the Roumanian peasants jwith guns, and axes drove them back,,killing £wp of their number. ■-. v ri !

• TURKISH MONITOR AND 200 MEN SDSTK. % 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 wias soon fierce and; deadly. Atlength two shells were fired from X 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 vessel in less than ten 'minutes afterwards sank. A boat was despatched from the shore to tha scene of the wreck, and though the crew were unsuccessful in finding any of the officers or crew of the sunken vessel, they had the. honor of capturing the flag 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 TORKS FALLING BACK ON THB • nonmjDSCHA. ; The latest advices stated that the Turks were burning 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 ttheirr r lines at its base ! . The operations described have been carried on by. the easterner left wing of the Russian army. The Russians seem to have crossed subsequently to their defeat into the Dobrudscria. at a point between Reni and Ibrail, and. are now waiting the development of their centre and. right wings on the tine 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 oppoi site Nicopolis. A torpedo depot has been established;.* the mouth of the Pruth, aqd early in May 35,000 of the Russian advanced guard had. passed Bucharest' for Giurgevo. The Russians, ,. after passing Bucharest, exchanged 'their ordinary regimental colors for flags bearing a double cross. Such flags "are only carried hy the forces wheon the war in which they are engaged is looked upon as a religious one. On May 15 cannonading was proceeding at various points on the Danube, and three columns of Russian soldiers were reported as marching towards Giurgevo, Simnitza, and Nicopolis, wiih the probable intention of crossing the Danube at these points. One object is to break the Turkish line, and separate th? advanced corps on its left wing at Widih from its communication with the main body. Advices from Giurgevo 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 fortyf seven Russian battalions, with three batteries of artillery and some .cavalry, had just arrived on the bank of the Danube at Oltenitza. They will be succeeded by the thirty-third division; and all indications denote that the Russians are making a serious ■ movement on Western Bulgaria. : l ;