THE WAR IN ASIA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 214, 10 September 1877, Page 2

THE WAR IN ASIA.

In Asia the intention of the Russians is to advance from Ardahan, and their outposts have been already posted on as far as Peunek. Auother division is marching to a position which commands the road from Batoum to 01 ti. A third column composed of fresh forces is occupying a portion of Adjora, south of Batoum. This points to an evident intention to advance if possible even to Erzeroum, and carry out the campaign Iwith a sweeping and rear movement on Mukhtar Pasha's army before Kars, which will be covered by attacks in front conducted by General Louis Melikoff' s forces at Kurukdara, supported by General Tergukaf off, who is believed to be somewhere on the River Arras, south of Kars. The latter plan is more probable than an advance onErzeroum if indeed the whole movement on Olti is not a feint to distract Mukhtar Pasha's attention from wnat is going on in front, but as at first it might be converted into a real attack, Mukhtar cannot afford to ignore it, and will therefore be forced to detach a considerable number of ujeu from his army guard nt the base of the triangle formed by Ardahan Kars, and Olti, while the Russians (are able' to direct their operations from the apex at Ardahan against any portion of the base, and, assisted by General Terguhassoff, cut off Mukhtar's connection with Erzeroum, and force him to fall back on it, or iuto Kars! A telegram from Constantinople reports that a portion of the Turkish Batoum army is embarking for Varna to reinforce Mehemet Ali, so that the Porte must feel sufficient confidence in the strength of Mukhtar Pasha's central column and position to throw upon it the entire burden of resisting Melikoff's second invasion. ENGLAND'S ATTITUDE. A correspondent at Nicopolis has described tho following as the attitude of England in a message from London, dated the 9th of August. He says that the Earl of Feversham in the House of Lords, and Mr Bentwick in the House of Commous consented, at the request of tbe Government, to refrain from calling attention to the Eastern Question, as being disadvantageous to the public service. The Under Secretary for Foreign (Yffairs said, " There have been no negotiations between England and Austria regarding the mobilisation of Austrian troops, in case of Roumania or Servia participating in hostilities, or Russians entering Servia. The Government knows nothing of any direct negotiation between the Czar and the Sultau, therefore there is no ground for protesting. Ido not know whether Austria has communicated with Russia or Turkey on the subject." In the House of Lords Earl Beaconsfield said, " Whe"n this cruel and destructive war commenced her Majesty's Government announced that it whould adopt a policy of strict neutrality on condition that British interests were not imperilled. To that declaration Russia has returned an answer, which I think I am authorised in describing as conciliatory and friendly to the communication in which we defined what we considered to be to our interest. The Government has no reason to doubt that Russia will honorably observe the conditions which were the subject of that correspondence, but whatever may be the case, the maintenance of these conditions is the policy of the British Government." j