THE RUSSO-TURKISH WAR.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 338, 24 May 1877, Page 4

THE RUSSO-TURKISH WAR.

"We glean the following information in reference to the war from the additional mail items telegraphed to the Daily Times and Evening Star: — THE LAST EFFORTS TO MAINTAIN PEACE. Mr. Layard, who succeeded Sir Henry Eliott as British Ambassador at Constantinople, proceeded there with the idea of keeping his Government as correctly informed as possible of the military and political affairs about to occur ; also, the disposition the Porte manifests during the earliest phases of the struggle, in order to seize, if possible, the moment when, in consequence of military events, it will become possible to exert mediatory influence. Lord Derby sent the following despatch, dated April 12, to the British charge d'affaires at Constantinople:— " The Turkish ambassador called to-day and left a copy of the Turkish circular on the subject of the protocol. I expressed my deepest regret to Musnrus Pasha at the views the Porte had taken. I thought it unnecessary to enter on any further discussion of the step which had been adopted by the Porte after full consideration,, and which seemingly cannot be retracted. I said that it did not seem clear ■whether the Porte would send an ambassador to St. Petersburgh or not to treat on the question of mutual disarmament. Musurus Pasha stated that Turkey was not prepared to adopt any such measure, and expressed the opinion that matters could not be settled satisfactorily unless the Powers should consent to annul the protocol. I replied that the divergence between the views of the two Governments appeared so wide as to render further discussion useless, and I said that I could not see what further steps England could take to avert war, which appeared inevitable. Musurus Pasha answered that the attitude of his Government was simply defensive, that they did not desire war, but that they would prefer it to the sacrifice of national independence, which appeared involved in the acceptance of the protocol." Savet Pasha personally explained to the foreign representatives of Turkey the objections to the protocol and accompanying declaration. He declared that the Bulgarian massacres were the result of foreign agitators. The promised reforms were being carried out, and the Porte would shortly send to the Powers a circular despatch to the foregoing effect. The foreign representatives endeavoured to dissuade Savet Pasha from this course, and to induce the Porte to send a special envoy to St. Petersburgh. THE RUSSIAN REPLY. The following is Prince Gortschakoff's circular :—" The Imperial Cabinet, since commencement of Eastern crisis, exhausted all means in its power in order to bring about, with co-operation of great Powers, lasting pacification of Turkey. All the proposals made to Porte in consequence of understanding between Powers have met with insurmountable resistance. The London protocol was the last expression of the united will of Euiope. The Imperial Cabinet had, iu signing it, offered its hand, as the last attempt at conciliation. By its declaration accompanying the protocol it had mai'ked out conditions which, if loyally accepted and carried out by the Porte, were calculated to bring about the re-establishment and strengthening of peace. The Porte has answered it by a fresh refusal. This eventuality was not provided for in the protocol. Europe had confined itself to a stipulation that the great Powers, if they were disappointed in their hopes of seeing the Porte carry out reforms energetically, i-cserved the right to point out in common the means which they should think proper to secure the welfare of the population, and interests, and general peace. Thus the European Cabinets had foreseen the contingency that the Porte would not fulfil its promises, but not that it would respect the demands of Europe at the same time. Lord Derby's declaration had established that since Her Britannic Majesty's Government only consented to give its signature to the protocol, it was to be understood from the outset that in event of this object, viz., mutual disarmament and peace between Russia and Turkey, not being obtained, the protocol should be regarded as null and void. The Porte's reception of the protocol, and the motives on which it is based, leave no hope that the Porte will accede to the wishes and counsels of Europe. They exclude every guarantee for the execution of reforms, and render peace with Montenegro and execution of conditions by which disarmament and pacification could be brought about impossible. Under these circumstances, the success of any attempt at compromise is excluded, ancl there remains the alternative to allow that state of things to continue which the Powers have declared incompatible with their interests and those of Europe, or to try by conversive measures to obtain that which the unanimous endeavor of the Powers failed to obtain by means of an understanding. My exalted master has resolved to undertake that which he had invited the Great Powers to do in common with him. His Majesty has ordered his armies to cross the frontier of Turkey. Yon will bring this resolution to the cognisance of the Government to which you are accredited. In fulfilling the duty which I imposed on him by the interests of Russia, whose peaceful development is impeded by constant troubles in the East, His Majesty is convinced that he at the same time responds to the views of the Powers." The Russian foreign representatives were instructed to announce that the Czar : did not make war for territorial aggrandisement, but simply to exact guarantees for the observance of the conditions pre- i acribed-by the Conference. <

RUSSIAN PLANS. A Bucharest telegram of April 20 gave the following programme of the probable Russian movements in military circles : "It is generally believed that the bulk of the Russian army, to avoid crossing the River Sereth, in Moldavia, by Barbacke Bridge, and being surprised by Turkish flotilla on the Danube, will go by railway from Ungaiheni to Margette, thence march by the high road to Fasenii, and Rimuik to Buseo, and afterwards by different roads diverge from Banges to Kalafat, Fimond, Magurele, Guirvego, and Kadlar. The Russian head-quarters will probably be Buseo, as they were in 1856, or possibly Ploiesti. Russian accounts show the roads in Bessarabia were very bad—indeed, almost impassable for heavy baggage waggons. The Russian plan of operations was to march the army on Galatz, while another army marched to attack the Debrudscha. The Russia armies were to attack the Danube at Kalafat, Giurvego, and Kalrash. It is believed that the Russian forces necessary for the war have been much un-der-estimated, and that their movements will be slow and tedious. The Russian fleets in the Atlantic and Pacific have been ordered to concentrate in the Mediterranean. • MONTENEGRO. A despatch from Cettinje to the Times says that the rising of the Miridetes determines the attitude of the whole Albanian population. The first result of the renewal of hostilities with Montenegro would possibly be the cutting-off of Podgoritza from the base of supplies at Scutari, compelling that city to surrender, and, by extending" operations in connection with the Miridetes, to compel the Turks to extend their line of defensive operations and weaken their forces. The Turks have only 4,000 effective forces here, which must be quadrupled to hold Podgoritza and the only road between their position and lake transportation. Hostilities in Montenegro, however, have been delayed. ENGLAND AND TURKEY. -It is stated that Mr. Commissioner Layard has informed the Porte that England has guaranteed the integrity and independence of the Ottoman Empire only under the conditions laid down by the treaties stipulating for the exercise of control by the Powers. The Porte hayingcontested this right, has ferfeited- the benefits guaranteed by these treaties, and England could no intervene with arms in its behalf.