NEWS BY THE MAIL. The War Question.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2634, 18 June 1877, Page 2

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

The War Question.

(COMPILED FKOM AMERICAN PAPBfiS.)

A GENEBAI SUMMING UP.

London, May 13.—The Turco-Russian military operations up to the present time' may be thus received. There seems to be two distinct morements progressing in Asia Minor. ' One is. an. advance upon Erzeroum, with operations' about Ears as incident thereto. The other movement is upon Tan and Bitlis, which will be the base of further "'operations ' against Diarbeker. Tan and Bitlis are. - slightly fortified and dominated by heights, which', in the case of Van, are ~ traversed by. comparatively good and easy roads.: Bitlis occupies a somewhat stronger position, but can offer no serious opposition. _ The. force of the Turks, in this district is unknown. If they havfe 200,000 or. 250.CD0 men, they might make a success- ; ful stand at the start, at the entrance of the pa3s, through which a good road leads from Bitlis to Diarbeker. *On the Danube there hai been, no increase in the Russian force occupying the Galatz and Reni positions,' which -now- amount \to 60.0C3 strong. This force naturally kelepa ait equal force of the Turks on the line from Silistria to Tultcha. Meanwhile the Russian-movements show that they* are concentrating the bulk of their forces . between Giurgevo and Nicopoli- in one position. These forces will form the west of the Russian advance, fronting the Turks from Rustchuk to Shumla, supported by the Galatz and Bern troops. Other portions will take the centre position, and will be covered from attack from Widdin by a force called the Timok Valley Corps, but which is a misnomer so far as it signifies an. advance through Servian territory, for, the. latest news is that Russia, for both political and military reasons, will not Violate Servian territory. Operations by the Turkish monitors on the upper Danube are mere farceg. The'monitors have only f»inch armour, and are armed with 3J-centi meter guns. The Russian centre is rapidly assuming shape on the Aluta, and small detachments already occupied Taxna, .Magureliand Islatz, sVthat it is very probable'that they; intend crossing the Danube at this point to obtain possession of the "three chief passes of the Balkan, and thus cut 1 off Turkish communication with the Trans-Balkan districts. The ground between the rivers Isker, Vid and Osma increases in difficulty towards the south,. the mountains become more rugged and .- steep, but the last of the.se passes of the Balkan is the valley of the Yantra with the intrenched and partially fortified town. Tirno.; 1., the former capital of ancient Bulgaria. To the westward is another series of passes for which Lorn and Palanka on the Danube would be the starting points, and which converge upon Sophia and Nisch. The Russians may choose either of these, routes, but it ii " ! not likely they will split up their forces, and for many reasons the first named would be the best. : • ... , - MUTUAI. DISTRUST OF THE POWBBS. A Vienna special, to the Times says :'.— . "The whole course of proceedings of events leaves little doubt that a. deeply seated distrust among the Powers has from the beginning been the cause, why the moderating councils of the., Powers, could produce so little effect in Russia. •' No one Power felt-sure of finding airust- ' worthy ally. There was not a single Power which, did not suspect every, other . Power capable, if not co-operating with Russia for its own special interest, at „ least .of allowing Russia to have more or Ik&s of her own way, with the understand-' ; ing that its special interests would not - suffer thereby. Had it not been for this the dances are that the solidarity of all these endangered interests would have' been recognised before now, and precau-

tions taken to protect them.' As things stand it may be~ well that from sheer selfisli shortsightedness either one or another of these adverse interests will have to carry on an up-hill fight or Europe will awake one morning. with the din of a general conflict in its ears." The Convention between "Russia and Eoumania for the transit of the Czar's army is^ considered by Austro Hungary as a breach of neutrality, and the impression it has caused is such, that from the aspect of affairs it seems doubtful •whethes the Government will be able to resist much longer the manifestation of public opinion in favour of intervention The Press has never been so violent in its language toward .Russia. TUBKISH STRENGTH ~AT WIDDIN. The Times' Bucharest special says". " An Englishman who was accidentally in Widdin at the time of the first bombardmeat reports that the Turkish troops in Widdin and vicinity number about 50,000. They expect an increase of 25,000 from Sophia. The troops were in good condition. The impression in Widdin appeared to be general that no quarter would be shown to any Roumanians crossing the Danube into Bulgaria. Large masses of Russian infantry are , encamped between Bucharest and the Danube, bui^their objective point on the river is not^nown to the public. TTJBKEY HAS MORE CONFIDENCE IN ENGLAND. Constantinople, May B.—Becent intelligence from England, especially Lord Derby's reply to Prince Grortchakoff, has revived confidence. It is believed that Turkey may still look to England for support. It is said that Austria seems determined to oppose the entry of the Russians into Servia.

ENGLISH TROOPS EEADY. PO1! THE PEONT.

liiTEBPOOI., May B.—-The Post says: The war ship Achilles has received instructions to proceed to Plymouth on Friday.* We are informed that the Government has already 30,C00 troops and 11,000 horses ready to embark any moment. THE BUSSIAN SQUADBON AT. SAN FBAN-. . ..-.,.-.. CISCO. ■ ... London, May B.—The British press is sensitive regarding the presence of a Eussian squadron at San Francisco. It expresses a belief that its chief purpose is an attack upon and the seizure of British Columbia in the event that England allies with Turkey in the pending war.. Many concur in the recently expressed declaration by the Pall Mall Gazette, that in no other part of. the world could British commerce be seriously damaged as by a few active vessels in the Pacific Ocean. It is also suggested that the mission of the Grand I)uke's visit io New York with several war ressels'lookg to a readiness to swoop upon. British steamers in the Atlantic trade in the event of war.

London, May B.—Further particulars of the Turkish defeats and losses before Kars have been received. It is reported that Ali Pasha was taken prisoner. A Times dispatch from Vienna says : The news of an unsuccessful attempt of the Kussians to carry Ears by a, coup de main is confirmed by Russian bulletins,: which speak even of two sudden attempts to storm the citadel. In consequenceof this the apprehensions are entertained at Constantinople about the fate of Kars are set at xeit, - The supposition that the Bus-; sians will not sit down before Kara, but will invest it and then proceed with the bulk of their forces towards Erzeroum, seems likewise to have found confirmation, for both wings of the army appear to be moving to turn the position of Sow-, ghante and Dagli, and thus force Mukhtar Pasha to withdraw and leave all passes " open for the Russian main force. _ Constantinople, May, B.—A. special says : Notwithstanding "Russia's promise that Turkish ships should have eight days to leiye Eussian waters, ten Turkish skips were seized at Kertsch the day after the declaration of war. The Porte has. instructed Musuru3 Pasha, its GEmbassad or at London, to request England to remonstrate at St. Petersburg against the act.-:-; ■•"'■'•.-' ' ■■'••■•"■ ":'"■■■■ ■ '-:.' :":<i'.".' -'■' .

Edinbubgh, May 9.—A London corre-; spondent'sa-ys : The army clothing factory at Pimlico is worked without intermission and numerous shifts are employed. There is a general conviction in military and naval circles that w.e are on the brink of. war.. Arrangements are being made for the "embarkation of some 25-CDO men within six days if necessary, and, 25,0©0 more within a fortnight after.