LATEST EUROPEAN TELEGRAMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1344, 1 September 1877, Page 15

LATEST EUROPEAN TELEGRAMS.

[BY SUBMARINE CABLE.]

(REUTERS SPECIAL TELEGRAMS.)

London, August 21st (early). The Russians have abandoned the town of Chipka, which is now occupied by the army of Sulieman Pasha.

The Porte is ' concentrating 50,000 militia in Bulgaria as an army reserve. Ex-Colonel Valentine Baker commands the Turkish cavalry. Bombay, August 22nd, 11 p.m. Disastrous floods have occurred in Scotland.

Sulieman Pasha's army has not yet crossed the Balkans. It passed through Kesanlik on the 19th. °

A Russian official despatch says the affair on the 17th was merely to"divert attention from the movement of General Tergukassov. After a prolonged engagement, chiefly with artillery, the Russians returned to Kumkadara. Bombay, August 23rd, 10.53 p.m. Fighting at Chipka Pass was still proceeding yesterday at noon. A .Russian official despatch says that repeated attacks by Turkish forces have been repulsed with heavy loss. Osman Pasha reports having repulsed a reconnaisance at Plevna.

Bombay, August 24th. A Russian official despatch says Sulieman, with forty battalions, renewed an attack on Chipka Pass on the 21st, but was repulsed. Fighting is proceeding. After dark, the Turks, under Haftocha, simultanaously advanced on Selvi ; the result; is unknown.

The Russians are preparing for a winter campaign.

London, August 24th. The latest Russian official despatch says, that all attacks by the Turks on the Russians at the Ohipka Pass were repulsed. The Russians maintained their positions. They have been reinforced, and fighting continues. The Turks suffered enormously, and the loss of the Russians was relatively slight. Many officers were killed.

A Russian unofficial account reports a victory at Selve.

A Turkish unofficial message says, Mehemefc Ali achieved a brilliaut victory at Eski Djuma.

Bombay, August 25th. Mehmet Ali repulsed 14 battalions of Russians at Eski Djuma. A Russian official despatch states that desperate fighting took place at the Shipka Pass on the 23rd, and was continued for 13 hours. The Russians maintained their ground, and the losses were heavy. Sulieman Pasha telegraphs on the 21st that he scaled the heights, and fought for 14 hours. He retained the conquered position, and attacked the entrenchments unsuccessfully, but hopes to succeed. London, August 24th, 11.10 p.m. The Brindiai mail has been delivered. The following is the special to the Sydney Morning Herald :—: —

London, August 25th. Colonel Valentine Baker, commanding the Turkish cavalry, distinguished himself greatly at the affair of Eski-Djuma. Tho Turks are attempting to cross the Danube at Widdin.

A Turkish force is now operating in the Dobrudscha.

The English Press considers the Russian position in Bulgaria critical. Since the repulse of the Russians under General Melikoff, both armies in Armenia remain inactive.

The following is the Agent-General's telegram :—: —

London, August 24th. A great battle, lasting two days, has been fought at the Chipka Pass, and the Turks were repulsed with great loss. The Turkish armies have not yet effected a junction.

03man Pasha's attack on Selvi was repulsed.

The alleged Russian atrocities are said to be chiefly fabrications on the part of the Turks.

Rustchuk has suffered much from its continued bombardment.

Three hundred Cossacks, who had laid down their arms, were slaughtered in cold blood.

The Russians are mobilising in great force, and an important battle is expected.

An insurrection has broken out in Crete, where many Turks have been killed.

In the House of Commons, Sir Northcote Stafford stated that the subscriptions raised in England for the wounded had almost all been embezzled by the Turkish officials, and the wounded soldiers left without surgical aid. A special telegram, dated London 21st, to the Wellington Argus, states:— ' Though the Russians are fetching up men to the last of their resources, and massing them on the road between Plevna andNicopolis, the Turks are not occupying their strong positions at the former with more men than is necessary to make them safe. The Turks have net brought a man, away from the quadrilateral, and Sulieman Bey and Mehemet Pasha are operating between Iliana and Plevna. From this, it seems that the Turks do not intend to risk their fate on one $reat battle, but, by deceiving the Russians, to let them fight in their favour, as, if the end of September finds the Russians without victory, they must retire. The reports that the Russians had occupied

Rasgrad, and cut communication between Varna and Rustchuk, were untrue. They were mere outpost skirmishes " Bombay, August 25th. The Assam arrived at Galle with the Suez mail yesterday. August 26th, 7 p.m. The Russians admit a repulse at Eski Djuma. They have fallen back to Sulkamoskoi. The vanguard of Sulieman's right wing has crossed the Balkans at Hamboghaz^ and is advancing on Gabrova. London, August 24th. 70,000 bales of wool are catalogued. Prices are well sustained. There is a foil fliipply of wheafc. Adelaide, 67a ; New Zealand, Css. .New Zealand flax is languid. Wellington, August 27th. The Government has received intimation that the City of New York, with the London mails of July 26th, left San Fran, cisco on the 15th inst. for Auckland, via j Honolulu. The Zealandia, with the New Zealand July mails, arrived at San Francisco on the 22nd inst. .-he left Auckland on tho Ist inst., making an excellent run of 21 days. Calling at Honolulu has been I resumed, and the contractors have notified they will continue to do ao. Bombay (no date), 11.38 p.m. ! A Russian official despatch states that continuous fighting was going on at Chipka until 12 on the morning of the 25th. i A despatch from Sulieman Pasha, on the 23rd, states that the Russian sorties were repulsed, and that a general assault will take place to-morrow. The Russians were completely surrounded by the Turks s who command their line of retreat to Gabrova. | A despatch received at Stamboul on the 26th states that Sulieman Pasha had captured the Chipka Pass, and attacked Gabrova, where the Russians had retired. London, August 26th. General Daroschinsky has been killed at Chipka Pass. The Turks gained a brilliant victory on the heights of Keyzeith, after severe fighting. The Russian loas was 4000, including General Tchonschrassoff ; the Turkish loss was 1200. All the Powers have concurred in the German representations of the Porte's treatment of the Russian prisoners and wounded. Colonel Wellesley'a report denies the alleged Russian cruelties. Bombay, August 27th, 8 p.m. The capture of the Chipka Pass is unconfirmed. Gambetta is beirg prosecuted for a speech hostile to the Governmeat. Bombay, August 28fch, 12.22 p.m. A Russian official despatch states they had maintained their positions at Chipka up till noon of Sunday. Servia has resolved on military cooperation with the Russians in Bulgaria. 7.25 p.m. Sir Stafford Northcote stated at Plymouth that England's was a peace policy, but if their interests required intervention, their strength was quite equal to the occasion ; otherwise, they would observe neutrality until friendly intervention was possible in order to end the war.