EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Issue 2, 13 October 1877, Page 2

EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE.

(From the latest N. Z. Papers, London, August 2:!. Under cover of night forty thousand Turks, commanded by Sulieman Pasha, attacked the Russian position in Shipka Pass. The fighting continued from dark till daylight The Turkish troops, with indomitable courage, repeatedly assailed the enemies lines, but were repulsed with great slaughter. It was a fearful engagement, the Turks from their exposure losing very heavily. [Shipka Pass is in the mountain road from Tirnova to Kasanlik. It is ot f the most practicable of the Balkan Passes, a road having been made through it in 183(1. Naturally the Pass is not difficult.oi- steep, and it was considered one which the Russians in their march southward might force most, easily. Colonel Baker crossed the Balkans by the Shipka Pass, and describes it ns accessible from the north by several routes leading up the spurs, so that an army occupying one spur could easily be turned bv an enemy passing up another. " Arrived at the watershed about 4,000 feet above the sea) the ih'scenl Is [in < • the south, and collti * down a moderately sleep incline on pie.tiiie and rock for about two miles along n southern spur. It then comes to hrtishw I. and commences a Bteep descent down it Klgxag path for another two miles, until i it arrives at Tckke, a( tli

mountains. Mid oh On verge of 1 • | From the t.p ridg. patha, which make their way . to othel pa:'-- ' : : The nature of 0.,- Soil is that of loose , stones mixed with earth} gravel, and it could with ease be formed into a loud passable for artillery] , August 24. Further falls have occurred in the Wallseud coal mine, near Newcastle- | upon-Tyue. Several houses have fallen in ■ The Agent-General's telegram dated , London, August 24th, says : A great battle lasting two days occurred ut Shipka Bass. The Turks were repulsed with great ( loss. i The Turkish armies have not yet | joined. Osman Pasha's attack on Selvi was ; repulsed. ltuschuck has suffered much from continued bombardment. Three hundred Cossacks, who had laid : down their arms, were slaughtered in cold blood. The Russians are mobilising in great force. An important battle is expected. An insurrection has occurred in Crete where many Turks have been killed. The alleged Russian atrocities arc said to be chiefly fabrications of the Turks. The Stafford House Subscription for the wounded Turks has been almost all embezzled by the Turkish officials, and the soldiers are left without surgical aid. August 24. The latest Russian official dispatch says that all the attacks by the Turks on the Russians at the Shipka Pass have been repulsed. The Russians have maintained their position. They have been reinforced. Fighting continues. The Turks have suffered enormous relatively .slight. Many officers were killed. A Russian official dispatch reports a victory at Selvi. A Turkish unofficial report says that Mehemet Ali has achieved a brilliant victory at Eski-Diuma. Bombay, August 23. The Russian head-quarters have been transferred to Bulgareni (between Nieopolis and Plevna). Fighting at the Shipka Pass was still proceeding at noon yesterday. A Russian oil's rial dispatch says repeated attacks by the Turkish forces Slave beell repulsed With heavy loss. I Osman Pasha, commanding the Turkish army at Plevna, reports having repulsed a Russian reconnaisance near that place. August 2 k A Russian official dispatch says that Suleiman Pasha, with forty battalions, made a renewed attack on the Shipka Pass on the 21st, but was repulsed. I-!..;!'.:uio was ; :- o .:eeT,y :t r dark The Turks, under Hofteha, simultaneously advanced on Selvi. The result The Russians are preparing for a winter campagin. [Selvi is a small town about midway between Tirnova and Lovatz. It is 47 miles S.S.K. of Nieopolis, and the population numbers 2,f>00. London, August 25. The Pop" is so seriously ill us to cans.' great anxiety. Fighting has lieen general. Sulieman Pasha again attacked the Russian position in Shipka Pass, but was unsuccessful. His troops have suffered The Russians are preparing for a decisive stroke. Ex-Colonel Baker, commanding the Turkish Cavalry, distinguished himself at Eski-Djuiua. The Turks are attempt in,- to cross the Danube at Widdin. • A Turkish force is now operating in Dobrudseha. The English press considers the Russian position in Bulgaria critical. 11l Asia Minor since the repulse of the Russians under General Melikofl", both armies iii Armenia remain inactive. Bombay, August 25. The Russian official report states that desperato fighting took place at Shipka Pass on the 23rd August. It continued for thirteen hours. The Russians maintained their ground. The losses Were heavy. Sulieman Pasha telegraphed on the 21st, that ho had scaled the heights, and fought for fourteen hours, He retained the conquered position, and attacked the Russian entrench nts unsuccessfully, but hopes to succeed. Mehemed Pasha repulsed fourteen Russian battalions at E-ki-lljuma. lEski-Djuma is n town of Bulgaria, IK miles from Slmmla. Its population is about 10,000, mostly Turks. Sdchemel Ali Pashn is a German by birth, and distinguished himself three years ago by dispersing the whole of the Creek brigand* who had previously infested the Mi lonian frontier. But nines his withdrawal From that command these scoundrels have recommenced their can ct of pillage and murder, i 'olonel Baker indicates Mehemet All Paha as "I"' "•' ''"' able ..ill. (| , 1111.l I wl id tl :

in certain powtioM, "tvaU act upon , : . ost equal tenm w.ih Um lupenor : . KM of the Russians.''] The Ashaiu has arrived at Oalle with mails. London, August 26. General Daroeehniskey was killed at Shipka Pass. The Turks gained a brilliant victory at the heights uf Keyzeith after brilliant tigbting. The Russian loss is four thousand including General Tchonschvassotf. The Turkish loss is twelve hundred. All the Powers have concurred in the representation which Germany (which tills the office of protector of Russian subjects in Turkey) has made to the Porte with reference to the treatment of Russian prisoners and wounded. Colonel Wellesley's report denies Russian cruelties. August '27. Fi«hting has continued in the Sliipka Pass and its approaches for the last sixteen (lavs, Sulieiuan Pasha being engaged there, when it was believed in Constantinople he had passed to the North of the Balkan-*. The Turkish army, under Sulieiiian, numbered 35,000; "the Russian force holding the heights and gorges amounted to only 1.5,000. Many dashing assaults were made by the Turks, with heavy loss. Seven thousand are reported killed, and many thousands wounded. The Russians maintain their ground. The Imperial Guard is to be employed on skirmishing duty in the neighbourhood of Rustchuck. The Turks carried all the advanced Russian positions at Batoum on the 10th. Powerful Russian reinforcements are proceeding by forced marches to Armenia. All available Turkish troops in ('onstantinoplc are leaving for Adrianopie. The Russians never crossed the Balkans at Clapka, but at Deniirkapa Pass. Bismarck declares mediation now actually impossible. August 28. The Turks during the prist four or live (lavs have been attempting to take Shipka Pass, but were repulsed. The Russians an' now re-mforced. An attack upon Osruan Pasha's annv fat Plevna] by the Russians, is looked for with a battlu'of a most bloody character. The prosecution of Gambetta for his speech at Lille has been determined on, and draw,-, attention t" affairs in France, where complications are anticipated. BoMBAV, August 27. The Russian otlicia! dispatch states that there has been continuous lighting in the Shipka Pass until tic- morning of the 2oth instant, A dispatch from Sulieruan Pasha, dated the 23rd instant, states that all the Russian sorties had been repulsed, and that a general assault was to be made on the morrow. The Russians are now completely surrounded, and the Turks command the line of retreat by Gabrova_ A dispatch from Stamboul, dated the 29th instant,, s,tatc< that Sulieuian Pasha has captured the Shipka Pass, and has attacked Gabrova. The news of the capture of Shipka Pass, reported in Constantinople, is not confirmed. M. Gambetta has I n prosecuted for a speech hostile to the French Government. August 2S. Russian official dispatches state that they maintained their positions in the Shipka Pass at noon on Sunday. Servia has resolved upon military co-operation with Russia in Bulgaria. Lord Northcote stated in an address at Plymouth that Britain's policy was one of peace, but that if her interests required it she would tight, and tiecountry had strength quite equal to the occasion. Unless her interests wen; assailed or endangered she would observe neutrality until some friendly intervention was possible in order to end the desolating war. August 20. A dispatch from Suleiman Posh, of the 26th, states that hard righting lasted ten days at Shipka Puss. Tkc Russians , attacked unsuccessfully the Turkish positions on the heights dominating tho retreat. The Russian loss was 4000 in , killed alone. A Russian official dispatch of the 22nd August states that the Russians maintained their positions. The Turks held the adjoining heights. The Russians arc massing before 1 Plevna. A Russian official dispatch states that the tiring of the Turks on Sunday afternoon and on Monduy, at Shipka, Puss was feeble. The Porte complained to Britain of the 1 Greek armaments, and threatened to send ' troops to Athens in the event of a risinj' inTWly. Britain remonstrated with the Greek Government, whu scut to the Port.- u pacific mite. \i.-:u t :;o A division of the Huitniiniiin m my hni been ordered in operate in the rearof tlw i Turkish forces encamped at Plevna, [This operation i- evidently the one . referred to a •'• >., - 1 ■>. ,i v !: ~.,;. ;

-■ • : ' : ■ vM-. . ■ i. . . ;kc vueiuy ] \ .»t 31. ; A dispatch from Sulieman Pasha states / that the advanced Turkish entrenchments are within 1">0 paced of the liu>-i.-in main position. The Russians have 2480 wounded at the Shipka Pass, and the number of the killed is unknown. The Turks, at the attack nt Plevna, had 755 put hors de combat. They have 200 ( gnus in position at this entrenchment. , A Turkish force from Eski-Djmna crossed the River Loin, near Jasslar. [Dski-Djuma is IS miles west of Shumla.] The Russians were defeated, and were i compelled to fall back from the Lorn. A Turkish forcefrom Ras«rad advanced to Halk, and repulsed the Russians, capturing two guns. A great battle is eminent, as the Turks have assumed the offensive, along the whole line. September 1. Mehcmet Ali telegraphs that he had nine hours' desperate fighting on the 30th August at Karabassonter. The right hank of the Lorn was repeat- . edly taken and re-taken. It was at last retained possession of bv the Turks. The Russians retreated in disorder I They were hotly pursued, and col to abandon Ardaragrase with a loss of! 4000. The booty taken by the Turks was immense. The Turkish loss was 3000. London, August Ml. The Czar is seriously ill at Ployesti having been completely prostrated by the. intelligence of the Russian reverses. Sulieman Pasha's army has been reinforced by all the available troops South of the Balkans. He has renewed tiie attack on the Russian position at .Shipka Pass with seventy thousand men. Fighting is going on with great slaughter. The Russians still maintain their position in the Pass. Brigham Young, the .Mormon prophet, died at Utah yesterday. [Brigham Young had nineteen legal wives, most of whom lived at Salt Lake City. He had innumerable wives seided t i him in various parts of his dominions. The number of his children has never been calculated.] The Agent-General's tele-rams dated August 31st, ti-40 p.m. says :—- After furious fighting at Shipka Pass, and immense losses on both sides, the Russians still retain possession. 's I'- ,-uia-i Pasha is t ■■■ 11._ i: : suvound

the Russians, to destroy thru- line oJ communication and prevent their retreat to Gabrova. Both sides received large reinforcements. S-i'via is expected to take part in the war. Greece is holding back. The " Sydney Morning Herald's " special telegram says : Mehemet Aii reports that Colonel Baker greatly distinguished himself, but is reported missing. Two horses were shot dead under him. Lieutenant-General Rodetzkey, the Russian commander at Shipka Pass, is in danger of being surrounded, and of water and food failing. Turkish reinforcements are arriving from Adrianople. The Russian Imperial Guard is arriving at Bucharest. Prince Charles is taking command of the Russo-Roumanian corps,with General Sotolfas Chief of the Stall'. September 1. The news of Kchemet Ali's victory at Eski-Djtima awaits confirmation. The Russians still holdShipka Pass. Severe engagements have, taken place between the forces in Bulgaria with varying success. The killed and wounded during the fortnight is estimated at forty thousand. September 3. Meliem't Ali attacked the Russians in force on the 30th, at Poskoi, and drove them back beyond Tirnlom (River Loin) with heavy loss. Osmail Pasha attacked the Russians on the 31st, at the front of Plevna, and captured the several Russian positions commanding the road to Loftcha. The Shipka position is unchanged. Despite the action of the Government, the French elections will give the Republicans an overwhelming majority. September +. Suliemnn Pasha, who has been strongly reinforced in the Shipka Pass, attacked the Russians fronting the PlevnaGabrova mad. There were twenty thousand men engaged on each side. The Turks were repulsed, with the loss of two thousand men. M. Thiers death nt the present crisis in French all.iirs is considered alarming. Bombay, September 2, A dhpatch from Osman I'asha dated the 31st of August, states that he had made a rccontmisance of the Russian position cast of Plevna. He attacked the enemy, who was 30.1)00 strong, an.l thoroughly routed him after savers righting, carrying three redoubts by assault.

' i Valentine Raker pi linguished himself in the engagement o.j hj August. Mehmet All's victory over the Russiaus is fully confirmed. There is a great movement of the Turks towards Papaboi and Kiridalisi. September 4. M. Tliiers died of apoplexy. Sulieman Pasha has telegraphed to Constantinople that he has been strongly reinforced, and that on the road to (lal r iva he had completely dislodged the enemy near Yeehilagie. September 5. The Turks have evactuated SoukhumKaleh. The Russians have captured [evacuated <\ Lovacsi. The "Daily News" says the Russians were victorious at Plevna on the 31»t. The Turkish lass was 2000.