THE DARKENING RUSSIAN PROSPECT.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 1899, 30 November 1877, Page 3

THE DARKENING RUSSIAN PROSPECT.

(Poll Mall Budget, September 29.) Every day the Russian prospect becomes darker. In the news letters and telegrams of this morning there is not a word, of hope or consolation for the partisans of the invader, but very much to the contrary. That the Russians have had to endure another repulse at Plevna, is & story quite without confirmation ; and indeed the hopelessness of attack, while the opposed forces maintain their present relative strength, is a sufficient warrant for disbelieving the report. No doubt the Russian commanded have proved themselves capable of very rash enterprises, but they cannot fail to learn m time that there are some things bsyond attainment, however indifferent they may be to the sacrifice of life. The news that Chefket Pasha has succeeded m pouring reinforcements both of men and munitions into Plevna appears to be true ; and on alt hands this is acknowledged to be a very important stroke of success. Moreover, that the Russians did not prevent him may be taken as proving either disability or incapacity ; or, more probably, both. Happening when it did, their failure m this particular is by no means of good omen for them. More important than all, however, are these repeated accounts of the demoralized condition of the Russian soldiery. A correspondent of the Daily News — an eye-witness by no means inclined, by nature or association, to testify agaiust the Russians — reports the discontent and discouragement of the army as even greater than he had expected to find them. And, what is more, discontent and despondency prevail amongst the officers as well as the men. "I have not spoken to a single officer who does not regard success as hopeless while the personnel of the headquarter staff remains unchanged. As no change m its composition seems likely, everybody seems dispirited." No change is likely, because no beneficial change is possible perhaps. Tt is not to be supposed that the Emperor and the Grand Dukes donotavailthemselvesalready of the beat generals at their command ; while as for the suggestion that the Grand Dukes are themselves the incompetent soldiers, and that they should go home and leave the fortunes of the war to be retrieved by humbler but more capable men, there are reasons m abundance for assuming that they will never. listen to advice of that sort. The Imperial family is humiliated enough already m all conscience : it cannot be expected that its princes should voluntarily acknowledge that their humiliation is the outcome of their own inepititude. Lastly, a changb of weather for the worse is said to threaten serious consequences to the invaders : " the health of the army is still fair, but it is evident that a few more days' cold and rain would cause a great deal of sickness. I predict that half the array will be invalided soon after the bad weather sets m. Nevertheless the Turks are still threatened (by own correspondents) with annihilation m a winter campaign.' But a • winter campaign means bankruptcy. And Bhould it succeed — after bankruptcy — the fact remains thai the invaders have very little hope of being allowed to profit by the conque3ta obtained at so monstrous a cost.