Democratic Sentinel, Volume 1, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 December 1877 — NEWS SUMMARY [ARTICLE]

NEWS SUMMARY

THE WAR nr THE BAST. Advices through Turkish channel* report a signal victory for Suleiman Pasha, he having captured Elena, a Russian position about twenty miles southeast of Tirnova, taking 5,000 prisoners and six cannon. Russian acoonnts'acknowledge a defeat, with heavy losses, at Elena. A Paris correspondent publishes a letter from a person holding a position of trust connected with one of the highest personages of the Ottoman empire declaring that the Turks are hopeless of suocess, and as soon as Erzeroum is taken and the Adrianople road threatened they will treat separately with Russia, and oede the free passage of the Bosphorus to the Russians rather than permit them to advance ou Constantinople. The Turks are trying desperately to relieve Osman Pasha's army, which is cooped np in Plevna. If the Czar’s army, which has surrounded it, forces it to surrender, the road to Constantinople through the western passes of the Balkans will be open. Huleiman Pasha, whose base is the powerful fortress of Shumla on the east, is operating with a relieving army against the Russian force nnder the Emperor’s son. If he can break it, he hopes to strike the army which invests Osman Pasha at Plevna. Huleiman Pasha has about 85,000 men, and the Russian force which he is assailing numbers, perhaps, 60,000, A Constantinople dispatch says : “ Ohaza Mukhtar Pasha's army numbers 25,000 men. This is considered insufficient to hold Erzeroum. Reinforcements will be sent him.” Mchemet Ali has ooniided to Baker Pasha (Col. Valentine Baker) command of a division. It is officially announced that the Russian loss between Nov. 10 and 17 was 3,153 men. The total loss since the commencement of the war is 74,858 men. The strength of the alliance between the three Emperors is daily becoming more apparent. During the oarly part of the summer campaign in Bulgaria it was the fashion for English papors to aasumo that Austria was friendly to the Turks and jealous of the encroachments of the Russians upon the D&uubian provinces. But that favorite illusion has long since been dispelled, and now, according to the latest advices, au uneasy feeling is becoming apparent in London lest the settlement of the Eastern question may be made in a manner unfavorable to English interests.