TURKEY'S HOPELESS STRUGGLE.
Defeat sometimes is the presage of victory. Reverses are often needed to teach prudence and carefulness, especially in war. An uninterrupted series of indecisive victories is apt to provoke carelessness and rashness in a general, who may imagine that his skill and experience, and the strength and prowess of his army, are equal to any military undertaking, and thus rush on to destruction. This lesson of caution has been taught the Russians, who swept down on Armenia and pushed with rashness across the Balkans, evidently expecting to overrun all Asiatic Turkey, cover and hold all Bulgaria, and move upon Adrianople, and even Constantinople. The reverses of the Russian arms at Ardahan and Zewin, in Armenia, and at Plevna, in Bulgaria, have enforced upon their leaders this lesson. Affairs now look vastly better for the Russians, both in Europe and Asia. They have gained very important victories in Armenia, in the neighborhood of Kars, cutting Mukhtar Pasha's army in twain and capturing and killing between 15,000 and 20,000 of his men, besides getting possession of munitions of war and of advantageous positions. This is an important victory over Turkey's ablest general, who had just been decorated with the title of Ghazi, conqueror. If the weather should continue to be good a few weeks longer, or for even a few days, we may hear of the fall of Kars and Erzerum, and of another disastrous defeat of the Turks. But if the situation of the contending armies should remain unchanged until next year, the Russians, although accomplishing much less than they expected to at the outset, will close the campaign with more gained than they hoped for two months ago. General Mellikoff has fairly retrieved the character as a general which he almost lost at Zewin. In Bulgaria the Russians have completed the investment of Plevna, gaining a very important victory over Chevket Pasha, who was attempting to lead re-enforcements to Osman Pasha by the road from Sophia to Plevna. By the occupation of the heights of Dubnik, the only remaining avenue of escape for Osman to the west, over the River Vid, has been cut off. Teteven Pass being now in the hands of the Russians, the Turks have no opportunity of harassing detachments advancing from Telische and Lovatz toward Orchanie. Sudden attacks from the Balkans are also guarded against, and the Russians are closing in upon Osman as Prince Frederick Charles did on Marshal Bazaine at Metz. They are carefully fortifying as they advance, and are being constantly strengthened by re-enforcements. Osman, doubtless, begins to feel very uncomfortable; very much, indeed, as a person might feel who has been thrust into a box and is sensible that the lid is being securely fastened on, shutting out all hope of escape. When the superior artillery of the Russians begins to open on Plevna simultaneously from several quarters, there will be death, destruction, and dismay within the Turkish stronghold. Meanwhile, the Turkish quadrilateral is being invested on two sides. This quadrilateral is composed of Rustchuk and Silistria, on the Danube, Varna, on the Black Sea, and Shumla, east of Tirnova. These places are very strongly fortified, and are well garrisoned. Besides, the army of Suleiman Pasha is at Rasgrad, and can be moved easily to meet an attack either on the eastern or western lines. On the west the army of the Czarowitz threatens Rasgrad, while on the east Gen. Zimmerman is moving from the Dobrudscha toward Silistria. He has an army of 55,000 men. The Czarowitz also has a large force, but immediate success to either is somewhat doubtful. Such is the present situation of affairs. Turkey has probably appeared at its best, while Russia still has resources to draw from and is determined to win. Said the Czar, in a recent address: “I myself will care for the wants of the army; and, if necessary, all Russia will, as once before, take up arms.” The Russians are in terrible earnest, and mean to strike a heavy blow before the campaign closes, if possible. The constellation of the Great Bear is now in the ascendant and the Crescent wanes. The Independent. It now looks as if the end of the Turco-Russian war were really approaching. Everywhere the Russians are gaining ground, and the Turks losing. The latter are fighting purely on the defensive, and seem to have lost much of the obstinacy and spirit that characterized their movements a month or six weeks ago.