THE FALL OF PLEVNA

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 20, 1877

THE FALL OF PLEVNA.

The fall of Plevna, with the surrender of the fine army which Osman Pasha locked up there, is too severe a blow to leave much power of resistance to the Turks. Without at all taking into consideration the strategical advantage gained by the Russians, the capture of Osman and his army removes more than a third of the whole fighting force of the Sultan’s army. The victory opens to the Russian arms the whole of Bulgaria, from the Jantra to the Servian border, and enables Servia to carry out without danger her long-expected programme of junction and co-operation with the invaders. Widin, which is but weakly garrisoned, is cut off completely from all its bases of supply, and must surrender in a few days. Mehemet Ali, who was organizing an army for Osman’s relief, and had already confessed his failure, and Chefket Pasha, at Orchanie, must either get out of Bulgaria and behind the line of the Balkans, or share very shortly the fate of Osman; for the Russians, relieved of the latter, will now be able to pour an overwhelming force upon them. The army of Shumla and the Dobrudscha is thus all that remains to Turkey north of the Balkans.

Under none of its three commanders has it been of very much use. It is cooped up in a comparatively small country, where heretofore it has been barely able to hold its own, advancing on and retreating from the czarowitz’s lines alternately. It will now be needed for the last struggle in Roumelia, behind the passes of the Balkans, if, indeed, a last struggle is to be made, which is doubtful. The next battle, in all probability, will be a diplomatic one, and it is likely to prove more disastrous to Turkey even than Plevna. Great Britain, the only friend of the Turk, is alone, and she cannot do much single-handed.—Detroit Evening News, Dec. 11, 1877.