"الحرب الروسية-التركية، ١٨٧٧. العمليات في أوروبا." [ظ‎‎٣‎٢] (٦٦/٦٤)

64
y.
RAILWAYS, ROADS, BRIDGES, &c.
May 1877. The railway line according to this week’s intelligence is partly submerged
between Galatz and Braila, by the overflow of the Danube ; and at other places
besides Tecuci mentioned last week, bridges and culverts have been carried
away by floods. Owing to these causes and the consequent accumulation of trains
at certain points, the line is practically blocked and railway communication is
temporarily suspended.
A military bridge over the Sereth has also been carried away by the floods,
and the roads and communication generally are for the present in an unsatis
factory state.
VI.
SERVIA, ROUMANIA, &c.
It is stated in the news from Belgrade of the 22nd May, that the “ Corps
of Observation ” on the Servian frontier had been reinforced. It is under the
command of General Horvatovics.
Head-Quarters, Regotin.
All the national militia of the Belgrade District had been ordered to
assemble in their different localities on the 29th.
Two battalions were ordered to he added to the Standing Army, and all
soldiers on leave were recalled.
The Regular Army was to be reinforced by the incorporation with it of the
whole of the Militia of the First Class.
A temporary camp of exercise was being formed in the vicinity of Belgrade,
at which it was said there would be a force of 30,000 men.
Fresh defensive works were in course of construction at Alexinatz
Pandirato, Gramada, and Veliki.
VII.
TURKISH ARMY.
There is little information this week respecting the Turkish Army.
Intelligence from Bucharest gives the following as an approximately
correct estimate of the strength of the portion of it on service in the theatre
of war on the Danube, from Widdin to Ismail, and from Varna to Sophia
About 160,000 men, inclusive of 3,000 Irregular Cavalry (Tcherkesses)
A 5 ^ battalions; and exclusive of 10,000 Bashi-Bazouks, or a total of
170,000 men, with 318 guns.
It is related, in intelligence from Varna of the 22nd May, that all officers
of the Circassian Cavalry service there had been ordered to Constantinople to
take part m the organisation of 25 Cavalry Regiments for service at Adrianople
^ trustworthy authority at Salonica, writing in the middle of May, relate*
that the Governor-General of that vilayet had been instructed by the Porte tc
send to Abdul Kerim’s head-quarters at Rustchuk all the “ Souvaree ” Zantieh*
on horse-back to be found in the Sandjaks of Seres, Drama, Monastir anc
Salonica. He had decided on sending only 65 men out of every 100 whicl
would make a total force of 400 men. '
I he Staff of Halet Pacha, sent to Adrianople to superintend the fortifica
tion of the Balkan Passes, comprised Houloussie Bey and Rifat Bey: and foi
the construction ot the works, Fuad Bey and Mehemet Ali Effendi.