770 



TURKEY. 



ganization as could be attained. Prince Gor- 

 tchakoff notified the other powers that Russia 

 was not ready to agree to an armistice of six 

 months, but would prefer one of six weeks, 

 as had been proposed by England, and which 

 could be renewed as often as there might 

 be occasion. General Ignatieff, the Russian 

 embassador at Constantinople, who had been 

 absent on leave for a considerable time, re- 

 turned to Constantinople October 19th. He 

 immediately conferred with the other em- 

 bassadors, and reiterated in a more definite 

 form the demand of Russia for a security of 

 the autonomy of Bulgaria, Bosnia, and the 

 Herzegovina, and for the introduction of the 

 reforms promised by the Porte, under the con- 

 trol of a commission of the European powers. 

 Here arose a question whether the commission 

 would not have to be supported by an armed 

 force against the fanaticism of the Mussulmans. 

 The action of General Ignatieff was very un- 

 welcome to the Turks, for they regarded it as 

 an indication that Russia had determined upon 

 an ultimatum with the alternative of war. 

 Unfavorable reports came from Roumania, that 

 Prince Charles had refused to proclaim the ac- 

 cession of Abdul-Hamid as Sultan; that he had 

 given permission to Russia to march troops 

 through his territory ; and that a great gather- 

 ing of troops in the neighborhood of Galatz 

 had been ordered for the autumnal manoeuvres. 

 On the 23d of October a plot was discovered, 

 which had been formed among the adherents 

 of the late Sultan Abdul- Aziz and his Grand- 

 Vizier Malimoud Pasha, for the deposition of 

 Abdul-Hamid and the installation of Yusuf 

 Izzedin Effendi, son of Abdul-Aziz. At the 

 head of the conspiracy were Meshid-Din Ef- 

 fendi, former teacher of Yusuf Izzedin, who 

 had been a candidate for the office of Sheikh 

 ul-Islam ; Riza Beg, former director of the 

 archives ; the Circassian, Ramiz Pasha, and 

 several eminent ulemas. Mahmoud Pasha was 

 to be Grand- Vizier of the new Sultan. The 

 conspiracy had numerous adherents among 

 the fanatical Moslems, and was to be carried 

 into effect on the 1st of November. It was 

 betrayed, the leaders were disposed of secretly, 

 and many of their adherents were deported to 

 the islands of the archipelago. 



The suspension of hostilities was interrupted 

 by several slight conflicts. An attempt was 

 made to extend it till the 2d of October, but 

 Servia refused to recognize it. On the 28th of 

 September General Tchernayeff sent out de- 

 tachments to Trnyan, Nozrina, and Buimir, and 

 burned the Turkish bridges at Trnyan. At this 

 time the situation of the two armies was as 

 follows: The left wing of the Servian army 

 extended along the left bank of the Djunis 

 stream from Weliki Shiliegovatz to Djunis, 

 and was intrenched and supported by rifle- 

 pits on the right bank of the Djunis. The 

 centre, likewise intrenched, facing the south, 

 stretched along the line from Djunis to opposite 

 Korman, on the Morava. The left wing was 



posted at Alexinatz, and extended above and 

 below the intrenched camp from Bogoviste 

 to Glagowitza; it had in its rear the stone 

 bridge on the road from Krushevatz to Deli- 

 grad, and three field-bridges over the Morava, 

 all of which were guarded by intrenchments. 

 The reserve was concentrated at Deligrad. 

 The Turkish army, whose lines formed an 

 angle, with the point to the north, had its left 

 wing between Kruschie and Lower Adrovatz, 

 and its right wing along the left baiik of the 

 Morava, from Lower Adrovatz to Teshitza. 

 The Turks were, like the Servians, protected 

 by rifle-pits. They had a force of about 60,- 

 000 infantry, including 6,000 irregular Arnauts 

 and Circassians, 2,500 regular cavalry, and 15 

 batteries with 90 guns. Connected with this 

 force were smaller detachments in the valley 

 of the Toplitza at Prokoplie and Kurshum- 

 lie, and on the Babina Glava, containing to- 

 gether about 4,000 men ; at Nissa a reserve of 

 20,000 men and four field-batteries ; and at 

 Ak Palanka and Pirot between 4,000 and 5,000 

 men. The Servians had in their lines between 

 60,000 and 70,000 men, including all the re- 

 enforcements which they had received from 

 abroad. On the 29th of September General 

 Tchernayeff made an unsuccessful assault upon 

 the Turkish left wing. On the 30th the Turks 

 opened an effective artillery-fire and established 

 themselves without serious opposition upon 

 the Ludak stream, occupied Gredetin and 

 Peshtchanitza, and on the following day the 

 heights on the left bank of the stream. In the 

 first days of October the headquarters of their 

 advance - guard were removed to Peshtcha- 

 nitza. No further actions worthy of notice 

 occurred till the 19th of October. On that 

 day the Turks, having been previously reen- 

 forced from Nissa, made a general attack upon 

 the Servian lines. The battle, which was most 

 actively fought around Weliki Shiliegovatz, 

 lasted till dark, and resulted in important ad- 

 vantages to the Turks. As one of its results, 

 they were enabled to withdraw their lines 

 from the narrow corner between the Ludak 

 stream and the Morava, and at its close they 

 possessed an effective front to the north against 

 the Servian position between Gladova and 

 Korman. On the 23d they had gained posses- 

 sion of both sides of the Djunis stream, and held 

 a position between the right wing and the left 

 wing and centre of the Servian army. This 

 would have been dangerous to them if General 

 Tchernayeff had still held the bridge at Alexi- 

 natz with sufficient force to make a strong 

 attack from it upon the right flank of the 

 Turks. But this was not the case. Believing 

 that it would not be necessary to make a stand 

 at this position, it had been left in charge of a 

 force so small as to be incapable of perform- 

 ing an effective movement. Consequently the 

 Servians were kept upon the defensive. A 

 vigorous cannonade was kept up against their 

 intrenchments on the 28th. On the 29th a 

 number of intrenchments were carried by 



