NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE Russian prospects scarcely improve. The Government appears to believe that it must collect still further forces in Bulgaria, and has ordered forward the Imperial Guard, the corps d'e'li& of the whole Army, numbering 50,000 men of all arms. Moreover, it has prepared measures to provide for the release of 150,000 soldiers from internal garrison duty, and has decreed the mobilisation of the first ban of the landwehr, to replace them. The force concentrating round Nicopi for the new attack on Osman Pasha must be very large, 95,000 men at least ; but it will not be too large for the work if, as is reported, a second attack on Plevna has failed. Troops are still pouring into Bulgaria, but General Zimmermann, with 50,000 men, remains motionless at Tchernavoda, doing no good, that civilians can perceive ; while Suleiman Pasha, leaving General Gourko shut up in the Shipka Pass, is believed to be push- ing through the Balkans to reinforce Mehemet Ali. The Rus- sians are just now suppressing intelligence carefully, and observers must wait to form opinions ; but the facts that ooze out look as if the Grand Duke were lying on his oars, expecting an attack, which, nevertheless, he cannot force. Note that neither Osman Pasha, nor Mehemet Ali, nor Suleiman Pasha seems in the least embarrassed about commissariat. And note also that Russian information has ceased to be good.
