NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE St. Petersburg correspondent of the Pall Mall Gazette on Thursday informed the world that orders had been issued to the Russians "to retire from Turkish Armenia." We do not believe that statement, but we do believe that it is both official and important. Like the order to raise the siege of Kars, the rapid retreat from Batoum, the sudden withdrawal of all effectives from Ardahan- the origin of the report that Ardahan has been recaptured,—the telegram means, as we suspect, on grounds stated at length else- where, that the Russian Government intends to strike a desperate blow to rehabilitate itself on the Asiatic side. Since our own view was printed, we have seen that of the Daily Telegraph, written obviously by one of the coolest and most competent military critics in Europe, and it is evident that he also is uneasy at the possibility of a blow which would again change the whole face of the Armenian campaign, and undo all that has been achieved by the resolute valour of the Turks in defence of strong positions. It is conceivable, of course, that the Grand Duke Michael is pressed by orders given from other than military motives, and on the face of the telegrams, the mot d'ordre is retreat for the year ; but there is a heavy balance of probabilities on the other side, and people who want to know rather than to indulge anti-Russian or anti-Turkish feeling will do well to suspend judgment for a few days. There is no rule in military criticism so safe as this,—that in war, victory generally inclines to the stronger force, and the stronger force, momentary appear- , ances notwithstanding, is the Russian.
