NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE first decisive victory of the war has been achieved by the Russians. The Emperor has steadily though quietly reinforced his armies in Armenia, and on the 15th inst. it was decided to make a general attack on the Turkish positions. General Heimann—a new name in the war, said to be a Jew—carried Mount Acolias, and thus cut Mukhtar Pasha's army in two, one-half retreating towards Kars, and the other half taking up a position on the Aladja Dagh. General Lazareff followed the half which escaped towards Kars, and almost destroyed it, capturing thousands of prisoners and 4 guns, and driving Mukh- tar himself headlong into Kars. So utter was the rout on this side, that Mukhtar's statement that only 800 men were killed is probably true, his men surrendering by hundreds at a time. The fr °mining half were surrounded on the Aladja Dagh, and sur- rendered at discretion, with 32 guns and all their tents and sup- plies. The Russians have from 16,000 to 24,000 prisoners, in- cluding seven Pashas. Mukhtar Pasha, "the Victorious," admits in his account of the affair the defeat of his own half of the army, and says nothing about the other half, and the officials at Constantinople limit their denials to the number of prisoners.
