According to a telegram of the 2nd of August from
Bucharest, published in the Times, the Russians, drawing fresh men from Tirnova, have again attacked and routed Osman Pasha, but this statement requires confirmation. The time considered, it does not look probable, and it will be safer to believe that Osman Pasha, with 40,000 men, is' pressing towards Tirnova ; while Mehemet Ali, with probably 60,000 more, is advancing from Shumla in the same direction. Unless, therefore, the Russian Grand Duke can rapidly accumulate 100,000 men at Tirnova, he may lose the position, and communication between his force and General Gourko south of the Balkans will be cutoff. That General in already hardly pressed by Suleiman Pasha, who has captured Eski Sagra, and is pushing the Russians back upon the Schipke. Pass, where, if communications are out off, they will have diffi- culty in obtaining food. At least 60,000 Russians are marching through Roumania to reinforce the Grand Duke, whose head- quarters are at Bela, but there is want of readiness apparent in the highest quarters of the Russian Staff. We believe they are greatly hampered by their permanent difficulty, the carriage of commissariat, which has contributed to the wide dispersion of the forces ; but if they cannot get up men in time, they may sustain a defeat which will arrest the campaign. Russia has endurance, and cannot submit to be beaten ; but she may have in this probable event to go through a second campaign, with lowered courage. The outlook is not worse than it was for the Northern States during part of the American war, but it is as bad, and Russians have not the American power of recuperation. A complete defeat of Osman Pasha would, however, change the scene, and probably save the Christian population of Turkey from extirpa- tion. The Turks will not again consent to be worried by their complaints.
