The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-04-06 00:00:00

AMERICAN HUMOUR.

It is asserted of a Philadelphian that he died "worn
out by too severe mental effort in the study of how to live
without work."

A Kansas woman has reached the age of 130 years,
and it is a pitiable sight to see her 100-year-old son sit in the
corner and wriggle, while he sobs, "Ma, kin I go out? "

An African traveller who attended the obEequies of
a deceased swereign of that country, speaks of the remains
when prepared for interment, as the largest box of black
king he ever saw,

A. cautious Chicago lover wrote letters to his sweet-
heart in ink that woull speedily die out. She brought her
action for a breach of promise, but her love documents were
only blank paper.
. .

schoolmaster in Chicago, who asked a small pupil
of what the surface of the earth consists, and was promptly
answered, "Land and water," varied the question slightly,
that the fact might be impressed on the boy's mind, and
asked, "What, then, do land and water make ?" to which
catne the immediate response, "Mud."

_
A lecturer has remarked that it wouldn't be a very
violent stretch of the imagination to believe "that a Mas-
sachusetts baby, six months old, sits in his mother's lap, eye-
ing his own cradle, to see if he could not invent a better; or
at least suggest some improvement."

An Indian chief, in a telegraph-office in Montana,
being told that the operator was " talkhig with a white
brother two thousand miles distant," gave it as his opinion
that that was the "longest talk" he had ever witnesEed.

A. stranger meeting a man in the streets of New
York, roughly accosted him with, " Here, I went to go the
'Tremont Hotel F' "—The deliberate reply was, "Weli, you
can go, if you won't be gone long."
An Illinois constable made a return on the back of a
pkper t'hus :—" I executed this kubpeeny by trying to read it
to John Mack, but he was drivin. cattle on horseback, and
run famter than I could, and kept up such a holierin' I don't
know 'whether he heered or not. This is the best I could do,
and dm% know whether the subpeeny is served according to
law or not."

A. lady writer in the Washington Capital has not a
very high opinion of her sex, if we may judge of her feelings
by the subjoined One woman's hand is always lifted
against another, it she thinks the other is getting along. If
I was on trial I would not be tried by a jury of women, for
It my bonnet was a. little more fashionable, or my face a
uttitbduaidotsPtralbwa laßgirt iivikkitopiumjYl
women w`diiid sit down on tneir siner woman instantly, if
not &sooner."

THE NAVAL ASPECT OF A RUSSIAN
ADVANCE UPON THE BOSPHORUS.

The Naval Correspondent of The Times sends to
that joignal an interesting letter, under the above
title, from which we extract the following. Writing
from Constantinople on March 24, the Correspondent
says :

The desire of the Russians to embark a portion of the
troops now stationed at San Stefano at some part of the -Upper
Bosphorus has been looked upon, not altogether without
reason, as a mere pretext for obtaining a foothold on the
shores of the classic Strait, the key of the Black
Sea. Such a pretension, adrinced at the eleventh hour,
as it were, with our fleet absent at Ismid, and most
of the Turkish ironclads away in the Mediterranean,
has, it must be confessed, rather a suspicious appear-
ance when read by the light of past events ; and,
coupled with the ugly rumours which have been afloat for
some time now as to torpedo ships in the Bosphorus, and
marine battalions collected at Adrianople, it is not surpris-
ing to find at the present moment considerable disquiet in
naval circles. Buyukdere, there is no doubt, offers gre.it
facilities for the embarcation of troops, as the deep water of
the Bosphorus would enable the largest transports to be
alongside an improvised jetty, and, from the sheltered posi-
tion of the place, the operations could be carried on inde-
pendently of the state of the weather. The summer residence
of the Russian Ambassador, nestling at the foot of the
lovely wooded hills which form the banks of the Bosphorus
about there, with its ground stretching down to the
shore, already possesses a landiug-place of its own, which at
no very great expense of time or labour could be trans-
formed into a jetty for embarcation. Then, again, the wide'
stretching valley from which the place derives its name
affords a most convenient site for the encampment of an
army. It was here that in the time of the Crusades the host
of enthusiastic warriors, led by Godefroi de Bouillon, pitched
their tents previously to passing over into Asia; and the
group of plane trees which is said to have shaded the
pavilion of that renowned warrior are still standing ready to
perform the same office for the Grand Duke Nicholas. These
are the arguments in favour of those who could see no arriare
pensde in the proposed movement, abandoned now, it is
understood, through the firm suppor t given by the Austrian
Embassy and our own to the Turkish protest. The fact
cannot be ignored however, by any thinking person that
Buyukdere is dangerously near to the Narrows, where the
defensive power of the Turks is concentrated. Fort Telli
and Roumili Kayak on the European, Majar and Anadoli
Kayak on the Asiatic side of the Bosphorus, sweep the
channel for a distance of three miles, and can concentrate
their tire on any point within much the same limits, all the
guns of the two last-named forts being Krupps of 15 and 24
centimetre bore, mounted en barbette. The Russians once
at Buyukdere, there would be nothing to prevent their
marching into the forts on the European side, and crossing
over in boats and lighters, easily procured at Buyukdere.

The whole extent of the distance to be traversed under a
dangerous fire is not more than 6,000 yards from Buy ukdere,
say, to Buyuk Liman; and the speed of the ironclads would
carry them over this, even against the current, in about
twenty minutes. By keeping over on the Asiatic shore
after passing the Yenikoi light-vessel, and -running up
inside the Umur Yen shoals, the Majar Fort would be
masked by the projecting headland just to the southward,
and thus the ships need not be exposed to the fire of an
enemy until close up to the Narrows. The armour-
plating of such vessels as the Alexandra, Temeraire,
and Sultan would not readily be pierced at even
700 yards, the very nearest distance at which the con-
traction of the channel would oblige our ironclads to
pass: and these magnificent vessels having borne the brunt
of the attack and taken off, as it were, the edge of the
enemy's fire—returning the same' be it understood, with
interest the weaker vessels could then foUow without much
fear of disaster. It is, after all, only the Majar and Anadoli
Kayak forts which are worth considering in any que-aion of
forcing the passage of the Bosphorus, as neither those on the
European shore at the Narrows nor the upper part of the
Strait are armed with Krupp guns. They are, even the best
of them, nothing but old stone batteries, which would not
stand much hammering, and a few shells from the bow guns
of the leading ships would silence them at once. lathe present
condition, then of these forts, it is not likely that our
ships would suffer very much in running past, or even in
deliberately engaging them with a view to their destruc-
tion. Majar and Anadoli Kayak forts, fine batteries as they
are, of modern construction, and well placed with regard
to cross fire upon the narrowest part of the Bosphorus, have
yet one great disadvantage in being built at the foot of rocky
projections, a part of which has had to be actually blasted
and cut away in order to provide the necessary space for the
magazines and casemates for sheltering the men. The rock
of which these headlands is composed is not of a hard and
solid nature, enabling it to resist concussion ; it splits into
fragments at the slightest blow; and one oan imagine, the
position of the poor gunners during action, with innumer-
able fragments of stone flying about their heads as the enemy's
projectiles struck the hill so close in their rear. Their
position under a heavy fire would be untenable not only on
this account, but from the exposed position of most of the
guns, mounted, as they are, en barbette, with no elevating
platforms to keep them out of view until the moment of
delivering their fire ; and it is not too much to expect that
the artillerymen would soon be driven from their pie'es
were the enemy but able to stand the arst few rounds. The
cross fire and the concentration of projectiles at the Bos-
phorus Narrows is nothing to what a fleet would be exposed
to in forcing the passage of the Dardanelles, where there are
batteries of Krupp guns on each side of the Strait. It is not
the guns and forts of the Bosphorus, then, so much which
have to be thought of when weighing the consequences to us
of their falling into the possession of Russia, although the
strength of the positions would undoubtedly be much in-
creased by the construction of fieldworks on the hills to pro-
tect the batteries from attack in the rear were the Russians
to remain undisturbed but a few days only in their new
situation. Where practicable, field-pieces would doubtless
he placed with the view of harassing a hostile fleet by pour-
ing a galling fire down upon the decks; but the Gatling
guns in the "tops" of the ironclads would have something
to say to these batteries on the heights, while the heavy grins
of their broadside were settling matters with the forts (if/cur
d'eau The employment of torpedoes would Enhance the
danger to the fleet, but not to so great an extent as a super-
ficial view of the case would lead one at first to suppose. In
placing obstructions of this nature in the Bosphorus two
great difficulties have to be contended with—the unusual
depth of water and the strong current—difficulties which
exist in their most exaggerated forus just at the very
places where the employment of torpedoes would be of most
value to the defence. The current at the Narrows runs at
times between five and six miles an hour, its ordinary rate
being about four knots, and the depth of water varies be-
tween forty and fifty fathoms, the bottom being very uneven.
Electro-contact torpedoes, such as the Russians used in the
Danube, would be out of place in the Bosphorus, as the
current would never permit of their being so adjusted that
they would always remain at the required depth below the
surface. They could certainly be thrown overboard, and,
being thus left to chance, no doubt the "moral effect" pro-
duced by a knowledge of the same becoming pnblic would
not be without its valise; but I do not think that the fear of
torpedoes should keep back our fleet from entering the Black
Sea were the forts of the Bosphorus to fall into hands hostile
to our interests. . . .

We pass now to the Whitehead torpedo—a weapon of
which the Russians possess a certain number, and which un-
doubtedly would be one of the Means used by them to pre-
vent our fleet from reaching the Black Sea in case of war.
Launched from the surface of the water by hand, there is
nothing like the same certainty with regard to aim as in
the case where they are shot out of a submerged tube—
part of the apparatus fitted to vessels specially in-
tended to use these wonderful weapons. There is, of
course, no reason why submerged tubes should not be
applied to batteries placed at the water's edge, and such
an appliance for launching Whitehead torpedoes would
add immensay to the strength of the liavA forts.

It would take, however, considerable time to prepare the
ground for receising the necessaly machinery, and, there-
fore, the Russians, although they have the " Whiteheads"
ready to hand, would not be able to use them after a more
Improved method than that by which the two attacks at
Batoum were conducted. . . . Whitehead torpedoes would
doubtless be used to impede the passage of our fleet, as I
have already said, in case of war and the Russians were
holding the Narrows; but the uncertainty of aim when
launching the torpedo by hand would be very much in-
creased by the presence of such a strong current as runs
down the Bosphorus, and danger from this source would be
lessened in proportion. Thus far, then, I have treated of
the aspect and bearing from a naval point of view of a Rus-
sian occupation of the forts of the Bosphorus; and now,
without positively asserting that such a proceeding was
contemplated when the Muscovite authorities made
the demand for the embarcatiou of their troops at Buyuk-
dere, I shall proceed to relate certain facts that have come
to my knowledge, which certainly warrant our strongest
suspicions as to their good faith in preferring the request.
It will be as well, perhaps, to draw attention to the fact
that Buyuk-Tcheckwedjie offers almost as great facilities for
the embarcation of troops as does any part of the Bosphorus.
The anchorage is good and well sheltered; for, though the
bay is open to the south, it is very rare that we have a wind
direct from that quarter, and the south-west wind blows
past the entrance. Kuchuk-Tcheckmedlie, as well as San
Stefano, might have their jetties also, and thus there
is no real necessity for the Russians to march to
Buyukdere for the purpose of embarking. On Wed-
nesday a gray- coloured steamer passed down the
Bosphorus from Buyukdere and is now at anchor off San
Stefano. In outward appearance, but for the colour of
the hull and sundry suspicious articles of equipment, she
would pass well enough for a Black Sea trader—a vessel of
innocent character, come, no doubt, to assist in the re-
moval of the troops. The Russians, I hear, have denied
that she is a torpedo vessel, but there is no mistaking the
nature of the very long spars fitted to the side with pivoting
bolts just abreast of the fore-rigging, or the use to which a
third one shackled to the cutwater and Weed up to the bow-
sprit would be put to in time of war. The spars in question
are some 35ft. long, fitted with "topping lifts" and "guys "
for swinging them out as required, in order to place the
torpedo nxed to the end under the bottom of the ship
attacked. These, however, are not the only weapons with
which the craft is provided, as hanging to the davitts are no
less than four steam launches, one of which is undoubtedly
Thorneycroft, while the others have all the appearance of
Cowes built steam lifeboats and are fast boats, no doubt,
well able to carry their pole torpedoes or to tow the " White-
heads " stowed away for the present somewhere in her hold
Into the scene of action. In addition to the offensive opera-
tions this ship might well carry on, she is apparently fitted
with every appliance for laying down stationary torpedoes,
having derricks all about the ship, and every facility for
heisting in and out heavy weights. All this could he
seen easily enough with a good glass from the window
of the small hotel at Buyukdere, and to educated eyes
a piece of machinery on deck partially covered up,
looked exceedingly like the ( ngine and boiler of a
fifth craft, to lee forthcoming from somewhere later on. A.
very recent trip to San Stefano enables me to speak posi-
tively as to her remaining off that place at the end of ti.e
Turkish lines, with her fittings just as described above, still
intact, and that it is really a fact that a torpedo ship does
lie ready for immediate service just outside the Bosphorus.
There were no signs visible as to preparations for embarking
at San Stefano, though it is some da)s since the refusal of
the Porte to grant the Grand Duke's request for a tem-
porary occupation of Buyukdere was notified to his Ymperial
Highness, and the Turks have since taken steps to prevent
any attempt to attain the object by a ruse de qaerre or
a sudden march in advance ci ha Skobeloff, which, overawing
opposition, might place the game, as heretofore, in their
hands, by stationing troops on the line of march. The tor-
pedo ship before going to San Stefano, it may be mentioned,
was lyieg for several days at anchor off Buyukdere, arel
her attendant steam launches did a good deal of running
about, which gave rise to a report that the Russians
were engaged in placing torpedoes at the upper part
of the Bosphorus. A friend of mine was fortunate
: enough to get a more than usually good look at one
of these launches lying astern of the torpedo ship,
and there were certain indications which seemed to
declare that the little craft was fitted with electrical steer-
ing gear. A boat with such an apparatus might be used to
carry a contact torpedo at night against a ship at anchor,
thus avoiding the risk of life, with almost as great a certainy
of attaining success as if the adventurous craft was manned
' by the operators. That these steam launches have been em-
ployed in placing torpedoes, I do not for a moment believe,
although I think it is extremely probable that the running
about observed from Buyukdere had mucli more to
do with sounding the channel than pleasure trips
by the officers to the villages at the entrance to the
Black Sea, and it is not at all unlikely that a quiet
search has been going on for the purpose of ascertaining the
whereabouts of the Turkish mines. It is worth while noting
that although the Russians had only 50 Whitehead torpedoes
at the commencement of the war with Turkey, and five of
these we know to have been used, the cessation of hostilities
has enabled Mr. Whitehead since to complete his contract
by handing over the remaining 60, which 10.1'3 been ready
for sometime past aa Fiume.

The lovers of falconry and hawking have started a
club, by which the members will have the exclusive privilege
of enjoying the sport. Hawks have been trained, and this
ancient sport promises to become a fashionable pastime this
summer.

At the Agricultural Hall, London, on Saturday, a
60 in:lea' walking match for prizes amoupting to £lOB termi-
nated in favour of W. Howes, of London, who completed the
entire distance in 6h. 16m. 475ec., a time quite unrivalled.

"It is interesting to know that the St. Petersburg
Admiralty possess drawings of all the ironelads recently
acql/4.eCT y,• ETU. tio_vekr,Heft,..,ppTsg_siy,92lpir#
'
tingencies in the -Baltic or Sea of Marmore,"—Mayfair.