The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-12-02 00:00:00

THE THEATRE OF WAR IN ASIA.

The mission of the two Turkish armies in Asia is to break
the circle of iron in which General Woronzoff has for years
been endeavouring to confine the Caucasian Insurrection.
Abdi Pacha, leaving Erzeroum, is to penetrate into the
valley of the Rioni, and to march straight before him on
Coutais, and from thence to Tiflis. Sehm Pacha is charged
to operate on the coast of the Black Sea, and to restore to
Schamyl his liberty of action and of obtaining stores. In
Asia, the frontier territories of Russia and Turkey divide
themselves, in a military point of view, into two distinct
theatres doperation. It is the high ridge, or rather con-
catenation of ridges, connecting the Caucasus with the table-
land of Central Armenia, and dividing the waters that run
toward the Black Sea from those which the Araxes leads to
the Caspian Sea, or the Euphrates to the Persian Gulf ; it
is this ridge which formerly parted Amenia from Pontus,
that now forms the partition of the two distinct districts
where the war is to be waged. This range of abrupt and
generally barren rocks, is traversed by very few roads—the
two principle of which are those from Trebisonde and Batun
to Erzeroum. Thus for all military purposes, the hills in
question may be considered as nearly impassable, forcing
both parties to have distinct corps on either side, operating
more or less independently of each other.
The country on the shores of the Black Sea is intersected
by a number of rivers and mountain torrents, which form as
many military positions for defence. Both the Russians
and the Turks have fortified pests on important points. In
this generally broken country, (the valley of the river Rioni
is the only
.one which forms anything like a plain), a defen-
sive war might be carried on with great success against a
superior army (as very few positions are liable to be turned
on the land side, on the account of the mountains), were it
not for the co-operation of the respective fleets. By advanc-
ing, and, in case of need, landing troops, upon the flank of
the enemy, while the army engages him in front, a fleet
might turn all these strong positions, one by one, and neu-
tralise, if not destroy, fortifications which, on neither side of
the frontier, are very respectable. Thus the possession of
the Black Sea coast belongs to him who is mastu of the sea.
The country in the interior, on the inland side of the
mountains, comprises the territory in which the Euphrates,
the Araxes, and the Kur (Cyrus) take their rise ; the
Turkish province of Armenia is on the one, the Russian
province of Georgia on the other side of the frontier. This
country, too, is extremely mountainous and generally im-
passible to armies. Erzeroum on the part of the Turks,
Tiflis on the part of the Russians, may be said to be the two
immediate bases of operations, with the loss of which the
possession of the whole neighbouring country would be in-
evitably lost. Thus the storming of Erzeroum by the Rus-
sians decided the Asiatic campaign of 1829.
But what is the immediate basis of operation for one
party, will be the direct object of operations to the other.
Thus the roads connecting Tiflis and Erzeroum will be the
lines of operations for both. There are three roads ; one
by the upper Kur and Akhalzikhe, the other by the upper
Araxes and Erivan, the third in the midst between these
two, across the mountains by way of Kars. All these roads
are :guarded on either side by fortified towns and posts,
and it wnnld hp diffimilt to say which would bo for Turks
or Russians the most eligible. Suffice to say that the road
by Akhalzikhe is the one which would lead a Turkish army
most directly upon the insurgent districts of the Caucasus,
and the object of the Russian general would probably be
to turn the advance of the Turks by a corps advancing
from Batun up the valley of the Tchorokh by Otti upon
Erzeroum ; the road from Batun joins that from Tiflis only
about fifteen miles from Erzeroum.

The key to the theatre of war in Asia, and on either side
of the hills, then, is Batun; and considering this as well as
its commercial importance, we need not wonder at the
efforts the Czar has always been making to get hold of it.
And Batun is the key of the theatre of war—nay, of all
Turkey in Asia, because it commands the only passable road
from the coast to the interior —a ro•id which turns all the
Turkish positions in advance of Erzeroum. And which-
ever of the two fleets in the Black Sea drives the other back
into its harbours, that fleet commands Batun.
Now, it is exceedingly probable that Captain Slade (Mus-
haver Pacha) has only left with a division of steamers to
support the enterprise of Selim Pacha, and we must expect
to learn soon that the eastern coast is cleared of all the ob-
stacles which the Russians have taken pleasure in creating.
As soon as the Turks shall have done their duty, we may be
certain that Schamyl will do his, as, though abandoned to
his own resources, he has for twenty years successively com-
batted the most renowned Russian generals. Schamyl was
born in 1797. His beard became greyish at an early age,
but his hair is light, and his constitution, though apparently
weak, has been so well preserved and exercised that he pos-
sesses almost all the advantages of youth. He is the first
horseman, the first marksman, the first swimmer of the
Caucasus, though in that country able horsemen, swimmers,
and marksmen abound. But Schamyl is not only an excel-
lent general ; he is also a most able administrator. Religion
is in his hands an instrument of rule, and also an instrument
of moralisation and patriotism. Since 1834, when he suc-
ceeded Chasi Mollah, who died at his side at the breach of
Himry, in an engagement with the Russians, not a single
act of weakness can be alleged against him. Sober, chaste,
active, comparatively emignteneci, ne nas never empioyea tne
power with which he is invested for the satisfaction of his
personal passions. The sect of which he is the chief is
called Muride, and its object is to destroy the schism which
exists between the followers of Ali, of Abou-Bekr, and Omar.

He has nearly succeeded in the Caucasus ; and of one hun-
dred tribes, different by origin, traditions, and, to a certain
degree, by language, he has formed a people ready to die for
their faith and their country. Let Sehm Pacha give room
for operations, and let him supply ammunition to such a man,
and Russia will soon feel all the conquests which during the
last fifty years she has made by cunning, intrigue, and cor-
ruption in Mingrelia, Gonna, and Georgia, tremble in her
hands, and then slip from them altogether.

TRICKS, BUT NOT HONOURS.— Lord Mayor Sidney, in
presiding the other day at a meeting of those very common
people the Common Council, expressed himself excessively
" anxious for the honour of the Corporation." We are de-
lighted to have it in our power to relieve Lord Sidney from
further solicitude, by entreating him to cease from all anx-
iety for "the honour" of the Corporation, as we can as-
sure himt hat the alleged cause of his anxiety does not exist.
—Punch.

THE DANGERS OF INFANCY.—The two serpents that Hercu-
les strangled in his cradle were a couple of bottles of Daffy's
Elixir and Godfrey's Cordial. If he hadn't killed them,
the would have killed him.—lbid.
THE OLDEST LAWYER.—We see announced the " Death
of the Oldest Lawyer." How old he was, we cannot say--
but we always thought " The Oldest Lawyer" was what is
properly called " The Nick of Time."—lbid.
A RBI-mum (nv IfEcm). —lt is not the sharpest blades
that are always the truest steel.—lbid.
THE ENGLISHALkN'S CASTLE. "The Englishman's
House," says the proverb, " is his Castle ;" and so it is, but
then it is etiastle which is subject to many attacks (such as
the house tax, poor tax, &c., &c.), and which requires for its
defence no end of shot. The expenses of its support are
fearful—so much so, that frequently is the castle swallowed
up in its keep.—lbid.
PUNCH'S PRIZE JOKE SHOW.--By way of counteracting
the attraction of the Prize Cattle Show, which we think
fosters a rather questionable taste for looking upon " fatty
deposits," we propose to institute a Prize Joke Show, and
we hope that the produce of the pen of wit, will be more
satisfactory than the contents of all the pens in the Bazaar
of Baker-street. A specimen of the style :—lf I want a
—,yself, why should I be foolish to present a sculp-
tor with the marble fu. 0.,. work ? Answer : Because if I
did, he would be sure to chisel me ow. of Ibid.
ABERDEEN FOR CHINA. —An English Ambassado, ;c,
needed for Canton. We beg to propose the EARL or ABER-
DEEN. Such a selection would be a great compliment to the
Chinese,—the noble earl being very like a tea-chest ; namely,
varnish without, and lead within.—lbid.
FLIRTING.—(By an old hand at it).—Flirting is a most
amusing game. It is true there is nothing gained by it, but
then there is nothinc, staked. In fact you may call it,
~HE PRESENT I'ASHION OF BONNETS.—A lady dresses
first, and then puts on her bonnet. The bonnet is, now,
completely an " after-thought."—lbid.
GREAT THEATRICAL EVENT.—The last week has pro-
duced an entirely new—translator !—lbid.
" GOOD" OF THE GIBBET.—A miserable creature stole a
watch under the gibbet at the late hanging. Alderman
Humphrey, on the Bench, said, "You came out to witness
the execution of a fellow-creature, but it does not appear:to
have done you ang yowl." How odd Certainly no good :
- for the thief, with his hand upon the watch, only thought of
time, the hangman vainly preaching eternity.—lbid.
WHEN ! —When a woman listens to you, she is criticising
yon.---Ibid
Docroß WISEMAN.—Onbis departure from Golden Square,
the subjoined notice, written in the Docter's own hand, was
affixed outside his door---" Gone to Rome ; will be back for

mass in Westminster Abbey."---Ibid.
BOARD or CUSTOMS.—The Board of Customs have issued
a noticed, announcing an open court for the purpose of
hearing and deciding complaints, and for investigating
matters relating to the customs's revenue. A room in the
Custom-house has been set aport for the purpose, and the
new court is to sit on Tuesdays and Fridays, every week,
when necessary.
The Rev. James C. D'Evelyn, Curate of Carrickfergus,
has been appointed to the Perpetual Curacy of East Dean,
in the Diocese of Winchester.
A POLITICAL PRORLLM SoLvro.—Why are diplomatic
papers called circular notes ?—They are called circular, be-
cause they frequently arrive at no definite end.—Punch.
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN MAIL STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY.
—The Gazette contains a formal notice on the part of the
Royal Australian Mail Steam Navigation Company, that it
is their intention to apply for powers in next parliament to
enable them to amalgamate with the General Screw Steam
Navigation Company.
DEATH OF THE LATE VICE PROVOST OF ETON COLLEGE.—
On Monday morning the Rev. John Septimus' Grover, until
within the last eighteen months vice-provost of the college,
breathed his last in London. Mr. Grover had attained his
87th year.
Mrs. Caroline Chisholm has arrived in Edinburgh, where
she will remain for two or three days, while making some
arrangements for the re-union of families divided by emigra-
tion. We understand she is the guest of Mr. R. Chambers.
4—Edinburgh Witness,

RAILWAY AND OTHER PLANS DEPOSITED
AT THE BOARD OF TRADE.

SESSION 1854.

The following is a correct list of all the plans, &c., of rail-
ways, &c., lodged at the Board of Trade up to eight o'clock
on Wednesday evening, relative to Bills to go before parlia-
ment in the coming session, 1854 :