The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-13 00:00:00

THE FALL OF KARS.

( From the Times of this clay.)
Kars has fallen, and the last event of the war is
a triumph, though hardly a glorious one, for the
Russians. The brave men whose names were lat-
terly mentioned with pride through these kingdoms
are now prisoners of war. The heroic defence,
which might be numbered with the most famous
in history, has ended in an inevitable and honour-
able surrender. Famine did the work in which
Russian bayonets failed. For nearly a month the
garrison had been in dire distress, and for some
days absolute starvation prevailed. The country
round was held by Russian detachnaents. A strong
force was on the ridges of the Soghanly Mountains,
ready to oppose the march of a relieving army.
The few stragglers who fled from the invested city
were, for the most part, cut off by the enemy's
cavalry. At the last moment General Kmety is
said to have succeeded in escaping, but our owu
gallant countrymen are doubtless in the hands of
the besiegers. The event is deplorable, but it is not
the partof a high-spirited nation to bewail a mis-
fortwne. Let ens -nether—calmly consider the canasta.:,
of this reverse, and inquire why the course of
success has been broken by a disaster so long
foreseen by every politician. The first reflection
that presents itself is as to what has become of the
relieving army under the greatest Ottoman General.
What has been the result of the operations which
were to cause the retreat of the Russian army ? It
will be seen by the letter of our correspondent pub-
lished yesterday that Omer Pasha is still at Sugdidi,
On the Ingour, within a short distance of the spot
where the conflict of the 6th of November took
place. Whether the Ottoman General would ad-
vance during the present season was doubtful ; the
impression, however, was, that for the next four
months there would be no movement, and that the
Turks, like their allies, would fix their attention
on preparations for passing the winter in safety.
The Russians, on the other hand, hold the fords of
the Tanitz-Kaleh, across which river runs the road
to Kut.ais ; they are said, also, to be busy on the
fortifications of the town itself, and determined
to contest to the utmost the passage of Rion or
Phasis, which is the next stream that breaks the
path of an invading force. It appears that a body
of light Ottoman troops has pushed on into the
interior, and there are some speculations of au ad-
vance on Kutais ; but, viewing the operations as a
whole, there seems not much hope of any immediate
success. Omer Pasha is said to purpose changing
his base of operations to Redoubt-Kaleh, lower
down the coast. This town is now occupied by the
Turks, but is watched, if not blockaded, by a small
Russian force. Its deliverance may probably be
effected with little difficulty, and the Mushir will
then be content with preparing for the campaign
of the coming spring.
In the meantime how did the campaign in Min-
grelia affect Kars, distant some 300 mires ? It was
erroneously „supposed that the landing of Omer
Pasha on the Abasian coast was a skilful diversion,
which must soon draw the Russian forces from the
Armenian frontier ; and, no doubt, a large, well
equipped and well supplied army, able to march
with confidence into the country, to burst through
the passes of the Caucasus, and carry the war into
Georgia itself, would have compelled the retreat
and concentration of the enemy's armies. But the
well-known state of the Turkish force in the Crimea,
its want of the plainest food and the most necessary
clothing, the intrigues of the Porte, the scarcity of
money, and the want of any directing mind at
Constantinople, were sufficient to dispel any hopes
of a powerful and energetic invasion. We have
always felt that Kars must rely for its defence on
its own garrison, and the opinion was strengthened
when the relieving army undertook a diversion in-
stead of a direct march to the rescue ; for of all
military operations a diversion evidently requires
the boldest genius guiding a most powerful force.
The campaign, therefore, as far as concerns the
relief of Kars, has been a failure. The fate of
the invested city is now decided. One hope,
entertained some time since, appears to have
been too hastily indulged. The rigour of win-
ter has not deterred General Mouravieff from
continuing the siege with relentless pertinacity.
The sufferings of his own army must be great,
while the prize will by no means compensate the
Russian losses or restore the damaged fame of the
troops. But this perseverance was, we can hardly
doubt, the consequence of direct and positive orders
from St. Petersburg, and confirms the reputation
of the Russians for invincible obstinacy through
discouragement and defeat. The enemy has, in-
deed, achieved a victory which will cause pain
throughout the West ; he has shown that this great
war must be carried on with the fullest means and
energy if eventual triumph is to be gained ; be has
proved that the war in Asia can no longer be ne-
glected, and that in those distant regions Russia is
able to put forth a strength which will at least
make the conquest of her Transcaucasian provinces
something very different from the easy task which
hasty critics have imagined. But we may once
more repeat our opinion that no permanent danger
threatens the Turkish empire on this frontier. It
was a point of honour to take Kars, especially after
having been twice repulsed. The Russian Emperor
no doubt deems that a diplomatic advantage will
follow such in the last struggle of an eventful year.
He now holds Fomething which he imagines will
be a counterpoise to Sebastopol. He has made a
conquest, and may talk about mutual restitution.
But this is all. Erzeroum is fortified even more
strongly than Kars, and we believe that Mouravieff
will
pause before commencing a contest similar to
that in which lie has been so narrowly successful.
By the beginning of the summer the Allies have it
in their power to carry on war in earnest in Asia,
as well as in the Crimea and the Baltic. The least
chance of successful and lasting aggrandisement
would suffice to call down such an invasion as
would speedily make the Russians tremble for
Georgia itself. We have therefore no cause to be
discouraged, although it would be absurd to affect
indifference.
But the attention of the nation may be fairly
called to the folly and petty jealousies which have
led to this reverse. After the disasters of last year
General Williams undertook to assist the Ottoman
commanders in his character of British Commis.
sioner. He and Colonel Lake fortified the two
Armenian capitals, one of which has just made
so glorious a defence. The miserable state of the
Ottoman forces was the theme of every letter
from the seat of war, and the apprehensions of
future danger were increased by the knowledge
that the Russian armies were largely augmented,
and that additional troops had been brought to
the frontier even by the route of the Caspian.
All this time the Porte and its advisers were
inert. At a groat expense a large army of Turks
was transported to Eupatoria, and divisions were
afterwards hurried to and fro between that
position and Kamiesh to join in operations from
which they were at the last moment uniformly ex-
cluded. There were not wanting those who urged
the necessity of reinforcing the Asiatic army by
part of this useless levy. The history of these
transactions has yet to be made clear, and it will
be for General Williams to give to the world those
causes of complaint which are said to exist.i When
the city which has now fallen had been
invested for
weeks, when the interest and indignation of all
observers had been roused, it wag decided to
Sebas-
topol, Omer Pacha and his army from before _
then preparing for its last struggle,_ and to
send them to the rescue of Kars and Erzeroum.
How hastily and inefficiently the movement was
made we need not record.
eha
r thetm ewurs
.t s of
When
At this moment Omer
figeelnde general wouldknow
Pcoaracliluaisissarrieadtuacendd tterainnsapeotrietnd
e
py
not. All the genius o
he will be in a conditiofnthteomtaokset
athblee
have been insufficient to accomplish the salvation
of the beleaguered city under such conditions. In
despair
of other
succour,reduced
tu
those who reflected on the
put their trust in the snows
of an Armenian winter. It appears that success
matter
were red
was resolved on by the enemy at any cost. In the
midst of sufferings probably hardly less than those
of the besieged they have persevered, and have
achieved a considerable, though only a leaporarer,
triumph.

_
_________
',ening,
BEDFORD LITERARY SOCIETY.—On Tuesday e',ening,
of this
by the invitation from the managing committee
to its
society, Mr. John S. Trelawny delivered a,l,e,_xiins
of
members, at the Assembly-rooms, on the
good.°ls
audience,
de la Rochefoncauld." There
pwerahsiap&son account of
many persons attending, less
the profound and
their special interest in the lessons
stoheir respect for the
cynical Frenchman, than to show
lecturer, who so spiritedly co
election of a successor to the latetestmedrt. huisebnorryousgthuaratt. the