The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-01-23

3 InOSG
cohorts were, they formed the most valua-
bic portion of the Turkish forces, and there
can be no doubt that all the discipline of the
new levies will render them hut an Indifferent
substitute. Of irregular troops the Porte
possesses about 100000, which are valuable
only, but that is no unimportant considera-
ton, as a nursery of recruits for the regi-
ments Of the line. In artillery, the Turks
have always been extremely deficient and
the Russians, who have gradually beaten
/ them into the adoption Of modern tactics,
are not in that department the hest of mas
tiers, it being one in which they themselves
have yet much to learn. The Turkish cav
airy, which is about 10000 in number, is gen.
orally accounted excellent. The navy of
Turkey is below contempt, considered as a
national force. 1t has never recovered
even in its numerical strength since the ter
rihle defeat it sustained in the haTbor of
/ Tchesme, from the fire ships of our country
man, Greig, in the wal of 1872. 1t used to
muster thirty ships Of the line and as many
| tTgates, but according to the latest ac-
counts, it consists only Of Is sail of the line,
Is frigates and about 30 of a smaller des-
cription. The Turks are bad sailors every
where, but the men of war are infinitely
worse manned than their merchantmen for
the crews of the former are chiefly made up
of the refuse of society who are sent thither
to eXpatiate their offences on shore. The
numerous bays and harbors, which would,
to a commercial nation, be the principle
source of its greatness, render Turkey only
the more easily assailed by a maritime
enemy.
bf, x,f bA No
midable in appearance only. The western
entrance is nearly three miles wide, and,
consequently, the forts on each side, even
were their guns well served, can offer but
little opposition to the passage Of fleet,
which can keep the centre of the channel.
About one third of the way up, the channel
narroWs greatly. But there the forts are
completely open to a coup de man from the
land side; and as the strait presents no OBJ
stacles, with a fair wind vessels Of the larg
est size may safely pass through it at mid
night. Arrived in the sea of Marmora, the
only difficulty which presents itself to ma
val attack is the current which sets through
the Bosphorus and the Dardaneles. towards
the Mediterranean, and which only can be
stemmed by favorable wind. This obsta-
Gle which prevented Admiral Duckworth
from acting with effect, has, however, since
the invention of steamboats,, ceased to he
one. One Of those vessels could not only
tow a fleet through the narroWs leading t.
the Propontls, but could anchor it under the
walls OF Constantinople, independently of
the wind, and IN spite of the current. The
shore presents no danger or Difficult v
From very careful surveys, it appears, from
the castle of the Seven Towers, in the south
west OF the Seraglio, 10 the south east point
of the city, the depth of water varies from
3 to 80 fathoms within a few hundred yards
of the shore, so that "A might lie within
cables length of the wall from one extrem-
ity to the other To blockade or besiege
the capital of the Turks, as the progress of
events or the eXigencies of war might re-
quire, would therefore he matter of equal
facility. Turkey is not less open to attack
by land than by sea.
In Asia, generally, her uncertain bounda-
ries are exposed to the perpetual insults of
her neighbors. The Arabs trample on her
authority in Syria, and in the Pachalics of
Bagdad and of Koordistan, she receives
but dubious, and unwilling homage. In
Europe, Russia has pushed forward her
conquests to the Danube, and in Asia her
troops press upon the Phasis. Austria,
which was, before the peace of 1714, sep
arated from Turkey by the mountains of
Pennsylvania, and the waters of the Dan
ube and the Save, has now free access to
Servia and Bosnia, by her acquisitions in
Venetian Dalmatia. That, so surrounded,
so exposed, and so feeble, Turkey must one
day fall, requires not the gift of prophecy
to foresee; nor is it more difficult to pre-
dict, that once fallen she will never more
lift her head. He who tumbles from the
effect of blow may get up again; but the
4 case Of him who tumbles, not from his en-
emy's strength, but his own weakness, is
desperate. Still the day Of humiliation of
lslamism in Europe may be far distant, nor
will the interference of the Allies tend to
hasten it. The erection of the Greeks in
to an Independent State, will, indeed, oper-
ate rather to retard that consummation.-
Thsy would hardly put forth their hand to
assist their ancient tyrants, but they may
be induced, even though the cause is hers,
to fight to protect themselves in the event
of any power, at any future period, attempt
ing to make aggressions upon Turkey.
which could hardly be done without bring
ing the integrity of Greece into hazard.
AMUsEMENTs The prevalent oDinion.