Delaware journal. [volume] (Wilmington [Del.]) 1827-1832, 1828-09-05
From Bells Ueekiy Messenger.
PROGRESS OF THE RUSSIAN INVASION

ThOORLoO VI liz hOkooAtAA> AA> 4AoAON'
OF TURKEY.
Although the intelligence from the East is OF va
rous kind there is no doubt but that the grand Rus
sian army is on march for Constantnople. The
army is understood to pursue its march by three
routs;-by the coast by the Balkan mountains; and
by the plain country to the right OF those MOUNTAINS
which is barren and almost impossible in the autumn
and winter But the principal effort will undoubt-
eddy be made upon the centre route and the EmPe.
ror will, in all probability, head the main army OF
invasion. We have before adverted to the Town
of Shuma as the first place where the Turks are
likely to offer serious opposition to the Russians ;for
hitherto, scarcely any opposition has occurred. In
the neighbUrhOod of Shulma, the mountains form an
amphtheatre, from the base OF which an immense
plain extends as far as the ,nube, On the north,
and to the Black Sea on the east Thus, vast HAT
surface, ntersected by the Balkan, stretches from
ConstantinopIe to the Danube, and if the Russians
cross the mountains they will meet with no resls-
lance, except that ofopposing armies IN their march
to that capital Their operations by this route VIII
be aided by fleet in the Black Sea, which may at
ford transport to some Of the troops, and thus ena
BILE them to avoid the difficulties Of the Balkan II
is scarcely worth while to waste time in predicting
the issue of contest, in which the most perfect mil
itary science will be brought into contact with pure
barbarOus courage.
Turkey at this moment exhibits singular spec
tacle empire she is stronger in her branches
than in her trunk the provinces and dependencies
Of this Empire are much more warlike and sound
at heart than the interior of the kingdom. The truth
is, the external members of the Empire have been
left pretty much to their own laws and manners and
the very circumstance of association with other
countries has stimulated them to advancement and
improvement. But Turkey herself, or what is call
| ed Turkey Proper, has been fixed and immovable
for ages. 1t is more than four centuries since
the Turks crossed the telespont. and transported
themselves from Asia to Europe ;during all that time
they have been in constant contact with European
habits and manners and at times have even penetra-
ted as far Vienna, and occupied the very centre
Of Christendom. Yet, while all the people around
them have been advancing in civilization, the Turks
have stood STILL and refused to move and such is
their repugnance to any assimilation, that all who
have attempted to improve them have fallen victims
to their temeriy, the Turks themselves have per-
ished in resistance thus, with few exceptions, the
great body of them are at this time race as preju'
diced, terate, untractable, aud stubborn, as when
they left the mountains of Asia.
i 1t is said by some ofour contemporaries that Ad
ranope, Shumla and Rutchuk, are sufficient barr'-
ers against the Russians, and that the Turkish pow
er is sleeping lion which has only to rouse itsei
to crush its opponents. But how different is the
thentic description of modern travellers!-" When
saw" says DR.. Walsh, who lately travelled from
Constantinople to the Danube, the actual state Of
this fine country, its resources neglected, its fields
Lying waste, its towns in ruins its population decay
fling and not only the traces of human abour, but Of
human existence, every day becoming oblterated
in fine. when saw all the people about them advan-
cling in the arts of civilized life, while they alone
were stationary, and the European Turk OF this day
differing little from his Asatic ancestor, except on
Il y in having lost the fierce energy which then push
4 ed him on when considered this, | was led to
conclude that the lion did not sleep. but was dying,
land after few fierce commissions would never rise
again' To this we may add that vices of all kinds
|have contributed to weaken this country. Popula
tion has been checked by prodigate manners and
thiuned by the sword Of the desPot. Indeed 1t will