Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1853-12-20
The Theatre OF War \. Ash.

lfrom the London News, Dec. IL
The mission OF the two Turkish armies In Asia Is
break the circle Of iron in which General woronzo Ia
f'r years been endsavorng conaue the Caucasian Il
snrreeaon Aodi Paeha, leaving Erzeroun, Is To pen,
traie into the valley Of the Rion and to march s,rsel
before him to Coutais, and from thence on Tiiis Self
Paeha charged to operate the coast Of the Blac
Sea- and to restore Schamyl his liberty Of action and
obtaining stores In ASIA the frontier territories of R
STA aud Turkey divide themselves in military poin,
Ne"' into two distinct theatres OF operation Ii Ia th
hgh RIDGE or rather confederation Of ridges connec
the Caucasus with the table land of Central Armen,
udng the waters that run towards the Black Sea from
those which the Arares leads to the Caspian Sea or ,b
Euphratcs to the Persian Gulf il is this rdp, which n,
merly parted Armenia from Pon,us that now forms tb
partition Of the two distinct districts where the war Ia
wsged This range OF abrupt and generally barre,
rocks raversed by very few roads-he two principa
Oh which are those from Trebisonde and Batun to Ere
roum. Thus for all military purposes the hills in op.s
ton may be considered nearly impossible forcing bo,,
parties to have distinct corps either side operatp,
more or less independently Of each other.
The country the shore OF the Black Sea ia i,,,so,
ted BY number of rivers aud mountain torrents hIh
form a. many military positions for defence Botb ,h
Russians and Turks have fortified posts on mpor,sn
points In this generally broken country 1.-THE valley nj
the river Roni is ths only which forms anythn, in
plan,) defensive might be carried ON with ora,
success against superior army, positions ar
of III,
monnta ns were not for the cooperation Of the res.
pective fleets BY advancing and in case OF need ,nJ
ing troops upon the flank of the enemy while the army
engages him in front, fleet might turn all tbes
positions, by one and neutra1e il not destroy r
locations which, neither side of frontier are
respectable Thus the possession of the Black Sea coast
belongs TO him who is master OF the Sea
The country in the interio on the inland sd or M.
mountains comprises the territory in which the Euphates
the AraSes and the Kur (Cyrus) take their rise The
Turkish province OF Armenia Is on the one and IN. Rns
he of ,h,
This country, too is extremely and renerIy
impossible TO armies Erzeroum the part of the Tuk:
Ths GA the part of the Russians may be said TO be ,h
two immediate bases OF operations with the loss Of which
the possession of the whole neighboring country would b
inevitably lost Thus the storming of Erzeroum by tho
Russians decided the Asiatic Campaign Of 1899
But what is the immediate basis of operation for one
party viii be the direct object OF operations To the other
Thus the roads connecting T and E-zotoum will be The
lines oil operation for both There three roads-onc
10y the upper kurr aud Akhakhe the other by the up
per Araxcs and Eryan, the third the midst between
these two across the mountains by of HARE All these
roads guarded either side by fortified tosns am,
posts, and II would be diicult which would he for
Turks or Russians eligible.
Suffice To say that the road by Akhaskhe is the one
which would lead Turkish army directly upon the
insGgent districts OF the Caucasus and the object of the
Russian general would probably be turn the advance C
the Turks by corps advancing from Baun up the valley
OF the Tchorokh by ot upon Erzcroum; the road from
Baum joins that from Tnis only about a.een lilcs from
FL zeroum
The key TO the theatre of in Asia aud on their side
OF the hills then, Batun, and considering this a. well As
us commercial Importance need wonder AZ the e
forts the Car has always been making to get hold of il
And Bun is the key OF the theatre of War-nay of all
Turkey IN Asia, because il commands the only passabe
road from the to tie interior "A which turns all
the Turkish positions in advance OF Erzeroum And
whichever OF the two fleets in the Black drives the
other back into is harbors that eet commands Batun
Now II l. exceedingly probable that Captain Slade
Muschaver Pashal has only Left with division of steam
eTs to support the enterprise OF Sym Pasha We must
expect To learn soon that the is cleared of
the obstacles which the Russians have taken pleasure in
creating. A. the Turks shall have done their
duty, may be certain that Schamy will do bis as
though abandoned TO his own resources he has TWEEN
years, successfully combatted most renowned Rus
sian generals. Schamyl born in 1877 His heard
became gayh at early age but his hair light and
his constitution though apparently weak has been so well
preserved and eAecsed that he possesses almost all the
advantages OF youth lie is the inst hoseman the FIRST
marksman the hrst swimmer of the Caucasus though in
that country able hoTsemen, swimmers, and marksmen
abound. But Schamy 10 not only an excellent general.
he Is alsn most able administrator. Religion ia In his
hands an instrument OF rule aud also instrument of
moraIiziion and patriotism. Since s2i when he sue.
ceeded Chas Moah who died his side at the breach of
Himry, in engagement with the Russians not a single
act OF weakness be alleged against him Sober chase
active comp arativey enlightened he has never employ.
Ell tie power with which he is invested for the satisc-
ton OF his personal passions The of which he il the
Chiefs called Murde and its object is destroy the
schism which exists between the followers of Ali OF Abou
Bekr, and Omar lie has nearly succeeded in the Cauca-
sus and of hundred tribes different by origin trad
tons, and certain degree by language he has form
Gu people ready 10 Ole IoE lIiSE anu lu
Let SrIm Fachh give room Tor operations and let him
supply ammunition 10 such man. and Russia will soon
feel all the eonquests which, during the lat fifty wears she
has made by cunning intrigue and corruption, in Min.
grea ouria and Georgia, rembe ia her hands and then
slip from them altogether