The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-12-27

war and Of the general distribution OF TIE respective
forces. The great range Of the Caucasian Noun
tame which forms one OF the highest and most mac
eessible regions OF the globe ruBs In southeastern
direction across The whole Of that co Intry which
divides the Eux ne and the Caspian Seas.
To tie north OF Il lie the boundiess steppes
) of Russia, extending fron Astrachsn 10 tho Sea
II AG,f 10 the south the Turkish Pashalics
q Kar, aknslisikn, aud Erzeroum. and the Russ an
province OF Georg o, bounded ny the AraNes. Tbs
intermediate .ud n0pnt2ir GUS regions # Circassia
ard Dsebestan lave been ortweDty year the sceoe
q lhe alast sfrUe c carried on by Schamy' and
the Tubes which follow his stan zero against thaRus
slams Three roads connect the rransosucas.ia pro-
vncs OF Russia WITH tie rest OF the empire; the first
winds al rs tie coast OF the Black Sea by Ala IS,
Gtelendjk and Souchoum Kaleh, till it enters
Inertia and reaches the vale Of the kour in which
Tells lies TIE second follows the shore Ut tina Cas-
plan to Derbend, 2L extensive fors fled position,
which bas In ali ares been regarded as one of the
eatss OF Asa, and xas captured by Peter the Great
when h. first turned his AIMS az inst Persia. The
third road passes from Mosdok TO Tells by the valley
of the resek and the fortress Of Durie through
of the most terrific passes in the world The rest Of
the Caucasian chain is sunoosed 20 be wholly impas
sable BY an army, thonah III the course OF the Giro
sian its valleys have been explored in every
direction, and the Ru siGns have constructed numer
GUS forts, to keep the county in check. or these
roads, the first is iLsecure If the Russians have not
the absolute ana OF the coast aud of the Black
Sea. The third Is probably impractical in winter
The second is liable to interruption by the Lesghiau
tribes Of Daghestan who are the mortal enemies Of
the Russians hut Derbend, though bad port may
be reached by the steamers which the Russians alone
possess on the Caspian Sea.
For several months past the Turkish government
has been collecting considerable army on this
frontier. TIE communication between Constantine
pie and Treb zond by steamers has been rapid and
easy, that large military stores have been landed
at that port. The advanced posts extended to the
Phssis, where they had The honor Of opening the
ansv rprfs LNt ho y,frr0 nY Earf hal
while the left wing Of the army occupies strong
position In the district of Bajszid, to the south of
Noun, Ararat. From the information we have been
able 70 collect we should estimate the Turkish army
in this country at not less than 60 600 men, of whom
twOtbirds are regular troops, and the remaining
thi;d Redf not including in the number the iiregr
las belonging to the tribes OF Armenia who may
the command of Selim Bey, who passes, after Omar
Pasha for the best general in the Turkish service;
and some Of the Hungarian reneyades, including
Kurschid Bey, (sho was better known as the Eag-
lsh soldier Of fortune, Guyor, in the Hungarian
wsr) have been allowed to take service there,
though the Porte declined to employ them on the
Danube.
II is, perhaps, even more difficult to compute the
available forces Of the Russians in this region. In
the Caucasus a very large force is continually en-
ployed, and it has been OF late augmented by at
least one-balf of Ge1 Ludsrs division OF The army
circuE stance that nay Lave contributed to the re-
ducton OF he effective force on the Danube Ia Geor
gle however, Prince Woconz0g, does not appear 70
have he'd under his orders more than rs 900 men, but
these sre described as picked troops, in high state
the ontbre TX Of hostilities, cross the Turkish
frontier and march on Erzeroum. This movement
would at once take the Turkish army in flank, and
II tie Russians made good their march by Gounri
aud kars, they might pursue q formidable line OF
ops ratons. The fortress Of Hassan Kaleh, how
ever is 9 strong position between two of the
highest sources of the Euphrates and the Araxes,
and other forts, such those Of Kagzevan, and Bal
engagement is stated to have taken place near Baa
zid between Russian regiment and body Of 500
500 Turkish irregulsrs, who remained mastersof
the field ard it was stated ut Constantinople that
more important action was to be fought about the
18th Of November, between Kars and GOumrl, in
which Is 900 Turks would encounter Russian div-
sion. II these particulars are In auy way correct, it
would seem that the Russian army in Georgia IS ad-
vancing IN the direction proposed by Prince WorOn-
zow, ath sugh that officer fell i'll at the outset OF the
campaign, and has not been able to direct its move
ments.
The Turks, on the other hand, have continue {,
operate on the north and east, aud appear to have
teen thus far uniformly victorious. The line OF the
river Kour is defended by the fortress of Akhasikh
which ceded to the RussiaIs at the close of the
late war, when the frontier was drawn at distance
OF two hours from this place. 1t Is consequently the
mes, important border fortress of the country aoi
the place described as Akeska in the telegraphic
desFstch is supposed TO mean this position But
Ashaltshh Is place well fortified ey ar. and by
nature. 1t is town OF 20 coo inhabitants. sur
mou6ted by a citadel, and surrounded cy double
wall. Ii it DO true that the Turks have taken this
place by storm it is tie most considerable ieat they
have performed But tie statement is not wholly
j, crediblc, for we know that not long ago the
Russian gsirlsons this and the neighbong tort OF
AEaiks|ahi we're reduced TO only six compacies OF
infantry, and il is doubtful whether any infOrce-
mtpts have since arrived If It, he true that Akhal
fslh 70 fallen, and if thu Turks able TO pass
the defe htween that place ard Souram, the
rofd to Tefis would then be open to them, as Is
stated in ere Of the telegraphic dispatches t, be
the But all these assertions must be received
with great caution. 1t does, however, appear
certain that in Asia. as well as on the Danube,
the Russisns bad neglected to an extraordinary
extent to provide against attack, and SHAT they
provoked war without being ready to protect
tnemse Ives from defeat. Georgia is so eccentric
province of the empire and the distance from the
resources Of the army is great that it s seriously
exposed to be cut of by successful movement of
the Turks, assisted by the chronic insurection of
the Lesghian mountaineers. Yet Georgia is the key
to the Asiatic poser of RCssia. 1t enables her 20
weigh upon Persia, to threaten Asia Minor, and to
extend her influence yet further to the East Since
the atdication and death Of Prince Heraclius, in
1898, it has formed part OF the empire, with which
it vas previously connected by pro,ectorate, and
though Russia is nov here more vulnerable, she will
nowhere deferd herself with greater perseverance.
Her long war in the Caucasus has been chiefly car
red on for t. purpose OF keeping open her comnu-
nicstoDs to the south Of those Alps of Asia, and it
II OF of the most curious problems of the present
state If bostiiiies to ascertain whether Russia viii
extend her authority over the whole Of Armenia or
Lore the districts she has already acquired in that
portion Of the globe.
IMPORTANT.
THE VERY LATEST.
II is reported that the British Charge d'Affairea
at Teheran has suspended his diplomatic relations
with the Persian government, in consequence Of
TINT p,,rpr Lur;nr ,e<olyed nc Il 10 enid in f1kp