Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1853-07-29
THE DEFENCEs OF CONsTANTINOPLE.

A military correspondent of the London Times who
appears 10 have attenYey examined the capabty of de-
fence OF Constlntinople in of attack gvcr the fol
lowing description them viz Ii requires very avora
ble wind, the assistance of steamboats, ouable feet
to penetrate into the DIrdaneies The mail boat takes
sixteen hours from the Of the strait the Golden
liorn-the port Of ConstannOplc The Notifications
raised in the Dardanelles have moreover added still
formidable deences those created by Two for
midable batteries well d. erected the
trance Of the strait at the point which the of the
Black Sea fall into the Mediterranean These batteries
called " Seddl-Balsar" aud 'Kumkales-i.n The sys-
Of batteries the sides outuucd on the strait
itself. These batteries moyutcd with 400 guns aud
served by brigade Of artillery commanded by Pashn
regiment Of the brigade is lodged n.barracks each
side and well exercised handling their guns for is
well known the artillery Is the best corps in the Turkish
army.
Among the guns by which the passage Of the Dardan
Giles il defended there one which deserves particular
notice Such guns bear the name Of ksDaerhk' in Tur
key, and cast balls Of the weight Of 10 quintas-
The charge Of guupowder il nearly quiual. The hat
terry n which the kemerifs placed called 'Suln
-'Batery Of ihG sultan" IL is situated the
Asiatc -de the residence Of the Pasha who com
mands the brigade. IL j. the largest battery at the Oar
danelles IL contains log pieces of artillery Opposite
20 IL, the European side batteries the "Nnma
sa,' placed side by side with the "Klu BInAr" With So
guns. The latter contains the largest piece Of artillery
Turkey. IL Is a keDmerk, which stone balls Of
quinials weight. The point which these batteries is
erected b. The nauogest IN the Dirdances. Any ships
which should endolvOf TO force the strait would cose.
queny have pass under the cross fire Of 200 pieces Of
artillery, without countnga the others which they might
meet in their passage The Dlfdsncllcs cogld stop
French English lcot which should ondcivor to reach
ConstaunOple. II i through this strait which forms the
southern maritime gate Of COnsautinope that the COM
bred fleets Of Great Britain and France must pass 20 ar
rive NJ thc capital beyond H. protect It on the side
Oi the Bpsphoru' and the Black a. r. u through the
BOsphOru which forms the northern maritime gate that
the Russian feet coming from OIcsss, would have 10
enter.
Nos let what are the mean. Of defence ON tlis
side Of the B1splOrus and the Black Sea- This D. the most
fHrfu
point mos; meuaced because % is by that that the Rus
sian hrrt will arrive from SciusopO IN case 10 should
inakra -ipus attempt bv take possession Of the
capital ~ Turkey The Rus-in feet IN the Black Sea b.
compo'e ~ l8 ships Of the line Of which are Of 100
gus. frs,tes Of 81 guns corvette auI vessels Of
inferior zp. This fleet b. supplied with a park Of nrtc-
~ Of large calbrc, but Il deficient n steamboats, which
rcnder- M cvOlutOps difficult and might become danger.
ou particularly ~ the uciyborhOp1 of BJsphpru4 The
ravgtton Of the Black Sea offers in fact much danger
The winds inconstant IN that They cannot be
depended on Tor many days n succession The wnd
I.- rom one point % another, rud rsse- such swell
that ee could sith d suty escape Tor there Vs.
iu TACT htfbor the Asiic SIDE anil Ntrua j. the
oly port the European side capable Of receiving ships
Of large tonnage. Bat Warns il very strong place be
pnging to Turkey, and 60 which tho Russians could
have access eaay The Black s. i' moreover frequent.
y and suddenly covered wta thick fox 40 uck that i
impossible - lpJyard ahead aud consequently large
ships navigating together the risk ~ falling foul Of
oarh Other 81 running the shoals The banks Of the
wo sides II tho B0sphoTus covered throughout the
year With the wrecks Of slips 4nd deid bodies the sea
thrown W..
Numerous modes Of defence have been created more
over by artificial means defend tho entrance Of tie
B0-phOrus. There ~ batteries well armed on bo,
banks zach 81 those batteries frni small stone fortress
provided with baFscks powder igszines and mosque,
Snd behind each Il small village. The batteries are