New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-10-17
TILE RUSSIANS turkey.


maneuvres Of armies and the results of battles render
it more than ever necessary accurately TO understand
the respective positions and forces OF the combatans
and the various facts which viii govern the
OF tie campaign. This necessity we propose to meet
BY succinct analysis of the elements Of oense and de-
tense on both sides and of the leading strategic cons
dcratons which are likely TO have weight the minds
of the opposing commanders
The Russian troops occupying the Danubian PT'ncl-
paties consisted, at the beginning OF two infantry
corps and the usual amount OF reserve cavalry AMI ar
tlleIy An infantry corps in Russia, counts three div
sons or six brigades of infantry several regiments OF
light cavalry and brigade of artillery, which, alto
gether should amount TO about 5000 men, with about
hundred guns 10 every two infantry corps there Is
reserve cavalry corps and some reserve artillery
including heavy siege artillery Thus the original army
Of occupation amounts, upon paper to something Ike
l25000 third infantry corps has since begun 70
cross the Pruth, and may, therefore after all due
deductions consider the Russian forces concentrated
the Danube, TO number from 10000 to 10000 fight
ing men, How many, in given moment, may be able
10 rally around the standards depends upon the sanitary
condition OF the district the greater or less ehcien
cy Of the Russian commissariat, and other circum-
stances of similar nature which is impossible cor
rectly to estimate at distance.
From all the information at our command the Turk
ish army opposed to the Russians the Danube, may
be estimated at the very outside at 10000 to 10000
Before the arrival of the Egyptian contingent it
was generally asserted not to surpass 10000 men.
There is then far as we Judge evident nlerior
ty of numbers on the part of the Turks And to the
intrinsic value aud quality of either army equal
81 80. n ar ho al
mitted 1t is true that the Turkish artillery formed
by excellent French and Prussian officers enjoys high
reputation, while the Russian gunners are VIGOROUSLY
poor marksmen; but in spite of all recent improve
ments, the Turkish infantry cannot be compared to
Russian grenadiers and Turkish horsemen still lack
that discipline and steadness in battle which viii allow
of second and third charge after the first has been
repulsed
The Generals, on both sides are comparatively new
men The military merits of Prince GOrchakof, the
Russian commander, and the reasons why the En-
peror appointed him to that post we have already
had occasion TO state to our readers. An honest
man and jealous partisan of Russias d" manifest
destiny, il yet remains to be seen whether he can
conduct campaign of such magnitude as that now
opening Omer Pasha, the Turkish geDerassimo, is
better know, and what know of him is generally
favorable His expeditions against Kurdstan and
Montenegro were the first successful under difficult
circumstances; the second exceedingly well planned,
and certain of almost bloodess success. but for the
interference of diplomacy The chiefsuperiority then,
which can be found on the side of the Turks is,
perhaps that of generalship; in most other respects
the Russians have the advantage
Though the Turks have declared war and are
perhaps vehement in their disposition to
come TO blows than the Russians; it seems evil
dent that the weaker party, they will find
the greater advantage in defensive, and the Rus
slams in offensive action. This of excludes the
chances which may arise from garng mistakes in
the arrangements of either General. If the Turks
were strong enough for the offensive, their tactics
would be plain They would then have to deceive the
Russians by false maneuyers the upper Danube
their forces rapidly between Sistria and
Kirsova, the lower Danube, fall upon the enemy
where his position is weakest namely at the narrow
strip of land forming the frontier between Wallachia,
and Moldavia and then separating the Russian troops
in both Prncipalities from each other repel with
forces the corps in Modayia, and crush
that which would find itself isolated and cut of in
Walaca. But all the chances of an offensive /
movement against the Turks they could reasonably
similar operation in consequence only OF
egregiOus blunders on the part of the Russian /
General
If the Russians seize the opportunity for offensive /
action, they have natural obstacles pass before
they penetrate TO the heart of the Turkish empire
6rst the Danube and then the Balkan The passage of
large river even in presence of hostile army. is
military feat often performed during the revolution
iry and Napoleonic that every lieutenant nova
lays tell how il IS to be done. few feigned move
nents awe appointed pontOOn train, batteries
'over the bridges good measures for securing the re-
rest and brave vanguard are about all the conditions
required. But the crossing of a great mountain range
md especially one provided with so few passes and
practicable roads the Balkan is more serious ope.
alton. And when this mountain range runs parallel
o the river at a distance of no more than forty
II sixty miles, as the Balkan does to the Danube
he matter becomes more serious still, "a
orps defeated on the hills may by actye pursuit be
ut of from its bridges and thrown into the river be-
ore succor can arrive; army, thus defeated in a
rest battle, would be inevitably lost 1t is this prox
nifty and parallel direction OF the Danube and the
1akan which forms the natural military strength Of
turkey The Balkan from the Macedo-SeryIan frontier
o the Black Sea, that is the Balkan proper yelih
Balkan, has five passes two Of which are high roads
uch as high roads are in Turkey These two are the
asses OF Ichtiman. the road from Belgrade
trough Sofa, PhiippOpe and AdrianOple TO Con-
tsntinOple, and OF Dabrol, on the road from Siis-
ria and shunla- The other three of which two are
etween the above and the third towards the Black
l.. L. IL