New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-11-15
THE HOLY WAR.


The war has at last opened on the Danube,-a war
of religious hnaticsm both sides, OF traditional
ambition with the Russians of life and death with the
Turks As was to have been expected, Omer Pasha
has been the first to begin positive hosttes; it was
in the line Of his duty to make some demonstration
toward the orcibe expulsion of the invaders from the
Ottoman territory; but is by no means certain that
he has thrown from thirty to fifty thousand men across
the Danube as is rumored from Vienna and there is
reason to fear that lie has dose lie has cOmmeda
fatal bunder On the shore he leaves he has ampere
sources Of defense and good position the shore
he seeks lie has inferior power of attack and no retreat
in case of disaster The report of his crossing with
such numbers must therefore be doubted till
positive adyices.
While the struggle in Europe is commenced under
dgadyantageOus circumstances for the Turks, the case
is Otherwise in Asia There, the frontier territories OF
Russia and Turkey divide themselves, in q military
point of yew into two quite distinct theaters of opera
ton. 1t is the high ridge, rather confederation
of ridges connecting the Caucasus with the tableand
Of Central Armenia and dividing the waters that
toward the Black Sea from those which the Araxes
leads TO the Caspian Sea- or the Euphrates TO the Per-
sian Gulf it is this ridge which formerly parted Ar
mepia from Pontus that now forms the partition of the
two distinct districts where the is to be waged
This range OF abrupt and generally barren rocks Is
traveIsed by very few roads-the two principal oil
which are those from Trebsond and Batun to Ere
rum Thus for all military purposes, the bills in queS
ton NAV be considered as nearly impossible, forcing
both parties to have distinct corps on either side op
Grating more or less independently of each other
Tie country on the shore Of the Black Sea is inter-
sected by number of rivers and mountain torrents
which form as many military positions for defense
Both the Russians and the Turks have fortified posts
on important points In this generally broken country
(he valley of the river Risni is the only one which
forms any thing like plain, defensive war might be
carried on with great against superior army
(as very few positions liable to be turned on the
land side on account of the mountains were 1t not Tor
the cooperation Of the respective fleets. 10y ad-
vancng and in case of need, landing troops upon the
flank Of the enemy, while the army engages him in
front feet might turn all these strong positions one
by one and neutralize if not destroy, Qualifications
which, On neither side Of the frontier very respect
able. Thus the possession Of the Black Sea Coast
belongs to him who is master of the Sea or in other
words, unless the allied fleets cooperate actively with
the Turks, it will in all likelihood belong to the
Russians
The country in the interior ON the inland side Of the
mountains, comprises the territory in which the Eu
pirates tie Araxes and the Kur Cyrus take their rise
the Turkish province of Armenia is on the one the Rus
san province Of Georgia the other side OF the frontier
This country too, is extremely mountainous and gen.
orally mpasfablc to armies. Erzerum on the part OF
the Turks Ths on the part of the Russians, may be
,ad TO be the two immediate bases OF operations, with
the loss OF which the possession OF the whole negbor
ing country would be inevitably lost. Thus tie storm
Ing Of Erzerlm BY the Russians decided the Asatic
campaign Of 1922.
But what ia tho immediate bdsis Of operation for one
party, viii be the direct olcd of operations to the
other. Thus tho roads connecting Tis and Erxoroum
will be the lines Of operations for both. There
ere three foads by tho upper Kur and Akhalzhhe,
tho other by The upper Afaxcs md bryan tho third in
tic midst between those iwo, the mountains by
way ofKAs All these roads are guarded on either aidc
by fortified towns and posts aud Il would be dincut 10
sny which would bo for Turks or Kuasnns tho most
eligible Huico IL 10 my that Tho road By Akhalkho
10 tho one which would lead Turkish army most a.
feeily upon tho nsu. gent districts Of Tho Caucasus
bot ilnt sefy advance ~ tho Tuihs would be- turned
ny ipssisp corps advancing fron Ialuo up tho valley
u Tho 1ohofohh ny on upop Ifyeium The rad
fem lslsB Joins that fow This only shout ~ miles
fem Inofnm which would enable Iiussan optpa al
,eDoisr IN ts lfs,iion alluded &c. Ia oui Oh N. euu
npnfhion ~ lhn Turks end " strong onpuah 10 take
POSSESSION eten ~ Iuafup. Tho Qualifications ~ which
$40 ~ merely ASislle character and mol capable NJ
se,leps Resistance
no hoy N lbe baslef NJ W., N hsle aud ~ elhet
side ~ The hills ihhu Ia Ilaun, and considering His
~ Will ~ ils commercial lmpofianee 40 need nui
pongs, ~ lLe ,no's iia u,a, hes aIwsrs been making
~ fei bold ~ u hed iieler II ihe hoy ~ The healer
n vat SAL ~ III JpLet IL hHlp lcesusell eon,Hnla
80 gh1 passslls ,e.l hon he epasl 70 ibe aieigl