Washington sentinel., 1853-11-12
Washingtan gentinel,
The Theatre Of War In Turkey.

| ! nc 0oaTHut ueS ueO0tS gives an interesting
description of the probable theatre of the i'm
pending war, and the fortresses which defends
the Turkish bank Of the Danube. The line Of
this river from Orsova to the Black Sea has
length of more than 200 leagues. Eighteen
fortified posts defend the passages Of the river
on the right, or Turkish bank. They are Orso
va, Berza-P Palanka, Forentino, Widdn, Arzal.
4 Lom, Librou-P Palanka Rahova, Nicopoli, Sis.
tow, Rutschnkai, Tmtuka, Silistria, Rassoya
Hirchova, Matschinn, Isatchi, and Toultcho
The most important of these are Widdin, Ruts
chuk, Silsitria, Matschinn, Isatchi and Toulcha
not as being great fortresses, but because they
observe the mouths OF the Danube. The Turks
have no fortresses on the left bank. Formerly
when the Russians have crossed the Danube
they have encountered none but the natural Oh.
staces OF the passage, the Turks never having
been able to oppose them on its banks, but At
the present moment powerful army is prepared
to dispute with them the passage. In time Of
war the Russians keep on the Danube flotilla
Of gun-boats and small vessels constructed ex.
pressly for the purpose, carrying guns of great
! calibre. The Turks have also hotillas of armed
barques, which have their stations in the ports
of the river under the guns Of their fortresses.
which are employed to provision them, and to
| aid their defence in case Of siege. The course
of the river between Wallachia and BULGARIA
divides itself naturally into three regionsetbe
Upper Danube from Orsova to Widdin; the
Middle Danube, from Widdin to Rutschuk and
Silistria; and the Lower Danube from the
latter town to the sea. At Orsova the channel
OF the Danube wdens considerably. Here the
fortress OF Orsova rises from an island. 1t isa
rectangle, fanked by four bastions, a la Vau-
ban, constructed in the seventeenth century
Five leagues below, opposite the Wallachian
town OF Ichernetz, are the ruins of Traian's
bridge. The river here attains the breadth Of
quarter of league. Lower down the rapids
| which, without intercepting navigation, render
it difficult. The first important fortress which
we meet is Widdin, with a population Of
10000 1t has been the form OF semicircle
with the Danube for the diameter. 1t is
an irregular and prolonged pentagon, with an
enciente fanked with radans, and counter
hanked by FIVE bastons of tolerably good con.
struction. 1t has never been occupied by the
Russians, who have not been accustomed to
employ great military forces on the Upper Dan
ube. Nickopoli, commercial town, was ruined
and entirely destroyed by the Russians in l8l l
1t has now from 10000 to 10000 inhabitants
1t is a point of passage which it behoves the
| Turks well to guard. Thus the enciente Of Mic
| kopoli has been reinstated, and Omer Pacha at
| this moment is constructing new works there.
4
part higher than the left, which gives the Turks
a certain advantage; but there are intervals
| where the valley enlarges and where the pass
| age is not rendered difficult by the confgura-
| tion of the soil. At all these intervals fortresses
! have been raised, most of which are OF naedi-
4 ocre construction, but are sufficient to oppose
first resistance, and to serve as a point dappui
to body of troops employed to obstruct the
passage, or to manGuyere on the rear Of the
enemy, should the passage be accomplished
by superior force. 1t is on point of this
! character that in descending the Danube
we find the town of Sistow, with population
of 10000 inhabitats, and an encientc hanked
with towers. This town was destroyed by the
Russians in 1911, but has been rebuilt, and the
fortifcations carefully reconstructed on a more
/ modern plan and augmented with several out
works. 1t is one of the strongest places on the
Danube. Giourjewo, which once covered it on
! the left bank, has been lost to Turkey as a for
/ tification but there is an island in front of it
i where some new works have been raised. Tur-
tukai, having opposite to it the Walachien vii
lage of Oltenitza, is a point Of passage which
the Russians have several times seized, and be-
fore which they have at this moment a numer-
GUS cantonment The town, which has 5000
| inhabitants, is closed with an enciente like all
the small towns of Turkey. Its military i'm
portance is considerable, for the ground pre-
sents no obstacle to the establishment ofbridges
of boats, and the town occupies the head of a
| route which leads into the interior of Bulgaria
| by Rasgrad. Omer Pacha has carefully forti-
| fed Turtukai with the aid of European engi-
neers, who are now tolerably numerous in the
Turkish army Silistria is one Of the best for.
tiications of the Danube.
Notwithstanding imperfections which no
| 4 \ D. L AL
obtaining possession of it in 1929. General
| Diebitsch, although master Of Varna, dared not
undertake the march to Adrianople before hav-
| ing taken Silistria circumstance which
strongly demonstrates the utility to Turkey Of
the fortresses on the line Of the Ube; they have
! always held the Russians in check for twelve
| or fourteen months. We may remark, en- pas
| SAINT, that fortresses have never hindered an
army from crossing river. The Rhine has
| been crossed whenever it has been found ne
cessary, notwithstanding that it was defended
by fortresses stronger than those ofthe Danube.
| In each of their wars on the latter river the
Russians have been able to cross easily but
with warlike people like the Turks, all Of
whom are accustomed TO bear arms, it is dan
gerous to penetrate far into the country, having
fortified towns in the rear. 1t was on this &C
count that the Russians in 1923 were Obliged
TO lay siege to three places before they could
carry their operations further into the country
But to return to the Lower Danube; it.
breadth augments and its rapidity diminishes
but it preserves a speed of league an hour
Some leagues from Siistria the river makes a
great bend toward the north as far as Galatz
where it resumes its easterly direction, until il
discharges itself into the Black sea. Leaving
Silistria, the first town which we meet is the
town Of Rossova, where the passage of the river
is impracticable on account of the marshes on
the left bank, which are fed by the waters OF
the Bertscha. II is twelve leagues from Ros-
sova, to the port of Kustendje, a fortified town.
Further on we find the small fortress of iirso-
va, under the guns of which, in time of peace,
there is bridge Of boats. From this point to
the mouth of the Danube vast low and marshy
plain extends, having in it numerous lakes.
The communication between the towns and
villages is kept up by means OF some very bad
roads, but the country is fertile.
NJ, fnr,s oc Matchinn Isafchi and Toultchn