The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-11-28
have not as yet given you ar exact description OF
the entire pchpd camD at Shumla.

have not as yet given you ar exact description OF
the entreDched camp at Shumla.
The mountain of Shumla belongs 10 that chain
o. the Balkan which il detached from the principal
range at the mountain of Beminkapu aud then ex-
tends IN parallel line to the sea- from the west to
the east, Blu, this mountain is nearly isolated az
it is very Ion in these parts where it joins the oh in
to which it belongs. The mountain of Shuma has
a circumference of from seven to eight hoars All
around it is abrupt and rocky, the summit forming
al extensive and almost horizontal platform, about
from 700 to COO metres above the valleys surround
ing it. its sides and the top being ia great part
covered by thick and almost impenetlabe brush
wood
Small inleis or valleys are TO be met with at ia
tervals running more less into it, in which there
is sometimes q village, from some of which narrow
path leads to the top of the mountain, passing
through the wood, and descending in easterIy di
yection to Sbumla The town is situated to the
east, in the largest and deepest valley which has
been justly compared to horseshoe, the entry being
to the east
This is consequently the only vulnerable part Of
the place, whilst to the west, south, and north it is
almost wholly protected by the nature of the noun
tain and the woods, which render all approach i'm
possible But this opening to the east is well forti
lied by range OF detached forts which are built up
against the rocky side Of the mountain being thus
able to open crossfre on the plain on the east.
This chain numbers four forts of stonework, each
carrying from twenty-five to thirty pieces of artillery;
and eleven other forts of earthenwork, built with
ment. This is to the east also.
To the north, where the mountain, at the extre-
nifty OF the horseshoe, is more open, parapet of
earthwork has been constructed, in addition to
stone fort; it is 900 yards long, aud is hankei by
many outworks and redoubts for its proe cti0n. II
extends to where the wood becomes impenetrable,
crossing the roads leading to Tirnova aud Rasgrad
To the south and to the west the place is protected
by the came woods and there remain but few of
the pathways above mentioned which it has been
considered necessary 70 protect. Small works were
Omer Pacba has, however, fortified the entry of one
of these inlets which is easiest approached from the
west of the mountain, OF the village Of Keutesch,
two hours distant from Shum'a. Whilst he covered
these roads, he has turned the whole mountain Of
Sbumla into vast system of defence; thus1 making
it possible to sally out from the camp by this valley
to the east into the valley of Esek Dschuma, with all
the dspOssble forces, against army OF observation,
and against the flank of an enemy who should attempt
to cross the Balkan by those valleys in the range Of
hills.
The fortified mountain Of Shumla thus commands,
at the same tiDe the two parallel valleys of Pravad
and of Kamehsck, which. are separate from the
range to which it belongs thus shutting up the
road to Adrianople, either by Adas or by Kasam-
lick, because 1t menaces their flank.
The position OF Keutesch is excellent, and well en-
trenched and 20 cannon, with 1000 or 5000 men,
are sufficient for it defence Shumla will soon be
completely armed by about $50 pieces of artillery Of
heavy calibre and whilst 25, 600 sufficient
for its defence it is capable Of containing 100000.
The forts may be considered as all terminated
now. In ls2s-29 nothing Of all this existed-a few
outworks thrown up OF earth, and Ill supplied with
artillery, as much the work Of nature as of art.
The actual state of things cannot be compared
to it and am Of opinion that, for the future the
government ought to carry out the defensive wo ks
of Shumla rebuilding the old circle that closed the
entry to the horseshoe to the east and also
structing the parapet which has been built on the
northern side OF the mountain, not in earthenwork,
but in masonry. The permanent detached outworks
which at present exist, and two other redoubts,
which have just been built up of EARTH sufficient
for outward defence By the outlay of from Is 600
to 10000 600 of piastres the Turkish government
could erect stronghold, and at the same time an
entrenched camp, which would not be inferior to any
fortress in Europe; and they might for the future
place more confidence in it than in all the passes of
the Balkan.
How often, in the past wars, the Alps have been
crossed by the valley Of the Pc, and by that of the
Rh0ne, of the Rhine, and Of the Inn! Now that
armies possess greater mobility, why should they not
be able to crss the Balkan which is scarcely to be
An army of from 0,OcO to 10000 men assembled
at Shumla as is now the CASE il far greater i'm
pedment to the forced passage of the Bal Kan, were
that range Of bills dOuby as intricate as they are.
But when the works above mentioned will have been
constructed so 900 men, out ct garrison of 1000,
win be enabled to 90 out and act upon the offensive;
whilst as things are at present, q body of from
5000 to Is 600 must always be left in defence of
the camp. do not think that exaggerate in say.
ing that the Seraskier can concentrate at Shuma
force of 10000 men, deducting the RarrisOns
OF Widdin Rustshuk, oilistria, Varna and Nissa.
Such an army could not at Shumla be attacked by
less than double it's force.
scHAMYL AND THE CAUCASUS.
Trar slated from the Paris Const,,utionnsl, Nov.
The recent appearance OF Schamyl in the rich
plains Of Georgia. concidng with the last ne US from
the Danube has all Of sudden given - the war OF
the Caucasus and to Its chief, European import
ance which they did not possess before. The sudden
attack on Tiflis by 1000 mountaneers is not only
the most recent incident of struggle which has last
ed for half century, but the first episode of great
drama, in which the whole world takes interest.
And public attention has turned spontaneously to-
wards these Caucasian submits, which Mithridates
alone was able to conquer, and which now hold 10
check all the forces of Russia. Schamyl is hencefor
ward the most energetic auxiliary of the Porte in its
heroic effort for independence; and our readers will
think, be glad to hear particulars respecting
this extraordinary man. Schamyl has been often
compared to Abdel Kader and there is, in fact,
analogy between the two leaders. Both arrived at the
chief command the prestige of their religious inspi
ration mole than by their courage and personal
ability. Both have had for object the enfranchise
uent of their race and the fusion of tie tribes which
compose it, under the authority Of their sole chief
But ADD e. Kader was only hadji, and he was
sources to maintain himself SO long Schamyl aimed
higher: he set bimstlf up as the second prophet Of
Islamsm; he declared himself sent by God to COM
pete the work Of Mahemet ard particularly to fuse
persuaded his followers that Allah dictated 10 him
his will in periodical visions; and in that way he
succeeded IN creating around him an 1ndomitab.e
and devoted body of troops, whose blind obedience
does not give way before any danger, and whose
religious enthusiasm is capable OF the greatest
Efforts Schamyl is at present fftysix years of
age. He is man of middle size, but OF deter
mined appearance. His private life resembles that
of Abdel Ksder, being sober and ausere, and divid-
ed between prayer and action. His career as q
warrior began in 1884 His predecessors in the war
were first Scheick Mausour, then Khasi-Mollah, and
then Hamsel Bey. The death OF this last gave him,
at the age Of thirty seven the supreme authority
the Mussuman tribes of the Caucasus and then be-
gan that struggle of twenty years which has already
cost Russia mere than the subugation of Poland II
would be wrong, however, to look Schamyi as the
uncon.ested leader of all the tribes of the Cauca
That chain OF mountains separating Europe from
Asia betw cen TIE Black Sea and the Caspian Sea- is
itself cut into two parts by the narrow pass of Da
rjeu, through which winds the military road from
Musdok to Tifis. To the right of that pass, coming
from Russia, to the Caspian Sea, extends the real
empire OF Schanyl, Inhabited by Tchetchens On
the left to the Black Sea. the tribes known by the
generic name of Tcherkesses, (Circassians) do not