Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1853-11-16
The Theatre Of War i'm Turkey.-.-Get
your Maps! es ,e--

We hold that it is never too late to study geog-
raphy. We advise all of our readers, who wish
to keep up with the times, get a good map; and
with the subjoined article before them, study the
seat of war, so as to understand the news of bat
ties, of which we shall soon hear:
The Journal des Debats gives an interesting
description of the probable theatre of the mpend-
ing war, and the fortresses which defend 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 the right
or Turkish bank. They are Orsova, Bersa-Pa-
lanka, Forentino, Widdin, Arzal, LON, z brou-
Palanka, Rahova, Nikopol Sistow, Rutschuk,
Turtuda, Silistria, Rassova, Hirclova, Matschinn,
Isatchi, aid Toultcha. The most important of
these are Widdin, Rutschuk, Slistria, Matschinn,
Isatch, and Toulcha, not as being great ortresses,
but because they observe the mouths Of the Dan
ube. The Turks have no fortresses on the left
bank. Formerly, when the Russians have
crossed the Danube, they have encountered none
but the natural obstacles of the passage 1.-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 pass
age. In time of war; the Russians keep on the
Danube fotila of gunboats and small vessels,
constructed expressly for the purpose, carrying
guns of great calibre. The Turks have also fo-
tillas of armed barquas, which have their stations
on the ports of the river under the guns of their
fortresses, which employed to provision them,
and to aid their defense in case of siege. The
course of the river between Wallacha and Bulga-
ria, divides itself naturally into three regions
the Upper Danube from Orsoya to Widdin; the
Middle Danube from Widdin to Rutschuk and
Silstria; and the Lower Danube from the latter
town to the sea. At Orsova, the channel of the
Danube widens considerably. Here the fortress
of Orsova rises from.an island. 1t is rectangle,
fanked by -four. bastons, la Veuban construc-
ted in the seventeenth century. Five leagues
below, opposite the Wallachia town of Tchernetz,
are the ruins of Trajan's bridge. The river here
attains the width of quarter of league. Low
er down are rapids, which, without intercepting
navigation, render it difficult. The first impor-
tant fortress which We meet is Widdin, with
population of 10000. 1t has been the form of
semicircle, with the Danube for the diameter. It
is an irregular and prolonged pentagon, with an
enc1ealte f1anked with radans. and counter-fanked
by five bastions of tolerubly good construction
1t has never been occupied by the Russians, who
have not been accustomed to employ great militia
ry forces on the Upper Danube. Nikopoli,
commercial town, was ruined and entirely de-
stroyed by the Russians in 1911. 1t has now
from 10000 to IL 900 nh abitants. 1t is point
o.passage which it behooves the Turks well to
guard. Thus the enci>nte of Nikopoli has been
renstated, and Omer Pacha at this moment is
constructing new works there.
The right bank of the Danube is for the most
part higher than the left, which gives the Turks
certain advantage; but there are intervals where
the valley enlarges and where the passage is not
rendered difficult by the confguration of the soil.
At all these intervals fortresses have been raised,
most of which are of mediocre construction, but
are sufficient to oppose a first resistance, and to
serve as a point d'appui, to body of troops en-
ployed to obstruct the passage, or to maneuvre
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 popu-
lation of 10000 inhabitants, and encSente
fanked with towers. This town was destroyed
by the Russians in 1911, but has been rebuilt,
and the Notifications carefully reconstructed on
more modern plan, and augmented with several
outworks. 1t is one of the strongest places on
the line of the Danube. Giourjewo, which once
covered it on the left bank, has been lost to Tur
key as fortifcation, but there is an island in
front of it where some new works have been
raised. Turtukai, having opposite to 1t the
Wallachia village of Oltenitza, is point ofpass-
age which the Russians have several times seized,
and before which they have at this moment a nu-
merous cantonment. The town, which has 5000
inhabitants, is closed with enciente like all the
small towns of Turkey. Its military Importance
is considerable, for the ground presents no obsta
Gle to the establishment of bridges of boats, and
the town occupies the head of route which leads
into the interior of Bulgaria by Rasgrad. Omer
Pacha has carefully fortified Turtukai with the
aid of European engineers, who are now tolera-
bly, numerous in the Turkish army. Silistria is
one of the best Notifications on the Danube
Notwithstanding imperfect;ons which no longer
exist, the Russians had great difficulty in obtain
inc possession of it in 1929. General Diebitsch,
although master of Varna, dared not undertake
the march to Adrianople before having taken Sill
istria; circumstance which strongly demonstrates
the utility to Turkey Of the fortresses on the line
of the Danube they have always held the Rus
slams in check for twelve or fourteen months
We may remark en- passant, that tortresses nave
never hindered an army from crossing river.-
The Rhine has been crossed whenever 1t mas oeen
found necessary, Notwithstanding that it was de-
fended bv fortresses stronger than those of the
Dho In each Of their wars on the latter riy-