The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-11-21
THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE.
The Personnel and Materiel Of the
Russian and Turkish Armies.
OMER PASHA, ADD PASlA. AND SCuiMYL,
&C., &C., &c.
From the London Chrori.ls. Nov 8.

ing communication with which we have been favor
cd from Sir Charles Shaw, to whom our readers are
Indebted for the interesting and valuable letters
which have recently appeared in this journal on the
Camp at Helfant, by g British Soldier Sur
Chsrles's intimate practical knowle ige of military
HffaiIs gives peculiar value 70 his opinion
To THE
Sir-Tbe despatch OF the ConsulGeaer to the
French government shows that hostites have com
nenced between these two powers, and it may nov
be interesting to consider whether the general feeling
or fear of the public is well founded, that the Turks
II single handed, have title or no chance of success
against their powerful sdversares. This opinion of
She weakness Of Turkey has been produced to
q very great extent by certain part Of the
European press under the control Of Russia,
writing in such manner, not only to frightel
the Turks, but also to influence other governments
10 imagine that, through her internal weakness, the
6te Of Turkey was doomed aud tn It the Musselmen
must be driven from Europe. To combat this gen.
eral opinion of the immense and overwhelming power
Of Russia is difficult but in spite of this, shal
desvor to show that Russia, by her former acts, is
not entitled To be considered invncioe. In speaking
p Russia, we must never lose sight Of the fact,
MAT all depends on the Emperor Nicholas, and
The query may be made-have his former acts
shown that he is the noble, magnanmous charac
ter the European press have triei to prove
himY What have the successes Of the Russians
True, the rush into the centre of Europe Of the
barbarian Snwarrow with his blood thirsty crew,
still reeking with the blood Of the 80 900 and
children Of Ismail, threw temporary eciat the
accomplish during the revolutionary wars Of France2
Although they, with great c,urage stood steady to
be shot down or sabrei, what success did they
gain? Did not Napoleon, wherever he met them
Thrash them heartily? Did he not, oy sheer hard
fighting drive them to the other side of Moscow
AFTER doing this, in less than twentyour hours Ma
poleon lost 600 Of his horses by the severity Of the
weather, and eventually, through the same means,
The finest army the world ever saw assembled But
Russia claimed, and Europe accorded, the credit Of
ths defeat Of Napoleons army to the superiority Of
HAT nf ia Innao al
lance of time, must allow that the destruction of the
French army and Napoleons power would net have
occurred at that time except through the instrumen
taty of Providence almost indie pendently of the Rus
Sian army. But upon this basis of ice and has
The terror Of the Russian arms been built, and the
question is now about to be solved if this basis is
sufficiently strong
Those Of your readers who b i've visited Riga must
have seen the immense column erecte1 in that city,
Containing the following inscription between two
swords entwined with laurel
The hosts of twenty kingdoms and natio he'd into
Russia, with Ere and sword. and fell prey death
captivity Russia conquered the destr,yers aud broke
The letters in which Europe lay enehaned Alexander
raised her with his triumphant hand and restored to
kings their regntes and TO nations their native As
buttons
But upon this pillar there is no mention Of Poland
having received her institute of the cause of
the war being the refusal Of Napoleon to fulfil the
secret article OF the peace of Tlt then agreeing to
the cession of the Turkish provinces Of Modayia and
Wallachia to the Emperor Alexander. But the sue
u
winter covered many niquities, and induced him to
think himself more than human and I believe on
OILY one occasion did he ever find a human
sre allure bold enough to speak to him as
man. The celebrated French general Vandamme
after desperate resistance, on the 29sh and 30th
OF August, 1913, was taken prisoner at Culm, and
dragged before the Emperor Alexander aud Arch
duke Constantine, the latter taking from him his
sword, while the former abused Vandamme as q rob
Der and brigand The French General in reply
fetorted, Sire! | may be robber and brigand,
soea my hands With S him T to sbsr aays
AOuted Alex inCer, on this auson to the death Of
bis father, the Emperor Paul. On Alexaader's
leath Constantine was the heir to the throne; but
She preset Emperor Nicholas managed to oust his
elder brother, and has now taken upon himself to
81 re these provinces, coveted by his brother
Alexander at Tilsit. Much has beea said of the
savage and cruel character of Constantine in order
70 attempt the justif ,ation OF Nicholas. An eye
witness IN bis acc ount written in 1880, of the extra
ordinary events at st. Petersburg, in 1925, when
Nicholas possessed himself of the throne, gives
fhe theD public opinion of the characters of the |
two brothers, and cites as an example that |
Constantine, at review, seeing soldier with |
his stock Carelessly put on, rushed at him
with his cane and struck the soldier violently the
neck but on its being explained TO Constantine that
me cause OF the stock being put on was owog to
wound the veteran had received in the neck the
archduke felt so deeply his injustice aod cruelty
has before all the troops he threw himself wee Ding
into the arms Of the veteran asking forgiveness with
every sign OF conrision, aud an atonement, pro-
cured commission for the soldier Nicholas on q
&nd,.r occasion was dspIeased with the Appearance
of the present emperor OF Russia is perhaps equal to
that Of any man in Europe. &c dashed at the
soldier seized him by the wb'ker and never let go
his grasp TIL he tore the whisker from The cheek,
with the nesh atsacpso TO it; and actually boosted
Of this feat a. mani estation OF his stri,s attention
to discYb~.e. Although Nicholas has peace and
mercy u his mouth, and attempts to cover his mis-
with the mantle OF religion, can u o. ex9ecea
pot rhp.a Aacn uvI IL
years growth, will hesitate in entering upon bloody
war with any nation who attemps 20 make
him disgorge his long-coveted booty But the
Turks though Musselmen aud Psgans, IS Prince
Gortschskon calls them, are brave, and not
q stupid unthinking people. When they were
shamefully and treacberously attacked at Nayarlno
by the combined English French, and Russian neess,
and after the Turkish admiral had surrendered,
British Lieutenant ordered to condics the admi-
tails secretary on shore. Seeing mast with about
twenty wounded and exhausted Turkish soldiers
singing to it, attempting to save themselves, the
lieutenant said be must rescue these poor fellows.
"Never mind them, said the secretary, "they are
lDly common soldiers"
81 would be disgrace TO the service II did not
hve them" cried the lieutenant and rowing to them
= slowed away the poor creatures in the bottom OF
be boat. The secretary burst into an imuoderate
y of laughter.
GOOD G0d!' says the lieutenant, "what Is there
here to laugh atp
Laugh !" exclaimed the Turkish secretary, Eyes
terdsy you English came into the bay while we were
quietly at our coffee; you Knocked our ships to
pieces, killed and ma, gied all our men, till our eet
IA one vast slaughter.bouse, and this morning you
pretend to be 80 humane that you cannot pass
score of wounded soldiers without putting yourself
cut Of the way 10 save them"
Nicholas ascended the throne in 1926, and even
then he such sdep, in diplomacy that ne con-
ived in 1927 10 the British and French fleets at
Nsvarino, to weaken that country which he bad re-
solved sooner or later 10 possess. In 1923 and 1929
the Russian army saccessful against the Turks.
But under what circumstances? Turkey appeared
IT that time fair game Tor every 20 attack her,
and the moral courage Of the nation was weakened
not only by the loss OF her feet and by her own ntes
fine divisions, bu, by seeing amost all Europe COM
bined against her. Let comparison be made be-
tween The Turkish and Russian armies of thai day.
Shortly before this, the Sultan Lad disbanced and
destroyed the Janssaries, who were considered the
flower Of the Turkish army, and those whom he
brought into the field in 1e2s-'20 were either re-