The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1853-11-16

allowed week longer, ut would have
been very doubtful point whether re.
turn would lay open to him at ALL" He
lost AZ killed and 235 wounded. The
Turks were so indignant at the escape oi
the British fleet, that they believed the gov
ernor of the Dardanelles was bri6ed by
Duckworth, and beheaded him.
The Dardane,les are said to be in such
formidable condition as to be now i'm.
Pregnable.
The Theater of War In Tu rkey.
We hold that it is never too late to study
geography. We advise all our readers,
who wish to keep up with the times, to ge,
good map; and with the subjoined article
before them, study the seat Of war, so as
to understand the news of battles, of which
we shall soon hear:
The Journal des Debats gives an inter.
esting description Of the probable theater
of the impending war, and the fortresses
which defend the Turkish bank of the
Danube. The line Of this river from Or.
soya to the Black sea has a length of more
than colleagues. Eighteen fortified posts
defend the passage Of the river on the right
or Turkish bank. They are Orsova, Ber-
SAP Palanka, Foren.ino. Widdin, Arzal,
Lom. Zibrou- Palanka, Rahova, Nikopoli.
Sistow, Rutschuk, Turtudai. Silistria, Ras-
sova. Hirchova, Matschinn, Isatchi. and
Toulcha. The most important of these
are Widdin. Rutschuk, Silistria, Mats.
chinn, Isatch, and Toulcha, not as being
great iortresses, but because they observe
the mouths Of the Danube. The Turks
have no for,resses on the left bank. For.
merly, when the Russians have crossed
| the Danube, they have encountered none
but the natural obstacles Of the passage
the Turks never having been able TO op.
pose 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
hotlla OF gunboats aad small vessels.
constructed expressly for the purpose, car
rying guns Of great callibre. The Turks
have also fotllas 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 defense in case OF siege. The
course Of the river between Waaachia and
Bulgaria, divides itself naturally into three
regions-the Upper Danube from Orsova
! to Widdin; the Middle Danube from Wild
tdin to Rutschuk and Silistria; and the
| Lower Danube from the latter town to the
sea. AT Orsoya, the channel Of the Dan
ube widens considerably. Here the fortress
OF Orsova rises from an island. Ii is a
rectangle, fanked by four bas,ions, a Ia
Vauban, constructed in the seventeenth
century. Five leagues below, opposite
the Wallachian town Of Tchernetz,. are
the ruins OF Trajan's bridge The river
here aitains the width oi quarter OF
league. Lower down are rapids, which,
without intercepiing navigation. render il
difficult. TIE first important fortress which
we meet is Widdin, with population OF
900. 1t has been the form Of semi
circle, with the Danube for the diameter.
1t is an irregular and prolonged pentagon.
with an enc ciente f1anked with radans, and
counter hanked by five bastions OF tolera-
bly, good constructions Ii has never been
occupied by the Russians, who have not
been accustomed to employ great military
forces on the Upper Danube. Nikopoli, a
commercial town, was ruined and entirely
destroyed by the Russians in 1911. 1t
has now from 100000 l2 900 inhabitants.
1t is point Of passage which it behooyes
the Turks well to guard. Thus the enci-
ente Of Nikopoli has been reinstated, and
Omer Pacha at this moment is construct
ing new works there
The righ; bank of the Danube is for the
most part higher than the left, which gives
the Turks certain advantage; but there
: ~
and where the passage is not rendered diff
ficult by the con6guraiion OF the soil. Al
all these intervals fortressess have been
raised, most Of which are OF mediocre con.
struction, but are sufficient to oppose q
/ first resistance, and to serve as point
d'appui, 10 a body Of troops employed to
obstruot the passage. or to mahGuvre on
the rear Of the enemy, should the passage
be accomplished by a superior force. Il
is on a point of this character that in de.
scending the Danube we find the town o.
Sistow, with population Of 10 900 inhab-
itants, and an enciente flanked with tow.
ers. This was destroyed by the Russians
in 1911, but has been rebuilt. and the for
tifications carefully reconstructed on 9
more modern plan, and augmented with
several outworks. II is one of the strong
est places on the Danube. Giourjewo
which once covered it on the left bank
has been lost to Turkey as a for,ifcation'
, but there is an island in front of it where
some new works have been raised. Tur
tudai, having opposite it the WallachiaI
/ village Of Oltenitza, is point Of passage
t which the Russians have several times
} seized, and before which they have at thi
moment numerous cantonment. Th,
town, which has 5000 inhabitants, is clos
ed with an enciente like all small towns o
Turkey. Its military Importance is con
siderable, for the ground presents no OBJ
. stacle to the establishment of bridges o
boats. and the town occupies the head Q
) route which leads into the interior Of Bul
/ garia and Rasgard. Omer Pascha ha'
) carefully fortified Turtukai with the aid o
) European engineers. who are now tolera
bly, numerous in the Turkish army. Siis
. tria is one Of the best forti6cations on III,
! Danube. Notwithstanding imperfection
) which no longer exist, the Russians ha.
j great difficulty in obtaining possession Q
i il in 1899. General Diebitsch. although
II ~ :. \ n - = ~