Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1853-12-15
THE OPERATIONS ON THE DANUBE.


Though still renan without any material accession
to the knowledge possess cd Of on the Danube
there little to doubt that the principal operations
OF the campaign have hitherto been uniformly creditab
TO the Turks Their success at ocniza begins indeed
to lose some OF Its marvellous character from the detail
which have reached us, does Il appear that Rus
sian baalions have been defeated by Turkish batta hon
in open field Il that the Turks were posted be
hind field works aud in buildings which though doubtless
imperfect IA Qualifications suffered bring the Ottoman
troops into the position most favorable to their quality
Turks have invariably fought well from behind
ments and was thus that they fought at Oienz Pro
teced 10y powerful batteries and inked by formidabl,
corps Of sharp shooters armed with the Mimic rife they
to have received the Russian columns very much a.
We ourselves were receiveda New Orleans aud much
the result lndced the Turkish bulletin the action
be correct aud the casualties vi the whole Ottoman fore,
in the engagement amounted thirteen killed aud
eny-two wounded there be little ground Tor desert
bling the affair fair pitched battle We do not how
ever attach much credit to announcement which per.
haps originated in msapprehension OF the circum
stances most conducive to the credit Of the vctors We
believe the Turkish loss have been considerably more
severe and the action fairly contested than here
described but Is not to be forgotten that in any case
great credit must rebound the successful general II
omcr Pacha really caused loss Of 1000 1900 to the
Russians at the cost OF OF soldiers his army
the excellence OF the exploit in military point Of view
must be ucontesblc although carry quite so
strong proof a. Was imagined OF the general quality
his troops
We for the twentieth time assured that reru
lar trial of strength will Immediately be made between
AMI halafst and that intelligence q "A
battle may be expected from these parts IL these state
mcns correct they imply that the instructions
received on both sides Of the energetic prosecution of the
are likely to be carried into effect by an advance of
Prince Gorschakon upon the Turkish division which has
maintained its position in Lesser Walacbia during the
whole OF this month. As achievements have vet
reached the Russian commander beyond those drawn from
his own reserves in the Pncpaities the anticipated en-
counter will represent fair conflict between the Turkish
and Russian armies and will decide the mastery in the
Danubian Province for some time To come Prince
a In
siderable force amounting indeed at Budeschu his last
position, 10 $4,000 fighting men; but whether this
number would be dposabe for operations the western
extremity OF the province is clear Neither can We
learn with any certainty whether the Turks remain in
trenched at and about kiaht whether they have adj
vanccd into the intcior by some accounts they have
been described as actually occupying kTaoTa, but
inclined TO believe they have remained the positions
first taken up and indeed il is alleged in one the many
statements transmitted TO this country, that they will
accept battle even here but WILL the approach Of
Prince Gortschako in orcc destroy their works and re-
tire across the Danube as they dill oenzi To
,ud rccross the Danube, however, pleasure without
loss or moleStston, is small achievement in itself
Meanwhile, operations in the Circasln county appear
to have proceeded still more avoraby for the Ottoman
arms The ohscurty found attend events on the
Danube Is Of Euhed in the referred TO hy
the distance and inacccssby of the scene but all the
intelligence reaching ths country induces believe
that the Turks have gained considerable succcsses-an
opinion confirmed 10y the report that the chief reinforce
men- now on the march FROM the interior OF Russia are
destined, for the Dinuban Prucip,tcs but for the
army o. the Caucasus. This srmy We are further told
il greatly dsayct,d, aud it il obviously exposed TO some
danger from thc nlLmsbty of the surrounding popua
lauon In the Danubian provinces Russia relied hnucd
TO rely ON the Svmpathes generated by of IL
lson and race but these conditions operate ia Asia
directly TO the advantage Of her antagonist.
TIE Turks there the defenders of true faith and
any protractei contest between the Russian and Ottoman
might knde passions and animositcs beyond reach
u extinction by European treaties These trans actions
have, yet, attracted comparitavey little notice hut if
the war should unhappy continue, it by
likely that its most important well iu,crcs-
ting theatre may be on the shores of the Black Sea
We search in vain through these events for any pros
poet Of that conclusion which, the object OF ne
gotaons, must still be the obecof hosties-viz the
evacuation OF the Prncipaes and the withdrawal of the
Russian demands upon the Porte To these conditions
should be added indispensable to the attainment
some European security against renewed ggression but
do that approaching any nearer TO such
ends ~ the campaign now pending
Omcr Pacha has now been engaged for a month in the
task of eHpeing the Russians from the Prncpates by
Crce and 1t does not at present appear that he has made
much more ei,ecual progress than made by the
dplomass On the contrary il is reported that he has
retired to the right bank of the river altogether and if
h therefore cannot make head asins; Prince Gorts.
chakoh 1t is scarcely be expected that any great sue
i in store for the future The and resource
Of Russ VIGOROUSLY tar super Tor those Of Turkey
'"" Pr""G G9rtschakoa can hold the line Of the Danube
against the Turkish army in bulgaria, not se,
how the prospects Of the Oitomans likely to improve
These considerations, however would be materially
changed by any decisive of the Turks betwe.n
kaaiat and kraova.
The aggressios of Russia be resisted the author
ity OF public law must be yndcAcd and the rights of Eu
rope be secured These the objects Of the con
test, and they are common need hardly saw all Eu
rOpean Governments alike But these Objects we entire.
iy believe, Ear likely he attained b. nernta
tons conducted with the of Europe than y the
engagement of particular Powers in hostitics of
which II impossible TO predict the end. Such hos-
ties must always necessarily involve general war; GEN
eral war would inevitably acquire character in which the
disputes between Russia and the Porte would absolute
y lost and its termination would probably leave the whole
fabric OF Europe revoutionized altogether That there
are persons who would contemplate such prospect with.
ont any regret, well a~arc. but hey may ne.
mind themselves that the issue Of the struggle NAV nc
anything hut what they DESIRE while too certain thar
the progress OF popular enlightenment and rational bcr
" would be retarded for wears to come.
by firm and guliciOus policy may gain compara.
lively without change hazard all that could reason
ably hope to gain by successful The utmost that
could he expected treaty of pacfcation H. that all the
great powers should be found allied against Russia TLi.
result could hardly Le anticipated with any reason from
The events Of which would probably throw all the
Powers OF Europe iuo every species of combination before
It ended, but u may very uo,siby he
secured az this moment while hostilcs are vet confined
To the fanatics Of two countries in the dctes OF the Can
casus and on the banks Of the Danube We sincerely
trust chat such may toe me conclusion If the dispute and
that IL this respect at least may he found wiser than
our ioreiathcrs, wo after pungng bndly into wars of
twenty years. Duration only too glad 10 terminate
them on tie principle OF leaving things as they were at
first.