Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-11-24
@asbington Sentinel.
: From the London Chronicle, Nov. 8.
The Russian Army.

From the London Chronicle, Nov. 3.
The Russian Army.
We have much pleasure in publishing the
following communication with which we have
been favored 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 Helfaut, by
"British Soldier" Sir Charless intimate prac-
teal knowledge of military affairs gives partic-
ular value to his opinion:
To the Editor oftae CAronicls:
SIR: The dispatch of the consul general to
the French government shows that hostilities
have commenced between these two powers,
and it may now be interesting to consider
whether the general feeling or fear of the pub
lie is we'll founded, that the Turks, If single
handed, have little or no chance of success
against their powerful adversaries. This opin-
ion Of the weakness Of Turkey has been pro-
duced, to very great extent by certain part
of the European press under the control OF Rus
sia, writing in such manner, not only to
frighten the Turks, but also to influence other
governments to imagine that, through her in
ternal weakness, the fate of Turkey was doomed,
and that the Musselman must be driven from
Europe. To combat this general opinion Of
the immense and overwhelming power Of Rus
sia is difficult; but, in spite of this, shall en-
deavor to show that Russia, by her former acts,
In speaking of Russia we must never lose
sight of the fact that all depends on the
Emperor Nicholas, and the query may be
made have his former acts shown that
he is the noble, magnanimous character
the European press have tried to prove
him? What have the successes of the Rus
SLAMS in the field been during the last sixty
years? True, the rush into the centre of Eu-
rope of the barbarian Suwarrow, with his blood
thirsty crew, still reeking with the blood of the
thirty thousand women and children of Ismail
threw temporary ecldt on the Russian arms
But what did the Russian army accomplish
during the revolutionary wars of Francel Al
though they, with great courage, stood steady
to be shot down or sabred, what success did
they gain? Did not Napoleon, wherever he
met them, thrash them heartily? Did he not,
by sheer hard lighting, drive them to the other
side of Moscow? After doing this, in less than
twenty-four hours Napoleon lost thirty thou
sand of his horses by the severity of the
weather, and eventually, through the same
means the finest army the world ever saw as
sembled. But Russia claimed, and Europe
accorded, the credit of this defeat Of Napo-
Icons army to the superiority of that of Russia,
while every impartial man, at this distance Of
time, must allow that the destruction Of the
French army and Napoleon's power would not
have occurred at that time except through the
instrumentality of Providence, almost indie
pendently of the Russian army. But upon
this basis of ice and snow has the terror Of the
Russian arms been built, and the question is
now about to be solved if this basis is sufh.
ciently strong.
| Those of your readers who have visited Riga
| must have seen the immense column erected
in that city, containing the following inscrip
| ton between two swords entwined with laurel
"The hosts of twenty kingdoms and nations
rushed into Russia, with fire and sword, and fell
| prey to death or captivity. Russia conquered
the destroyers and broke the letters in which Eu
rope lay enchained. Alexander /. raised her with
| his triumphant hand, and restored to kings their
sovereignties and TO nations their native insti
tutions."
But upon this pillar there is no mention oi
Poland having received her institutions, nor ol
the cause of the war being the refusal of Ma
poleon to fulfil the secret article of the peace o
Mlsit then agreeing to the cession of the Turkish
provinces of Moldavia and Wallachia to the EN-
peror Alexander. But the success of Alexander
even though owing to q severe winter, covered
many iniquities, and induced him to think him
self more than human, and / believe on only
one occasion did he ever find human creature
bold enough to speak to him as man. The
| celebrated French general, Vandamme, after q
| desperate resistance, on the 29th and 3Oth o.
| August 1913, was taken prisoner at Cnlm, and
dragged before the Emperor Alexander and
Archduke Constantine the latter taking from
him his sword, while the former abused Van
damme as robber and brigand. The French
general, in reply, retorted, Sire, / may be a
robber and brigand, but their are crimes still
greater with which / have never soiled my
hands" '"Off with him to Siberiar' shouted
Alexander, on this allusion to the death of his
father, the Emperor Paul. On Alexandra
death Constantine was the heir to the throne
but the present Emperor Nicolas managed to
oust his elder brother, and has now taken upon
himself to seize these provinces, so coveted by
his brother Alexander at Tilsit. Much has been
said of the savage and cruel character of Con.
stantine, in order to attempt the justification Of
Nicholas. An eye witness, in his account,
written in 1880, Of the extraordinary events at
ST. Petersburg, in 1925, when Nicholas possess
ed himself of the throne, gives the then public
opinion of the characters of the two brothers,
and cites as an example that Constantine, at a
review, seeing soldier with his stock care
lessly put on, rushed at him with his cane,
and struck the soldier violently on the neck,
but on its being explained to Constantine that
the cause of the stock being so put on was
owing to wound the veteran had received in
the neck, the archduke felt SO deeply his own
inus tice and cruelty, that before all the troops,
he threw himself weeping into the arms of the
veteran, asking forgiveness with every sign Of
contrition, and as an atonement procured a
commission for the soldier. Nicholas, on a
similar occas;on was displeased with the an
pearance of the whisker of soldier. The
personal strength OF the present Emperor Of
Russia is perhaps equal to that Of any man in
Europe. He dashed at the soldier, seized him
by the whisker, and never let 60 his grasp till
he tore the whisker from the cheek, with the
flesh attached to it; and actually aoasted OF this
feat, as manifestation of his strict attention
to discipline. Although Nicholas has peace
and mercy in his mouth, and attempts to cover
his misdeeds with the mantle of religion, can
it be expected that man whose despotic will
is Of twenty-eight years growth, will hesitate
in entering upon bloody war with any nation
who attempts to make him disgorge his long