Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1854-01-07
TIE EUROPEAN WAR.

TIE EUROPEAN WAR
We failed to get an eastern mail last night, and
in the absence of local news We present oar read
ers this morning very interesting review of the
causes which led to the war between Russia and
Turkey, and the events which have thus far trans
PRED. 1t will furnish our readers information which
will enable them better to understand the briss tel
egraphc dispatches which are received on each for
egn arrival The article is copied from the Charles
ton Standard
AFFAIRS IN EUEoPE.-In commencing the New
Year we are disposed to think that we coul not
do our readers more acceptable service than by
offering them a succnct review of the occurrences
which have taken place on the banks of the Low
Danube since the first outbreak of hostilities
thus enabling them to behold at glance the course
of military events in the correct light in which we
are at this date capable of presenting them. As
for the original of the difficulty the contest
between the Greek and Latin Churches for the pos
session Of the Holy Places it is scarcely necessary
speak, 1t would be though the wild horse of the
pralres should suddenly stop and ask himself what
spot Of that vast plain had first witnessed his youth
tul gambols; SO far indeed have we wandered into
the mazes Of this labyrinth and so fine is the thread
which connects US with the Holy SepulcLre at its
entrance, that none but u Dplomatst Of the most
acute perception and retentlye memory could hope
10 retrace his steps III safety; and to the majority
of mankind the bOldest most honorable and most
practical way Of exit seems to lie through the walls
which separate us from the pure atmosphere of
peace and international morality Our task prop
erly commences at the time when Russia seeing
the successful result Of the harsh measures of re-
dress employed by Austria in the Spring of 1853
in humble Imitation of her example proceeded to
occupy as pledge of peace the Provinces of Mol
IaN-o andy olla Y,rlaI ,,T,o r
Eastern powers, have generally experienced the
fate OF the piece of cheese in suit between the two
cats and have been alternately occupied and nib
bled, while the remaining nations OF Europe have
gravely watched with mock solemnity the process
OF equalization. .-..-
Since the treaty OF Adrianople, these provinces
have been nearly upon footing Of Independence;
governed by their own laws subjected to a chief of
their own nation, under the title Of Iospodar en-
Joyng their own religion, and owing no duty Of al
leglancc to their Porte beyond the annual payment
of a stipend. The nearerof the two, Walachia. to
which yet hosihties have been confined is an OBJ
long of some 300 miles in length by 100 in breadth
bounded on the North by Austria and Moldavia
and on the South by the Turkish Province of Bul.
gsrla from which 1t Is separated by the Danube
On the southern bank various forresses of great
strength, which have long formed the bulwark of
Turkey against her Northern foes The principal
OF these, commencing at the West. are Belgrade
W lQulD, NiCODOI hQJSCUOk. 1QrtQkal SllStfla and
HIrchoya. Opposite NlddIu lies the Wallachian
village of Caalat the vis-a-yis Of Rutschuk in
Giurgewo, situated in marsh about three miles !
from the landing place, and distant some forty or
fifty from Bucharest, the capital of which il is the
port. Farther down, at the mouth of the Argis !
hes Oltenltza, facing the bluff of Turulai and al
most due South, some 100 miles, is the inpregna- /
bic Chumla at the entrance of one Of the passes in
the Balkan. We may remark in passing, that |
the Danube contains many iEets in this part OF its
course; they form sort OF chain at Widen and |
Turtukai, while the large one of Mokan hes between
Rutschuk and Giurgewo We stated in our article
of November 10Th that the effective Russian force
might be reckoned at 10000 and subsequent intel
Hgence has fully confirmed our estimate The head |
quarters OF this army is at Bucharest and the com
mand vested 10 Gortschakoff; the Turkish forces
were distributed among the forts on the river and
its staff stationed at CLumla Of the neighboring
powers, Austria was known to be strongly attached
to Russia, and so entirely under the influence of
similar principles 10 render her future course a
matter Of great doubt and the only hope OF Sc
curing her neutrality, would be to arouse her fears
or the tranquility of Hungary Servia has long
enjoyed a sort of demI- semi independence and was
sincerely disposed to remain aloof from the flaming
whirlwind By this meagre statement our reader
Will perceive why 1t was necessary that so large
,ody OF 0mars troops should remain at Calafat
Without venturing into the interior
The hostile armies being thus face TO face and
he ladvised efforts Of the friends of peace to pro-
ract this state Of ruinous uncertainty having met
With signal failure the Sultan. on the 4th of Octo-
er, issued his manifesto Of war
On the Sth, Omar Pacha Summoned the Russian
ieneral GoR1scuAKoFF, to abandon the Province
'ithin fifteen days the reception Of which note on {
ne 9th, (27th September Russian style0 was duly
acknowledged by the Prince who stated in reply {
hat he was not empowered by his master to treat t
D the subject. a
On the 18th the Turks cast the olive-brauch into
ne iio9inhg father Of European waters, and pro- Z
IS Igu 10 take possession OF the slets between q
' lddlr and Calatat
In the meantime ,r,o ,,,u.-,,,...;,.,. e IL T
o'OelH C"eLS prevailed upon ABnEL NEJD once ] II
lore to defer the iuaugurafio, ~ Lost;I;,;as 80 n
'corulnSly messenger left CoDst,p+porlo az, tb,
ST with instructions to OMAR 10 rrasor-o H. stt -
10 uio' " 0'"'e u war actually existed: and in -,
y event 10 a'oiu DECISIVE engagement But :.
sore the messenger charged with this important u
sspatch could reach headquarters the fifteen L.,
'tice had expired, and events had occurred on H., 10
ores of Bessarabia winch were construed Nv ha
dAR TO be n commencement of hOstities We to
er to the affair of lsatcha 10y
By the treaty of Adrianople, Russian war YES DC
5 were prohibited from entering the Turkish wa IN
s. In defiance of this clause. two Russian M
amers, the Py1ah and the Ordinary, each tow III
four gunboats, attempted, on the 23d, TO ascend
Danube to Galaz, but were fired upon in pas tol
z the little fort OF lsatcha situate in Moldavia.
in the contest which enSued, two of the gun wi
is were sunk, and the fort consumed The
mon expressed by us on the Importance of this
II, IN our article OF the 18th in opposition to the De
Taingidea, was borne out by subsequent intel :.
nee at
he contingency apparently contemplated by the Der
an, having then happened, OMAR, on the after cer
] of the 27th, threw his advanced guard across the