Grass Valley telegraph., 1854-06-15
The Twn Bowers.

1t q We Frs5SSs
Who has not thrilled at the tale Of the first
crpsadets? Who has not seemed to hear the
clarlon's peal, and mark the pride of their
bannered hosts as in wars array they swept
on towards Palestine? Peter, the Hermit.
reused up Europe by his fanatic eloquence,
and she madly sent her bravest and her best,
to plant the red cross where the crescent float
ed. Chivalry considered it an earnest ques-
ton asked by the monk Of Amiens-"Shall
the Turk longer bear sway over the grave of
our Faiths great Author?" But, it is now
fully as earnest a question which the mon
archs of Europe are asking, and the gallant
Knights are on their way to bear the missive
to the Russian Potentate. The ink will I'm
doubtedly be red, with which the answer shall
be written, and in the grim death-wrestle,
turbaned and helmed heads odown together.
We gather from reliable sources, the follow
Ing view of the immense power which the
two leading nations can command.
Turkey, whose forces have been thorough
~ re-organlzed, and stand now upon a near
ly equal footing with the best equipped ar
mics of Europe, has at her disposal more than
ZSO,OOO Infantry; of whom 100. 900 are recu-
lars, and at least 10000 regular cavalry. to
which must be added the various suuadrons
OF irregular horse, amounting at the lowest
estimate to 10000 more. Previously to the
seizure of the Principalities, she possessed
400 pieces of artillery. and since the outbreak
OF hostllities care has been taken to increase
this number. With these 900 Turks will
presently be associated 100000 men. the
Hover OF the French and English armies. and
this united force will be further supported l,v
the allied fleet Of 5000 guns in the Euxine, to
say nothing Of the troops under the command
OF Schamyl, in the Caucasus, which for twen-
tty years have destroyed Russian army regu-
larly every tWelVemonth.
Let US now enquire what Russia can oppose
to this mighty combination. This author re-
duces the 100000, represented in the official
reports as the numerical force Of the army.
and which is magnifed into the incredible
number OF 100000 by the Berlin ''Kreuz-
Eettung." to 1851, Of which but 100, 900
are available. Of these 577 900 men. Russia
requires on the Danube, the shores of the
Black Sea. and in the Caucasus at least 400
OOO, IN order to oppose the 400 900 Turkish,
English. French, and Circass;an troops and
VIII: moreover, experience the greatest diff
Guilty IN concentrating more than 100 600 up-
on any given point. An entrenched camp at
Fokscnany will be necessary to cover their
retreat from the Principalities; numerous
corps OF observation must remain before Ka-
Iafat; Odessa and Cherson must be strongly
garrisoned; the Crimea will need a stroDr
force, at least rs, 900 to 10000 men. to pro.
tect it from an Anglo-French surprise. and
from the Kuban-Caucasian army net a sol
dler can be spared. We have hitherto spoken
simply OF the Southern Russian frontier. and
the immediate theatre Of war in the Damn
blan provinces. IF we now concede to the
Gar an additional force of 100000 men. it
Is dlfhcult to understand how he will be able
TO provide for the defence Of the western boun-
Diary OF his empire. At least so 900 men will
be required for the occupation Of Poland. Iesi
the enthusiasm prevailing there in favor of
the " orthodox destroyer" Of its liberties
should assume an inconvenent form of mani
festatlon; and in Courland, Livonia and Es-
thonia, $4,000 men will not suffice to defend
tnose territories from being overrun by any
dlsembarking force. The garrisons establish
ed IN Cronstadt and st. Petersburg demand
large relnforcements of tried troops and.
lastly, Finland and Lapland must not be left
unguarded, partly On account of the English
feet under Sir Charles Napier and partly on
account of the Swedes and Norwegians, who
might possibly be disposed to take advantage
OF SO favorable an opportunity to recover
possession of the territory, of which they have
been so basely robbed.
In point Of strength and physical force,
Russla is no match for her opponents.-The
active cooperation of Prussia and Austria
alone can make the contest equal: and to
tnls tne western Powers have it in their pow
er to evoke a counter-demonstration which
would resemble an earthquake. For England
as the champion of the independence and lib
critics OF Turkey. cannot now retreat: her
name, her history, and honor, nay, her exist
ence, are at stake