Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-02-16

formidable fortresses ofthe sea will be cassed
in military operations as floating citadels, and
when the destruction or loss of one of them will
be considered as disaster equal to the fall of
| land fortress, which may be defending a line
of strategic Importance in a military sense.
| London Chronicle
| Russian Positions ON the Black Sea Coast.
The Cologne Gdzette Of the 30th ult, con-
tains the following details relative to the po-
sitions Of Russia on the eastern coast of,the
Black sea: 2sfl.
Anapa is the most northern point on the
eastern coast of the Black sea. 1t is a cele-
brated fortress, which the Turks originally con-
structed to protect their commerce from the
| tribes of the Caucasus. Since then the Rus
slams have made it the most important position
in Circassia. The harbor is open to every
wind, and is useless except in the fine season.
At Anapa, where the western chain of the
Caucasus commences, is situated the real limit
Of the Russian empire, as it is to the bastions
of that fortress that extends the coast, so
dreaded, of the Circassians. In spite Of their
utmost efforts, the Russians have only succeed
ed in establishing isolated forts, the garrisons
of which cannot stir out without running the
risk of being cut off. This coast extends from
Anapa to Gagi, distance of 1877 English
miles, Between these two places the traveller
passes over rocky coast, crossed by valleys
and crowned by yerdant hills and forming
singular contrast with the masses of white
chalk which serve as their base. These hills
are covered with rich vegetation and impene-
trable forests, among which are dispersed the
cabins and struggling villages Of the Circas-
slams.
The first port on the coast is Sudiouk- -Kale,
WHICH the Russians have defended by three re-
doubts. In this port the Russian squadron
captured the English vessel Vixen-an event
which produced SO great a sensation in 1887.
Some way further down is the Bay Of Guelend-
| iik the finest and safest on the coast, and the
most important station Of the Russian fotilla
appointed to watch the movements Of the Cir
| cassians. Further on is the bay of Pehiat, at
the entrance Of which the Russians have had a
| fort since 1887. Along the coast, inhabited by
| the formidable tribe Of the Chapsuks, are the
| little bays of Nonian, Djon-hon-hon, Kodos,
Subachi, Naidau, and Mamai This part of
| Circassia, which is marked by q rich cultivation
and numerous villages, opposes the most deter
mined resistance to the Russian rule Beyond
| Mamai the western coast of the Caucasus as
sumes more imposing character, the rivers
| being larger and the general aspect Of the hills
more rugged and lofty First Of all is seen the
fine valley of Sutchali, then the fort of Nava-
kinskoi, Cape Senghi, called the Cape Of Her.
cules by the ancients, and the bays Of Komo-
michelaz and of Kinschuli; next, the sombre
| fortress of Giga, commanding the entrance into
| Circassia on the side Of Abasia, behind which
rise the precpitous rocks which constitute the
most elevated points of the Caucasus.
| In quitting the defles of Gagi, the huge
| mountains of Abasia are met with. The princes
of Abasia bave been forced to admit the sover-
| eighty of the czar. Pezunda, famous for its
| church, which is said to have been founded by
| the Emperor Justinian, is the first important
/ point of Abasia; then comes Bomboria, o fort,
the garrison of which is decimated by sickness;
next Guelendjk one of the best bays on the
coast, where the Russians have fort, built in
/ 1875 by the Sultan Amurath; and lastly, Isku-
riez, where the learned imagine was founded
the celebrated Greek colony of Dioscuria,
known in the time of the Romans by the name
Of Sebastopolis, about uttwenty-five kilometres (ff
teen and half English miles) below Cape Is.
carias. The river Gilazkha forms the limit be-
tween Abasia and the principal point Of Ja-
murzalchaz, extending to the banks Of the In:
| CUR, at the mouth of which is the fort of Inak-
liza. On the left bank Of this river commence
the alluvial plains of Mingrelia which join at a
| distance Of one hundred and fifty kilometres
ninety three and half English miles) in the
interior those of Semeretta and Gouriel.
The mountains Of the Caucasus on the north,
and those of Akalzike on the south, surround
this magnificent basin, watered by the rivers
| Khopi and Rion (Phasis.) Redout-Kale and
| Poti, situated at the mouth of these rivers,
| form the principal points of landing But it is
| only small vessels that can enter, on account
| of the sand banks which exist there. Large
vessels are forced to anchor ut 600 metres dis
| tance from the coast. Since the suppression
| of the transit and free trade in 1882, Redout-
| Kale and Poti have lost all commercial import
| ance and all psospect of happy future. 1t
would seem as if the Russian government in
| tends to abandon these towns to their sad fate.
They are surrounded by marshy plains from
which exhale fetid miasmata. At 20 kilometres
| (83 English miles) above the Phasis, the little
river Nassa Nelea (Lisis, of Arian) separates
| the Russian territory from that of Turkey. In
! proportion as Fort Nicholas, which is the last
| military station Of Russia in the Gouriel, and
which the Turks have lately seized on, is de-
| parted from, the low grounds which surround
| Mingrelia disappear insensibly.
| The Akalzike mountains approach the sea,
and at Batoun enormous masses of rocks rise
above the coast From Witch the shore falls
| from the east to the west, as it bends to the
south. At the western extremity of this curve
rises Cape Joros In the middle is situated
| Trebizond, become, since the commercial
blockade Of Russia, one Of the most important
places of the Black sea, being the great entire
pot of all the articles of importation and ex-
portation from northern Persia and Turkey in
Asia. England has seized on the trade of
Trebizond, which amounts to fifty millions Of
| francs, and which is carried on with CONSTANT
nople by regular line of steamers. Trebizond
sends into every part of Asia the products of
| British industry, so that England has the great
est interest that this place should not fall into
the power of the Russians. But abstraction
made of that consideration, the situation of
Russia, in appearance so powerful, is exceed
ingly critical on the eastern shore of the Black
sea. She possesses there only detached forts,
and the Turks have taken one of them, that of
| st. Nicholas, which the Russians, notwithstand-
ing all their efforts, have not as yet been able
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