Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-01-31
From tAe Loados TINES Of Dee. 81,
THE IARoIiRS Or THE wAp

~ educated Engishmsn who has learnt something
about land transport and siege trains coubts and rcsns
yet We do.6t whether readers fully apprci
ate the greatness the novelty and the uncertainties Of the
enterprise in which the country engaged The which
We wage against Russia may be considered image
many times msgndcd of the expeditions which England
directed against her rival in the last The base
operations ia the and fortified position it, shorc,
The enemy holds the country and its Every
where beyond rifle shot of outposs the hostile cava
~ wonder and wsih movements The British, fifty
years ago, OF the and the leaders OF mari.
time Very different indeed are the ocean stc-
mcrs OF the present day from the small slow sailing brgs
which carried the armies of Moore and Wellington But
the progress OF trade and maritime construction has
more than kept pace with the growth OF aons aud the
enlarged scale which il is necessary to carry ON war
Never has England fought with such will Toe en-.
campcd above Scbasopo three months hence Never
has France sent the third of the force which
MARSHALL PclliSscr will command Although the commerce
OF England increases beyond computation although the
construction OF steamers and ships Of large tonnage goes
On inceSintls and the Government ia rich competitor
private enterprise yet the armies will require all the
care and activity OF the authorities for their support IL
said thu, u,orc than luOoOO will be assembled under
the British ag 10y the cud at March Surprising this great
force to b. motonless in the neghborlood OF Balakava
and kcrtch, it would bc easy thing supply aud
is multitude of cattle. The animals necessary trans
port vastly increase bv their appetite the burden
ed, while the number OF non-combatants who attend to
them ia srondingy enlarged The armies are now
hut few miles from the and the cxertion aud ar
rngcment for the supply If simple wants tax
all TIE kill of the authorities in bo:h camps
What then will be the result of an order march -
IL there be difficulty now what gcnious will feed moro
than twice of many times the present distance
from the Scay ut il obvious" Svs our corrcspoud,pt
either that the Land Transport Corps has failed or that
beyond those of other army which ever
took the field" Both these things NAV be true the latter
certainly il Never in modern warfare has 50 vast force
been dependent external and seabornc supply
ut Napoleon moved long line through a rich coun-
try which generally at his mercy Here armies great
than his will be wcdscd together the extremity of
little peninsula where scan,y heritage and still
water viii he all that they hope that the land will
the allies but he i at least the deensve-he know
the country and has time sud leisure throw more than
one obstacle in 1t Is therefore necessary
appreciate fully the uncNampcd nature OF the campai su
% forget the preceientS OF former wars and improve
On the teaching the text books and traditions MANY
obvious short comucs pointed our corespon-
dent. The Aamy Works Corps has no means of trans
port and will useless Ia moving army until the defect
ne rcmeiicd The Land Transport canrot fulfil the du
ties that muddy soil aud the preparations for winter de-
mad The number OF horses and mules that have perish
I'd since the rain set IN is 500 the remainder have
rest aud it seems allowed work only during part
OF the day IL i said with every appearance Of truth
that the i at present immovablr and that il must
remain - until it, resources are increased.
An estimate has been framed of the number of beasts
required Tor the ensuing campaign The Land Transport
Corps WILL IL u said consist OF 1900 horses and mules
with 10000 drivers 10 il found necessary have ou,
for each mule horse 1t will thus be seen that the
Transport Department ut the British army twice large
the whole force which thought less than
two wears sgce The horses of the cavalry and artillery
will be about ln,upu Then there Is the Turkish contn-
gent which will probably require 10000 more In all
10000 animals will have TO be supplied the troops in
British pay, and kept alive mainly by the exertions ot our
sea transport service 1t will give the vast
consumption OF such multitude when it is stated that
hp OF 900 tons would supply it for little than
-!e day. There t. however, thing of even more
pressing importance than the question OF feeding and
that i, how TO procure 50 large number of animals
The Turkish provinces have been almost drained
The price of baggage animals has increased nearly ,ri
within the last two years Whatever NAV have been the
cause it i certain that very great success has atten.
lied the purchase of mules in Sicily The animals wcr,
bought at high price, and found much inferior To
those which the French had brought from Spain and AZ
rcl We know not what arrangements have been made
Ia supply the losses which mud cold cruelty and neglect
have caused nor how Il l. proposed TO swell the Land
Transport 10 81 much than it, former dimensions
but It IS plain that since armies in the field each
seeking u purchase Tor itself aud since the d,tuction
uimai- Throughout the East has been continual during
twOyears Of war large scheme Of supply necess
~ aud ths the matter be safely left contractors
and their agents
some years since General Sir Charles Napier wrot.
brilliant pamphlet on the baggage train ofan Indian army
In those regions the evils OF enormous cam
olo~in. had been strikingly displayed The greatest
our disasters as been aggravated by the helpless aud D
crowd which Hooked after the little of ighinl
men. Hardly victory followed up on account o IN,
throng Of servants aud baggage wagons which it wa
pointed at the Oriental warriors Serious tacticans de,
clirrd that the evil was 10y necessary one bu
Was only the result of bad system which had ia,
energy To overthrow. Whatever have the
OF the natter 1t l. certain that British army in Ind.
Wa and Is difficult to Now We do not ventuac t,
compare our officers III the Cfmcl with the alleged SybA
rites Of the Sciude campaigns There few of the boil
ed chicken and hock school of warriors before Sebasto
pol the "soiawater cacls" have no representatives.
the present seat Of But, should the same spectacle
ot the immObilty Of British army be repeated mex
lie lac Al
though perhaps unjust, comparisons Ii Is certainly dis
appointment to hear, at the opening OF second wntc
and after three months Of uacton that there
% sending ID the front the nuts provided for tile army
IL Is il to learn that many Of the animals purchases
i high price have already persisted that greater NOR
tally anticipated, aud that the Land Transport Corp
may be- pronounced failure. Although the Government
hA, provided eaJoate for the comfort OF our men durin
the winter although thr roads constructed by the Bu
fish do the greatest credit to all concerned and,
the whole We need no longer be ashamed at a genera
comparison with the French vet cannot but feel pninc,
At the announcement that they able move aud tina
We are not IL ia- been said several times always wit
more Or lrs injustice, that the French have waited for
1t u try this great occasion make palpabl
reality Toe difficulties OF the task are no doubt grci
beyond tie conception of those At distance. That ia
at1r upl-'r. and army. j. every hungry. Thirsty. an
cold The at oi supplying it requires pOwe gnlatO
aud JuIg 'm'ut in the highest degree. To produce th
DtrrtDf, oi result with the O machinery u tli
study, and &c demands unceisng application. Provision
hd materials 90 war require animals 20 carry thriu au
these again 100 such country this, require tine mean
vi their ,uJ-i-tcucs to be transported. We hea
Nith pleasure that General Windham aud Colonel Wethr
rail- ai, intent o the Organization Of % new system.
j. indeed oppOtuuit, lOs q man Of originality and 30
source The country which has unanimously demindc
tGe slcuton Of this do Justice o any one VIII
hos make the conduct Of effective aud 10 haste
the victory Il is evident this end facility w. trans
port Unjust mainly conduct The allies have greatly IL,
n the uumYc. aud quality Of their They have wt
.ic'O ie- d confident OF future success n any encounter
But they lv. - surnpunt the difficulties Of the countr
aud the skill 81 the Russian Gcnrra who will doubtle.
make campaign Of positions \ rcrcatug TO- will hay
10 be- followed through devastated country. The vii
can bring close tO the enemy will do, peril p- NOR
for victory then he Who urges the attack.
A. meeting q The citizen. ~ King william county, bold
Courluu. she 2.i d4y of January i.G FENDAiL W orr
CORY called to tie Chair and RICHARD ilAwEs appointed
. . Rotary.
After appropriate remarkably D. D. Dougits eVplsisng
object VI The meeting, e following resolutions offered ny q.
. Garrett and adopted
{. RsD'rs1 That cordially approve he call souher
Commercial Convention Richmond The 10Th
hereby Chairman meeting appoint
iee- from each election district 10 feprent the county ~ Kin
william therein.
nj q RSfct That Chairman and Secretary be added
. delegation
RsD'rsI That tho proceedings n this meeting be forward,
fu re . fnuIn d I'D furus. ra for u