Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1859-05-26
The Seat Of War and Scene of the Great
Struggle.
From the London Times, May3:

-~O--AA
In the obscurlty which clouds all intelli-
gence from the seat Of war, we can hardly
do better than to furnish our readers with
some preliminary knowledge Of the extent
and features of the seens-a proceeding
which will be all the more exceptible as it
admits of being made both simple AMI pre-
else. Whether the war can, indeed, be
| confined 10 those territories, is very diff
ferent question, but as long as it is limited
by the boundaries now assigned TO it there
can be no reason why the exact import Of
every telegraphio despatch should not be
Immediately comprehended.
The Kingdom of Sardinia, composed Of
Piedmont-its principal mass-in the CEN
tire, the ancient province of Slavery in the
northwest, and the maritime territory Of
Genoa in the southeast is not above one
hundred miles in breadth from its western
TO eastern frontier. On the former of the
frontiers it is conterminous along the entire
length with France, its ally; but on the latter
it is only partly contermnous with Austria
its enemy. In the north a portion of the
Swiss territory, and the South The Duchy
of Parma, supply the border line, leaving
only central perhaps about half
the entire length, TO be formed by the ter
rltorIes of Austrian Lombardy. The line
in question, as every body is now aware, is
constituted by the river Ticino and by the
Lake Maggoire through which that river
flows, as the Rhodes does through the Lake
Of Geneva: On the French side the hnrder
is formed by the Alps, SO that the seat Of
war may be regarded in general aspect
as broad piece of territory between chain
OF mountains and river. The French had
TO cross the mountains, the Austrians the
stream, and the distance between them, as
We have said, was about 100 miles.
The features of Piedmont itself, however
deserve particular attention, as they are
regulating the present distribution of the
cOn,ending armies. Piedmont is traversed
in its breadth by the windings of the River
20, aud the division Of The country III Is ef-
iected corresponds very nearly with the d.
vision Of the eastern frontier between Lou.
bardy and Parma; so that TO the south of
the stream Piedmont borders on Parma, and
to IFS north only on the hostile territory Of
Lombardy. These two divisions of the Sar-
dlnian kingdom differ totally in their natural
characters. To the north of the river-lhe
district immediately exposed to the Austri-
nns-all is a level plain up TO the foot of the
Swiss Alps, whereas on the southern side
all Is mountainous, and the whole space is
hlled with the shoots or spurs of the Lisu-
rlan Apprentices sloping away from Genoa.
In this division of the kingdom lie the strong
places Ui the Sardinans-Allessa Cas-
ale, and Tortona-and on It's western edge
stands Turin itself, the capitol of the State.
Within or around these fortre.ses the Sar.
dinians have collected the bulk of their ar
my, perhaps some $4,000 men, leaving the
plains of the north comparatively open TO
the incursions of the enemy.
Before the actual commencement of hos
tilltles, the Austrians at Milan stood Just
about as far from The river as the French nt
Brancon did from the mountains; and line
drawn from one OF these points to the other
would pass through the common mark of
both armies-the royal city of Turin. Tu-
rim, however, is about as far again from
Buflalora, where the Austrians crossed the
river, as /: is from Susa, where the French
lalt on crossing the Alps, the distance be-
ng about seventy miles in the former case.
against thirty. three in the latter. But this
inequality was more than compensated by
he relative difficulties of the two roads; for
whereas the Austrians have plain coun. ;
ry totrayerse the French can only reach
'usa BY passing the Alps. In reality, the
|
advantage OF ground so far was on the side I
i the Ausirians, but their operations have
'een influenced by further considerations I
rising from the position of the Sardinian /
rmy before described, The French, as i
hey descend upon Susa and push forward I
Turin are directly confronting the Aus. +,
rians on their march toward the same point (
rom Milan; and if this was all, and there {
we're no Sardinians except in the capital. "
he shock of battle could be anticipated with Ii
reat facility. SoOner laier-in fact, very d
oon, indeed-the beiigerents would meet.
nd an engagement on large scale would d
nsue. r
1t will be observed, however, from what a
7as then said, that the Austrian., in their b
dvance across Piedmont from east 10 west.
'ould have on their left flank the whole $
strength Of the Sardinian army "
esting on ifs finest fortresses. What the II