The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1875-10-30
The Seat of War in the East.

The revolt Of the Christian subjects Of the Sultan
in Herzegovina has attracted attention 10 a very
obscure portion Of the Turkish dominions In Eu-
rope. 1t would appear from the telegraphic re.
ports that the e,ne,fe has assumed proportions and
threatens complications that warrant serious spec
ulation as TO the result, because. like the Low
Countries, the land Of the Sclave has has been for
centuries a centre of political disturbance from
which a general war may at any moment spread
over Europe. A glance at the geographical and
typographical features OF the seat Of +" war will
enable our readers to form some estimate Of the
chances of the contending parties, SO far as the
physical character of the scene Of operations can
affect the issue, assuming, Of course, that the situa-
ton Is as grave as il is reported 10 be, and that the
insurgents really mean fight. AS far as natural ad-
vantages Of position are to be considered as vaIu-
able to either side, the insurgents have decidedly
the best Of II, because they fight with a familiar
knowledge OF the extremely dlHcuIt ground on
which the Turkish army is compelled to operate ia
striving to reach its enemy. The great mountain
chain OF the nlyrian Alps, which separates the ter
ritory OF Austriano- Dalmatia from Turkey, has very
few practicable passes for military operations, and
all these are located within the disturbed districts.
The river Narenta, flowing into the Adriatic, breaks
through the mountains a short distance south Of
Mostar, the Turkish garrison town selected by the
consular representatives Of the advisory European
powers who will meddle in the business, for their
conference. The town Of Trebigne, threatened by
the insurgents, is located on the western side Of the
mountains, and is, therefore. almost entirely cut of
from assistance, except from The south, and this APP
prOach is guarded by the river Drin. which may
even now be held against the Turks by a Montene-
grin force. Montenegro possesses quite an extern
sive coast line, favorably located for the eneour-
agement Of blockade running, and the reception Of
supplies from sympatbizing outsiders. The Monte
negrins on the Drln, and the mountain passes held
by the HerzegOvinians, would give the insurgents
a triangular piece Of territory open to the sea,
which would form "A respectable base Of operations,
with Trebigne for a centre. Should the Turks at
tempt, even with a considerable force, 20 penetrate
the line Of the mountains near Mostar, their flank
and rear would be open to attack from the north,
and in order to approach the objective point they
would have to cross some six or seven rivers and
streams of more or less considerable Importance,
which lie directly across their line Of advance, and
form so many natural lines Of defence to the Her
zegoyinian territory. The sturdy Turkish infantry
can probably be led into these mountain gorges,
but cavalry and artillery are useless indeedf a
few hundred skilled m%arksmen, such ~ can ,Se
readily collected from among the mountaine~-sRf
the %Illyrian Alps, could hold one OF these rugeeu
passes against a division Of troops. With the coast
line facilities already referred to for the reception
Of supplies aud the neutrality al Austria the move