The Osceola times., 1876-07-15
THE WAR BETWEEN TURKEY AND
SERyIA.

THE WAR BETWEEN TURKEY AND
SERvIA.
the 1tisssrs OF the quarrel.
New York Herald.
~&The following brief review of the
catres which have brought about this
new conflict will be read with interest
in view of the declaration of war by
Scrvia against Turkey. The cause of
the quarrel which now arrays the soldiers
OF the Servian prince against those of
his Suzerain the sultan was develpped
toward the close of last year by the at.
tempt Of the Turks to collect the taxes
payable to the porte by the inhabitants
OF Herzegovina and Bosnia, two de-
tendencies Of the Turkish empire, situ-
ated on the western side of Turkey in
Europe. This imposition of tribute has
always been regarded by the christian
subjects of the sultan as oppressive, and
they have never failed, when the uppor-
tunity presented itself, to protest against
1t, either by representations to the great
powers, or by an appeal to arms. The
overpowering force rf the Turkish battal-
ians which supported the tax-gatherers
of the Padishah in their annual visi-
tations to the tributary provinces had
up To recently suppressed every at
tempt at resistance, and the most terri.
BILE cruelties are charged against the
Turks during the times of this forced
collection of taxes. This state of things
could possibly have no other termination
than in an armed revolt of the oppressed
people OF Herzegovina and Bosnia, which
took place, as we have stated, during
the summer of 1875, and has progressed
with varying fortune for the insu rgents
during the past ten months. BY "A series
o, onslaughts on detachments of Turkish
troops, the Hersegovinians and Bos-
mans have inflicted great losses on their
ancient enemy, forcing him to organize
large armies against them, and often Ia
retreat before their daring attacks. The
enterprise of the Herzegovinians and the
vigor of their resistance to their enemy
is illustrated by the several intellectual
attempts of Mukhtar Pacha with a DOW.
erful force to revictual the fortress OF
Nicsic-a strong position Oh the north
ern frontier of Mdntentgro-an a TEN.
pdrafy arnistice was declared between
the belligerents, and in violation OF
which the Turkish general threw some
supplies into the town. This fact. which
has proved to be impossible in the pres
ence Of Herzegovinian resistance, en-
ragged the insurgents beyond all hope Of
peaceful settlement of the quarrel, foI
they saw in it the evidence Of Turkish
duplicity and bad faith, and prepared tc
fight the war to the bitter end.
THE coNTENDING ARMIES.
The forces that will open the Turkey
Servian war are so disproportioneL il
relativ strength that We must soon ex
pect To learn of Austrian and Russian
corps across the respective frontiers o
both countries. The former, as in tn,
time OF the Crimean war, to protect hel
interests, by occupying strategic point,
in the Danubian provinces, and the lat
ter to watch the movements of the Aus
trian army. According to the law o.
1869, military service is obligatory on al
the male Mohammedan subjects of the
sultan. Recruiting is accomplished by
the engagement of volunteers and by
conscription. The term of service in
the Turkish army is twenty years, o
which four are spent in the regular active
army, two years in the first reserve, six
years in the second reserve, and eight
years in the militia or landwehr. The
army is divided into three parts, namely:
the regular army, the irregular troops
and the auxiliaries. The law above
named fixed the strength of the army at
zoo, 900 men until 1878. OF this force
the regular army numbers $50, 900 men,
the first reserve 10000 men, and the
second reserve 100000 men, rendering an
annual quota of 81 800 men necessary ia
maintain the effective strength. In
time of war the effective army strength
of Turkey is as follows: