The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1876-08-24
The Insurgcnt States in the East.


The war between Turkey and its dis
contented provinces will add much to
our knowledge of southwestern Europe.
Many well-intormed men would have
been puzzled Il few months ago to give
an Ineligible account Of Montenegro or
Herzegovina, or possibly of Bosnia or
Ncrvia. Now there is busy search of
maps and Biographies and cncyclopc-
dias, for one is ashamed to be ignorant of
countries whose revolt against Turkey
may change the history of Europe.
Scrvia is the most important province
among the disturbed districts, for it is
pcoplcd only by a SIavonic race, proud
Of their purity of blood and heroic his
tory. Their ancestors migrated from
Asia in the sixth century, and found a
home on the banks of the Danube, in 4
region laid waste by war. They built up
subsequently strong empire, and their
most warlike emperor was leading an
army to make Constautinople his capital,
when his ambitious plans were foied by
sudden death. In the next century
the empire was conquered by the Turks,
and only since this century came in and
more particularly within few years, has
this small section of the old empire re-
covered independence. 1t is self gov
crncd but pays an annual tribute to the
Porte. 1t comprises $1,000 square miles,
about as large as the state Of Maryland,
and has Il population of over l,OOO,OOO
souls.
herzegovina is n narrower and more
mountainous district near the Adriatic
sea, having an area of 100000, trifle
smaller than Massachusetts, and pop
uIation of over 100000, nearly one half
of whom are Mussulmans, and the other
half nearly equally divided been the
Greek and Roman Catholic churches,
This division puts the province at great
disadvantages in the struggle with the
Turks, for Catholic and Greek are not
united in council and action, and thcil
strength is neutralized by the large
Turkish element surrounding them.
Montenegro having 800 square mile'
about the size of Rhode Island join
Herzegovina on the southeast, but ha!
no seaport, the adjoining sea coast be
longing to the Asia province OF Cattaro
This lack OF Il sea port is serious hin
drance to the commercial growth and
prosperity of the little province. 1t is a
mountainous region, and its brave inhab
itants exulting in their mountain fast
ness, have never been conquered by the
Turks. The population is small, mum
bcring only 100000, but every man
among them is warrior, trained to the
use of arms, and inspired with a deadly
enmity to the Mussulman. In theil
difficult passes and inaccessible heights
they have won signal victories over the
invaders, often defeating armies tenfolc
larger than their own. The chief sue
cesses of the present campaign have beer
won by their heroic army, and it is Ger
tain to make good report of itself il
every encounter with the Turks.
Bosnia, which borders on Servia on tn,
east, and Herzegovina on the west, /
larger than both united, comprising Al
area of $4,000 square miles and pOpu
Iation of 100000. But the races ar
greatly mixed, 100000 of the peOpl
being Turks, and only 10000 Bosnian'
of true SlavOnic descent. This mlxtur
makes a united movement impossible
| and subjects the province to bloody dc
, mestic strife in all attempts to throw o
/ the yoke Of Turkey.
The same il true to larger extent {
Bulgaria, where such horrible atrocite
have been committed in the present wa
t It is a large district, of $4,000 squar
miles, lying to the east OF Scrvia, an
stretching to the Black sea. OF its POI
ulation of 3,50O,0O only 1,5OO, 600 al
nominally Christian, and these are &
the mercy of their more numerous an
> powerful Turkish neighbors. They ca
r render, therefore, little help of value
the present struggle.
+ Wallachia and Moldavia, lying mort
r of Bulgaria, and also bordering on II
4 Black sea, form an important prime
pality called ROumania, with an area
y $4,000 square miles and population
I 1000, 900. They are virtually indepen'
4 ent, like Servia, paying only an annu
4 tribute to the Porte. But, unlike Se
# via, their people are not Of a single ra'
r or of pure blood. The chief stock
r Dacian, anciently subdued by Rome; bl
: mixed with this are Roman, and Goth
and Hungarian, and Slavic and Tart;
y elements, defying the most skillfdl ct
n nologists to discriminate in the strani
mixture. II RoumRnia should take pa