Port Royal standard and commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-03-02
THE TURKISH PROVINCES.
Advance Of tho Turkish Armies-sFrishtful
Depredations Upon the Christians.

Advance Of the Turkish Armies-.Frishtiul
Depredations Upon the Christians.
The rebellion in the Turkish provinces
| is still alive and more vigorous than
ever, and the insurgent chieftains man
age to keep considerable armed force
together, and now and then win an ad.
vantage in encounters with such small
detachments of troops as the Ottoman
government had in the country when the
outbreak began. But the hard struggle
is vet to come. The Turkish forces are
advancing from two directions-from the
province of Bosnia on the east, and from
the seacoast on the west.
It was the latter force which encoun-
tered a body of insurgents between
Ragusa and Trebigne and dispersed them
after five hours OF hard fighting. The
army in Bosnia appears to be making
slow progress, and is accused of COM
mitting frightful depredations and out
RACES upon the Christian population OF
the region along its line of march, spar
ing neither women or children in the in
discriminate slaughter. When these
two armies form junction in Herzego-
vina, as they shortly must, the insurrec-
ton will be reduced to desultory
mountain warfare; but such is the rug
ged and impenetrable nature Of the
country that the insurgents can, Like the
patriots in Cuba, continue the struggle
as long as their cours &c holds out. The
most interesting feature Of the war just
now is the attitude of Servia. Kindred
in race and religion, the people OF that
principality sympathize ardently with
the Herzegovinians, and are 80 eager to
take part in the contest that their sov-
ereign, Prince Milan, is in danger Of
losing his throne because he insists on
remaining neutral. Servia, which the
map makers persist in representing as
Turkish province, has enjoyed a perfect
autonomy since 1884, and has no obligs-
tions to the Porte beyond the payment
of trifing annual tribute. 1t has an
area about equal to that Of the State OF
Maryland, population of 1888, ,0OO-
nearly all slaves by origin, and Greek
Christians in religion. The standing
army is 12, 900 strong, and the enrolled
national guard of the first and second
levies numbers 100000. Most of the
refugees who have left the insurrection-
ary provinces as the Turkish army ad-
vanced have gone to Servia. They mum.
Ter many thousands. Should the Ser
Wan government decide to aid the in
surgents their affairs would wear very
different look, and the war would be-
come 80 serious ain affair that the:: selfish
and tardy diplomacy of the great powers
would be spurred into some decision re-
garding it. The most probable and per-
haps the most desirable issue OF the con-
test, in case of interference by Austria
and Russia, would be the erection OF
Herzegovina into an independent princi-
pality under Joint protectorate, or its
annexation to Montenegro or to Servia.
Any settlement which loosens the grasp
of the Turk upon the Christian popula-
tions in the northern portion of his mis-
governed empire and crowds him down
towards the Bosphorus will be welcomed
by the public sentiment of tie whole
civilized world.