The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-12-20
The Defense OF ConstantinOple.

British interests in the East, says the
New York Herald, demand that the
capital of Turkey shall not be per
mitted to fall into the hands OF Russia;
consequently, every effort will be strain
ed by England to-. protect that import
ant strategic point from capture. IL Is
only necessary to glance at the map OF
eastern Europe in order to comprehend
the value of Constantinople as the Key
of the situation, 80 far as England ls
concerned, and to see that as long as the
CITY remains in the possessionof OF power
hostile to the czar the highway to India
remains open and safe. It is not that
Constantinople itself lies directly IN the
way OF Russian advance, for 1t does
not do so more than Athens or Cairo,
but because of it's peculiar position OF
control over q vast area OF territory
which must be Russianized before any
successful attack can be made on the
British communic ications. ..,.
For instance, Constantinople guards
the entrance TO the Black sea, and IN
the hands Of Turkey or England shuts
in the Russian fleet as completely as the
Baltic ice closes the ports of that sea in
winter. It keeps open for the fleets OF
Turkey and England ths channel lead.
imp to the Black sea, tkas limiting the
control of Russia over that water to a
degree highly dangerous to Russian In
terests, as was demonstrated during the
Crimean war. With Rlssia in com
plete possession of the Eaxine, the most
important part of the coast OF Turkey
would!lie completely exposed to attack,
and, indeed, it would be impossible to
defend that territory against Russia
without the aid OF q powerful European
combination against the czar. 1t is
clear. therefore, that the Russian aim is
to secure free ingress and egress for her
fleets through the. Bosphorus, and this
cannot be permanently maintained as
long as foreign power holds CONSTANT
nople. :,
The narrow channels, bordered by
high and rugged shores which lead from
the archipelago and the Black sea to
the Golden Horn, render the defense Of
Constantinople against q naval attack
an easy matter even for Turkey alone.
The ironclad, and, above all, the tor
pedo, can be applied to this end with q.
certainty of success. But on the land
side Constantinople is more vulnerable,
and it is to that line Of defense that
England and Turkey are directing their
joint efforts. The operations necessary
for q successful attack on Constantine
pie by land involve difficulties that
might well cause Russia to hesitate be-
fore attempting to overcome them:
Before a siege gun can be pointed
at the defenses the. attacking army must
make a triumphant march across
the Balkan mountains, driving the allied
English and Turkish armies before it to
the city walls. Even by effecting g
landing at Varna, on the Turkish coast,
Russia must operate with a large mum
Der of we'll fortified and garrisonsd
Turkish positions in her rear, and a
great river, the Danube, stretching
across her, land line of retreat. The
probability that English ironclads will
dispute the passage oi an e1peditionary
army from Odessa by sea is very strong,
and great naval victory by Russia is
therefore necessary for1h her successes on
land. Taking into consideration 1.-The
relative naval strength, OF the belliger-
ents we are satisfied that siege OF Con
stantinople by the Russians is only q
very remote possibility. .f.