The New York herald., 1876-07-02


THE DEFENCE OF THE DANUBE
The gunboats of tho Turkish fleet have ascendcd tho
Danube above widdn, and are said to be threatening
Belgrade itself with bombardment This floating
force comparatively small and Will probably be COM
PEELED to retire. but in order TO guard against any
future attempts Of the Turks in this direction the Ser
vans propose to torpedo the Danube and 1t has
proposed to obstruct the the Iron
so 10 render 1t entirely impassable
The following extract from the correspondence pub
lshed in the London Standard describes the prepara-
tions:-
fthe kilograms arc to be believed which say that some
Turkish gunbOats cruising on Widdin between that
and Negotin the struggle is entering quite a new
phase. From Wddin 1t Is but few hours sNamiug
distance 10 Belgrade, and the gunbeats If they have
come, either mean to menace that city to tho
movement OF the Turks across the river to invade
doubt, Servas weak point but still tho attempt it
would now be most hazardous, and, If not
successful, would mean fearful disaster for
the assaants. The authorities mt Belgrade, however
by means unaware OF the danger TO the city from
a gunboat attack Whom the Turks gave the for
tress they gave with largo of the very heaviest
smoth bore bronze cannon all eight inch ten inch
Galore some OF them throwing shot OF moro
than 200 pounds weight When left about four
weeks ago all the arrangements were complete for
mounting these on the river walls of the fortress
overlooking the Danube, and the same will be done,
commands the soape s,i it has not been forgotten
that gunboat moving quickly IS but a small mark,
whereas tho city, rising like small mountain al the
junction OF the two rivers very large and that
with range shells the houses would got the worst
OF It, and 1t would be poor consolation for the forts
hold their own while tho city burning behind
them To guard against this eventually extensive
system OF
DYNAMITE roRpKDoEs
are be ing arranged beneath the which tho
gunboats TO do anything encctual
II II does and the Servians driven the last
trcmtics they are said to mediate vengeance which
is too bad to speak OF IN temperate terms Nevcrthe
less, 1t is spoken os both by civil and military eng
nccrs, who discuss-guardedIy, certainly-the means
Of doing IT, the amount II would cost the time II would
take. and the number OF tons OF dynamite Il would
quire. To explain what | mean must dlgrcss for
a few lines. Every knows what broad. deep and
rapid the Danube is, but IT concentrates all It's
force and fury below the caiaracts at called tie
Iron Gates Here, opposite the small village Of Iiche
viztha it narrows from width Of mile to about $50
yards wide ami with depth. far DO ascertancd
IRON the violence Of the current OF IRON 500 900
fathoms. The mountains on either side of this are
very iofy-ncarly 5000 feet hign-but that on tho
Austr an side 900 feet higher, and the eide
nearly sheer for about 5000 feet above the
In fact wherc is no, perpendicular IT rather over
hangs the water when there Is a very low Danube
the SHARP craggy points OF subaqucous rocks begin to
show themselves above the water, and between these
the passage is most narrow, winding, and shall
low, and, IN fact can only be passed by
steamers especially built for the purpose Of
light draucht of water, four paddle wheels and
immense power. Al the break up OF last winter the
floating ice jammcd among these crags, tho waters
hacked up, laying all the Banat and tracts OF
Hungary under water. Such deuge
known, and whether It was the hdcous rum which
tins caused frs: put the heads the Insurgents
do knowall do know Is that the blowing up OF
the prcc,picc OF Mount scrieber (the Austrian sdc
would bring down many millions OF tons of rock across
the Iron Gs.es aud long before the obstruction could
be removed vast part OF Eastern Europe would bo
turned into an inland lake"
Such will be the desperate character of the war and
thcre can scarcely DO any doubt but that civilized
Europe interfere and put stop TO the
test by removing its cause.-the Ottoman power.