American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-06-24
Servia and Russia.

The movement of the English Admit
raj Drummond with his Mediterranean
fleet towards the Bosphorus, ostensibly
to examine its Notifications at the re-
quest of the Porte, is promptly followed
up by the Russians, if the latest dis
patches may be credited, who are
marching an army to the Pruth. 1t is
furthermore stated that upon their ar
rival at this historical river boundary,
he Servians will strike at the Turks who
are now facing them. The Pruth is a
tributary of the Danube, rising in the
| Carpathian Mountains, flowing east
through Galicia and Bukowina, and
| south-southeast along the boundary
line of Roumania and Besserabia, join
| ing the Danube at REM, near its delta.
1t has figured in the history of every
Turko-R Russian war since the campaigns
of Peter the Great, who narrowly es-
capped losing his army on its banks.
Pending the arrival of the Russians,
which is doubtful at best, the Servians
are confronting the Turks with finely
organized army of $4,000 men, the
Turkish army being reduced to $1,000
men, by the necessity of Withdrawing a
part of it's troops to put down Bulgar-
ian uprising, which was assuming for
midable proportions. The situation,
therefore, is critical one. Russia has
made two important moves
the one towards England, the
other towards Turkey, for the
Servian movement is inspired by Rus
sia Russia has furnished Servia with
men, money and arms. The numerous
Sclavonic societies of Russia have sent
forward valuable contributions to their
brethren. Russian Generals officer the
whole Servian army. The Russian half
pay Gen. Tchernayeff is the strategic
adviser of the Servian Government.
Apart from Russian aid, the Servians
themselves are powerful military peo-
pie. The regular army consists OF 81
600 men, raised by consumption, who
after four years. service return to their
homes and are then incorporated with
the national militia, numbering $50, 900
men. Besides these there are $4,000
men liable to garrison duty. All the
militia of the first and second classes is
so organized as to be always ready for
active service, SO that an army of TO-
900 men can be modified at short no.
tice, and this army is now in the field.
The artillery numbers $50 field guns,
and there are 400, 900 improved muskets
in the arsenals. Beside these, the
Servians have powder mandatory,
q cannon foundry, and musket armory.
The Belgrade correspondent of the New
York, Times says:
"The transport, ambulance, and hos
pital services are fairly organized, but
there is great need of surgeons, of
whom the number is about one hundred
short of the actual requirements of the
army in case of war. Depots for pro-
visions of all sorts have been establish
ed in the different towns and villages,
and the country is well provided with
cattle. There is military academy in
Belgrade, and a majority of the officers
have gone through full course of in
Sti uStIOl III lhO AAOhNh, <ANSeAAsh, "a
Prussian military schools; on this point
the Servian army is UNNECESSARILY SUI
perior to its enemy, whose great supe-
riority will only be found to be in its
artillery"
1t will thus be seen that Servia, apart
from the help of her powerful friend,
Russia, is able of herself to cope with
the Turks, and with success, as her peo-
pie are much more warlike than the
Turks. That they are bound to fight is
evident from the declaration of the Os-
tax, which is the organ of the Serviap
Cabinet, that war is unavoidable since
the rejection of the Berlin agreement
by Turkey. While there can be little
doubt that it is part of the Russian
programme for Servia to attack the
Turks, the announcement that she has
actually moved her troops to the Pruth,
while she has agreed with Germany
and Austria to call for an armistice,
n eeds confirmation.-N. Y. World.
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