Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-07-06

nCet,, any. little ar may participate q
! disttirbsrce, ana 1t would in all probs
bility take mighty war to restore
again that quiekcsn snt condition which
we have become accustomed to cal
peace. The eastern question can be
compared only TO q great bombshell
! losded with sfesTfal explosives and
dotted over with fuses which any spark,
no matter how accidently applied, might
set fzging toward the charge. Even
the. flames ;of burning COW in Herzego'
vina might prove sufficient to
! destroy the combustible walls of Eu-
ropes temple OF peace. It was not q
fu,prise, therefore to the world when
! the diplomatic corps Of Russia, Germs-
ny, Austria and England began to pour
dispatches into Constantinople giving
friendly counsel and Cminous warning
| In relation to obscure disturbances in
one or two OF the sultan's provinces.
RIVAL INFLUENCES.
Thesa soon brought forth their natu-
raj fruits in the congenial atmosphere
created by internal jealoueies. Each
one Of the great powers had its particu-
lsr interests to serve, and in the cases Of
Russia and England these were best
protected by the defeat Of the ambitious
and desires OF the other. Russia recog.
nized the revolt of Herzegovina and
B0siuia, the fSeginning of the end" of
''the Sick Man." and strove to fan the
war hame into coDt1agration that
would envelop the entire Turkish en-
pire Ia Europe and drive the Moslems
across the Bosporus. The cZar was
even willing TO take possession of the
smoking ruins OF StambOul IS payment
in full Of all the cost of winning such
desirable winter residence. Russian
emisssries were busy in the revOlted
provinces giving encouragement and
substantial aid to the peasant bands,
and many q soldier of the crescent was
sent to the embraces of the hOuris Of the
Mohamadan paradise with bullet In bis
breast that was paid for out of the treas
ury at st. Petersburg. On the other
hand England, with a vigilant eye to
the control of the key of the east, and
rememb bering the blood and treasure ex.
pended go lavishly on the nights before
SebastOpoI, filed an objection to the
Russian programme, and presented il at
ConstantiDopls, set in grim framework
of bristlipg cannon from the brosdsides
Of her iron-clad fleets. Germany, believ-
ing in her destiny and anxious to COM
plete the unitication OF her people under
one imperial standard, undertook the
role of referee, but retired from the ring
temporarily it is supposed-when
England spoiled the match by her bel
ligerant attitude. Austria, with only
one object in view, and that self-preser.
walton, took an active part in the coun.
Gil of emperor', and by assuring the sui
tan OF neutral sympathy and furnishing
the insurgents with powder and bullets,
has kept the question open and, there
fore retains controlling influence in its
settlement.
THE WORK OF DIPLOMACY.
The effect of this influence on the pro-
gress of events has been to enable all |
parties interested to get ready for the ar
bitrament Of war. In reSlity the condI-
tons arising out of the presentation of |
the Andrassy note and its withdrawal at |
the instance of England have been |
equivalent only to stay Of proceedings |
which was to extend over just such time |
as certain powerful parties in the case |
needed for preparation for a vigorous So |
luton by the ordeal of battle. We have |
seen how the hopes of the Turks and the |
insurgents nave 55oS2 alternately raised |
and depressed by the great powers, in or
Ger to restrain both from any precipita
tioa Of regular organized warfare until |
the said great powers were ready to take |
of the results.
sERvIA.
This State has been held in check by |
threats and promises until Russian army |
CORDS were massed in Bessarabis, and the |
frontier of Austria was occupied |
by her swarmiDg bsttslioDs. The large
standing army of Germany places her
In q position of constant readiness for
the most threatening condition of af-
fairs, and EDgland's great Armada is
within few hours sail of the Golden
Horn. 1t would be absurd 10 imagine
Ssrvia attacking the Turkish power sin
gle handed, and with limited resources.
The aid Of Montenegro, petty and inn
poverished little State, with an area of
only one thousand five hundred and fif-
ty-two miles, cannot be counted on to
influence the struggle. Even an upris-
ing of the Turkish dependencies in Ed
rope, unaidsd by some one Of the mighty
empires that almost surround that cOun-
try, would fail to overthrow the sultan's
power, SO that we may infer, with safe
y, IT, at the warlike movement of Servia,
q 6hich has now become one of active
hostility in the field, is not part Of the
game that must result in the disruption
1f the Turkish empire in Europe.
THE CoNTENDING ARMIES.
The forces that will open the Turke-
5ervian war are 30 disproportioned in
'elative strength that we must soon
expect to learn of Austrian and Russian
,orps across the respective front ers of
10Th countries. The former, as in the
ime Of ths Crimean war, to protect her
interests by occupying strategic points
u the Danubian provinces, and the lat
er to watch the movements Of the Aus
risn army. According to the law Of
S69 military service is obligatory on all
he male Mohammedan subjects of the
ultan. Recruiting is accomplished by
he engagement of volunteers and by
The term cf service in
he Turkish army js twenty years, Of
which four are spent in the regular active
Irmy, two yea g in the frat reserve, six
years in the second reserve, and eight
years in the militia or landWehr. The
.rmy is divided into three parts, namely;
he regular army, the irregular troops,
md the auxiliaries. The law above
lamed fixed the strength of the army at
90 900 men until 1873. OF this force
he regular army numbers 150, 600 men,
he t!st reserve 10000 men, and the
econd serve 420, 900 men, rendering an
nnual quota of 81 500 men necessary to
naintsin the effective strength. The
egular army is divided into seven corps
parnaee, distributed as follows:
70. Corps = Qistrict.
Guord Co1StanfipODla |