The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1877-06-21
Turkey and Russia.

Turkey and Russia.
The Wars ofhc Pda-The Siruggics' Of
@c Eighteenth Ccatuw
Frederick the Great, so Il Il ro.
ported, used to say that o war be-
tween the Russians and the Turks
might DO compared to duel between
q Chinaman and men with one eve,
and that it was not easy TO know
which was which. And yet from tho
days OF Peter the Great, tho Russian
and tho Turk have been almost ha-
bitually at war, and the record OF
their struggles presents some of tho
most exciting episodes in modern
history. As the war, of tho eiph-
teenth century, the conditions of a
conflict between tho two powers have
not wholly changed and some s,ra-
getic questions are tho samo now rs
they wore during tho eIghto enth
century. Then as now, says a wri-
ter in the London Times, the com.
msnd Of the Black Sea was of the
highest moment to either belliper-
ent then M now, tho i'll oponod
tracts and pcstilential regions around
tho Balkans were dangerous barri-
or to an invader and then as now
tho immense distance between the
Danube and Constantipoplc was 10
itself p mos. serious obstacle. The
innate qualities, too, Of the hostile ar
mics were probably thcn what they
still remain ; the solid and discipliucd
Russian infantry had an easy puperi.
ority 10 the open field the Turks
wero admirable 10 the defense of
fortresses, and for patient endurance
Of want and hardship.
But the enormous extension Of the
power of Russia, and the correspond =
ing decline Of that of Turkey, made
these old examples no longer oppo-
site and this essential difference is
largely increased by tho improves
ments effected in modern war, and By
the altered condition, In recout times,
of tho subject races Of tho Ottom no
Empire. In 1736-i0, tho Porte
coutended on equal terms against
Russia backed By the whole strength
Of Austria 10 17S7-Gs tho troops of
Suwarrow were scarcely able to adj
vance at the ratio Of five miles day;
when Cathariue and Joseph agi iecd
TO divide the spoils Of Turkey in Eu.
rope between them, tho christian
population mado no sign Of life the
wars, therefore, of these remote pc.
riods cannot teach US much for the
present juncture.
1t is more important to take ac-
count OF the general results of these
by gone contests and OF tho political
combinations which marked their
course, or which may he connected
with them. The first broad fact that
appears is that the power OF tho
Cars has prodigiously grown. and
.hat OF the Sultans has much dimin-
ishcd and this memorable change
as is well known. has almost over
since boon in rapid progress.
The frontier OF Russia in the war
OF 1886 was on the Don and Dnoip-
or only /; in that Of 1881, it had
advanced to the verge Of tho Pruth |;
and Suwarrow had already approach
cd the Bolkans, traversod afterward
by his successor, Diobitch. Again,
1t is q mistoke to suppose that the al
lance which 10 modern times have
uphold the fabric of Ottoman rule
are founded on long.established ira
ditious, or indicate q settled Europe
on policy. Twice Austria in the
18th century combined with Russia
to crush the power of tho Turks 10
Europe, and ever since the day Of
the Emperor Joseph party Of
weight 10 tho councils Of Austria have
advocated a return to this very sys-
tom.
Nor has the attitude of England
been altogether different, during the
long struggle between Eugland and
France, England often dealt with the
Turks as enemies, and, In fact, 1t
was not until the time of Pitt that it
considered the Porto as o neutral al
w. It deserves notice, too, that ev.
er since the wars that revealed her
decay 10 tho last century, Turkey
has boon treated practically by the
great powers of Europe as 10 no
sense an independent State, as justly
subject to the will Of the strongest. It
Is not necessary to lay stress on the
partition planned at Tilsit but what
Of Duokworth's passage of the Dar-
dsnelles Of Nevarino. and the liber-
alton Of Greece, If on these occasions
the Porte had the same kind Of in
ternational and sovereign rights pos.
sosssd BY overy European Kingdom Z?
Tho nineteenth century, in fact,
showed what tho Ottoman Empire
really is and nothing but series Of
strange accidents have since kept to-
gethor It's dissolving frame.
"A boy living near Elliott's mill,
while fishing at the head OF Osceola
dam, felt q gentle nibble, and draw
ing his hook towards tho shore, OBJ
served gallon fruit can trailing on
Al Al