The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-06-17
TIE WARS BETWEEN RUSSIA AND TUR-
KEY.
dublin Nation, May 96)

when, last month, the supreme director
of Russia's destiny declared war on Turkey,
his mighty word, We are told, awoke an
enthusiastic echo 10 all Russian hearts.
q sacred historical duty" said the Ruski
MIR, "the nation enters upon the final So
luton of its ancient task" 1t is, indeed,
NO fsud of yesterday which arrays in con
fiict the armed hosts of " the Sick Man"
and "the colossus of tho North. SO far
back as the latter years of the seventeenth
century, the people of Peter the Great
stepped into tn" place of the Empire and
the Papacy, of Venice and Poland, as the
chief enemy of the Crescent. Russia was
then becoming of iret-rate account in
Europe, and the SuItans, whose empire
had begun To decline, possessed just what
would turn TO gold tho sand of lts barren
steppes. This was the cause OF the eDmity;
the pretext for hostilites was found in the
constant misgovernment of the Christian
subjects OF turkey, and in the ever recur-
ring cries of the oppressed for relief from
their miseries. Eight times during the
last two hundred years has the historical
Eastern question, In this, it's latest phase,
been submitted to the arbitrament of the
sword. If the stats of the armies which
are now waging the ninth and, possibly the
last contest of the series, only studied the
history of their own countries, they would
know every steP of the line of march both
in Europe and Asia. No roads will be fol-
lowed, no passes will be stormed, scarcely
any fortresses will be besieged that have
not already been followed, stormed, or be-
sieged respectively in some or more of the
eight campaigns to which we have alluded.
Viewed in their entire extent, in fact, the
Ruseo-T Turkish wars, including that which
is progressing, constitute one long struggle
in which the same grand movements are
more or less frequently repeated on the
hi afn bao
ward glance, in this case, may be unusu-
ally interesting even to others than the
ombatants, and especially to those-aDd
probably they are mauy-who labor under
hopes or fears springing from vague ideas
of distance or ply steal features. The pre-
sent brief sketch is founded upon an IN
H-etentious but clearly and succincGly
written book by enc who is himself, we be-
lieve, q recognized student of the art of
war, and who, on this occasion, has called
to his aid, amongst other authors of repute,
Count Won Moltke, Russian captain in the
expedition of 1928 Q. now German Field
Marshal and the first strategist of his age.
(The sketch alluded to here is by Major
f. 8. Russell, l4sh Hussars.-ED. starr
A priori, We should expect, from looking
at the map, that Russia would cast o long
ing eve towards the sunny outlets of the
Aea that bound her Southern frontier As
test with Turkey was to get foothold in
the peninsula of the Crimea, which, with
the neignboring lands, was held by the
Khars of Grim as vassals Of the Sultan.
By the treaty of CarlowtZ in l699-the
treaty which concluded tue last war under
taken against Turkey by all thu Christian
Powers of the East united-Peter the
Great first won the port OF AZoph, and an
armstice for thirty years was agreed upon
amongst the belIGerents. This armistice
was broken IN 1909. In that year Turkey
was again ut war in defence of her posses
sions, bat now for the first time with Rus
ala for her sole Antagonist. We need not
linger over this period. Although hostli
ties extend over two years, they were not
marked by any notable incident. Suffice
it to say the broad result was not encour
aging for the invader. The armies of the
Gear were defeated, and in I'LL that pc.
tentate signed the treaty of Pruth, whereby
he renounced all the advantages he haf
gained in 1899. The next war, however
which broke out in 1876, and found AustriI
and Russia allies, lasted longer, was of {
much more serious character, aud had {
different ending. 1t also possesses muct
more interest for Irish readers, for tbs
most distinguished general on the Russian
aide was an 1rishman. We need but men
ton the name of Marshal Lacy, who q
fourteen years Of age shared the flight o
" the Wild Geese" served under the ban
ner of France until his regiment was die
banded, and then made his name syn
onym for victory in every Provinc
from the Black Sea to the b attic.
The fret year of the war, Marshal Nun
mich was in supreme command, with Mar
shal Lacy for hls chief lieutenant, and tn
principal operations were the capture b.
tho latter 0f the coveted port and fcrtEes
of AZoph, and the march of Munnich iron
the Dnieper into the heart of the Crimea
4 - ~ ses
as did also the leader of an expedition de
spatched against the Turkish territories o
the Kuban. Next year, Munich placed
himself between the Dnieper and the Blacl
Sea, and took the town of OcbZakow afte
desperate struggle, in the course of which
be opened a battery upon some soldiers o
his own who were unwilling to rush into
sea Of fame tue lrishmsn meanwhile
marching into the Crimea, aud there per
forming such daring feats as made thS
Khan fy almost without contest. Thil
last mentioned expedition was, indeed