The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-05-25
THE ORIENTAL CONFLICT.

Marching from the Caucasus--The Russian
Advance from TiHis Into Asia Mnor-Ob-
jective Points of the Columns of Invasion.
simultaneously with the passage of
the Pruth by the Russian columns from
Kischeneff the army of the Caucasus
crossed the frontier of Turkey in Asia
from it's headquarters at Tifis. Thus
Turkish territory was invaded at two
points widely distant from each other,
but bearing an equally important relation
to the general plan of operations. The
Russian army of the Caucasus is COM
posed of the best troops in the service of
the Gar. The province having been
only few years, comparatively speak
ing, under Russian rule, the occupation
by Russian troops has continued to be
on war footing. The garrisons of the
several fortresses have been maintained
at their full effective strength, and the
officers and men trained to constant vigil
lance and activity. Although numerically
weaker than the army of the Pruth, or,
as it should now be termed, the army of
the Danube, that of the Caucasus is
stronger in material, and is, therefore,
proportionately more effective. 1t strikes
at part of the Sultan's dominions that
is distant from the center of government
and supplies, and in it's attack threatens,
if possible, more serious injury to his
empire than even the advance into the
Dobrudscha, because it is more out of
the way of any material aid reaching his
armies from allies. 1t is further sup
ported and covered by a considerable
force of Persians, who serve the purpose
of protecting the Russian communica-
tons from interruption by the Arab
tribes subject to Turkey, and of render
ing the sending of any aid overland from
British India very hazardous and
doubtful enterprise. The Persian troops
further relieve a large Russian force that
would otherwise be left to perform this
service, and enable it to operate often
sively with the main army against the
Turks. Further, the Russians move to the
attack from well-fortiied positions on the
immediate frontier, and thus have their
base of supplies Immediately in their
rear well protected and supplied from a
vast territory behind them.
The Turks occupy large territory,
broken by numerous mountain chains
and intersected by many rivers. Their
chief places of strength are distant from
the frontier, for, with the exception of
Kars, they have no fortress nearer to
that line than Erzeroum, which is the
headquarters of the army of defense.
They have, it is true, means of commu-
nication and supply by sea to Trebizond,
which the Russians do not possess. on
account of their naval inferiority in the
Black sea, but this port is actually
threatened now by the Russian advance.
and should it fall all the eastern section
of Asia Minor must draw it's sup
plies from Sinope or overland from
ports in the Levant. Still acting on the
defensive it must be remembered that
the Turks have vast area of friendly
territory behind them, and the very diff
ficulties they have to contend against in
transporting supplies will also present
themselves to the invaders. The broken
country will afford the Turks many OPP
portunities of checking the Russian adj
vance, or causing it to be SO costly in
men that immense military successes
will be necessary to counterbalance the
losses. The map of Asia Minor and the
Black sea published herewith gives the
reader an exact idea of the relative posi-