The Portland daily press., 1877-04-28
The Eastern War.


war is the desire of Russia to secure the free
dom of the Dardaneles and to gain possession
of the mouths of the Danube. In all proba-
bility she hopes to gain as legitimate result of
the campaign great accessions of territory and
does not despair of the capture of Constanti-
nople itself and the re-establishment of the
Byzantine empire. But thesostensible cause
of her attack on Turkey is the protection of
the Christians in the Ottoman dominion; and
the ineficency, obstinacy and barbarity of
the government of the Porte give great plaus-
ibility to the reasons advanced in the address
of the Gear and the circular note of the Rus
sian chancellor.
The quarrel between Russia and Turkey in
regard to the Christian subjects of the latter
power is of long standing, and has been pros
ecuted many times with arms. But it is now
more than twenty years since the two nations
met in battle. In the Crimean war of 1866,
Turkey, assisted by England and France, sue
cessfuly defended herself, and Russia came
out of the conflict with the loss of the prov
ince of Bessarabia on the left bank of the
Danube. The present war has its immediate
cause in the rebellion in the Herzegovina,
which broke out in July, 1875, as protest
against the unmerciful course of the Turkish
tax-gatherers in the collection of dues from
the Slavic Christians. The common method
was to kill the property owner and bis family
and confiscate the property. The revolt
speedily spread to Bosnia, and by August be-
CAME SO threatening that the Russian, Eng
lish, Austrian and French governments re-
quested the Porte to examine into and re-
dress the wrongs complained of by its SUBJ
jects. Servia at the same time showed her
active sympathy for her Acknowledgements by
placing an army of 10000 men in the field.
Turkey at once armed and declined any me-
diation by foreign powers until the rebellion
was crushed. Thereupon the Andrassy mem
orandum was presented prepared in the name
of the three Emperors, and submitted to and
approved by England. France and Italy, ask
ing religious liberty, customs reform, and a
mixed commission to carry out reforms in the
discontented provinces. The Sultan accepted
it February 12, 1876, and an armistice fol-
lowed, but the Turkish populations had be-
come excited, and their rage found vent in the
massacre of foreign consuls at Salonica, May
6, and in the Bulgarian atrocities. On the
11th of May the three Emperors dictated the
famoas memorandum of Berlin, which pre-
sented the same facts and conclusions that
were contained in the Andrassy note, but
ended with menace of Intervention if at the
end of the armistice peace had not been
brought about. England had not been con-
suited in the negotiations, and declined to
approve it, and the memorandum never was
presented to the Porte.
The condition of the Christians growing no
better Servia, on July 1st., declared war in
alliance with Montenegro. In series of
battles the Serbs were defeated, and besought
an armistice. Turkey offered to grant one
on terms which the Principally would not
accept. Russia then interfered, and proposed
an armistice of one month, and armed Occur
patton by European powers if at the end of
that time peace should not be made. The
Porte insisted upon a truce of six months.
Thereupon Russia issued her ultimatum in
which she threatened an invasion unless her
menace alarmed Europe and the Constanti-
nople conference was called, which resulted
in diplomatic victory for Russia, the con-
ference affirming the principle of interven-
ton on behalf of the Christians and allowing
its necessity, but declining to take any action.
1t proposed recommendations which the Sui
tan rejected as derogatory to his dignity as an
Independent sovereign. He however orde red
reforms, prepared a constitution and called
parliament.
1t soon became evident that the Porte was
unable to carry out its proposed reforms, and
that the condition OF the Christians was
growing no better under the sham constitu-
ton. Russia grew impatient and framed the
famous protocol to which the great powers
gave their consent. This document virtually
permitted Russia or any other power to oc-
cupy the disaffected provinces and carry out
the reforms which the Porte was unwilling or
unable to enforce. Having secured this docu-
ment, with the terms of which Turkey re-
fused to comply, Russia crossed the frontier
and war began.
The following statement of the situation
of the two armies, and the lines of attack and
defense, taken from the New York Tribune,
will, with the aid of good map, give an ex-
cellent idea of the field of operations:
At the outbreak of hostilites the two armies
were about 450 miles apart. The Russian army
was massed near the northeastern frontier Of
Roumania, in the vicinity of Kischeneff, a
town on the railroad between Odessa and Jassy.
The Turkish troops were stationed at various
points along the line of the Danube from Cher
netz to Silistria. Between the armies was the
territory of Roumania. with its railway sys-
tem The Russians have made themselves
masters ofithe Roumanian railway system, and
can mass their forces either at Chernetz or
Giurgevo At Giurgevo the width of the river
is three-quarters of mile. The natural cross
ing places are at Giurgevo, Oltenitza, and Kali
arash, and of the three Gurvego is the most
important. Instead of storming the fortresses
on the south bank of the Danube, the Russian
army may make long det0ur by rail to Cher
metz, far away to the west, and turn the flank
however, that the Russians will remain on the
direct road to Constantinople. The Danube is
a wide and swift river, across which it will not
be easy to throw bridge of boats; but mas
much as the line of defense is so long, the as
| sailants will have on the whole great advan.
| tage. The Turkish divisions will be scattered,
and the assailing army can be massed quietly
and hurled suddenly in overwhelming force
aSalnSC tn6 ueI6nderS at sln2le pOlnI.
| On the South bank of the Danube the Turks
have many strong foItresses, and if the Rus
slams effect crossing, they will either have to
besiege these fortresses or mask them with
| large bodies of men and push forward the
main army. In that event, the Turks would
| withdraw to their second line of defense in
| the Balkan range. This is the main defense of
Central Turkey-a great rampant which the
Russians will have to scale before they can
reach Adrianople and Constantinople These
| mountains are 5000 feet high at the western
extremity and 1000 feet high at the sea. The
| distance from the Danube to the top of the
passes is about 80 to 60 miles, across a rough
| and broken country; and the declivities of the
mountains themselves are clothed with forests.
There are eight passes through the hills, the
best ones being the most easterly one on the
| coast road and the Iron Gate on the road from
| Tibnova to Slivno. Between the Balkan range
| and the Danube there are two formidable for
| tresses-Shumla and Varna-one of which
commands all the roads from Rustchuk and
| Silistra to Constautinople and the other the
| coast road from Dobrudsha and the lower Dan
| ube The Russian troops would be exposed to
| the fire of thu Turkish gunboats and monitors
on the coast road, and Shumla is the
| strongest fortress in Central Turkey.
l lie I'll; Oh