The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-04-25

the aff;lir, and talked with them PA,
No; I had not Talked with them, bnt I
had been passing them al day.
IS MATCH FOR RUSSIA.
The Struggle, Not so Unequal as is
Generally Supposed--What Admiral
Porter and Gen. Sherman Say About
it.
The exciting war new from the East
~momcntarily ovcrshadows all other top
les in Washington. Admiral Porter and
Gen. Sherman are very much interested
and think that the conflict is going to be
a terrible one. The Admiral, in discuss
ing the news, expressed himself as fol-
lows:
This war promises to be the most gigantic
and important to Europe, and even to the
United States, that has taken place. 1t Will
be IA great religious war, and the consequence
can only he surlniScd. The idea of some OF
the newspapers that Turkey is going to be
wiped out in a day is II mistaken one. The
Russians will never capture Constantinople.
1t Is not in the power Of their arlny or narytO
take the place. AS for their navy. 1t is OF very
little consequence in contrast with what 1t Is
required to accomplish. They have about
other kinds. They have i0,ND men In their
navy and about fifteen hundred and tifty.flve
guns,
He then read off a list of their IRON
clads, showing that five of thom carry
from sixteen to twcnty-six guns, and the
rest from two to eight guns apiece, and
continued:
All of these iron-clads are of the very best
material, and their guns are of the latest pat
tern and heaviest callbre. The other Ordina-
ry vessels are all reported to be in good con-
dition. The larger portion Of this navy is
now about getting free from the ice OF the
North Sea. near st. Petersburg. These YES
sells Of the Russian army that are now In our
ports came here to get rid OF the Ice there this
winter. The navy, however, makes little
difference on either side. This war, as be-
the main a land fight. The Turks have lwen-
ty splendid iron-clads, with cighty-luur other
good and substantial war vessels. They have
LIS guns and 3i,GD men. For.the defensive
forts Of the Dardanellcs, all along from It's
mouth up to G%allipoIiS. Here they also have
chains, torpedo boats, their iron-clads, sum
ken hulks and other distractions. The Rus
slams have to pass through these TO Gallipolis
thence into the Sea of Marmora, and then
they will have to fight their way up through
the torpedoes, irOn-clads, &c, to the B0SphO-
rus. Ashley pass by Constantinople up the
Bosplorus, they have twenty miles of lurtSlto
encounter, and having passed these they. are
in the Black Sea. You see. sir, the fight isby
no means to be all ON the side of the Rus
slams. They have no fleet in the Black Sea.
When ScbaStopol ways destroyed and their
great fleets blown up and Sunken and their
navy-yards destroyed on the Black Sea-, that
settled their fleets In that locality, and the
Europcan Powers have forbidden them ever
Sippp IN raiuilH In that lnn.llitV The RnS.
slams have q fine army, well disciplined, well
ofliccred. and doubtless their arms, guns and
supplies are of the tirst-cluss. They are not
commencing this fight for sentiment sake.
1t is the hope Of their lives and they have
nov arrived at that point when the Emperor
will be able TO get every man and every dol
lar his people have, SO as to win the great
though, as it will end in disaster. The Turks
are thoroughly aroused. From one end of
their vast empire to the other, the Mussul-
thousands and already the religious fanati-
cism of the Turks Is discerniblc. just think
of 4O,0 ,0O0 of people! They will give every
dollar and every valuable they have to aid
~world-they were made by our " people,
and Europe has no better. The large guns
the Turks get from Krupp, and, of course,
these cannot be cXcellcd. There is no doubt
that both sides have plenty Of arms and am
munition. After the Russians get very much
weakened and the Turks have worried them
q good deal, then the Austrinns and perhaps,
the Germans will have something to say.
mark what / say-She will not engage IN this
conflict. She will go on with her exhibition
and it promises to be a great success. The
war, will not affect it in the least. Austria is
the country that is most interested in the
contest, excepting England, and just how
Austria Is going to act remains to he seen.
She will be in the fight, however, before the
war has gone on six months. England is the
grand puzzle. You can depend on 1t, she does
not intend to allow Russia to take Constanti-
noplc, even If she could, and her time TO en-
circumstances of the conflict. The great good
that this war Is going to have on our country
cannot be computed. We Will not only sell
flour, corn, pork, clothing. arms and ammu,
milton to the c~Ontcnding parties, but we Will
sell all these things to the other great nations
especially our cereals and provisions. If the
war continues two years, and my prediction
is that it will, we will have to plant for the
whole world. The entire agricultural pur-
suits Of the great grain country of the Black
Sea will be stopped. 1t was so In the Crilncan
war, wasa lieutenant the navy commanded
squadron. and well do remember the rich
harvest our merchants rcaped during the
war. This war will bring back agaiu to US
the commercial supremacy we lost during
our war. If Congress legislates properly in
June, so rs to allow vessels to be bought and
placed under our flag to remain there, our
commercial marine will be revived. We
nave noI t!Ile 10 pullu SHIPS; VIC HiuSl puS
them.
Admiral Porter went on to say that
there probably would not be much block
aiding, and that Il supplies would be i'll
demand by other nations in any event.
Chamberlain, OH being interviewed,
said, that neither Russia nor Turkey ever
had larger or better disciplined armies
than now. They have, said he, all. the
advantages of many improved arms and
modes of warfare, and the result will be
that the world will witness the greatest
battles ever fought, so far as the dcstruc-
ton of life is concerned. ! believe this
struggle is going to cost a million of
lives, and they will uot DO all Russians
and Turks either. 1 can hardly believe
that the Turks can withstand the shock.
They may save Coustantinople, but il
they lose every other point, what good
will it do them? Gen. Sherman also took
a favorable view of the effect on this
country. He added:
IL will keep our people at work day and
night To provide for Europe, If there should
Dc q general war, ana ihat no" seems lleFl-
table to Inc. I believe all the great power
will be directly or indirectly involved before
the year Is out. In the parts Of the country
in which the field fights will certainly take
place u half million men on either side can
and will be used. The Russians will have TO
pull along very fast through the summer
for they get all their supplies by their rail
roads, and In the winter these are rarely
available.
Gen. Sherman said he was in favor of
allowing some Of our army officers to
visit either army without pay and serve
on staff duty.
Sinnn Coy mn is in nnliSnn1nl