Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1877-07-07
a GENERAL EuRorR,N WAR.

The Turks have not succeeded in pre-
venting the Russians from crossing the
Danube. This fact may DO construed
sither a. displaying weakness on their
part. or as an evidence OF strategic tao
tics. They certainly harrasssd thoir
enemies on the northern side Of tho
river. and made the passage cost them
dearly. But they entered into no grand
engagement with the Russians. They
quietly recedsd from the Danube AMI
allowed IL to BE- crossed. They fell
back upon their fortrssses and upon the
Balkan mountains. and allowed the
enemy to camp upon Turkish ground.
Al first sight this seems strange. But
is II not possible that the Government
and Generals Of Turkey preferred to
have the Russian solaienin the Dobrud-
sehA where they might Be entrsppsd
and ~vanquishsa 10 having them on the
northern side Of the Danube ~whsrsthsy
were safe from offensive operations?
The grand struggles Of this war are TO
Ls made in the Balkans. That range
Of mountains IL . buiwsrk which nature
has provided for Turkey. The pa ssss
are few and difficult OF access. They
are easily guarded by the Turkish
army. and they must be travsrssd before
Russia can make any solid advance In
the war. II tho Generals Of Turkey
possess one spark Of military genius.
they can resist the invasion VI their
country at the posses Of the Balkan with
terrible effect. For every nan that they
lose. they can claim ten. The Russian
army will be practically at their mercy.
and unlsss Russian strategy proves su-
perior to Turkish courage, the cEar's
foot will never press the soil Of Adrian
ople. aud the Cars standard will never
he raised In Stamboul.
The Porte has now everything in its
favor. In Asia the crsscentis vanquish-
ing the cross In every direction. The
Sultan's arms are sweeping everything
before them. In Montenegro. too. the
Turkish army 10 gaining victory upon
victory. and IL Is onlyiths immense Rus
sian force now approaching the Balkans
wHch Turkey need fear. She need not
fear that force 10 her Generals are
schoolsd in the art Of war. Unless
some terrible mistake Is made. the de-
Tense OF the mountains is an easy task.
A score Of men al successfully resist q
hundred Of the enemy. Butt IL the Turk
ish commanders make such stupid blum
dsrs In the future as they have in the
past, the balkans will DO travsrscd.
Adrianople will 10 taken. and Turkey
will be forced to make an ignobls treaty
Of peace.
Il looks very much. too. as though
England was going TO step in h prevent
the d~isintegration Of the Turkish En-
pire. Sho has her interests to protect
in the Last. and to give to Russia the
control Of the Bosphorus Is by no means
an advancement Of her interests. For
nine weeks abe has been quiet, awaiting
the development Of events. So long as
the Russians kept To the north Of the
Danube. she WAS easy. but now that
they have passed into Turkey; now
that the susz canal and the great high.
way to India arc threatened. Great
Britain steps TO the front. and prepares
to defend herself. The dispatch Of the
English Heat to Besika Bay Is significant.
1t points to . general European war.
That the WAT WAS TO become general
in Europe has been evident for some
time. England could not keep out Of II.
Austria would not. and the other Great
Powers were not disposed for peace.
The grand crisis il approaching. We
shall witness now ono Of the greatest
wars Of modern times. and In all
probability the ''Sick Man OF Europe"
will be made we'll again by the minisira-
tons OF his sympathetic brothers.