The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-05-26
THE plAEUE I'M TaaE EASTERN WAR
IN. Y. wtrd.l

N. L. W1f.u.l
The anxiety OF Europe concerning the
complications of the Turco- Russian
campaign Is likely to be increased by
the entrance into the field OF battle OF
two upeyueeted hostile forces, inimieal
to both sides In the conflct, and threat
ening. moreover, to carry devastation
into neutral territories. Cholera and
plague, from their recruiting stations
Ia India aud Mesopotamia, are
on the march, and under the
fostering conditions OF war 1t Is i'm
possible to foretell the limits OF their
invasion. Last year cholera was on
It's route through Persia toward the
Russian possessions on the Caspian,
and early In the present spring grave
apprehensions were aroused rs to the
virulenee and rapid diffusion Of the cpl.
demic. Within a few weeks several
local outbreaks have been reported, one
at Akyab, killing twenty. five per cent ot
the European population in thirty
hours. and new fUei OF Infection will
doubtless be multiplied. On the other
hand, plague, which has been gradually
extending its raYages for some years
past. had. even before the commence
ment Of actual hostilities, spread to the
regions north Of Bagdad with alarming
speed. Under these circumstances the
war now In progress not only threatens
disaster to the combatants themselves
but menaces all Europe with q visitation
Of pestilence which no precaution may
be able to avert.
The part played by the disease In pre-
vious conflicts between Russia and Tur
KEY has been 80 terrible that these pre-
monitions cannot fail to be watched
with extreme concern on both sides. La
the campaigns of 1928 and 1929, whicf
resulted in the treaty Of Adrianople, thu
victorious Russian army was almost
literally destroyed by the plague, whief
broke out in the army OF Marshal Die
bisch soon after 1t entered the priHgi
palities. In the month Of October, 1923
alone, 20 600 Russian sick were received
In the Ruutnanian hospitals, withou
counting the field hospitals; and Il
February, 1899. one out OF every fou
Russian soldiers who were taken slcl
died.
During the ten months from May
1928. to February, 1879, there were n
less than 2lo. 10s men borne on the Rus
sian sick list. 50 that on Count Vol
Moltke's estimate OF the whole Russian
force. non com batants included, at 100,
600 men. every man had. on an average
been twice In the hospital, and Conn
Won Moltke estimates that this frs
campaign cost the Russians nearly one
half OF their actual effective force
During the second campaign Of 1s2
the same high authority reckons tn
loss inflicted by disease on the Rus
SLAMS at 10000 men. The Sulta
and the foreign ENJOYS at Con
stantinople were kept In complete ignol
ance Of the fearful state OF the hostil
army: and as their own was ravaged
though much less terribly, by the sum
influences, the Turks actually made I
humiiating peace with Diebitch whel
he had less than 10000 effective bave
nets at the foot of the Balkans. and, ha
the truth been known, might have bee
! compelled to surrender at discretion
Not more than $1,000 Russian combat
, ants returned from the crossing OF th
Balkans and recrossed the Pruth. Thes
are evil memories under the shadow c
which this new war begins.