Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1877-08-10
THE PASSES OF rnr BALKANS.

The rugged Balkans are the linz upon
which tho Russians and the Turks are
likely to fsh, IL out for the rest OF the
Summer. Beginning ct the Black sss.
south Of vsrns. thsy extend westward
in q direction roughly parallel TO the
line Of the Danube. and terminate In
the lofty peak Of Orbslos. southwest Of
Sophia In Roumslia. Three ridges COM
pose the Balkan range. whereof The Gen.
trail ridge or backbone Of the system
rises highest toward the seventh heaven.
where the better sort Of Turks 60 when
they die. The geological formation h
chalk. with . frequent eutcrsp OF vel.
eanie rock. The region 10 tAickly
wooded with bsschss, oaks and nrs; ID
Is very thinly psopisd. . few wrstchsd
towns hidden away In deep valleys eou-
tanning most Of the population. The
southern slopes are generally sleeper
than those on the northern front Of the
mountains. but more fertile; and when
the latter are yet covered With SNOW. the
former are green with the vegetation Of
Spring. .
To put and keep their armies across
these mountains will prove . far greater
task for the russians than the crossing
Of the Danube. Altar secsnulating
supplies in Bulgaria. along a single Inn
perfect line Of communication. they
have not only To secure the Balkan
passes. but to build roads through them.
For along the five or six principal routes
the roads have clsysy foundations. ma
king them exceedingly heavy In wet
weather: and what In worse. they are In
such . low state Of repair that most OF
the transportation upon them has to DO
done BY pack animals.
The first. or most eastern Of thsss
routes. connects the Turkish stronghold
Of vana with Bureas, in Roumslia-
Al Podbsji. whore sarthworks construe-
ted by the Turks In 1929 have since
been strengthened. the road crosses the
Kantschik. q rapid river. III provided
with fords. anal fringed upon it, right
bank with extensive swaups. From
Sehumla. another point in the famous
Turkish ~qaadrlaisrai. the second route
runs over easy ground to Tjalikavak.
thence to Dobroii. through q narrow
pass. whose steep. rocky walls are
crowned with formidable intrsnchments;
and from Dobrell by steep descent to
Kamptjik and Karin Abad.
For the possession Of these two i'm
portant and easily dsfsnsible routes into
Rounslia. the Russians have not. thus
far. manifested q disposition to contend
with the Turks. Their strategy seems
10 30 rather to turn the Turkish hank
by an advance along the routes from
Iirnovs. which have already been seized
by Cossacks. though recent dispatches
leave II in doubt whether and how efIsc-
lively they still hold them.
From Tirnova The third route In the
enumeration from east 70 west proceeds
TO Osman Baxar. thence to kasan, un-
der the walls Of some old intrsnehments
which have laitsrly been repaired. aud
thence to Slivno through Q difficult.
narrow. rock.bound pass, appropriately
named the Iron Gates. or by q less
troublesome though more circuitous
path to the sane point. The fourth
road alss starts from Tirneva. and pro-
eesds by the valley Of the Jantrs and the
schipka pass to Gabrova and Schipka.
and thence along the fertile valley Of
the Ksssnlyk to the village Of the same
name. The castle Of Tirnova. directly
commanding the northern outlet Of the
last named route. surrounded ON three
sides BY the river Jsntra, and occupying
aposition Of great natural strength. 10
or recently WAS ia the hands Of the Rus
SLAMS, who had also seized the Schipka
pass. besides Kasanlyk and Slivno. vii
lagos which stand at the southern or
Roumslian ends Of the third and fourth
routes above described. II the attsmpt
10 pierce the mountains 10 seriously re-
newed by the Russians before the An.
tumn SHOWS arrest operations in those
bleak regions. their advance will. in all
probability. BE- made along these middle
Balkan routes.
Besides the Koslsdji. Pravidi and jim.
ikoi route. and some others Of lesser
importance. there remains for mention
the road from Lovatz and Plsvna by
Elrobol to Sophia. which crosses the
Balkans upon their western nank. The
Russian assault now making upon
Plevna 10. doubtless. q blow struck for
the possossion:of this western route to
Rounelia.
These Balkan passes are manifestly
the real keys Of the Turko-R Russian eam-
psicn In Europe. Summarizing briefly.
the two most eastern routes are held
throughout in ~unlispatsd possession OF
the Turks. and have thsir northern ter
mini in Sehunia and vsrna. The two
central routes. through which . success
full aud well supported advance would
flank the qusdriLstsral and open the way
to Adrianople. are held by the Russians.
The possession Of the extreme western
route is in dispute. and will 30 partly
decided by the result Of the operations
now going forward at Plevna. Taking
all the difficulties into consideration. the
Russians have a big job ahead to get
their armies across the Balkans.
"swxKr FoRGEr Ne Nor."-This 10
the title OF q new and magnificent song.
with . remarkably pretty waltz chorus,
.o-nosad nv .. Bobbv Eevcome,' OF