The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1877-06-07
RUSSIAN AND TURKISH STRENGTH.
Turkey iu "a Position 80 NIahc "a strenuous
Defense.

4 military authority SAYS that there Is
every indication that Turkey is IN a po-
siton e. make a strenuous defense upon
the Danube and IN the Balkans. In AL
diuou % the army properly So called,
she POSSESSES 100 hatyahons o territorial
infantry in the Nllayet of the Danube,
and Salyk pasha. the late ambassador
at Paris and now governor ot tins pro
vince, is displaying great activity. The
places situated upou the hanks uf the
river are cutrcnched and well provided
with supplies. and some OF them, such a.
Widdlu and Narna, are very strong. The
latter town has eight advanced forts and
200 siege pieces, "a fourth oi which are
kupp guns. The garrison Is under the
command of Blum Easha, frusslau
jew, who came To Turkey about twenty
Years ago The Turkish fleet Will as-
sumo the Offensive IN the Black sea,
where lt ilsposes of sixteen large iron
clats, as many vessels ui lighter draught,
powerful artillery, and good English
engineers.
The Russian army is composed rs fol.
lows:
First-The army of the South, which
WAS formed IN September, under the
command uf the Grand Duke Nicholas,
with Gen. Nispolgiskl as chief vf staff.
comprises four complete army corps,
each with two divisions Of infantry, one
of cavalry. and artillery IN proportion,
four battaliou> of chassvur>, two dIyIs-
IONS OF Doa ClsSacks, four regiments of
hight Cossacks. and three batAlluns Of
Sappers, making $1,000 men % each
corps, or 2O0, ,utN men In all The al.
vance guard Is already at UnEhyni, which
Is the junction Of the klumAu.au and
Russian railways.
Seconi-The reserves Of tine army OF
the South, consisting Ol four divisions
OF infantry, four battahuns of chasseurs,
one division Of cavalry, and artillery III
proportion. These troops, eucauped M
Poiolia, represent total Of from 10000
20 80. 600 men. Thus the Russian forces
intended TO operate upon the Danube
number about 2SO. 600 men, and tins Is
the estimate which has been formed az
70 their strength 10y Gen. klapa IN let
ter 70 the Nslsc Frcie PrcsSt.
Thir,i-Thc coast army, which VII
Nt a. wv N+A&AAA AA4t AaAlA-a sL+4At
the movements OF the Turkish fleet, has
been formed Of two corps which formerly
belonged to the army Of the south, ana
numbering, together with the garrison
Of Bender, Ackermoun. kertch and
Otchakoff, about a hundred thousand
men, who are under the command of
Gen Semeka.
Fourth-The army Of the Caucasus
comprises, inclusive uf the reserves re
Gently dispatched 10 1t, uinety-two bat
tallous, eighty-two sguadruns or sotuIas.
twenty-five batteries, and some irregular
cavalry. consisting Of Mussulman yolun-
teers from This, Daghestan and the Cas-
plan sea. Gen. Melikoff Is in command
Of this army, which Is estimated 70 num-
Der $50, 900 men.
II may, therefore, be said that Russia
has now in line half million Of men,
from which total must be deducted a
fifth for nou-combatants and metIectives.
But during the last month she has been
organizing and putting on war footing
nine fresh army corps and there is IN
addition the imperial guard, commanded
by the czarewitch, and consisting Of
three divisions Of infantry. two Of cav
airy, three brigades OF artillery, and one
OF chaSseurs.
The Lnuaiiie Russo, which is the
organ Of the Russian minister of war,
has also published a table Of the Turkish
forces at the end OF the war with Seryia.
According to this journal, the total OF
the Turkish forces in Europe did not
then exceed sol battalious and eighty
three squadrons, making in all 25O, 900
men and 46S guns and those in AsiA,
los battaious and slxty-four suuadruns.
making in all 12O, 600 men and 3G2 guns.
New levies have been raised since. but
the IHralide does not think that Turkey
can now dispose Of more than $50, 600
many Of whom are irregulars. The IN
rGiide also estimates that about 80, coo
Turkish troops VIII be employed against
Montenegro, that there VIII be Ga. 600 AT
Widdin, 20, 600 at Rustchuck and Sllis-
tria, and about s, 600 at the extreme west
Of the empire, upon the Danube. A
little further south, Turkey viii probably
have 40, 600 men attached 10 the army Of
the Danube, and will defend the line
from Yarna 10 Schumla with about -. .OOO