, 1877-04-26


The great army Of tho Gear has commenced
its march into the Turkish principalites.
One portion OF its advance is hnrrying to
protect bridges on tho Roumanian railwoys;
another has gono to duergevo, south Of
bucharest and opposite tho strong Turkish
fortress Of nutsohuk, to prepare against
Turkish ralds; and powerful forces Of Co.'S
sacks arc occurring across Roumania to Kala-
fat, on the extreme wostern frontier, oppo-
site tho Turkish forcos at Widdin; mud be-
hind these flying squads the main ar1ny ia
steadily moving along to encounter the main
forces Of tho Turks, whilo tho othor Russian
army in Asia Minor Ia moving to o'atrike them
on the flank. Meanwhile, m interesting
fenturo Of tho great pending struggle Is tho
fatal folly Of. tho Turk in precipitAhng him
solf upon his doom. Mr. Doxsa, Unitod
States Minister at st. Petersburg, returned
to his homo ia Philadelphia, in rccent ill.,
terview confirmsa statemont which 1as been
rnado many times, that the Turkish army is
In d domoralized condition and cannot ex-
coed 800, 600 mon, wlilo tho Russian army Is
in perfect order, and can muster !, 1,000, 900
mon, well drilled md disciplined, plentifully
supplied with arms and materlal Of war md
that Hussia, in SIX wceka aftor tho was is
commenced, can, II she Is go disposed, ba ut
tho gatea Of Constantinoplo, aud that, be-
twecn tho two great armies, the Turks will
DO utterly oxtcrminatod.
Notified beforehand tint aho cannot have
tho help Of any outside Power, aud knowing
that she confronts powor Of nearly threo
timcs her strength, which Inns moro than
onco before brought her to tho vorgo Of
ruin, whit has induced Turkey 10 ro]ect tho
pacifo oyorturos Of al Europe and tako tho
field against 1tuYsia, knowing that 1t ia for.
| lorn hopo? Tho reason may undoubtedly bn
found in the faot TINT 1t docs not expect to
lose my territory. From the very outset OF
European intervention, in order to ayoid a
blow upon tho flank, Russia hos declared
tint sle has no intention Of territorial ag-
grnnaizement, and that her only object in
case Of war would bo to amoliorate tic con-
tlition OF tho Christians and ruscuo thom
from tho horrors Of Turkish domination.
Tho Turks argue, therefore, TINT ovon II
they aro beaten they will lose no territory,
and that tho worst that can happon would
still have happened II thoy had signed tho
protocol. Theroforo, they say, 1t is botter to
DO compelled 10 grant mud guarantee reforms
than to allow outside Powers to iusorfora
with our informal atfaisa, and We will 60
ahead an1 fight as desperately aa wo CRU, and
1t VIC arc whipped wo ahall ouly haye to sur
render what IL a1scatly demanded by tho pro.
tocol. Tho procolents OF Russo Turkish wars
giyo them some warrant for such a theory.
Turkey has met with no decided tcr1itoria
loss to Russia since tho days Of OATuAnrNE
LII hor campaign Of l774, Russia secured Mt
free navigation OF tho Black sea and th.
Danube, and posscaaion OF the Crimea. Il
1912, the Czar NICHOLAS obtainod the Dcs
Rarabian strip. In 1877, although nusaia
penetrated tho Turkish territory clear II
Adsiauople, and thore dictated terms O.
peaca which were intendod for the acquisi
tlon Of territory, Turkey only lost Greece
| whioh secured her iudepeudeucei aud afte
tho Crimean war Russia bad to give up Des
sarabia, which Is now occupied by the north
esn army. In addition to these precedent
aud Russian declarations, Turkey also ha
The hope that, ii Russia shows any tendane,
to appropriate territory, England and Auatsi
will combine to prevent 1t.
The Turks. however, msy find themselve
as badly doluded In these hopes a. they wer
In the expectation that Russia would nc
dght at all. Tho prime object Of Russia /
this w4r isto establish guarantees for the pro
| lection Of the Christians, Which ghs must do
, first, by eouquering tho Turks aud stsippiu
} them Of power, and second, BY eatahliahtn
: protectorats, which abe has right to d
under the treaty Of l77+, Which Is ono
more In operation. now that ths Treat
! Of Paris is absogsted by the Gar
: manifesto. That treaty gave to Russ
: the proseotorats Of the Greek Churc
: in Turkey and tho guardianship Of the prir
Q cipalitias north Of tho Danube, to which II
! will add the guardianahIp Of those to ID
q aouth. Instead Of incorporating these pro'
1 inoes into the Empire, she will therefor
= establish protsctora.es, aud what easauu.