The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-05-11
those armed with revolvers only eigh-


| teen rounds.
The training Of the Russian army
| leaves much to be desired. and the drill
eeems In transition state between the
close order of former days and the loose
formation which long range firearms
have rendered necessary. The men are
fairly trained In workmanship. Their
sang froid is admirable their move
ments are possibly. not rapid but they
will follow their officers anywhere with
unuuesttoning dooility, will take good
aim. and not fire without orders. Who
ever encounters them will have to deal
with q formidable foe. Nevertheless.
there is lnauestionably a falling off In
the rigid bearing, In the smart perform
anee of movements that used Formerly
! to be characteristic feature Of Russian
infantry. There is, perhaps, q little too
much of the French laisser-rller; and as
regards the drill for action In loose or
| der, IL is performed without either the
precision or dash IF the Prussian or
Austrian armies. Respecting the cay
airy. ell that can be said is that the ad-
ditiun Of the Coasauss has deprived II TO
| some extent OF its gallant and soldierly
bearing. The regulars have learned
| from the Cossacks their bad habits.
| The teams Of the artillery are excellent
and the movements rapid. There is'
however, a great dearth Of men able to
lay q gun. Tho distinction between
divisional and corps artillery appears TO
be unknown.
V'hc war III Asta.
The statement that Russia has ceased
general mobillzing Ia significant. Tho
weather and roads do not permit Of
an active advance In the Carpathian-
Balkan amphitheatre, and the U5ar has
nj hp In, o,,io
sary to keep the Turks south Of the
Danube and out Of the Dobrudscha. at
least az far as the kustenji and Cherna-
voda railroad and Trajan's wall. line
thirty-hve miles long. 1t is. moreover.
becoming more apparent every day that
the real work OF the Russians ID going on
In Armenia. where the intention OF the
Grand Duke Michael is evidently TO oo-
eupy kars. Erzeroum, Trebizond and
Batoum, the Turkish strongholds, thus
giving Russia control over nearly all
Armenia, the valley Of the Euphrates
and the key to Asia Minor. In these
military operations Russia does not fear
the complications with Europe which
must certainly come by her passage
over the Balkan mountains, the oecupa-
tion or Bulgaria and the consequent
menace Of ConstantiDople. In that
case. Austria neutrality and EDgland's g
neutrality would both be flung to the
breezes, and we would undoubtedly nd
England occupying Constantinople and
Austria fighting with the Turks for her
own existence. In the meantime, be-
fore the Gar undertakes such a hazard
Gus advance in Europe. he is In a fair
way or annexing Armenia. The Eu-
ropean powers will not object to that.
1t does not very nearly affect the "Eu.
ropean equilibrium" while consolng to
Russia.
Capt. NuraabyEat the srat of war
Capt. Burnaby arrived in London on
April 7, aMer q most interesting tour in
Asia Minor. The Telegraph has an ao-
count of his travels from 5cutari to An.
CORA and Erzingau. and thence by the
Euphrates to Erzeroum. where he in
spected the Notifications. He then pro-
ceeded to Dayaztd. u Turkish fortress on
the right OF their strategic line Of de-
Tense. This stronghold Is distant about
three hours march from Persia and
twelve hours from Erivan. At this place
he found 1t was simply impossible TO get
over the mountains to Van, owing to the
heavy SHOWS, and he therefore deter |
mined to return to Persia and viait Hoy.
where he stayed some days. Here he
ascertained that tho Persians were
busily occupied In preparing u
camp lor lU,V00 men, and they |
openly declared their intention to ioin |
Russia In the event of q war between
that power and Turkey. From Hov he
rode through the Kotoor Pass to Van. |
the capital Of Armenia. From Van he |
had an exceedingly rough march over
mountains covered with snow to Kars. |
He remained in this city, 80 celebrated
for its stubborn defense against tho
Russians IN the last war, several days,
and visited all tho forts. The Turks
were. actively employed in preparing
Tor the enemy, who they believed would |
soon appear before It.. After leaving
kars he continued his march to Arda,
ban, another Turkish frontier fort, half
way between Kars and Batoum. His
next point was Ltwana, and. having
disposed OF his horses, he went down the
Tchoorook River to Baotum.
He says that there Is nothing to pre-
vent the general commanding the Cars
forces from taking Batoum on tho land
side, and thus secure an additional port
IN the Black Sea. Having possession of
Erzeroum and Van. 1t would be easy for
Russia to advance to Trebizond, and a
GOOD road exists between Erzeroum and
Irebizond - 1t Is, indeel, almost the
only road In Anatolia.
FHE PRESIDENTS POLICY.