New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-06-02

OF the composition and value of the
Russian army / would prefer TO reserve
my Judgment until have had better op-
portunities for forming an opinion, except
SO far as to say that it is nnquestiopably
superior to that OF the Turks. As have
served with these latter, and as / saw them
intimately last summer, think that can
speak confidently. On paper the Turkish
army is about 100000 strong, but it is
distributed over an immense territory,
and is so utterly free from all the trammels
or organization, that with the necessity OF
keeping down revolted subjects in various
parts OF the empire, and OF garrisoning
the many fortresses, the concentration OF
any large force at any particular point for
field operations will be most difficult.
The rank and file is good. The men
will stand q favorable comparison with
those of any army in Europe, but they
are badly drilled, scarcely malt trained IN
the use of the new arms, which are OF all
conceivable systems. and are commanded
by officers VINO are utterly ignorant of the
first principles of their profession.
Their cavalry is the worst in the world,
not even excepting that Of the French.
Two squadrons Of each regiment are
armed with carbines and sabres, the re-
naming four with revolvers and laDces,
which tsey can not use. Their artillery
is numerous, but varied. Often there are
several different ealibres and models in
the same battery. and although some OF
their fortresses have q few fine Krupp
guns, their officers are incapable of esti-
mating distances or pointing correctly,
As for the Bashi-Bazouks, no language
is strong enough to convey an idea Of
their ineficiency.
The most valuable portion of the Otto
man army is composed Of the Egyptian
contingent, whose officers are far superior
in education and military training to those
of the Turkish army, properly SO called,
but Turkey has no skillful generals 10
direct her troops, and by the surrender Of
the left bank she has lost its command,
for Olteniiza, Kalafat and Guirgevo are
now in the hands Of the Roumsnians, and
mus be conquered. from them to be used
as they were in 1854 against the Russians.
The Russian advance in Bulgaria will
be slow. The roads are better than in
Roumania, or rather roads can be made
in the dry soil by the troops themselves
as they move on, but the army must de-
pend upon its train for its subsistence
able in the country itself are very scanty.
According to the Russian General Fai-
def, who has studied the question and
the resources of the country more thor
Oughly than any man living, an army Of
25O, 900 troops OF all arms is the minimum
force with which the Dannbe can be safely
crossed, and of these $50, 600 is the least
number with which successful move.
l. Il. =.
Now il will require great many We
hicles to transport the necessary supplies
for 1850 GOO men, and rs yet Russia has
neither collected the wagons nor the
horses which are to draw them.
The importance Of the Balkans as q
natural line Of defense is exaggerated.
Affairs thus point to anything except
the loeslizstion OF the conflict. Bnt what
ever be the confidence OF the Russian
leaders in tie ultimate success of their
arms, however, they may feel assured OF
victory in the open field. They know
that in country like Turkey no precau-
ton must be neglected to insure their
communications and their supplies.
Certain points must be regularly In
vested, others may be held only in OBJ
servation, bat so long as SchuInla, Silis.
tria and Rusichuk hold OUT, the passage
Of the Balkans viii be most psrilous
undertaking.
viii venture to add most modestly my
own opinion, based upon knowledge OF
the localities and previous service with
the Turks, that if the army OF invasion
be restricted 10 F4idefi' : estimate Of l5O,-
coo, il will neither force the line OF de-
tense nor ever get hack 10 its own base Of
operations. Ne.o Fork Times