The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-06-14
RuSSO-Turkish Wars.

Since the Turks arrived in Europe they
have been the object of the chronic hos
tility of the Russians. The Ottoman's
hand was always against every man, but
of all the first foes whom he fought on
forcing his way over the ruins of the
overthrown Eastern Empire into Europe,
there yet remain only the Austrian and
Russian Empires to confront him. The
Eastern Empire went down under his
blows, and he made its capital his princi-
pal city. The Kingdom of Servia went
down after a short struggle. Venice,
which dealt him the hardest blows, on
sea, and Poland, which crushed his invad
ing armies under the walls of Vienna,
live only in history.
But the Russians, who were just strug-
Cling into national existence when the
Turks were in the fullest blaze of their
glory, threw down the gage of battle to
them, and has kept throwing it down at
frequently recurring intervals ever since.
The Turk and Russ believe themselves to
be natural enemies, and it would seem
that centuries of chronic warfare, in
which millions of both have been slain,
and countless millions of roubles' loss
inflicted, would certainly justify the as
sumption that they are. Russia has had
occasional wars with other powers. She
maintained long conflict with Sweden,
and mingled in the wars of the Napoleon
ic period, but all these were by-play
Turkey was always the target for her
heaviest blows.
The history of these struggles in mod
ern times begins with the war of Peter
the Great, about two hundred years ago
Peter, as all Russian monarchs have since.
wanted the Black Sea, for naval pur-
poses. He watched his opportunity,
when the Ottoman Porte was having just
struggle with the Venetians, and the En-
peror of Germany, he declared war. He
had his army well in hand, descended
the Don with celebrity, and captured the
important fortress of Azof, at its mouth.
He had built twelve armed vessels, with
which he defeated the Turkish fleet, and
rendered the victory complete.
Fifteen years later another war broke
out, and Peter, with his accustomed ener-
gy. was soon at Jassy at the head of a
body of troops. But in place of the $780,
900 men which he expected to lead only
10000 could be gotten together under his
banners in time to meet the Turks on the
banks of the Pruth. Two hundred thou
sand of these latter assaulted the intrepid
Russisns, battle of three days lasted, in
which Muscovite discipline and steadiness
proved a match for the superior numbers
and headlong courage of the Turks. But
the army was cut off from supplies and
must starve or surrender. Peters wife
Katherine, a woman of great ability and
resources, took the management of nego-
tiations with the Turkish commander, and
succeeded in bribing him with her jewels
to consent to let the Russian army go if
the Gar would agree to humiliating
peace, which was done.
Azof and other ports on the Black Sea
were given up and Russian navigation of
the Black Sea prohibited.
Peter began preparing to renew the
war, but died before he could carry his
plans into execution.
The Empress AIMS armies advanced to
the south in 1857 and by recapturing Azof
began a war which lasted three years,
cost Russia 100, 900 men and an immense
amount of money, but gained really moth
ing. Azof was taken from the Turks,
but the treaty of peace provided that it
should be abandoned by both parties.
In 1852 the energetic Katherine IL.
come to the throne, and Russia began to
make substantial Roadway against her
ancient enemy. She delared war against
Turkey in 1857, and in that year her ar
mics possessed themselves of the whole
northern coast of the Black Sea from
Axof TO the Danube. Jassy and Brailov
we're taken; an army of $4,000 Turks was
crushed on the banks of the Pruth; an
other of 10000 was destroyed on the
banks of the Danube, with loss of 1000
dead. A Russian feet sailed through the
Mediterranean to take the Turks in the
rear; the Greeks were in rebellion, terri
BILE massacres ensued, now of Greeks then
SfTurks; The Turkish 6est WAS destroyed