New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-07-30

The columns at Rustcbuk, Osman Bazaar,
Pleyna. Tnnoya nnd Kasaniik have common
base of supplies, and can be concentrated III
any emergency. In taking new road 10 Con
siantinople the Russian staff have adopted the
system of massing their forces and Crushing
the enemy by sheer weight.
n. There is n lack of energy at the Russian
bcadonartcrs. The motive force, which brought
cyerv coz and wheel of the German military
system. into play and made the army the rosl
tremendous rs well rs the most complicated
machine in the annals of war, is wanting at
Tirnoya. The troops march well, but there Is
n lack of "goT at the centre. Metz was IN
vested on tho day after the battle oi
Grvelotte, but it was three weeks after
the passage CT the Danube before Nlkopoh'
fell and still another week before land-ratteres
were constructed behind Rustchuk. The delays
on each side of the Danube are simply mex
plicable The staff have learned the modern
tactics, bu. not the German science OF war
they DO not know how to feed and move large
raSses of troops.
III. The efficiency of the Russian cavalry Is
very noticeable. The most brilliant movement
dash across the Balkan, his rand upon the rail-
road, and his subsequent attack upon h1saDllk'
4 the southern gate of The Shipka Pass.
The Cossacks have secured the country south
Of the Balkan, ard thrown Adranople
md COnstau,inople into panic. In every
previous war the Turkish cavalry has been
superior to the Russian The first battle III the
campaign of 1928 was a cavalry engagement,
i'm which the Russians were routed. ihcy had
mon, ted heavy men on big horses, while the
Turks had put l;ght-weghts on small, we'll
broken Arabian stations. Mighty cuirassers Ike
Kcer1nann's were not adapted for operations
in Bnlg,, n, and the Turkish lighthouse hung
upon their TANKS and sOOn was worrying their
rear-guar". Since t'c C~ime:ln war, the Rus
slams have rcorganized this branch of the SER
wire, and have added greatly to IFS mobility
and strength. The COssachs whom they have
put into the saddle are hardy horscmeD,
mounted upon why ponies that need to be fed
and watcrcd only once a day. With this
splendid body Of cavalry, il is not strange that
the staff are unwilling to have ,he campaign
resolve itstl into series of sicgcs.
". The Russian field artillerg las h"cn used
to advantage in Il single cngagcmcnt-thc in
vcstmcrt Of Nikopolis After the Italian cam
paign of 1919 the French muzzle-oadng guns
wore introduced in the Russian service, but
these gave way in 1865 to PrusSian breech-
leaders The uniform a.lG is now bronze
brccrh-lOadcr, which is probably u | ctfcr field
gun than the Germans used in the war Wit,
France. Each army corps has los guns, and The
artillery brigades have had ten years practice
IL. e.. o. lao nd
horse artillery are well organized and admirably
adapted 60 operations in the open field. The
TURKS LUc planted Krupp cannon in their en-
trenchments and fort, esscs, and have armed
the rank and file with American and Eng
li-h rifles. bua they have paid little at
tention to their field artillery. They are at
home behind stone walls and earthw0rks.
They vii stay there as long a. they can, and
fight rs their fathers nave fought before them.
Their par, disc is shaded with swords, whether
they fight n the open field or in their for
trrs-cS. Int stone wall behind their 1ac1s
gives them courage.
V. The fatal defect of the Russian military
system is the commisSariat. The English cor
respondents have already placed their fingers
upon this weak spot. The water in the soldiers
cantcens is mad. IN, >tandmgralons are moaldy,
black bread When Dirbt,ch took command OF
an army, which had virtually cono topiece, owing
To- BAD genenlship and worse management, he
did one thing which was c> N more important
than the reorganization Of the cavalry: he set
the comms,aiiat in order. His baggage train
was composed OF thousands Of wagons. drawn
by oxen and behind the tran there we're
Il, #. n,naI- frnt1 tha Sf.upps Of Ash
The oxen served ut first for dlaucht and
afterwards for food, and the camcls took their
pace in the march across the Balkan. HIS
the Grand Duke been as sagacious as Die
bitschl Has he organized victory in advance ?