The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1877-05-10

lowed by an armistice of aoout two
months, was brought about.
By this time all the Powers had
agreed upon the plan of confer
ence at Constantinople. The rep
resentatives of Russia, England,
France, Germany, Austria, and TIA
ly met in that city early in Deem
Der, anil continued in session until
the 18th af January last, when the
plan which they unanimously adopt
ed was presented to Turkey. On
the 10Th Safet Pasha, on the part of
the Grand Council OF the Porte,
communicated to the Conference
Turkeys rejection. In substance,
the plan was very similar to that OF
Andrassy Note and the Berlin
Memorandum. 1t stipulated for
equal rights and equal protection
for the Turkish Christians, necessa-
~ reforms in the administration of
the civil government, and guaran
tees for their execution The mem
bers of the Conference left Constan
tinople Immediately after their fail
ure: the armistice was prolonged,
and Turkey FASTENED to strengthen
her position by opening negotia-
tions for peace with Servia and
Montegro.
The remaining history is too re
cent to need repetition One more
effort was made to impose the same
terms of agreement upon Turkey.
In signing the Protocol, England
for the third time, and the other
Powers for the fourth time, have
repeated substantially the same de
mands, and receiving the same an
swer. Russia is now carrying out
alone the purpert of the somewhat
ambiguous clause in the Berlin
Memorandum, to which both Ger
many and Austria then subscribed.
Up to certain point, she has appa-
rently secured herself against inter
ference: she is thoroughly prepared,
for, knowing the Turkish character
as the governments of Europe do
not, she must have forseen the
present crisis six months ago. Her
declaration of war was avowedlY
for the purpose of compelling Tur-
key to accept the demands OF all
Europe. IL represents justice as
we'll as sympathy for millions of
oppressed people; yet it is none
the less part of a large and far
reaching political plan, which can
only be checked when it begins to
threaten higher civilization than
her own.
A brief description of the country
now occupied by the respective
forces will give the reader clearer
idea OF the military operations.
Armenia is divided between the
Turks. Russians and Persians. 1t
extends from the Caucasus on the
north to the mountains of Kurdis-
tan on the south, and from the
Caspian Sea on the east of Asia
Minor on the west. 1t is a high,
table land, reaching its highest
points in the peaks of Mt. Ararat,
and its valleys are watered by the
Euphrates, Tigris, Aras and Kur.
The Russian portion extends south
to the Aras, and is mainly included
in the Government of Erivan; the
Persian share is in the province of
Azerbijan; and the Turkish in the
VIlayet of Erzeroum. The princi
pie Russian towns are Erivan,
Etchmiadzin, A-dubad, and Alex
dropol; the Persian, Urumyah; and
the Turkish, Erzeroum and Van.
The locality of the diminishing re-
Gently reported from Constantine
pie is in the Turkish vilayet north
of Armenia and along the Black
Sea east of TrebiZonde, and near
the mouth of the. Tchoruk river.
Treb:zonde is the Capital of the villa
yet and is the first commercial port
of importance on the Black Sea, i'm
porting large amounts of grain from
Russia and the Danube, and COM
handing the overland trade with
Persia. Erzeroum, the objective
point of the Russians, is the Capt.
tai of Armenia, on the west branch
OF the Euprates, about 10 miles
southeast Of Trebizonde. 1t is
the halting-place OF the cara
vans from Teheran to Mecca,
and the distributor of the Trebizon
de trade with the East, and com
mands the road from Constantine
pie to Persia. The Russians have
fought over the ground before,
Prince Paskevitch having taken it |
by assault in 1929. Once in pos
session, the Russians will hold all |
in their grip.
The Russian army in Asiatic |
Turkey, as originally organized,
corps of over 100000 |
men, commanded by the Grand
Duke Michael, brother of the Gar.
Dur dispatches state that the Rus
'ians are still sending large bodies
IF troops to swell his army. The
Russians since the Crimean war
lave constructed their roads with
'eference to possible wars in this
Iery section, and their communica-
ions are now perfect. She has
running from the Don
o the foot of the Caucasus, and
las reduced the time of travel to
wo days. Across the mountains
he has. constructed a fine macade
nized road, extending to Tiflis, on
he Kur, through the valley of !
'hich she has a perfect easy ap
roach into Armenia. The govern
nent. therefore, is within few
avs communication with the Asi
tic army, and can furnish troops ,
nd supplies without any danger of
Interruption. The Turks, on the
Their hand, having but small ar
~, ;under command of Hassan
'asha-small, because Asia Minor
as been comparatively draiped to
upply the European army-have
o communication with CONSTANT :
ople either by railroads or good 2
ighways, and must subsist off the y
Ountry, inasmuch via the Black :
ca and Trebizonde to Erzeroum t
ould be inevitably disturbed by n
lie Russians, 1t is also always to
e taken into account in connec- l
on with the As:atic campaign b
he probability that Persia is in al g