The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-06-07
.EKL, Kar,s and Lits Eefencaelsss..


And fcry, like her, aOh, God! it might
have been ~
's Kars and its Eefences.
There is in military circles an idea that
the serious work of the Russo Turkish
war will be done in Asia, where, the Car
is less Ekely.to encounter European, ,oppo.
sition; and where, when successful, he
can place himself in position to operate
adsantageously in the direction of the
Persian Gulf. With Persia.and interme-
diate States in her grasp, Russia could,
by her railroad SYSTEM soon control the
trade with India, although England were
left in undisturbed possession of Alexan-
dria and lhe Slez Canal. The campaign
inAsia Is certainly in marked contrast
with the delays on the Danube, where the
cream of the Ottoman forces awaits the
coming of the Russians; and, whatever
passing interest attaches to the .Batoums
and Sukum Kalehs, Turkish towns as
sanlted by Russians or Russian towns
taken by Turks, the eye of Europe is
chiefly fixed upon Kars, which occupies in
Turkey in Asia the same relative position
that Shumla holds in European Turkey.
AS Varna, Rustchuk and Shumla are the
keys to Turkey in Europe, so Trebizond,
Kars and Erzeroum may: be said to be
those of Turkey in Asia. The news so
freely published by the press as to the fall
of Kars some time ago must have been Q
matter of considerable amazement to
those acquainted with its position and
defences. Had such an event taken
place the campaign in Asia Minor would
have been fliYested of its greatest difficult
ties; but place that held out in 1862
for FIVE months when defended by 1900
men and ~ guns is not likely to be taken
by assault or coup de main, especially
when garrisoled by more than double
that amount both of men and guns.
The Town of Kars itself is small, con-
tanning only about fifteen thousand in
habitants. It is built upon the River
Karschi, andis surrounded by hills on all
sides except the south. Nature has done
much to strengthen Kars in the way of
defence for since the day when field ar
tillery came into action at twenty live
hundred yards the old system of fortiica-
tions are things Of. the past, and Yauban
and his school have died q natural death.
NSwasjays cities are defended by works
at 8 distance. and this is notably the case
will, Karss The exact extent of earth
works which cover Cars lis about ten
soiiare Enolish niles and these mostly
occy,ny the enninenees which nature has
nrovidetl for it's protection. On the east
IS the mighty hiiff Of the Karadagh Which
<oyerlooks ever. other eminence for miles,
wb;lst on the west and; NORTH Kars is shut
in bv another range Of hills called the
Tabmasn The sonth is protected by the
r;ver and a large .entrenched camp, of
which. we shall sneak presently. From
The Karat3aph battery to the Tahmasp
hstterv is q distance of about four miles;
whilst from The Telek tabia, to the south
ernmost portion b. the entrenched camp
is ahont fiyemiles. twill here be neces-
ssrv | tas aynlain that the word ssTabia" is
the the TnrIish for 0earthworkn OF afeld
work - and. that when these forts were
bniIt thew were, named by the Turks after
various fayorite. commanders. OF. the
fortifications erected .by Gen. Williams
those of the Karadagh and the Tahmasp
arc area all that remain !. but these have been
strenathaned stu Te1 b and what is of great i'm
nnrta1ce Ts,1 snnnlied with Krupp guns.
Rhe 1 wor2 of f tSal Eek Kara1aeh mounts forty
onns nn " and Commands ali The Others. It is
3 re3onbt with bastions. and commune
cafes hy a covered way, with Arab tabia,
3 [ strong closed redoubt upon the north.
ern snnr If the Karadagh. The batteries
of tfe Tahmasp. which is in itself a
namelon or rounded hill. are open redans
nonmrn;cat;ng @ with one another until
the north sn1r Of the range is occupied by
the TelsE fahia 4 closed redoubt Of great
strenoth Tn addition to these defSnces
thers i an inner line of redoubts and
earthworSs % situated on the north side ol
the River Karschi and between the town
and the Tahmasp. To the south, on O
fine open piain mere I = IN heif ehsivvneu anare
camp about mile anu ataatad aata I9aa;v 5r t;ve
this entrenohea camp Is pro1eo.e,ni e,i I kars .
Iedans anu two re .eioae.s; oaor defsnces M i nro.
Irrespective o. us lnnss uefemv aar;ons 20 SECS @
tected by, thirty 5WOrKS OI Yai1ouS' si1eo