Ellsworth American., 1877-05-31
The Commanders In the War.

The following interesting facts came TO US
through the Boston Journal :-'Whateyer NAV
be said of the numerical strength of the Rus
ssn and the Turkish armies, or of the COM
pleteness Of their equipment and di diseiphne,
the great question still remains as TO the COM
parative efficiency OF their handling. or in
other words the generalship OF their COM
manders, Excellent al all points n were the
German armies that invaded France in 1870.
their crowning excellence was seen in the eX-
traordnary proportion of their skilled and
effective officers. from Won Moltke down 10
the corporals. As a rlue. every man was
competent for his place. and had his full re-
spon>tbliiy thrown upon him 50 that the in
Nadlng army was not only mighty machine.
hut it was machine instinct in eAcry part
with directing intelligence Neither the Rus
sains nor the Turks can be expected to show
ANYTHING ike such magnificent differing of
their troops, Tor their armies have not. a the
German armies had, marchhd through the
schooIhouse before taking the field.
The question, then. of the general ef.
ficiency. and the relative superiority, Of the
Russian and Turkish officers is vet To be solved
by actual experience The high commanders
on each side have won good regulations. but
in services that are not decisive .: their fitness
for the eNigency now before them. The nom
iuation Commander int hief OF the Russian
forces i the Grand Duke Nicholas. brother
of the Car, who has had a long connection.
with the rrmy. but very little fighting eNpcr-
ginecr. and i now the head Of that branch Of
the service. having Gen. Todlebeu, the famous
constructor of the Crmesn earth works ~ his
nr>t assistant. The Grand Duke. however. j.
but figure head, the real commander of the
troops being Gen. Nepoko>i chizky. a poe now
about seventy wears old, who hold the rank OF
Chief OF staff. lie has high repuiati IN A. a
stratcgi>t. sud has served with distinction in
the Caucasus and on the same field where he
is now IN the campaign of 1851: 50 that he
ha- he great advantage Of beng completely
familiar with the ground The Grand Duke
Michael. who nomnally supeTintend. Russian
operations IN Asia. l. younger brother OF the
Gar. Among the other Russian officers Of
high rcpuic i Gen. kaufman. whose eNpedi-
ton 10 hhlyA i fresh IN the minds Gf all read
ers, and Gen. Tchetnayea. who did the best
he could with the poorly trained >eTvian forces
last year. We may mention in passing that
the regular pay Of the Russian officer, j. not
on >n,h scale A. Of Itself 10 attract and hold
the be>t talent Of the empire. The Lieut.
General gets $50 year; M.jor-G-neral.
500, Colonel, Sio0; and q Captain. S230.
The TURKISH COmtdander-in-chief j. Abdul-
KERN PA~ha, who i know in Turkey by an
other title equivalent 10 '-he great Abdul
He, too, i over seventy years Of age. and ha.
fought before on the Danube and in the
Crmea, besides conquering the Seryians in
their lat revolt. The Undertaking now on
his hands i Of an entirely different character,
and Il i 10 be seen whether he Is equal 10 it,
The able,t generals under him are >uleiman
fa>ha Manhmud- Ali ra,ha and the command
er Of The artillery, Azus Pasha. The iechni
cal institution Of the Turkish oficer> j. laid
II lee, on the whole. quite good that Of
tho Russians. while their Influence over thcir
soldiers i pro baby greater. a, they are drawn
from a higher social rank