The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-06-02
THE WAR.
Fortifying the Turkish
Capital for a Siege.
TIE CAMPAIGN In ASIA.
Condition Of the Turkish Army
Fighting Near Kars.
A MONTENEGRO VICTORY.
Awaiting the Cars Arrival
to Cross the Danube.
MUTINY ON AN ENGLISH IR0N-CLAD.
A MONTENEGRO VICTORY.
NUTINY ON AN ENGLISH IRON-CLAD.
by CABLE TO THE RERALp.1

LONDON, June q 1877.
From Pera the HERALD correspondent announces
that plans for the proposed fortncaton OF Constan.
tnople are being prepared with all possible care
and despatch as If the Turkish government had
made up their minds for siege.
COVERING c0NsrANrNorLE.
In view Of the masslng OF such large force OF Rus
slams In Roumana, with the very evident object OF
marching Adrianoplc, II not the capital It has
been decided to begin without delay the establish
men OF defensive line west Of Constantinople, SO
as to completely cover the city from land
attack. The nature OF the country admits OF
the selection OF many snch Ines but the one
best adapted for the purpose is that which runs
Derkous on the Black Sea, and distant from Con.
stantnople at its nearest end, the Kuchuk CheE-
Made, about eight miles, The surface OF the PENN
sula, on the extremity Of which tie capital stands,
is very much broken by ridges and deep ravines
One main ridge extends northward and then north
eastward from the Lake Buuk Chekmadje toward
the eastern end OF Lake Dernous and thence to the
Black Sea coast Another extends parallel with
the coast and is called the lesser Balkan range.
The third continuous ridge extends from CONSTANT
nople northwestward toward Lake Dernous. The
is therefore dvidedinto I'll rec distinct sections
possessing their own peculiar adaptabilites for de-
fence.
THE SELECTED LINE
The line selected, however, has been described as
crossing the peninsula in northwesterly direction
from Buuk Chekmade to Lake Dernous It IL
on this that the new works will be constructed
which, it is believed, will render Constantinople
impregnable. Strictly speaking, this line curves 20
the westward with its highest summit overlooking
Lake Dernous. In its front the lake OF Bunk Chek-
made, and the streams that drain into it, form
complete cover for fully half the line, as the
ground In the valleys at the head OF the lake
are extremely marshy, and it is possible to cause
artificial inundation at many points by simply
damming the streams. On the other half the line
nous. The marshes about the lake ana the steeply
scarped shore line, which landing cannot
be easily made There is actually only one point
where the line can be reached except by crossing
rivers, marshes or deep ravine-lke valleys That
point Is little south of Lake Dernous but is easily
guarded.
AN ARDUous UNDERTAKING.
At present two small works hank it. The bridge
at BujuK Chekmadje being closed a Russian army
should force the road from Chatsalda to CONSTANT
nople. with all the works and the succession Of
deep valleys intervening before they could turn the
main line But this they could scarcely do, as they
could never deploy sufficiently to ncutralizc the
works that command that road. Al points further
north than Chatsalda such NatachKio, the DIM
culties would he, II anything, greater, because
on the main ridge, and the army, in such
position, would have its right flank completely
exposed to s0rte en- n,dsse of the defenders and
would besides have swamps and ravincs pre- violisly
line is about twcnty-one miles, the available front
for attack being only third OF that length The
line is crossed by several roads, all Of which con-
verge at Constantinople. BY these troops can be
hurried from the capital to almost any point that
is seriously threatened. The Cons,antnople rail
road to Adriauoplc and Phiippopois win iurnlsh
valuable means OF transporting heavy pieces from
the city to the line OF defence when prepared for
their receptions.
SOFIA ALSO FORTIFIED
The Qualifications OF sofia, on which thousands of
men have been working for months arc now com.
plctc and mounted with krupp guns They arc
considered very strong.
MOVEMENTS or THE DANUBE
The Fourteenth Russian army corps has been
ordered TO relieve the Eleventh at Galatz aud the
latter will proceed to Piocjcst. Tie Fourth, SIX
tcenth and Fourteenth corps will be formed into
separate army, TO oc under the command OF the
at Rustchuk and SilistrIs are ncld In readiness to
move to any point threatened by the Russians, 40
as to check their advance until help arrives from
Shumla
few days ago, according to Vienna
despatch the commanders OF several army
corps reported to the Grand Duke Nicho-
las that the crossing OF the Danube
was necessary In consequence OF the san
itary condition OF the army. The highlands
OF Bulgaria are much preferable to the
Roumanian swamps The sick list Of the
army Is very large. heavy cannonade has
been heard at Sulina. 1t is rumored that Russian
squadron has attempted to force an entrance into
the sulina mouth Of the Danube in order to assist
at the crossing OF the troops.
Nikopolis despatch says the Russians are
concentrating rapidly ut Aghlavio and Turnu.
they are expected 10 commence movements almost
Immediately. The Danube 10 falling very quickly.
kilograms from several other points on the river