The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-02

junction Of the two natural great high
ways OF the Balkan peninsula. Nish
lies in the centre OF a small basin sur
rounded by mountains and is to-da Y
the chief Servian fortified camp. There
the valley OF the Morava opens the way
north to the Danube and thence to the
Hungarian plain. South from Nsh the
valley of the Morava and its natural
prolongation. the valley OF the Vardar,
lead To Salonica. To the east the valley
Of the Nlshava leads TO the basin OF
Sofia, in Bulgaria, and through the
valley ~ the Martha. which is
its prolongation. direct TO Constan-
tinople Everywhere else the high
ways through the Balkans lead through
mountain regions and across high
passes.
The Servian plateau, englobing the
basin of Nish. il therefore Of supreme
importance, as its possession opens up
the door northward to Europe, south
ward TO Salonica. eastward TO Constan-
tinople and thence to Asia.
In Asia. the triangle OF positions
comma nding all the highways from the
west to the interior of Asia is formed
OF Constantinople as the apex the Ar
menian plateau and the position of
Adana Uhe Cilician passes). That pos
session was the treasure which has
saved Turkey up to now from being
wiped from The map OF the world.
The Scrvian plateau is OF the great
est importance for the Balkan penin-
sula. The possession OF that plateau by
the Turks after so ~ airs of fight with
the Serbs allowed the Turk in 1926 to
become master OF Hungary with the
single battle of Mohacs and within a
short few weeks 10 stand at the gates
Of Vienna
During the Balkan war the posses
sion of that Servian plateau allowed
the allies to completely and swiftly
clear the Turk from their old lands.
The Servian plateau in the hands OF
a great power like Austria would make
her the master OF the Balkans. r
Bulgarian Independence there could
no longer be any prospect. nor OF an
independent Greece. Albania or even
Rumania. The road to Asia would be
open to any conqueror. The AtT-
TRAN manTuVres in Bosnia showed that
Bosnia and Herzegovina cannot he
easily defended against attack from the
southeast that IL attack coming from
the Servian plateau.
Austria has recognized that fact.
shown Ia her by the results of her
own army manpuvres, and has erected
large number OF fortresses. fortified
camps and other Notifications. aiming
to close and defend the country.
30 Austria erected in Bosnia Here
govina the great fortress or fortified
camp OF Seraievo. the fortified camp
or fortress OF Trsbinje. that OF Mostar,
the smaller fortress OF Bllec. and num-
erous other small fortincatlons.
fortified camp is town OF i'm
portance. the GENRE of functions, in a
valley surrounded by hills or noun
tains which are crowned with forts
and batteries at some distance from
the town. which itself has no fortifica-
tons. That circle Of forts around the
town Is closed against the approach Of
the enemy by such means as wire
entanglements and mines. Such forth
fed camps can contain and give pro-
lection TO armies of great size. The
fortress of Iletz sheltered 40 900 men
during thc Franco German war; and
in Adr.anople there were about fifty
thousand mon.
II must he remembered that all the
European armies with the exception
Of those OF England are recruited 10y
military obligatory service. compulsory
for each man above tho age Of 20 and