THE THEATRE OF WAR IN TURKEY.
THE ignorance which prevails respecting the situation of the Russian army has been displayed in many of the speculations on its progress, and was crowned by the universal credulity with which an old bulletin was received the other day, as applying to the Present condition of affairs. The truth is, that the Danube debouches in a very obscure portion of Europe, and, except in the case of a contest, like the one commencing, there is very little reason why we should trouble our heads about its geography. Between 1805 and 1812, however, a most sanguinary struggle was main- tained between these two ancient enemies on the same ground, so that it might have been supposed that some recollections had remained on men's minds. The slowness of the pro- gress of the Russian army, for instance, has been a great puzzle to everybody: it is explained by the fact, that the Lower Molda- via, by which the Russians approach the Danube, is a perfect swamp. In 1736, Count Munich required no fewer than 00,000 waggons to conduct the supplies of an army that never ex- ceeded 80,000 men,—and the features of nature are not changed. It is now supposed that, because _the Russians have passed the Danube, that they have nothing to do but march to Constan- tinople. Russian armies, however, as vigorous and as resolute as this under the Emperor Nicholas, have done the same thing frequently enough, and been compelled to return. We will endeavour, in a brief compass, to explain the geographical situation of the parties.
The Danube flowing to the east separates Bulgaria from the provinces of Wallachia and Moldavia—dependencies only of the Porte. Between the Danube and Constantinople lie this Bulgaria and a principal part of Roumelia. Bulgaria is an agricultural dis- trict, rich in soil, but thinly inhabited. The part of Roumelia, to- wards Constantinople, chiefly consists of downs : between these two provinces exists the great obstacle to the progress of the Russians. Roumelia is cut off from Bulgaria by the chain of mountains called the Balkan, which runs from the Black Sea to the Adriatic : over these lofty and precipitous ridges there are five passes,—by either one of the two lying to the east the Russians will, in all probability, attempt to pass : these precipitous paths are, in length, about twenty-seven or thirty miles across, though, as the mountains push out outworks, and form ridges a considerable distance before the most elevated points are arrived at, the roads difficult to pass, may be said to he ninety-six or a hundred miles across. The passes are such as a few troops could defend against any greater number wretched bridges over ravines muSt constantly be passed ; the paths are slippery, and it wouldibe almost impractica- ble to convey artillery along the ledges of the precipitous sides tins 'mountains. Among the ridges which strike out from the main chain, lies the fortified town of Shumla, whence the two paths. across the Balkan just mentioned, diverge. This town contains about sixty thousand inhabitants : its fortifications would be weak and contemptible in the eyes and in the hands of European troops, but are a very efficient defence when manned by Turks. They consist of earthen ramparts and brick walls. It is here that the Turks form their entrenched camp in their contests with Russia ; and the Russians have always found it impregnable. Twice they have advanced as far as Shumla, and been repulsed, without being able to advance farther. Romanzoff was obliged to return from before it in 1774, and Kaminsky in 1810, after a bloody conflict. The climate of Bulgaria is on the whole good, though to Rus- sians it seems deleterious—the night dews and damps spread an ague, which has been found a serious enemy. The swamps of Moldavia and Wallachia are charged with miasma, and an army never lingers long in these countries without suffering dreadfully. These provinces are, however, well disposed towards Russia, and have not delayed their progress. Moldavia is separated from the Russian dominions by the Prude which, running almost due south, falls into the month of the Danube not far from its embouchures. It is near this conflux that Ismail stands, which Suwarrow won from the Turks, after a memorable day of carnage: here is Brailow also, another fort still in the hands of the Turks, of which frequent men- tion is now made: here also is Isaxcia which has just surrendered, and which Sawarrow also took with ease, for it is not a strong place. It is here that a part of the Emperor's army crossed the Danube; and here he has built a bridge where Darius crossed in his Scythian expedition sonic time before him, and also built a bridge, of which much is said in Herodotus. Ascending the Da- nube, a course of three day's sail, but only ninety miles in a direct line—in which at first the river runs due south, then taking a sud- den turn, it flows directly east and west—we arrive at many points at
which the Danube has been crossed at various times. Passing Silistria, a fortified town on the Bulgarian bank, we arrive at Rust- tchuk, another place of strength : where the main route from Con- stantinople, through Shumia, the place mentioned above, to the province of Wallachia, crosses the Danube. On the opposite bank to Rustchuck, is a Turkish fort, Giurdizio; a division of Russian troops, besieging this place, have, according to the latest intelligence, been attacked by a corps of Turks. It is between Rustchuk and Silistria that another division of the Russian army has traversed the river, whose average breadth in this quarter is two miles. It seems that the troops which have crossed at this point, and those which crossed nearer the mouth, are converging to a point lying between them, where Emperor Ni- cholas has pitched his camp. This spot is Babadagh, no other
than the ancient Tomi, the place of exile of Ovid, and the
subject of so much of his piteous wailing. Babadagh, from which the last bulletin is dated, lies about forty-live miles from
Galatz, a town very near the junction of the Pruth and the Da-
nube. The present business of the Russian army is, therefore, to take Brailow, otherwise their flotilla cannot pass up the river.
When this is accomplished, the other forts on the Danube, Silis- tria and Rustchuk, &c. are to be taken when the forces may safely concentrate upon Shunda ; after which the most difficult part of the business remains. The Turks are the most obstinate people in the world to beat from behind a wall, a mound, or a rock : they are like wild beasts in their lair: all enemies have found them so : places which Europeans could not defend, and which they would never dream of rendering tenable, Turks will hold until the attacker walks over his body. The Porte is well aware of this fact, and never takes any pains to erect or repair fortresses towards
the land : they trust to any old walls. It is an invasion by sea only which they fear: were an army to land on the south of the Balkan, there is nothing that could oppose its progress ; Con- stantinople would be taken by storm, and Mahomet share the fate of Constantine. Towards the sea, all the coast of the Sea of Marmora bristles with forts.
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