THE OPERATIONS ON THE DUNUBE.

Inangahua Times, Volume IV, Issue 46, 25 July 1877, Page 2

THE OPERATIONS ON THE DUNUBE.

An Austrian staff ofjicer publishes an article on the prospects of the EuasoTurkish war. The idea that Turkey will fall to pieces at the first blow; dealt her by Uussja is, he says, based on a very superficial and inaccurate rievr of the situation. Even to cross the Danube is a task of considerable difficulty for t;he Russian ' troops. From Kischeneff to Giurgev'> is a distance of fifty-seven. (German) miles, and the single line, of railway from Jassy to Bucharest and Giurgeve could only be used for, the. conveyance of heavy guns, storey, ammunition, and provisions. A similar line on the other side of the Danube will be of equal use to the, Turks; and once the river is crossed, it will be no easy taslf for the Russians to obtain food in a country without Railways or ' even good roads, and with the sea and the Danube occupied and the Turkish navy •in their flank and. rear. The, campaign will thus, in aIJL, probability, last very much longer thap the Austrp-Italian, Austrp; Prussian, or Franco-German wars, where the rapidity of the operations was mainly owing to the existence of ample means of communication by railway. It will even be fought under more unfavorable circumstances for Russia than the war of 1829, for the Russians then had the command of the Danube and sea ;, yet even with these advantages they arrived at Adrianople in so exhaused a condition that they were glad to sue for peace. " All ths," obseryes the. writer. " explains the hesitation Russia has shown to commence active hostilities. . . . There is but one country., which owing to its geographical position, its frontiers encompassing the Turkish provinces, and its military organization, would have a good prospect of success in a war against Turkey ; and that is AustriaHungary. But so long as that State, from political grounds which it would be out of place to mention here, is determined not to draw the sword against the Porte, an attack by Russia alone on the territories south of the Danube must be a most hazardous undertaking, especially as she would not even be able to reap the fruits of victory without coming into collision with other European States strong enough to impose their will upon her.".