THE WAR IN THE EAST.

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 217, 9 May 1877, Page 4

THE WAR IN THE EAST.

A gentleman who has personally visited a large portion of the country which will be the theatre of war between the armies of Russia and Turkey, has sent an account to the Auckland Herald , respecting the Russian army and the routes by which it must advance on Constantinople, from which the following extracts are made : Tho European journals give ap proximate estimates of the strength of the Russian army which will invade Turkey. The Austrian military paper thinks that Russia cannot possibly bring more than 250,000 men where-with to coerce the Turks in Europe, to which may be added the Rumanian army, numbering 60,000 men. 120,000 Russians arc already on the march to the Pruth. The -march to the Pruth means that they are transported by railroad to Jassy, and from thence they will go to Bucharest, occupying those fortified positions on the Danube which are touched by rail, viz, Galatz, Brailow, and Giurgevo. Again, from Bucharest they will pass through Gajova to Khalafat, the tete depont of Widdin. The Danube may bo crossed at Oltenitza, or rather Turtokai, at an island very near Silistria, again at Hirsova, but Satumova and Tuldscha, situated in the delta, are the preferable points. At Tuldscha there is a bar across the river, with barely fourteen feet of water on it. To bring the 130,000 men assembled at Kischenev to the

banks of the Danube will take at least eight days. What the plans of the Russians may be for passing the Danube, it is impossible to know ; but if they follow the plans of Colonels Berg and Rudiger, which wore so successfully adopted by Marshal Wittgenstein in 1828, namely, to make the fall of Yarn a, BiJistria, and Schuinla necessary before the grand operation, then Ibrail (Brailow), with Saturnova and Tuklscha will be the chosen spots. If the Western or Timok Valley be taken, then Rachosa and Ginrgovo will be the main points. There are but six passes by which an army can pass the Balkans, and all the passes verge on the second lino of defence, namely, Tirnavo, Schumla, Privada, and Varna. In 1828-29, the Russians had the command of the Black Sea, disembarking some GOOO to 10,000 men at Bugas, a small town south of the Balkan ranges, thereby talcing the Turks in the rear, and facilitating the chosen route. The western route, via the valley of the Timok, will enable the Russians to strike the railroad at Sophia; but their further advance will he much impeded by the strong natural position at Philippopoli. I propose, in my next letter, to show what means of defence the Turks will probably employ to prevent the passing of the Danube, and their capabilities of withstanding the Russians in Asia Minor.