THE TURKISH ARMY.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2642, 27 June 1877, Page 2

THE TURKISH ARMY.

An officer of rank belonging to a distinguished corps in Western Europe, who has recently visited the Turkish lines along the Danube, states that the Turks hare the following corps on the lines of the Danube aad the road from Rutcb.uk to Varna:—At Widdin 20,CJ0men; at Rutchuk, 12,000; at Silistria, 20,000; and at Shumla, 45,000—making with scuttered detatchments, about 100,000 men of all arms available for the defence of the Danube and the Balkans. He says that*, from information gathered- along the Turkish hues, he estimates the total effective force that Turkey can bring into " action along her whole frontier in Europe and Asia at 300,000 men,' which coincides with their, present estimated effective force. This total may be divided as follows:—For the Danube and the Balkans, 100,000 men; for Asia Minor, 80,000; on the Greek frontier, 30,000; the remaining 90,000 being scattered around the frontiers of Seryia, Austria, and Montenegro. In addition to this, they have, no doubt, an indefinite number of irregulars, who are only an encumbrance in modern warfare, eating the provisions which should go to sustain the really efficient troops, arousing hatred and discontent among the resident populations by their lawlessness and utter worthies.sness in action, invariably running awajj^"" the first fire. My informant states that the private soldiers appeared to be of good material, but the most fortunate: of them had five months' arrears of pay due, and a large proportion of the officers appeared to be comparatively. worthless. This officer is of the opinion that Widdin presents the most favourable point for the Russians to cross the Danube, as from the heights of Kalafat, on the Roumanian side of the river they can ' command the Turkish bank of the stream; and protect the crossing by their artillery/ It is the opinion in some quarters that Russia will make the chief attack in Asi» Minor; but this will .probably depend upon whether her policy is to be one of merely protecting the Christian population of the Turkish Empire. The protection policy could be carried out by two or three decisive battles along the Danube, when, after a severe defeat, the Turkish Government might submit to the conditions demanded for the better go*. vernment of its Christian subjects. - Should Russia,.; however, attempt to Crush finally and for ever the Moslem Power, it is quite probable that she may find the route through Asia Minor the most feasible one.