Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1853-11-17

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OF Janus were opened when Rome was
at war, and their mod RI prototypes,
the Dardanolles strars are open only
when a state Of war makes treaty stlpu-
lations void, and the Porte deems it 10
be necessary To admit his allies through
them to protect his capital, The ac.
counts we have are that they are now
open lor The passage Of the British and
French fleets.
The DardanelIes, from which the
STRAIT or HeIespont derives lis name,
are lour strong castles bull, opposite to
each on the European and Asia'ic
coasts and e the keys Of ConstaEtl-
nople. Two Of these Castles (ihe Old
cas,lcs) were raised by Mahommend
II. soon after the conquest Of Constani-
nople, in 1853 the other two (the new
caslles) were bulit in the middle Of the
l7lh century TO protect the Turks
against the VenelIans. The later
command the entrance 10 the Hcllcspont,
and the distance from each is about two
miles and a quarter. In four hours
sail up The strait are the old castles,
which are about three quarters OF a
with formidable batteries. All along
the European shore to the Marmora
The aspect Of nature in lis ruggedness
COZ responds with the irown OF the guns;
but the scenery OH the Aslatic shore Is
beautiful. The region abounds, too, in
places famous Tor classic story. Here
it was Leauder paid his nightly visi, to
Hero here the ll.-iatcd hosts OF Xcr-
xes crossed on a bridge of boats here
Solyman crossed on bare raft and m
modern times here iyron swan from
SestOs To Abydos.
These famous straits have been more
than once passed. In 1870 the Russian
squadron, under ElphIs,one, appeared
before the tower castles, and the ad-
miral actually went by without damage.
But the other ships did not follow HIM,
and he returned, with drums al trum-
pets sounding. A british feet under
Admiral Duckworth forced their pas
sage in 1907. Duckworth, in his de-
spa'ch TO his Government giving an
account Of this tact, acknowledges that
he ran narrow chance. He set sail
OH the morning OF the 18th ol February.
NJ Il VIC "ho'S
squadron, under tremendous fire, had
passed the outer castles at hall past
nine the leading ship, the Canopus, en-
tered the narrow passage OF Seslos and
Ably los under heavy cannonage from
both castles, receiving stone shot Of 500
pounds weight. Each ship as it passed
had TO endure this cannona'e. The
admiral remained before Cons,antinople
until the Sd Of March, when his squad
ron OF ten ships returned. In tits inter-
val the Turks had been so busy that the
castles were made "doubly formidable"
The admiral weighed anchor in the
morning OF this day, and ''every ship
was in safety outside Of the passage
about noon" The admiral in his de-
spatch expresses his most lively sense
OF good fortune, and admits that had the
Turks been allowed week longer cit
would have been very doubtful point
whether a return would lay open to him
at ALL" He lost az killed and 235
wound, d. The Turks were so indig
nant at the escape OF the British fe,t
that hey believed the Governor OF the
DardaneIes was bribed by Duckworlh,
and beheaded him.
The DardaneIles are said to be in
such n formidable condition as TO be
impregnable. Boston Post.