Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1853-11-11

lie DARDANELLES.-Slnc we have 3
prospect OF an European war, every body
wishes to know about the Dardaneles, which
the English and French fleets recently sue
cee,led i'll passing. The following, from the
Boston Post, is a very concise and correct
history and description:
The old gates of Janus were opened when
Rome was at war; and the modern prototypes,
the Dardanelles straits, are open only when a
state of war makes treaty stipulations void
and the Porte deems it to be necessary to adj
mt his allies through them to protect his cap
itol. The accounts we have are that they
are now open for the passage of the British
and French fleets.
The Dardanelles, from which the strait OF
HelIespont derives its name are four strong
castles built opposite to each other, on the
European and Asiatc coasts; and are the
keys OF CCnstantinople. Two Of these castles
the old castles, were raised by Mahommed H.,
soon after the conquest Of Constantinople, in
1853; the other two, the new astles, We're
built in the middle Of the 18th century, to
protect the Turks against the Nenetians.-
The latter command the enterance to the Hell
two miles and a quarter; in four hours sail
up the strait are the old castles, which are
about three quarters of a mile apart. These
are well mounted with formidable batteries.
All along the European shore to the Marmo-
I'll, the aspect of nature in its ruggedness cor
responds with the frowns of the guns; but
the scenery on the Asiatic shore is beautiful.
The region abounds, toe, in places famous III
classic story Here it was Leandcr paid his
nightly visits to Hero; here the ilfated hosts
of Xerxes crossed on bridge Of boats; here
SoIvman crossed on bare raft; and, in mod
ern times, here Byron swan from Sestos to
Abydos.
These famous straits have been more than
orce passed. In 1870 the Russian squadron
under Elphstone, appeared before the lower
castles; and the admiral actually went by
without damage. But the other ships did
not follow him and he returned, with drums
and trumpets sounding. a British fleet I'M
der Admiral Duckworth forced their passage
in 1907. Duckworth in his dispatch to his
government giving an account of this fact,
acknowledges that he ran a narrow chance
He set sail in the morning of the 8 OF Feb
uary. At quarter before nine the whole
squadron, under a tremendous fire, had pass
ed the outer castles; at half past nine the
leading ship, the Campus, entered the narrow
passage of Scstos and Abydos, under heavy
cannonade from both castles, receiving stone
shot Of 500 pounds weight Each ship, as
it passed. had to endure this cannonade.
The Admiral remained before CONSTANT
norle until the Sd of March, when lis squad
ron Of ten ships returned, In this interval
the Turks had been SO busy that the castles
were made "doubtly Formidable The Al-
mral weighed anchor in the morning of this
day and every ship was in safety outside Of
the passage about noon" The admiral in
his dispatch expresses his "most lively sense
of his good fortune and admits that had the
Turks been allowed a week longer, it would
have been very doubtful point whether Il
return would lay open to him at all" He
lost AZ killed and 235 wounded. The Turks
were 50 indignant at the escape of the Brit
i~h fleet that they believed the Governor of
the DarlaneIles was briJed 10y Duckworth,
and beheaded him.
Tho Dardanelles are said to be in such 4
Formidable condition as to be imprcguable.