Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1854-12-21
The Crimea.

The Crimea-
The aspect of the struggle between Russia
and the Allies, has directed more than ordi-
nary attention to the Crimea What is the
condition of the country. and what the pros
pect of long sojourn there A writer in
the Dublin University Magazine, has furnish
ed an elaborate description, a few points of
which viii be read with interest. Connected
with the barren steppes of the main land of
sseatlse<r. Rvsssia- oniy By narrow strip nine
miles across, which constitutes the Istlimus Of
Perecop, the Crimea stretches out in nearly
southerly direction. in the form of a rhomboid-
al or diamoned-shaped Penininsula, about
one-third the size of Ireland. at It's western
point is Cape Tarkham; at its eastern. Kertch
and Katfa; and in the south, the bay, the
town and fortress of SevaAtopol.
At least two-thirds of the Crimea consists
of vast waterless plains of sandy soil, rising
only few feet above the level of the sea- and
in many places impregnated with salt; but
all along the southeastern side Of the PENN
sula; from SeSastopol to Kerteh and Katfa,
there extends chain Of limestone mountains,
the highest summit of which is the Chatir-
Dagh, rising to somewhat more than FIVE
thousand feet in altitude. Beginning at Bal
! aklava, nine miles east of Sevastopol, preci-
pices fringe all the Southern Coast, but az the
foot of these limestone formations, extends
narrow strip of ground, seldom half league
in length, intervening between the hills and
the shore
1t is in this region, said to be picturesque
and delightful, that the Allied army has es
tablished its base of operations A luxuriant
vegetation decends to the waters edge
Chestnut trees, mulberries, almonds, laurels,
olives, and expresses grow along its whole et
tent Numbers of riyulets of the clearest water
pour down from the cliffs, which effectually
keep eff all cold and stormy winds Thick
ly studded with villages, and adorned with
the villas and palaces of the richest Rus
sian mobiles, this tract offers most strik-
ing. contrast to the remainder of the pen
insula, or indeed to any other part of Russia
The possession Of the Crimea, and the con-
struction of maritime fortress of the first
order in the magnificent harbor of Akhtiar,
(for such was the former name of Sevastopol
were prominent parts of that vast scheme of
policy by which the genius of the Gar Peter,
and his successors, transformed Muscovy into
the Russian Empire The Tartar princes of
the Golden Horn still reigned in the delicious
gardens of Bakshi-serai, under the titular su-
prcmacy of the Porte. when the political m
tfiS ucS VI 1euSsld HIsS pSueifdtcu into enS pch-
insula; successive inyasions followed: a pro-
tectorate was established by that very treaty
of Kainardji, which Prince Menschikoff invo-
ked in support of other demands; and few
years later the annexation of the province was
consummated.
The Empress. Catherine passed night or
two in the deserted palace of the Khans; and
in preparing the future strength of Sevastopol,
she might, with more truth than at Cherson,
utter that proud boast, :. Here lies the road to
Byzantium In course of time the Euxine
became Russian lake, owing to the magni-
tude of the naval forces assembled beneath
the batteries of Sevastopol; the extensive
plains of the Crimea provided copious and
cheap supplies for food for the troops; while
the absence of population and trade left the
| peninsula as a sort of natural fortress, which
hardly attracted the notice of other countries
Such then is the Crimea, which has already
been the scene of many bloody conflict, and
which viii occupy prominent place in the
future pages of the historian.