The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-02-14
The Question Of the Dardanelles.

| Asa matter OF nov only interest, but inStruc-
ton, to the public generally, we publish the
following article taken from the editorial col
| umns Of that very able paper, the Cincinnati
Commercial, Of the lst INST:
Interest in the Eastern question now hovers
about the Dardanelles, and one of the most i'm
portant points liable to arise in the adjustment
of Russian and Turkish afairs relate to their free
passage. The only interest England can have in
the conflict between Russia and Turkey pertains
to them, for they are supposed to be off the di-
rect road to the East India posse ssions. Russia
has long struggled for the command OF this strait
When Russia thwarted the conquerng advance
OF Mehemet Ais troops on constantinople in
1888, the Porte, in return for the favor, by
cret article in the treaty of Unkiar Skelessi,
closed the entrance OF the Dardanelles to all for
eign vessels OF war. No foreign vessel could
come in. but the Muscovite could come out.
Thus the Car had Constantinople in a position
to attack from the Black Sea. When the Macchi-
avellian stroke OF statecraft became known, a
general outcry arose, and at the special conyen-
ton held in 1871 both the Dardanelles and Bospo-
rus were closed to the war vessels OF all Nations
The treaty of Paris in 1856 not only reiterated
this doctrine, hut by the terms OF that treaty,
both Russia and Turkey were prohibited from
/ either keeping "a navy or naval arsenals in the
Black Sea. This crushed Rnssia's naval supre-
macy in the Enxine, and her menace of the Med
iterranean, and she has not ceased to watch for
an opportunity to break the treaty. The oppor-
tunity came in the Franco Prussian war OF 1870
H. She then declared the treaty of 1856 no longer
binding, and as there was no provision for en-
forcing its edicts, England had nothing to do but
to threaten. Russia, meanwhile, had built ma
vies,equipped arsenais and by the treaty she will
force the Porte to accept will obtain athe points
she has commended for. a.s4 Il
The Dardanelles are four castles or forts, and
located on the opposite shores OF the Straits of
Dardanelles or the classic Hellespont, which in
tabled age the ardent Leader swan to WOO the
fair Hero. The old forts are supposed to effectu-
ally guard the straits, which connect the Grecian
Archipelago with the Sea OF Marmora. The
straits are about forty-flve miles long. and in
width from mile to four miles. Ships of war
have in several notable instances passed the bat
teries without any serious injury. Admiral FL
phinstone in ITO leda Russian squadron through
the sacred waters; in 1901 Commodore Bainbridge
came through them with the American frigate
George Washingto n; and in 1907 the English Ad-
miral J. 7. Duckworth ran the forts in fine style.
The two castles at the archipelago entrance of
the strait are styled the one on the Asiatic side
Koni-Kale or Hissar soltar, and the other on the
European side, Sedil-Bahr. Mahomet ". erect
ed them in 1853 when the crafty Venetians, then
mOnarchs of the seas crept up and attacked his
feet in sight OF the old castles. The two old cas-
ties are called Tchanak-Kalesi and Kilio -Bahr,
and commanded the strait where it is only eight
hundred yards wide, and chains have here OBJ
structed the passage of ships ofwar. 1t has been
a time-hono red principle with Turkey that no
foreign vessels of war go through these straits
and when England's possessions in the East be-
gan to assume Importance she. too, was not slow,
in 1S09 to sustain Turkey in the recognition of
the principle. When the Egyptian war occurred 4
in 1882, the British and French fleets were not
permitted to enter the strait, though a Russian
fleet from the Black Sea lay at anchor in the Bos-
porus. In 1858 the American frigate Wabash
passed the straits unframed and anchored at
Constantinople. where the reception was not
overly hospitable. butthe United States being no
party to the treaty of 1856 could not by law of the
Nations be held bound by its provisions.
Thousands OF classic and historical memories,
legends and associations cluster around the vi
cinity OF the Dandanelles. Here Xerxes. when
he led his hordes against Greece, caused a throne
to be erected on an eminehce, and reviewed his
army as it passed over two bridges OF boats,
Here was Abydos, famous for its resistance to
Philip the Younger OF Macedon. Here Alexander
the Great crossed from Europe into Asia to con-
quer the world. Here for the second time Soly
man planted the crescent on European soil in
1857. Here the Athenians and Peloponnesians
fought in the twenty.flrst year Of the famed Pei
oponnesian WAT. Here Sylla, after routing the
Pontjc army Of Mithradates, brought to an end
the Mithardatic war. Here, i'll the spring OF 1910,
Lord Byron and lieutenant Ecken head swan the
straits in seventy minutes, to prove to the world
the truth OF Lean der's feat. Here to-day center
the fears of England, the hopes of Russia, and the
interests OF the whole world.