The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-02-15

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tago OF ravines may DO set down ut that wnicn
would represent tue cnemy's necessity TO assault
in less close formation and 10 break bis lines
as the moment II should advance. as u whole. rhe
possibilities OF defence with modern weapons have
been SO fully demonstrated AT Plevna that 1t would %
hazardous express opinion to those at buia'r
II Ganpoli should ever contested Tor by Russian
army against q British garrison, supported oy
nee, Il is certain the struggle would be long
ana fierce one. 1t Is scarcely necessary 10 point
out that unless naval force hold Inc
Gull of saros as we'll as Dardanelles, the defence
of Gallipoli would be Impossible against Russian
army for lines Bulair can DO turned by ianeing
troops 10 southwark of them and on ground tha'
commands the whole position The ridge at Buair 10,
however, q natural line OF defence, and as such DO
comes Of the highest Importance TO the holders Oh
Gallpoli II is well supplied with water from numer-
Gus springs and wells and crossed by three lines OF
road two of which lead to tho town and port.
HISTORY HELLEsPoyr
Turning from tho exciting events OF tho present mc,
which lend military political Importance to the
Heespont or Dardanees, the history OF this famous
strait is aled with incidents associated with the birth
of civilization In Europe as well as tho commence
menI OF the great struggle between tho Crescent ard
tho Cross which has attributed develop the East
ern question of to-day. The first attempt at
passage OF the Hollespont is said to have been
. complete laliure, yet IL gaSo VIC ss"t !"
name which 1t retains to tho present day.
The Princess Hello endeavored to cross seated on
the ram that worc tho golden fleece but owing to
some cause or other she fell of and was drowned.
Hcnce the strait named .'Hcespontus." or
the OF Hell6"- The story comes down to US as
Greek legend which relates tharHee was tho daush-
ter OF Alhamas, King of Thebes by the goddess N o.
phole When her brother Phrixus was about to be
sacrificed the mother rescued him, and placing both
children on the hack the with the golden fleece
which she had received from Mercury, fed with them
toward ASIA 1t during the passage OF tho straits
between Sigma and Chersonesus That heile was
drowned The first recorded crossing OF the
Hellespont IS that Of Leander, from Abydos. his
residence on the Asiatic side, Sestos the
European Shore Hero, the priestcss OF Venus,
did dwell" In paying his nightly visits TO tho iair
Hero Leauder the straits, distance variously
estimated by poets and historical writer's at six hun
dred TO eight hundred and seventy PAGES. How
sver allowing the strong that constantly
flows from the Sea Of Marmora through the Dar-
danellcs, tho swim of Leander could not have been
less than aud half miles. HERDS flaming torch
was his only guide during the long struggle with tho
waves and currents. His sad atefor the poor fellow
was drowned at last and his body washed ashore at
Hero's ee-s referred TO In Byron's touching lines
written after the poet had succeeded in performing
the feat OF swimming tho Hellespont:-
But since he crossed the rapid tide,
According to the doubt full story,
To woo-and-Lord knows what beside,
And swan for loye, AS for glory
'Twore hard to say who Jared the best;
Sad m0rtals thus the gods still plague you;
He lost his labor my JEST
For he was drowned and I've the ague,
sAccordng to the doubtful story" Hero ended her
life by pungng the dark where her lovers
body lay Xerxes the Helespont from Abydos
to Sestos with army Of 17o0, 900 men, less
by means OF a bridge OF boats Tho Turks crossed
at Sestos in 1857 under Soyman, and they
began their dominion in Europe Through all the
history empire OF Constantine the Dardeneles
continued grow in importance to the Emperors at
Constantinople. and since Mohammed ii. captured
that capital have jealousy guarded
channels leading from the Egean and tho Back
to the Sea Of Marmora In article published
the HERALD account was gwen OF tho forcing of
the DandaneIes by foreign vessels Of The Bnttsn
feet. having passed the Dardanelcs without opposi-
ton is present anchored at the Princes Islands,
tho Sea Of Marmora, about thirteen miles from Con-
stantinople. There the roncIads represent the in
suited majesty of England, and their future move
ments will determine the relations between that
country and victorious Russia,