The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1893-08-04
A CANAL IN CRIMEA.
THE AGE AND HISTORY OF A WORLDS
WONDER UNKNOWN.

A Great Waterway which n Russian Engi-
neer Thinks Was Built as IA Means of De-
Tense In Ancient Timcs-A Detailed Ac-
count of the Wonderful Structure.
The great Russian engineer Melni-
koff writes from Odessa to the Smith
sonian institution describing the ruins
of an ancient canal discovered in the
Crimea, which he regards as one of the
wonders of the world. 1t is certainly 81
centuries old, and among similar ancient
objects of historic interest is second only
IN age to the great pyramids. The hang
ing gardens Of Babylon and the Colossus
of Rhodes are shrouded with no deeper
mysteries than the existence of this great
ditch, whose ruins can be traced for q
long distance through the Crinean plain.
Whether it was n waterway in the olden
times and the pathway of ancient COM
merce between the Black sea and the sea
Of Azov or a means of defense for the
people living in its vicinity is a question
which wise men, supposed to know all
about antiquities, cannot explain.
<hNiiolllou, tIC blSllUR ulSIltu Atutllldn,
who conducted the retreat of $1,000
Greeks from the up country march, so
called, writes of bitches which were dug
by inhabitants of hostile territory
through which they passed as an i'm
pediment TO tfcir march. Water was
often turned into these, so that crossing
was rendered more difficult. Perhaps
the nprinpt n5,l y-,pIorftI ,,,ol ,,,.,l
the same purpose on Il very large scale.
Whilcit waa,f Grand proportions, which
at that carly day surpassed the engineer
ing feats OF the Suez canal, the fortifica-
tons for IL protection are no less inter
esting. At each end Of the western side
there was Il lofty castle, the ruins of
which remain TO this day, the cubical
contents cNcCcling 10000 meters. \
part 81 tICs" stole, as we'll as those
with Nl.ich the bed cf the canal was
paved its entire length. were removed
ONO time ago to build u town whicl.
adjoins.
During the trimcan war some Of tho
stones remaining were utilized in the
construction of hospitals for the wound
Cd soldiers, which structures are still
standing. Along the banks of the canal
there were uucc at least six towers, but
what purpose th"y served. unless for de-
Tense, is uncertain. There was also Il
high wall, which extended its entire
length. AZ an equal distance from each
end there w's Il gigantic fortress, built
III the form of q square and covering u
space Of $1,000 quaro meters. The ca
nal is as straight as an arrow its entire
length except at this point, where it
forms three sides OF u square about tho
fortress. Here there WAS II smaller canal
on the outer side, which may have pro-
vided greater security.
One of the gatcway' Of the fortress is
still partially preserved, and through il
passes IL dilapidated road. The canal
was built by Assande OF Bosporus in
the seventh century b. c. and is . kilo-
meters long. Mention is made of this in
the writings of Pliny and Strabo, but
nothing is said about the great amount
Of time and money expended in its con-
struction or for what special purpose it
was done. 1t PASSES by the modern town
Of Perekop, and is not far from the
Greek city Of NeapOlis, whose name was
changed by Assande after the building
of the canal to Tapharas, which is the
Greek for ditch. Its width on the bot
tom was about > meters and its depth
10 meters. Whether it served formerly
rs u great and towering fertilization or
not, it certainly contained water enough
10 sail ships Of considerable burden.
Undoubtedly before the time of Christ
many ships used it as "a short cut across
the peninsula between the two seas. The
bed is nov dry, except for a few stand
ing pools, but.it is said that the Oldest
inhabitants can remember when. for sew
eral miles in the central part, there was
sufficient water to form u roadway for
the lighter craft OF the semibarbarous
people. This is accounted for by the
fact that some time IN the fifteenth cen
turv the canal was repaired.
The Russian government has IA project
under consideration of opening up u
great waterway across the peninsula be-
tween the two seas. and his connection
with this scheme is what led the engi-
neer, Melnikoff, to inquire into the his
tory of the canal and attempt to explore
its wonders. Mclnikutf writes III French
and conveys u vivid description of the
ancient ruins. He has just written a
pamphlet, and this contains in Russian
a full account of all that is known and
all that has been said about the canal in
the centuries since its construction. 1t
also contains diagrams and Illustrations
OF the canal as it now appears .-Phila-
delphia Telegraph.
pusSiur nf tle Snaku