Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-09
ONE OF THE WORLDS WONDERS.
Russian Discovery of . Mammoth Ditch Of
Great Antiquity.

A Russian Discovery of q Mammoth Ditch Of
Great Antiquity.
An announcement Of unusual interest has lust
been received at the Smithsonian Institution
from Crimea. 1t comes from the distinguished
Russian engineer, Melnikoff, whose fame in hi.
profession is alone sufficient to vouch for its
trustworthiness His letter is the first an.
nouncement in this country Of an interesting
discovery.
The Russian government q short time age
undertook to survey q route Tor canal be-
tween the Black sea and the Sea OF Azof.
Melnikoff was assigned to this task, and during
its performance he discovered the remains OF a
great ditch Of high antiquity. built on marvel
Gus proportions by savage hands and near S,oou
years old. Among the great engineering won
ders Of the world it is second in age only TO the
great pyramids Of Egypt.
CONSTRUCTED IN THE SEVENTH CENTURY B. C.
For the most part the course Of the great ex-
cayation through the Crimean plain has been
obliterated by the ravages Of time. but il can
be traced for the distance Of six miles. Its dis
covery explains many historic remains which
hitherto could not be accounted for. Search
has been made in history for some account of
lis building, and the Russian concludes il was
probably constructed in the seventh century
Is. c., by Assande i of Bosphorus, who was a
powerful ruler Of those times in that then bar
barous country. Nothing is said, however Of
the purpose which SO great a work, requiring
such vast amount Of labor. served 1t is also
probably referred to by Strobe and Pliny,
ancient Roman writers, but in indefinite terms
EXTENSIVE FoRTIFIcArIoNs.
The canal eXcites the interest not SO much Is
the marvellous Notifications which lined its
banks and protected its terminals at either sea-
1t was paved the entire length with stones.
through country where rocks are unknown
and which must have been brought a considerable
distance. The bottom, before the channel was
filled with earth as the years passed by meas
ured about twenty-five feet. and had an
average depth below the surrounding surface
OF twenty to thirty feet.
One would suppose that this great water
course was a roadway for vessels between the
two seas, it being a much shorter route for the
crafts OF old than sailing around the isthmus,
but this is not certain. for the ssvases who
built it were not engaged, SO far Is il known,
In commerce.
CASTLES AND TOWERS.
At either end we're strong castles, which are
now in ruins, but il can be remembered when,
in this century, parts OF them were standing
They are built Of stone. During the Crimean
war, which began in 1854, part of these stones
were carried away to construct hospitals for the
soldiers. The massive remains Of tn sse castles
now measure over $50 900 cubic meters Along
the banks OF the canal extending through the
plain was a wall capped with many towers,
but hardly yestige now remains Of these. In
the center Of the canal-which, except at this
point was as straight as an arrow-there was a
huge fertilization of four sides, three Of which
we're protected by the canal At this point there
was also a smaller canal, which, situated out
side the larger, afforded additional protection
Xenophon. o famous Athenian who con-
Quoted the retreat OF the 10 900 Greeks. tells in
his history Of bitches which were dug across
the plains by the enemv TO impede their march
through the hostile territory, and sometimes
water was let into them by night as Q further
hindrance Ii may be that this curious feat of
ancient engineering served a monstrous wall
and moat for protection from enemies. Ger
talaly this was strategic point.
The remains Of tine Old canal can be traced
en- the south side OF the modern CITY of PEREZ
kop. which is not far from the Greek city of
Taphras. This last name. which is Of ancient
/ origin, signifies in the Greek Language a ditch
and gives an interesting cue. Stones were I'LL
/ doubteily taken from the bottom of the canal
to build The city of Perekop.
The ancient Cimmerians, a savage people, in.
habited this region formerly and bnilt this
canal. They were without laws or literature
so far as any records of their own come down
to us. All travellers who came to them were
sacrificed TO their heather gods. and hence il
Is that the digging OF this great ditch. which
for its time rivas the Suez canal, is shrouded il
aeep MYSTERY