The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-06-12
CANAL IN CRIMEA.
THE AGE AND HISTORY or A WORLDS
WONDER UNKNOWN.
A Great Waterway Which q Russian Fngi-
oeer Thinks Was Built as u Means Of De-
Tense In Ancient Times-A Detailed Ac-
count of the Wonderful structure.

oeer Thinks Was Built as q Means Of De-
Tense In Ancient Times-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
Crlmea. which he regards as one of the
wonders of the world. 1t is certainly 81
centuries Did. 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, who's ruins can be traced for a
long distance through the Crimean plain.
Whether It was Il waterway in the olden
times atli the pathway Of ancient com
merce between the Back SEA AM thesea
OF Azov or a means Of defense for the
people living IN It's vicinity is "a question
which wise men. supposed to know all
about antiquities. cannot explain.
Aenophol, the distinguished Athenian,
who conducted the retreat cf 10000
Greeks from The tip country lIarch. SO
called, writ Of ditchee which were dug
by inhabitan.s Of hostile territory
through which they passed as an i'm
pediment ~ their arch. Water was
often turned into those. 50 that crossing
was rendered more difficult. Perhaps
the ancient and wonderful canal served
the same purpose n a very large scale.
While it wasof grand proportions, which
at that early daysurpassed the engineer
ing feats of the Suez canal. the fortiGca-
tons for its protection are no less inter
esting. At each end of the western side
there was a lofty castle, the ruins of
which remain to this day, the cubical
contents exceeding 10000 meters. 4
part of these stones, as well as those
with which the bel Of the canal was
paved its entire length, were removed
soln time ago to build IA town whicl
al Joins.
During the 1rlMean wal some of the
stones remaining We're utilized in the
construction of hospitals for the wound
ed soldiers, which structures are still
standing. Along the banks of the canal
there Were once at least six towers. but
purpose they served, unless for de-
Tense, is uncertain. There was also a
high wall. which extended its entire
length. AT al equal distance from each
end there WAS a gigantic fortress. built
III the form of a square and covering a
space Of 3a.4OO square meters. The ca
nal is as straight as an arrow its entire
length except at this point, where it
forms three sides of a square about the
fortress. Here there was Il smaller canal
on the outer side, which may have pro
vided greater security.
One Of the gateways of the fortress is
still partially preserved. and through it
passes a dilapidated road. The canal
was built by Assande | of Bosporus IN
the seventh century B. c. and is 8 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
done. 1t passes by the modern town
of Perekop. and is not far from the
Greek city Of Seapolis. whose name was
changed b. 1&sande utter the building
of the cEn&l To Tapllaras. which is the
Greek for ditch. It, width OF the bot
tom wa about ) meters and its depth
10 meters. Whether it served formerly
as "A great and towering fertilization OF
not, 1t certainly contained water enough
TO sal ships Of considerable burden.
Undoubtedly before the time of Christ
many ships used it as "a short cut across
peninsula between the two seas. The
bed Is now dry, except for a few stand
Ing pools, but it is said that the Oldest
can remember when. for sew
raj miles Ill the central part, there was
water 10 form a roadway for
lighter craft of the semibarbar8us
)eople. This Is accounted for BY the
act that ON time in the fifteenth cen
ury the canal was repaired.
The Russian government has Il project
arlar consideration Of opening up "A
,reaf waterway across the peninsula be {
ween the two seas. and his connection
With this scheme is what led the en-i g,
leer, Meluikotf. to inquire into the his
ory of the canal and attempt to explore !
Is wonders. Melnikoff writes in French !,
nd conveys a vivid description of tie I
Incient ruins. He has just written a /
,amphlet, and this contains i'll Russian :
full account Of all that is known and .
III that has been said about the canal in /,
he centuries since its construction. 1t s
Llso contains diagrams and illustrations
# the canal as it now appears.-Phila- I
Telegraph. /;
ra