The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-17

sist any attack made from the water
on its eastern front. His purpose was.
therefore. TO storm 1t from the land side
ON the West, and at the same time at
tack its water front. The Turks had
already 3rofited much by the discovery
of gunpowder and had made themselves
famous for their field artillery. But
they had no seige trains OF conse-
quence, and the want OF these was Sc
riousiy felt. Mahomet knew he could
never capture Constantinople unless he
could batter down her formidable de-
fences on the western front. The diff
Guilty was to provide this need. I'm
fortunately for the Christian cause, the
detection of one from their army solved
the difficulty for the Turk. founder
of cannon, Dacian or Hungarian. had
been badly treated In the Greek service,
and therefore deserted at this crisis to
the Turks and was literally entertained
by them. In an Interview with Mahomet
he was asked whether he could cast a
cannon capable of throwing a ball or
stone OF sufficient size to batter down the
walls of Constantnople His reply
was that. although he was ignorant of
their strength. IL they were more solid
than those of Babylon ITSELF" he could
oppose to them an engine of the requisite
power. Inc naughty Suitdn was cdeiS-
fed A foundry was Immediately estab-
lished at Adrianople, the metal supplied,
and at the end of three months the gun
was ready for use. This wondrous piece
of artillery is described by historians as
of "stupendous and almost incredible
magnitude; a measure of twelve palms Is
assigned TO the bore, and the stone bull
let weighed above six hundred pounds"
When the gun was first tested. the same
authority asserts that the Explosion was
felt or heard in circuit OF hundred
furlongs, the ball was driven above
mile, and on the place where it fell it
buried itself a fathom deep in the
ground" A reliable writer upon this
subject afiirms that he himself had seen
great cannon at the Dardanelles In
which fugitive from justice had con-
cealed himself several days, and that
he had measured balls twelve spans
round On one occasion "a stone bullet
eleven hundred pounds in weight had
been successfully discharged by three hum
dred and thirty pounds of powder to a
distance OF three hui bred yards" The
measure OF palm was from four 10
six inches. so that the reader can well
imagine the size of these guns and their
accompanying missiles.
SEALED THE FATE.
The construction of this formidable
piece or artillery sealed the fate of Con-
stantinople. Its preliminary trial was a
success. The Sultan was now exultant.
and he at once advanced to the siege OF
the doomed city. huge carriage was
constructed 10 convey the gun to its
scene of operations. Drawn by sixty
yoke of oxen, and attended by hundreds
OF men. the dreadful engine required two
months for its journey over one hundred
and fifty miles. We need rot dwell
upon the result. In due time the walls
of Constantinople crumbled before the
invaders power, and the Eastern capital
became the future seat of the Ottoman
Empire in Europe. After the Turk had
established himself I'm Europe, he pro-
ceeded to fortify himself in his newly ac-
quired capital. Towers were erected and
fortresses established at salient points
along its water fronts. Chief among
these were the two famous castles known
as the Dardanelles. which guard the en-
trance TO the strait OF that name. For
centuries these guardians of the Moslem
power have performed their functions OF
faithful sentinels. Christian powers OF
modern times have felt the weight of the
ancient stone missiles used by the Turk
in defence OF his Oriental stronghold
Admiral Duckworth. of the British navy,
could testify to the formidable quail
ties OF these ancient defences were he
now living to recount the vigor of their
prowess. Indeed. until the American
frigate was allowed the privilege of an
chorng within the Golden Horn, when
Commodore Elliott received these historic
cannon balls on board the Constitution, ii
Is said no foreign war ship for nearly
four centuries had ever polluted by her
presence the sacred waters of SIAM
boul.
In view OF these facts. the big balls
that now adorn our public armory should
command the respect of those to whose
care they are entrusted. From what
has been seen. they must be nearly -FOUR
hundred years old. their age and mill
tary fame should at least protect them
from the ruthless hand OF street brawl-
ers and devotees of Bacchus; and rather
recommend them as "stones OF worth
the "hallowed relics" OF strange
eventful history" W. T. T.