Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1896-11-19
eRIsTLEs WITH FORTS.
No Less Than I15 Modern Guns Frown On
the DardanefIes-


Few places lend themselves SO readily
to the purposes of defense as the narrow
straits that separate the Sea OF Mar
mora from the Egean and are known
az the Dardanelles.
On either side of the narrow water
way nature seems to have conspired to
render difficult the passage of the in
vader. Nor has man been backward in
assisting her designs. By the erection
of works of defense along both shores
he has endeayored to improve by art
the natural capabilities of fireplace.
The first signs of Notifications that
meet the eye on entering the channel
are the twin forts of Sedd-ul-Bahr and
Koum-Kaleh, on the European and
Asian coasts, respectively, guarding the
entrance of the passage, which here is
about five miles broad. The old forts
at these points are stone buildings,
very much out of date now and contain
ing some ten or twelve Paixhan guns.
New batteries have been erected near
the old ones and mount ten Krupp guns
on the Asian and four Krupp guns of
% centimeters on the European shore.
This point passed, the channel widens
considerably before narrowing to its
least width, opposite the town of
Chanak-Kaleh, otherwise known as the
Dardanelles, from which the strait
takes it's name. This is the key to the
whole passage.
Here lie the chief works of defense
on either coast, which, by their mutual
defense, if properly manned, would rem
der a successful passage by fleet al
most impossible. On the right, or Asian
side, rise the works of Chanak-Kaleh,
consisting of a main redan, mounting
at least one Krupp gun of IS cent?
meters and an earthwork also armed
with Krupps. Close to these modern
works is an old stone castle possessing
nine bronze guns, which, with their
stone shot, are now more curious than
effective. In the town itself, which is
built on a fiat point and enjoys con-
siderable trade in wine and pottery, are
some large military magazines and
military hospital.
On the opposite coast is the old fort
of Kilid Bahr, at the foot of a steep hill,
its towers overlooked by the new fort,
built on higher ground and known by
the name of Fort Namazieh, a recent
work, and one of the greatest impoF-
lance, both from its position and its
armament, which consists of "a Krupp
guns of various calibers, the whole
work being supported by three bat
teries, each mounting four guns.
1t is difficult to imagine any place
more admirably suited for defense than
this exceedingly narrow part of the
channel, commanded as it is by works
armed with modern weapons, and TO
which an additional advantage is given
by turn in the channel which obliges
advancing vessels to slacken speed
when just opposite the forts. And,
once beyond this dangerous spot, sue
cess does not necessarily await the in
coming ship, which still finds many
forts, old and new, ready to open fire
on it from either shore.
On the European side are the Forts
of Deirmen-Bournou and Tcham-Bour-
nou, the former new, the latter old, but
with a newly-erected earthwork in its
vicinity; while further on lie Forts
Maitos and Bokhali-Kaleh and battery
Mt Kelia Tepe, all modern or modern
lied and mounting modern guns.
On the Asian shore beyond Fort
Chanak-Kaleh is Medjidieh Fort, with
Is Krupp guns, and this is succeeded by
Fort Kinseh-Kaleh, an old stonework,
and then By the Niagara group, consist
ing of an old fort with 81 guns, a new
earthwork with II Krupps, and two new
redoubts commanding the whole, and
each mounting eight guns.
This exhausts the list of batteries,
and it must be confessed that the array
of works is formidable one, and the
muzzles of no less than 60 Krupp guns
on one side and 4S on the other, all bear
ing on the channel, render it's success
full passage enormously difficult.
Along each shore a good road con-
meets the works, which are further
united by a telegraph line. There
is, however, one weak spot in the de-
Tense of the Dardanelles, which is
the exposure to attack from the
rear of the forts on the European side.
An army covered by a sufficient fleet
might, without much difficulty, land on
the coast of the peninsula, either in the
Gulf of Saros or on the coast opposite
the Isle of Imboe. Once established on
the peninsula it would be an easy task
to seize the earthworks on the European
shore of the Dardanelles, the gorges of
which are, as a rule, open, and offer
little resistance to attack from the rear.
With these commanding forts in his
hands. an enemy could subdue those on
the opposite coast sufficiently to cover
the passage of his fleet. To prevent this
a larger garrison and some good works
nre required il, the Deniusula but here
it is believed, want of money stands in
the way.-Boston Globe.
aeestnR rnEoDIrc