The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-22
BRIEF HISTORY OF CRETE
Existence of the Island Has Been a
Most Troublesome One.

The harbor of Canea is protected bv 2
weil-preserved fortress. one side of which
extends down to the edge of the water
says the Chicago Chronicle. The easrerr
s;de of the fort is about 1500 feet long
the southern side 2,4O0 and the western
/ side 1900. These walls are protected by
Tour ramparts. two of which face the
! valley and the other two the sea and the
whole Is surrounded by a. deep and wide
ditch The northern side of the city Is
/ built down to the harbor. which is partly
protected by a chain of rocks hardly Wis
ible above water. Upon these rocks is a
wall 1,lS0 feet long. in the middle of which
/ Is a strong rampant. At the eastern end
! OF this wall is tower with lighthouse.
I the light being visible u miles away AT
the western end there is a fortress with a
few old-fashioned guns. Although the
5arbor of Canea is larger than that of
Gambia o. Retimo, it is shallow and can
accommodate only small vessels. Large
ships usually anchor in the Bay of SCUBA,
which is divided into upper and lower
bays.
The harbor of SCUBA is. strictly defined.
the upper bay being five miles long and
one mile and three-quarters wide with a
depth of 45U feet On small island at the
entrance of the harboT is a fortress with
u Krupp guns. On the southern shore of
yard of Turkey. 1t is in this harbor that
most of the European men of war sent
to Crete find safe and comfortable
anchorage.
CANEA THE CHIEF CITY.
The city of Canea, being the seat of the
governor general has clean streets. fine
houses and some public buildings of con-
siderable pretensions, such as the gov
ernors headquarters and the court house,
both of which are of modern construction.
The military hospital, two armories and
the health office are also fine structures.
The population of the city is estimated
at 1900. of whom 4,750 are Greeks and
$500 Turks: l6O Israelites and 200 Roman
Catholics. Nearly every European gov
eminent is represented by either a consul
or "A consular agent. Most of these rep
resentatives live in the small town of
Halepa, about half an hours walk from
Canea.
Halepa became quite famous on ac-
count of the well-known treaty of 1878
that was signed there by the Cretan
plenipotentiaries and the sultans ENJOYS.
pomegranate and almond trees, COM
handing an excellent view of Halepa and
the country around it, there stands the
famous Ottoman tower of Halepa. built
by the Janizaries. Ii is well fortified and
has been a refuge for Turkish families
in revolutionary times.
The Turkish quarters of Canea are
around the Spanzia square 1t was i'm
possible for a Christian to pass through
the square without being attacked by the
Mussulmans. 1t is here also that the Mo-
hammedan families gather in the even
ing for recreation. They sit on wooden
Arab musicians of Canea.
At present there is no man more trust
ed by the Cretans than the grand old
man of Crete, old Costa Veloudakes. the
president of the revolutionary
assembly and a scion of one of the Oldest
families of the island He has just cele-
brated his 95th birthday He has taken
part in every revolution on the island
during his time. In the eight-year revo-
luton of 1871 he was at the head of a
strong Cretan force, having distinguished
himself by CELEBRATING IS Cretan women
held in bondage in Turkish fortress. !
He is a man of few words. but whenever !
he speaks his utterances carry great I
weight. His courage is proverbial At /
the battle of the Fountains in 1866 he was |
fighting beside his two sons when a bull |
let killed one of them. Without finch |
ing. he gave orders to carry the dead from |
the field. He continued Sighting until |
the enemy was repulsed. Il 1878 he was !
proclaimed commander-in-chief OF all the !
forces on the island. and |
was subsequently, selected with two other /
-retans to proceed to the German cap
tal. during the drawing of the Berlin |
reaty, TO lay before the representatives of |
he powers the claims of the Cretans.
POPULATION OF THE ISLAND.
Until few years ago the population of