Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-26

brigands. who found easy shelter aii, ,,'s
the mountains on either side, IRON VIZ
they descended on the passing 49, t',
caravans and travellers. ana eithei ~
them or carried them or for ransom. ~
road into Arta crosses n bridge OF re-
markable construction. rising al a s,ialp
angle from either bank necesslta,. - ~
the sudden floods coming down durhs ~ c,,-.-
rainy season and the melting SHOWS. ine
northern end Ga now occupied by the
Greek outposts, and the southern ny '"0
Turks
In Arta the Archaeological VIII ma inucfi
TO attract him. There are remains Vi .no
ancient walls, supposed 10 De VI 'nS
cyclopean period, and. as the cap p.s' -
Pyrrhus, IL has great historic ln'ei 81 ,ss,
Since it's cession 10 the GREEKS III 100
Arta has improved considerably, so Ia.
as trade and security are coneerheu' pus t
II is hampered by the want Oh i's o'-
outlet TO the sea along the cause"as
through Turkish territory at Saiashoia
on the Gulf OF Arta.
Before arriving at the bridge OF ARA,
a road branches of across the pam ~
Prevesa, at the entrance 10 the gun -
is in the country that the Turkish force
on this Greek Epirus rontler Is a.
sembled. IL Is not likely, however that
be ATTEMPTED bv the Turks. The inhabl-
tants must now be well supplied WIN
arms and ammunition, smuggled IN Win
out difficulty along the stretch OF coast
between the Kalamas and PreVesa, from
Corfu and from the other creek lslaiiu7'
Cut of from the sea, TURKISH Iofce III
Lower Epirus with the country III arms
behind it would be isolated at the very
outset of the campaign. ana, IN a coun
try the resources OF which have been al
most entirely destroyed, would be starved
into surrender. Arta runs httie
danger of being taken in the rear; lor
no Turkish force would care TO venture
down the Valley of the Aspro -potamos'
the White river 0he ancient Acheous),
between the Plndus and the Djoumerka
range that leads down into the heart OF
Acarnania. unless the Greeks were swept
entirely out of Thessaly, and all the
mountain roads were In possession OF the
Turks a thing not likely to occur In All
the past instructions these mountain
regions were practically unconquered.
OF the coast towns OF Epirus. Parga has
been made noted by the terrible massa-
ere Of its population at the beginning OF
the century. after they had captulated
under promise that their lives would De
SHARED. and were waiting to go on DOaru
the foreign ship held ready 10 take them
away. All the region Of Epirus sent
numerous contingents to the Greek army
IN 1881, which on account OF their hgnt-
ing qualities and costume. which Is the
same as that Of the Greek Evzone resl-
ments. were incorporated In those corps.
When the occupation Of the Arta DIS
trict. the first handed over by the TURKS
in 1891. took place. they composed large
part of the Greek corps OF occupation
and when they found out that their own
homes were not included In the territory
to be taken over their attitude became so
threatening that. by order Of Sir Edward
Hamley. president of the international
boundary Commission, they were sent
back into Greece from Menidhi, near
Aria. whence the FIRST advance TOOK
place.
The Gulf OF Arta, known in ancient
fines as the Ambracic Gulf, ana the
neighborhood of it's entrance have Deeh
the scene Of many notable events IN MS
tory Prominent among them was the
battle Of Actium. But, like the rest OF
the territories of the Roman empire after
the fall. Epirus was wasted ana depopu-
lated by the successive barbaric invasioAs,
the last of them being the Turkish. In
the interest Of civilization and the peace
OF the world the sooner all the Eastern
Adriatic coast is taken from the Turk
and placed in other hands the better,
more especially Central and Northern
Albania. 1t would take many years OF
peace to bring back even thithe OF the
ancient fertility Of these countries, Dut
il is to be done and ought TO be begun.
Under the rule OF the Turk, and as things
are. ii is impossible. Epirus is, above
an the provinces Of European Turkey, a
living example of the truth of the pro-
verb that where the hoof of the Turks
steed has passed, the grass ceases TO
grow"