The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-27

OF Thessaly, to the west to Trikkala,
station on the railroad from Volo to Aegin-
ion, through the valley of the Lethaios;
10 the southwest to Karditza, TO the south
TO Pharsala, LAMA, the Pass of Their
mopylae and Athens road which would
play great part In any Graeco-Turkish
struggle, unless the German advisers of
the porte should think lit to utilize any of
the mountain tracks which unite Thessaly
with the Gulf of Corinth, and traverse
the ancient Locris to the west of Parnas-
sus-perhaps a somewhat improbable con-
tingency. To the east a good road runs
to Nolo. As the railway to Athens by
LAMA, Livadia, and Thebes Is not yet fin
ished, all supplies for Larssa are at pres
ent sent by sea from the Piraeus to Nolo.
Five tracks run from Elassona to Lars
sa. That usually used as a post road runs
from ElassOna to the east to the village or
Tsaritsani, crosses the Pass of Milouna
at the hight of S67 meters (2,700 feeD above
the sea, the crest of the pass being in
Turkish territory, and at the village OF
Turnavo (seven hours, or twenty-one
miles from Elassona) energies into the
ThesSalian plain, crosses the Xerias by
bridge, and runs southeast to lariSSa,
distance Of three and half hours (teh
and a half miles,. The rise from Elias
soma to the crest of the Miouna pass is
about 1900 feet, and the road is well com
manded by higher ground TO the north
east within Turkish territory which forms
one Of the buttresscs of the spuruof Mount
Olympus. A far easier track, however,
runs southeast from Elassona along the
valley OF the Xerias to. the village OF
Damasi the last village in Turkish terri
tory. Here the road traverses "A short
defile, commanded to the north by the hills
leading to the MilOuna pass, to the south
by the isolated peak of Sldero Poulouka
(5l6 meters) 1888 feet above the sea, both
of which are In Turkish territory, and
finally energies into the Thessalian plain,
the front being so drawn as to leave an
ample space of fiat land In which a force
debouchng from the gorge could form up
without trespassing on Greek territory.
Hence the road runs down the Nerias val
ley to Turnavo where il rejoins the road
from the Milouna A horse track running
across the Milouna range from Damasi to
Turnavo would afford a means of avoiding
the gorge of the Xeras, such as 1t is
In all the region of the north of the Pc
neus, the higher peaks are formed Of
crystalline rocks. the lower of cretaeeoIs
or schistous strata The plains, which
are singularly level, are formed of lacus-
trine deposits. The tracks leading from
Damasi to Turnavo will permit the Turk
ish army to avoid the famous gorges of
the Salamvria, in which may sympathlz-
ers with the Greeks appear to put their
trust A horse track running south from
Damasi through the narrow gorge which
separates the peak of Sldero Poulouka
from the low hills which divide the small
| er southeastern plain of Thessaly from the
larger one on the southwest, soon across
the Turkish frontier, and at Zarkos joins
| the Larissa-Trikkala road, which tra-
verses the defles Of Salamvria. These
dehles are bordered by steep precipices
| of a reddish conglomerate of miocene
| origin, broken into towers. pinnacles aud
needles and covered with clumps of planes
| and tufts of oleander. Undoubtedly their
| passage would present serious difiicul-
| ties to an invading army, but, unfortd-
| nately for the Greeks, the presence Of an
| easier road through the Xerias renders
| it unnecessary for a Turkish army ever
| 10 set foot in them.
Further to the west, about four hours
| twelve miles) above Damasi, a track
| branches off to the southwark from the
| Elassona-Damasl road. and mounting to
| the watershed between the Xerias and
| Lethais, which here forms the Turkish
| Green frontier, crosses the hill at a hight
| of about 700 meters (2,0O0 feeD, or prob
/ ably, somewhat less, and continuing
southwark cuts at right angles across the
| various roads leading from Larissa 10
| Trikkala and Karditza, thus affordiRg an
| easy means for a Turkish detachment 10
| make a diversion into the heart of Thes-
| sally. This road can also be reached by
| a track leading from Kosani, on the Mon
| astir post road, within easy reach by road
| of the Salonica- Monastir railway at Ek-
sisy. A force could thus reach Trikkala
| from Monastir without passing through
| ElassOua