Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-08-15

one, either wholly or partly, are still 10
be seen.
The moat Is from sixty three TO sixty
five feet wide. AS It Is now partly MI
ed with mould. its original depth cannot
be stated with certainty but near the
Marmora, I'm front of the Golden Gate,
its depth to-day is more than thirty-two
feet. It's present function. for nearly
its whole length. Is that of a series or
profitable vegetable gardens. The moat
is also divided into many rectangular
sections by transverse walls, Work
rendered necessary by the declivity OF
the ground to prevent the water from
running into the valley.
In these walls there were formerly
fourteen gates. seven of which were
public gates, and the other seven were
military gates. One of the most inte-
resting and important OF the public gates
TO keep up communication with the out
side world was the Edirneh Kapus, or
Adrianople Gate.
After descending the valley and cross
ing the river Lycus. which IS. however.
now but small stream, it is evident
from the battered state OF the walls and
of both lines OF towers that here the
city has been subjected TO some Of its
scyerest and most successful assaults.
Close at hand IS the Top Kapusi, or the
Cannon Gate, so called because il was
here that Mohammed, in the last great
siege Of 1853, placed his largest cannon,
which discharged both stone and iron
balls of enormous size and weight. Some
of these balls may be seen even to-day
lying in the moat and placed above the
gates.
The real name of the Cannon Gate IS
the Gate of st. Romanus. Near IT, on
the fatal morning Of May %, 1883. Con-
stantlne Kill, the last Of the Greek en-
perors. made his final stand, and fell.
fighting TO the end. And an hour or two
afterwards the victorious Mohammed
passed through this gate and entered,
triumphant, into the great and beautiful
city.
over one OF the public gates little 70
the north Of the Selivri Kapusi IS some
what Wanting Latin inscription. which
reads in English thus by the COM
mand OF Theodosus Constantinus
placed these strong Notifications in their
position I'm less than two months. Scarce
~ would Pallas herself have built
fortress so strong i'm n time so short
Most of the gates and some OF the
towers bear like inscriptions I'm Greek
and Latin TO commemorate victories or
reconstructions. One reads: 1.-THE for
tuno OF Constantnus. our God-pro-
tected sovereign, trlumphs." And an
other: "John Palaeologus, Emperor in
Christ"
There IS. perhaps not more beautiful
and comprehensive view of the land
ward walls than that which presents it.
self TO one who, having walked from the
Selivri Kapusi about a quarter OF a mile
towards the MarmOra, turns and looks
back upon his path. The gaunt and
defiant line of towers, so white where on
the horizon they meet the dark clump of
stately expresses. IS ineXpressibly beau
tful in the sprngtime. when the air is
laden with the fragrance Of the earth
and the scent OF the neighboring sea-
for tower and wall and counterscarp are
all clothed with the first fresh pink and
snowy bloom Of almond-trees, acacias,
and Judas-trees. the laburnums "droop-
ing wells Of golden fire." and the early
green Of the clinging ivy.
NEARING THE END.
And now we are nearing the end Of the
long line. Viewed from the northwest
ern aspect, the citadel of the seven
towers, the continuation of walls to the
seacoast, the deep lapis-lazuli blue Of
the Marmora itself with the purple
mountains Of Bithynla beyond. combine
TO form a strikingly lovely and impress
sive picture. Six OF the seven towers
remain. one having been thrown down by
the great earthquake OF 1868. Like the
Bastile and tho Tower OF London. for
many a long year under the Turks this
Imperial castle fulfilled an analogous
function as a State prison
Time was when. on the outbreak or
declaration of war, the Sultan threw
foreign ambassadors into these towers,
and their names are still to be seen,
carved on the dungeon-walls. Even the
ambassador of Russia suffered this indlg-
nifty at the hands OF the Sublime Porte
The last example OF such insOlent
treatment was so late as l79S-not yet
a century ago-when the French ambas-
sador at the Porte was imprisoned In
this citadel. In the strong days Of the
Japissaries more than one dethroned
Sultan was brought here 10 prison and
TO death; and the battlements Of tho
towers have many n time ministered 10
the exhibition of the heads OF grand
vizlers and other not more fortunate
victims.
The Hottest towers are about two hum
dred feet high. From their SUBMITS
there IS one Of the finest views to be OBJ
tanned. even In COnstantinople. Look
ing far 20 the south over the deep blue
OF the Marmora the Arganthonlan noun
tain range OF Bithynia is visible until It
loses itself in the sea on the right, to-
wards the Dardaneles; and over the
serried heights Of those purple noun
tains that snowy mass. Ike a furled and
sleeping cloud. Is surely none other than
the broad and hoary peak Of the Mysian
Olympus. at whose feet nestles the beau
tifu and many-mosqued Brusa.
There was originally near the Golden
Gate a citadel built outside the walls
on the seashore. At that time and for
many centuries-until the final capture
of the city-the Golden Gate VAS the
first. or nearest, military gate to the
sea of Marmora. and after the manner
OF the Old Rome. constituted n great
triumphal arch for the Imperial pro-
cessions 20 enter into the city on all oc-
caslons of civil or military Importance
The central of the three archways Of
the inner gate-the small Golden Gate
was dedicated TO the use OF the Emperor
| alone. The names imply that these
beautiful marble gates were decorated
with ornaments of gold.
ON both sides of the Golden Gate
sculptures representing classical SUBJ
iects. such as the Labors OF Hercules.
adorned the walls And the two flank
ing towers OF marble give this noble
structure almost the same appearance
to-day as il represented fifteen centuries
ago. But the present citadel OF the
Seven Towers was built by Mohammed
III. after the capture OF Constantinople.
to strengthen his conquest and form a
chief garrison for the Janissartes. IL