Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-03-03

The historic Dardanelles are again
to the front in connection with the
Russian-Japanesc war. The question
is whether the car shall he permitted
10 have the strong fleet now virtually
bottled up In the Blask Sea, pass
through the strongly fortified. marrow
strait so thai II can go to the aid OF
Russia's belcagured vessels In the
far East. OF the treaty powers af
fected. England will, of course, OBJ
ject, but France and Germany. II not
actually fayoring Russian designs. are
lukewarm ON the subject Turkey,
however. might conniye at stratagem
to let the ships get out The snltan's
guns and soldiers guard the passage,
but the sentries might go TO sleep
some dark night aud fail to observe
the silent movement Of The war yes
sells in the torluous channel.
The Dardanelles itself Is n little
over forty-three miles long aud is
from three TO four miles vide. but at
the narrowest part is not more than
1000 yards across This IL at point
guarded by Chanak kalcsi Castle,
where huge chains are used to bar
the passage The strait connects the
Sea Of Marmora with the Aegean. aud
IL supposed to be the key Of the Turk
lsh capital. This question of the pro
lection of ConstantiRople is the cen
lral fact kept In mind by all the treat
les governing The Dardanelles. Turk
ey has for centuries cuntended that no
warships should pass through the
strait without her permission She
had built the first defenses at its
southern end against the war galleys
OF the Nenetians, and these she closely
guarded England was the first pow
er to recognize Turkish rights in this
respect This was in 1903. and the
question was not raised again until
1893. when the celebrated Russo-Turk-
Ish treaty OF HunlSiar Iskeasi, signed
June &c. closed the Dardaneles to all
foreign fleets except those OF Russia.
The objection of the powers especial
ly of France and England was so great
however, that the treaty was abro-
gated. Matters thus remained until
1sil when Mehemet Ali was making
trouble for Turkey and France was
aiding him.
To keep the French fleet from men
acing Constantinople compact. call
ed the quadruplo treaty was signed
at London. formally closing the BAR
danelles TO foreign war vessels This
convention was signed by Engll and
Russia, Austria and Prussia and prob
ably saved Constantinople from iuvas
ion. A few years later. however
France discovered that the treaty was
an excellent arrangement to keep Rus
sian ships from menacing her south
ern shores at any time. and she alsc
signed rths, ,eqWpaefIar rdG1iifihesfy he
had signed convention 10 keep his
war craft immured In the Blacl, Sen
The Crimean war of 1S5i.56 cllnched
the matter. Nicholas l. was crushed
by coalition of the powers and was
compelled TO sign the treaty of Paris
throwing II open to commerce, further
declared that the Dardanelles should
remain closed to foreign men.of-war
This attitude was confirmed In 1871
and again in 1878. after Turkey had
been defeated by Russia The treaty
of San Stefano, signed March 3. 1878.
granted TO the Russian conauerors
many concessions, including the free
passage OF the Dardanelles.
The powers objected to the arrange
ments, fearing that Russia had ac.
quired preponderanee of power over
the northern Turkish provinces, which
might ultimately threaten CONSTANT.
nople and the approaches to the Black
Sea. After critical period of diplo-
macy the congress of Berlin was held
June ~ 70 July II, 1s7S-the result
being treaty that stripped Russia of
much OF the fruits of her victories
over the Turks. and further declaring
that the Dardanelles should remain
closed to war vessels
This treaty was signed by England.
France. Prussia, Austria Russia and
Sardinia. Thus the matter has re.
mained up 10 the present except that
In 1891 the porte and Russia reached
an agreement that ships of the vol
unteer fleet of Russia bearing the
Nag of The merchant marine shall have
free passage of the Dardanelles. but
mat Turkey must be notified should
these vessels carry comlcts or sol
diers.
year ago last January Great Brit.
ain protested when fom Russian tor
pedo boats from Cronstadt were per.
miied TO pass the strait 10 join the
Black Sea tleei. but none Of The other
powers took notice of the affair. II is
obvious that at this iunoture. when
Britaln's ally. Japan. is involved. Eng
lands protest against permitting Mus.
covite men-of-war to get out of the
Black Sea. VIII be of more strenu-
ons nature.
The Denver Republican has always