The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-11-13

Constentinople he found the then
existing city to be too small for
MS imperial conceptions. He de.
termlned TO increase it forthwith.
4, accordingly he summoned his sd-
Vlsers and had them accompany
MIN !" determine on its new boun.
daries.
Leaving the city gates behind,
The party started on a circuitous
route the diameter Of which ap-
Peared to be constantly increasing.
Some of the courtiers, amazed al
the daring of the emperor and fear
ing lest he should undertake more
than was feasible. veptured to call
his attention to the fact that the
ground they had already encom-
passed was more than ample for
new capital. Constantine. how
ever, according to the story. paid
no heed to their words, but merely
pointed to lonely star that had
appeared suddenly, shining in full
daylight, to the wonder of all pres
ent. Not until the heavenly light
disappeared did the first emperor
OF Byzantium stop, and then the
founders realized that they had
covered an area about ten times
greater than that occupied by the
town.
The history of this famous local
lty cannot be understood unless the
extraordinary character of its Qe-
ogaph,csl position is present to
10 its cite. The glamor of Con
stantinople's imperial might is
rooted in its location. Nowhere
has the influence of geography on
history been so marked. It is
here that the possibilities of the
freest and widest intercourse blend
with the possibilities of complete
isolation. The city is both out Of
the world and much in it.
lt is the meeting point Of some
Of the most important highways on
the globe, whether by sea or bv
land. 1t also is the center around
which diverse vast and wealthy
countries lie within easy reach.
inviting commercial relation and
promoting extended political con-
troll.
Before it the peninsula of Asia
Minor, stretching like a bridge
across the seas that suuder Asia
and Europe, nsrrows the waters
between the two great continents
to a. stream only half mile across.
In this sense ConstantinopIe ia real.
~ A port Of Asia and partakes of
the greater range of traffic Of
which the traveller is sensible as
soon as he begins to advance up a
trunk road Of Asia Minor
In spite of all this. the
facility with which the great
world so near at haud can
ne excluded is remarkable. Ac-
cess to this point by sea is posi-
BILE only through the Dardanelles
on one side or the Bosphorus on
the other, and were both defles
properly guarded no hostile navv
could penetrate beyond the range
Of their guns,
The appearance Of the town it.
self to the tourist is that Of a, city
of contrasts. Within the streets
rhe lnexpressibly ugly features of
the Tartar descended from sons Of
the Asiatlc steppes can be seen
IN the same glance that is bestowed
on the classic couptenance of
Greek wayfarer. The nomad Arab
from Mesopotamian valleys may be
seen elbowiug freely the well.
groomed English or French pro-
moter stepping out of motor car.
AS one energies out Of the sub
way that connects the Galata and
Pera suburbs it is possible to meet
the iDcongruous spectacle Of cart
driven by two bul1ocks. Upon the
Bosphorus itself the most modern
ferry boat ever fashioned by TWEEN
tieth century skill may be seen
stopping to allow the passage of
tiny sailing craft that is the exact
counterpart of the pictures Of
Greek boats represented on thir.
teeuth century manuscripts
The casual stroller through the
town, proceeding, perhaps, along an
avenue the beauty of which re
minds one Of Paris, may by O. sud
den swerve TO right or left enter
a narrow street which for filth and
squalor might have been bodily
transferred from Moroccan
town.
At night, just as smartly uni
formed policeman is passed, one
may meet few steps further on
municipal watchman whose ori-
entail costume and heavily shod
cudgel brings up visions Of medic
val insecurity. In five minutes