The Washington herald., 1913-06-03

4
| Despite the adverse comment in Eng
lish journals. / insist and reiterate in
these columns that Chukri Pasha's de-
fence of AdrianSple for 15S days will go
down to posterity as one of the finest
feats of arms in the annals Of war. Not
only was the city inadequately garri-
soned and provisioned. but there was no
hope OF relief. Still Chukri Pasha stuck
to his guns until further resistance
meant merely needless sacrifice Of life
Adrianople is a greater event in Otto
man military history than the famous
siege Of Plevna in 1877, when Osman
Pasha defied the Russians IA days. but
finally surrendered Ton December l0)
with 5000 and 100 guns. owing to the
fact that provisions and ammunition
were running short. In the same year
Kara, long a bulwark of the Ottoman
empire in Asia was stormed by the Rus
SLAMS after a siege of five months. Twen-
ty-two years earlier the fortress had
been brilliantly defended during eight
months against the Russians by the
Turks under Gen. Williams, an Eng
lishman, who had but 1900 men against
at last to surrender owing to starvation
and cholera
A comparatively recent siege was that
OF Port Arthur during the Russo jap
anese war in l9O4-o5, which capitulated
after being blockaded by Togo for 20
DAYS; the name of Gen. Stoessel, the
defender. ranking with the greatest SOL
oilers of modern times, despite MS
court-martial.
During the South African Boer war
there were three memorable sieges-
LadysmIth 90 days., Kimberley tthe
same tine). and Mafeking Ola days., the
garrison in each case being relieved.
There is probably no siege which Brit
ishers like to read about so much as tnat
made by France and Spain In their
strenuous endeavors to capture the Rock
oT Gibra,tar uTTs-s3D Altogether the
siege lasted nearly four years. and, as
the world knows il resulted in triumph
for British arms. in spite OF the 1act
that the enemy numbered between
az ON and 80. 900 men. while the defenders,
being hemmed in on all SIDES coulo only
muster ZOO.
Tb. Stages of Delhi and Lucknow. dur
ing the Indian musny, are equally Ia
nous They differed. however, IN TINS
respect. that while Delhi was held oy
40 oao nutineers with $50 guns, against
1000 British soldiers with a total OF
twenty-five guns, Lucknow was IN the
reverse position, thousands OF reoeis pc
ing the besiegers of go troops unoer or
HENRY Lawrence. run
months This handful Of soldiers defied the
rebels and then came the historic relief
nv Hayelock, Outram. and Sir Collin
csmnbeu In the case OF Delhi. Tour
months passed before the British were
strong enough to regain an entrance to
the city.
There was Sebastopol. near which were
fought the battles of Balaciava the
charge Of the Light Brisade'D ana IN
herman, during the Crimean war, "nieh
held out eleven months against the
arm,es Of France and England and end
ing with the final evacuation by the
Russians.
Tho Franco- German war of 1s70-n also
WAS remarkable for its sieges- General
Razaine was shut up in Metz fifty-four
DAYS and finally surrendered to the VIC
tors. For this he had to submit 70
and was sentenced 10
twenty years Imprisonment but was
freed by the aid of his devoted wife.
Then came the siege of Paris, which
iastad sly months. Thousands Of shells
were rained upon the city every day by
the Germans. and no fewer than 5000 OF
the inhabitants succumbed to disease and
hunger.
Among other notable sieges are to be
mentioned that of Khartoum. In lS4.
which General Chinese" Gordon de-
Tended against the Soudanese for 800
laws. and which was surrendered to the |
Arabs under the Mahdi by treachery
when relief was close at hand. The long |
est siege in the American civil war was |
when the Confederates defended the town |
Of Richmond several months.
The ro4ernment OF midas experiment |
In publishing state-owned newspapers IN |
native dialects u . reminder that Dres- |
dem. The ospstal os sAxeny. u ons-ef 10