The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1913-02-18

Few cities in the world have seen
more bloodshed than Adrianople, one
of the chief centers of interest in the
Balkan war. Rome itself cannot
boast a more bellicose atmosphere.
Its battlements have Withstood the
crude instruments of primitive war
fare. Against its massive walls have
ratified the rocks of the catapult and
against it's gates the battering ram;
from the chink holes of it's towers
have darted the arrows of barbarian
fighters and its deep moat has been
clogged with the bodies of savage
warriors. It's drawbridge has clank-
ed across the ditch for the entrance
of the medieval knight on his swift
charger, while hordes Of wanderers
from the far north have SWarmed
about its ramparts. On the plains at
its feet the mailed giants from Rus
STA and light armed soldiers from the
south have clashed in desperate COM
bat. 1t has been attacked and de-
tended by almost every implement OF
war. Where the catapult, swinging
huge rocks, once stood now stands
the Krupp and the Creusot, belching
forth their deadly missiles. Where
a stark-haired Tartar once fought
with shield and sword, matching skill
with the enemy in hand-to-hand
struggle, now crouches his swarthy
faced descendant with rapid-tire
Maxim, pouring his leaden respects
into the body of a creeping Balkan
a thousand yards away. Such seems
to have been the history of Adrian
ople. Every mention of it in the
histories is in connection with war.
Judging by recorded events the city
has started out defending itself
against somebody who wanted to get
inside the gates and has been con-
stantly at it ever since.
Resisted the Goths.
At Adrianople the declining Ro-
man empire received one of its Sc
verest jolts when, in 378, the Goths
shattered into ruin the imperial
army. Valens, emperor of the east
ern empire, was slain, and with him
lay dead the count of the palace, 35
generals and 10000 officers and men.
Such was Adrianople's introduction
to the gentle art OF warfare. How
ever, in this particular battle the city
did not fall. The Goths, unable to
take the city, passed by it and pour
ed down the Thracian promontory to
to Constantinople. The oncoming
host of victorious warriors gazed in
silent dismay upon the great city and
its massive Notifications, and, aban-
doning their siege train, which they
had gathered for the assault, retreat
ed inland This is a point worth no.
ticing. The Goths failed to take
Adrianople, and in turn failed to take
Constantinople. No army that has
ever failed to capture Adrianople has
been able to take Constantinople.
Barbarian InvasiOns.
In the fifth and sixth centuries the
city witnessed continual conflicts be-
tween the Roman forces and invad-
ing Huns, Slavs and Avars, the lat
ter Tartar horde from which the
present Bulgarians are descended, In
TIT the Saracens laid siege to Con-
stantinople but were attacked from
behind, and at Adrianople were de-
cisively defeated with loss of 22,-
900 men. Again was the future cap
ital of the Turks saved by an issue
fought at Adrianople.
Several times during the 9th and
10th centuries it was taken by the
pagan Bulgarians and retaken by the
christian emperors of Constatinople.
In the year 1000 Samuel, Bulga-
rian, laid waste to- all the country
of Thrace, carrying desolation to the