Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1913-01-03

|" HE present struggle with Tur-
key calls ones mind back TO
an earlier world when all the
countries now engaged in fore
ible disputations we're includ-
ed In the Byzantine empire, which Is
also popularity known as the Greek en-
pire, and was founded In 295 A. D..
when Theodosius the Great at his
death divided the Roman empire be-
tween his two sons, one Of whom. Ar
cadius, was the first emperor OF the
Byzantine empire. This empire last
ed for more than 1000 years Its cap
ital was Byzantium, now CONSTANT
nople. Its greatest names are Justin
ian, who reigned from 527 to sos. and
Leo the Isauriap. who seized the
throne In TIC. During the succeeding
ages there were constant struggles
with the Saracens and the Bulgarians.
1t was In the eleventh century that
the Byzantine empire was threaten
ed and its power broken by the Seljuk
Turks. In 1904 the French and the
Venetians captured Constantinople.
and there was period of western rule
for nearly 50 years The Turks first
made a permanent settlement In Eu-
rope by the taking of Gallipoli In 1854.
In 1861 the Sultan Amurath took
Adrianople, and made 1t the seat OF
government. ultimately CONSTANT
nople was captured by Mohammed H.
on May 20, 1883, when the Byzantine
empire came to an end. From that
day to this the Turkish empire in
Europe has been q well-established
fact, with many dramatic chapters, the
last of which may perhaps be told
in our day.
History Of Ada-kaleh.
One of the oddities of Turkish his
tory is the possession by the Ottoman
Turks of an island in the Danube. It
lies Just where the southwest of Hun
gary nears Roumania and Servia. This
little island fortress OF Ada-Kaleh is
Turkish territory, its inhabitants are
Turks, who are naturally under the
jurisdiction of the sultan. yet the fort
ress on the island belongs to Austria
Hungary, who provideds the garrison
The island, which is Of great strategic
Importance, is situated In the middle
of the Danube, Just where it flows
through high cliffs about half an
hours journey from the Iron Gates
In the center Of the island is the Turk
ish settlement with its Oriental shops
and coffee houses. These coffee houses
are the scene of considerable life. es
pecially on Fridays. the feast day
of the Mohammedans. Though the ia
bles are thickly thronged. there is ne
noise; little conversation Is INDUCED
in, most of the men merely quietly
smoking their long pipes or drinking
their Turkish coffee. Pretty girls iii
about. maidens as yet unveiled. will
henna-reddened fngernails and flower
in their hair. From the minaret OF thu
masque floats the Turkish flag.
Ada-Kaleh has had an interesting
history, and played an important par
in the Turkish wars of the seven
teenth and eighteenth centuries. Whel
Ludwig the Great thought Of erectinl
a fortress at Orsova In 1871 the qres
|. ton of the island was considered. bu
was rejected. leaving 1t to 1t
primeval forest, which served as
hiding place for robbers and river D
rates. But in the year 1857. when tn
Turks were driven back from "
emma and pursued by Karl Of LothriI
gen and Sobiesh Of Poland. thes
two great commanders we're struc
by the position of the island and r
: dered It to be fortified.
An interesting figure In the Balka