The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-12-24
THE DARDANELLES.
Famous Strip OF Water that is Often
Mentioned in Dispatches.

The national geographic society
of Washington, has prepared the
following descriptions of the Dar-
danelles and Austrian Galacia, which
are figuring prominently in the war
in Europe:
Keen political interest has center
ed around the Dardanelles since the
time when Persian strength was
tested upon the soldiers of free
Greece. Xerxes came this way with
his vast army for the invasion OF
Europe, and crossed the Dardanelles
then known as the Hellespont.
over poptoen bridge, constructed
near Abydos, on the Asiatic side, and
touching Grecian shores near Sestos,
where the waterway is about 5000
feet wide. 1t was on this occasion
that the capricious currents Of the
strait called forth the most historic
spanking ever given. They carried
away the pontoons, whereupon Xer-
xes ordered the Hellespont to be
soundly flogged.
Alexander, in 334 B. c., 146 years
after Xerxes crossed in the path of
the Persian and began his success
full subjugation of the outworn east.
The tide shifted once more, and
throughout the long struggle of By
zantium against the east, the Dar-
danelles were ever and again frontier
waters. At last, in 1856, the Turks
forced themselves over the much
contested boundary, spread over its
European banks, and settled down to
stay.
No longer a frontier of eastern
western struggle, the Dardanelles,
nevertheless, preserved their politi-
cal importance, an importance de-
rived, first from Turkish control Of
Mediterranean-Black sea commerce,
and, later, in which the great pow
ers of Europe sought to balance
themselves one against the other, and
each to make that balance contribute
to it's own advantage mighty Russia's
only ports upon warm water were
in her Black sea territory. Conven-
tions of the powers however, have
held her shut up fast within the in
land sea. For a century these con-
ventions have stood between Russia
and her ambitions to have an outlet
On the Mediterranean.
By a FIVE power treaty in 1S41, it
was arranged that no ship of war
of any nation other than the Otto
man, should pass the Dardanelles
without express permission Of the
porte. The closing of the strait was
reaffirmed at London in 1871, and
at Berlin in 1873. Even merchant
vessels must have passes, which
they are required to show to the au-
thorities at the narrows. Boats may
pass through only during the day.
time, yet they are required to pay a
small lighthouse fee.
The strait is a narrow, irregular
channel connecting the Aegean sea
with the sea of Marmora. 1t cuts
Europe from Asia on a course from
southwest to northeast. 1t is only
about As miles long, while it varies
in width from one to five miles. Its
average depth is $50 feet. Upon the
European side the shores are steep
and barren, and their inhospitable
line of battery-crowned rocks makes
the Dardanelles a place ior unusual
ly strong defense. The shores on
the Asiatic side are long-sloped and
very fertile; for the most part be-
ing clothed with beautiful forests.
The Dardanelles guard the ap-
proach to Constantinople from the
Mediterranean, as the Bosphorus
guards the approach from the Black
sea. They were first fortified by two
castles, one on either shore, in the
path of Xerxes and Alexander, built
by Mohammed II, in 1862. These
have been often remodeled. During
the last century, with Turkish power
apparently acquiescent, the remodel
apparently acquiscent, the remodel
ing and extending of the old fortifi-
cations was brought about by French,
English and German prodding as
temporary interests pointed toward
the Golden Horn.
The Southern Farmer.
The Southern farmer gets I'D aroused