Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-08-26
THE. WAR PRIMER
BY National Geographic Society

NothynIas into which German out
posts near Vladimir volynsk have Just
penetrated. is now in the position of
a buffer state between the rich Rus
sian province to the east and the first
lines of Teutonic invasion from Galicia
over the southeastern reaches of the
Bug River This war theater, which
lies across the path of any attempted
advance upon Kief, forms the subject
OF sketch issued today by the Ma
tional Geographic Society. The war
primer reads:
"Interposed between the fat lands Of
the Little Russians, in the south, and
the fiourishing metropolis of Kief is
a stretch of comparatively poor and
undeveloped country included in the
Russian givernmeht OF VoIhynia- There
is poverty. dreary neediness to be
found in this country, lack Of de-
velopment and of primitive organiza-
ton. such as the traveller finds dupli-
Gated when off the beaten tracks in the
Caucasus. There is thin soil, and
swamp, and marsh, muddy lakes and
forests everywhere. Especially Diff
ficult. from a military point of view.
Is the northern part Of the government,
where the water-soggy earth and
tangled forests slope into the impas-
sable sloughs of the Pripet swamps.
Goth Germans and Russians may en-
deavor to make the same use of this
\
the Masuren lakes.
''Volhynia has 27,7o0 square miles
of area. Its northeastern part is in
cluded in the region of Poliessie,
spongy land. floating land and swamp.
The southern division OF the govern
ment, from the Galician borders west
to Kief. is roughly hilly and cut by
deep river valleys. A broad highland
from the Carpathians stretches over
this part Of the province, to Kief and
the Dnieper River. The highest points
in this hill country reach height of
1900 feet, while in the west, reaching
almost to Kovel, ranges of hills are
scattered. reaching heights betwea1
700 and 900 feet.
The climate in the north is un-
healthful. Astounding in swamp fevers
and mosquitoes. Throughout all the
Consequence. no important foundations
and merely a primitive agriculture
The principal cities for the whole gov
eminent are Zhitomir, the capital
Lubno. kovel, Vladimir Volynsk
Kremenets, Lutsk, Ostrog. Rovno
Zaslatl, Ovruch, not one OF which
overreaches the importance of q viii
lage. More than half the country OF
the north. just to the south and the
east OF Brest Litovisk, is 8 bewilder-
ing maze Of dense forest growth, and
much of the remaining area is fever
swamp and stagnant, sedge-filled lake
The soils in the south are good, but
agriculture has been but slightly de-
veloped. Some % per cent of the land
OF the south is under tiliage.
%In this backward, lean and ILL.,
favored country, manufacturing In
dustries have hardly obtained q modes,
foothold. Some sugar and tobacco is
manufactured here. There are also
q few factories for the output OF ag-
ricultural machinery. wooden textiles
glass and leather goods. Considerable
villages, the fabrication OF goods
through the time OF winter imprison-
ment when the only other means fol-
earning q living is the feiling and
preparing of fuel wood in the\ denst
forests. This home industry produces
wood carvings. parQuetry. amber
carvings, and the making Of coarss
lace. Many kegs OF frozen mush-
rooms from this region reach the
great lenten markets Of Russia every
year. Amber is found. and some GOA
Der and firewood forms one or the
most profitable Industries, and one
which occupies the peasant during the
long winters, whenS otherwise, com.
plete inaction would be enforced
Little and White Russians form
the greatest part Of the population Of
the government, and. In che southern
parts. there was q large sprinkline
OF German peasant cofonfsts. The
lands OF this government have beer
Inhabited by Slars from remote autiQ-
| usty. Some of the small towns stu
battling for existence on their ancient
sites were founded in the 9th century
The government is q poor and din.
| cult field for the modern army"