The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-06-14
ADR|AT|C SEA
WHERE HISTORY
IS REPEATED
OF ITALY INTO WAX
ARENA OPENS OLD THEATRE
OF CONFLlCT-ADRlATIC COAST
THE BATTLE-GROUND

Washington, June 13.-"Once more
the peoples upon the opposite shores
of the Adriatic sea are in a duel with
one another for the mastery OF the
Mediterranean-just as neighDors
across this arm of the land-locked sea
have always clashed-for upon the
Adriatic south European supremacy
has been contested since the days
when Rome fell heir to the sea power
of Athens and Carthage. Over this
waterway Rome met the pirates OF
Istria and Dalmatia, aggressive leu
tonic tribes and pressing hordes Of
Slavs; over it the empire OF the east
sent its expeditions to attack the en-
pire of the west; and Austria a gener-
alton ago waged war with a disinte-
grated Italy over Adriatic paths and
for the suzerainty of the sea-"
After giving the above brief review
of this historic theater for the trans.
port of invading armies and actions
of battle fleets youngest of the war
theaters in the present European
struggle around whose shores the ill.,
terest of southern European battles
will center through the months to
come, the bulletin issued today by
the national geographic society con-
tinues in a presentation of the geo.
graphic details of the Adriatic sea.
THE Adriatic sea is 500 miles long
and about $50 miles wide in its great
est width. 1t separates the Italian
and Balkan peninsulas as far as Brin-
| dist and the lower coast of Albania,
and ends at the Straits of Otranto, by
which it communicates with the lonian
sea. It's average width is 10 miles,
but the islands off the Dalmatian and
| Istrian coasts decrease this average
to about 80 miles The sea is very
deep. varying from 500 feet in the
north to more than 1000 feet in its
southern area.
Austrian Coast Rich
THE Austrian or eastern coast, is
very broken, strewn with fine harbors
and lined with numerous rocky is
lands, which belong to Istria and Dal-
malta. This eastern coast is of great
naval and commercial value, well
formed for the upbulding of great,
thriving trade ports, and, by reason
of its almost continuously mountain
Gus shores, its deep CULTS and bays,
and its screening fringe of rocky is
lands, advantageously defended. The
western or Italian coast, on the other
hand is low, sandy, and almost un-
broken 1t lacks good harbors and
offers few natural advantages for de-
fense.
THE commercial Importance of the
Adratic sea throughout the dark ages
and the middle ages was very great.
This importance was somewhat i'm
paired by the opening of the all-sea
route to India and by the determined
growth of the Dutch and English mer-
chant marines. With the opening Of
the Suez canal and the commercial
and industrial awakenening of Italy
and Austria-IIungary, the Adriatic re-
gained much of its old-time signifi-
cance. The most important CONNER
cial points are Triest, Venice, Fiume,
Ancona and Brindisi Venice and Triest
at the head of the Adriatic, are the
two foremost cities.
owing to the systems of screening
mountains, the Adriatic receives but
little drainage. There are only two
rivers of any considerable size that
empty into it, the Adige and the Pc.
The water of this sea therefore is very
salty. Navigation is generally safe,
although there are some dangerous
points upon the eastern coast and
sudden, northerly squalls often lash
the waters with terrific force against
the rock-bound coast.
"The principal CULTS of the Adriatic
are those of Manfredonia on the west,
Venice and Triest on the north, and
Quarnero on the northeast There are
numerous and admirable bay harbors,
eytending from Fiume and culminat I.
ing in the wonderful land-locked har.
bor the Bocche di Cattaro. The Straits
of Otranto, where Italy approaches
nearest to the Balkan mainland, is
forty-five miles wide. Here is the