The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-05-30
RAGUsh5 FAME
AND 5PLEND0R
IS FORGOT Ten
Adriatic Port of Austria Once
One of Richest Cities IN
All europe.

WASHINGTON. D. q. aiay %
-Ragusa IS an instance OF splendor
fed and fame forgotten" says q
statement issued by the National Geo
graphic Society today, dealing with
the dual monarchy's advanced Aedl-
terranean base, place that must win
new significance IN an Austro-Hun-
sarian-Italian struggle for control OF
The Adriat;c sea This little port
city, situated near the southern tip
OF Dalmar:a, among the. earliest OBJ
jectiyes of unsuccessful Montenesr1n
invasion, was once onecof the richest
cities of Europe, almost the Hamburg
or New York Of the world Of the mid
die ages. In the days of It's prosper
itS, its ships were found wherever Esu-
rope traded, and its merchants held
accounts scattered to the utternost
ends OF The earth familiar to the west.
But rhe gIories OF sRaSusa have
faded and dinmned, until today men
ton OF tEcomfng fromTthes war zone
stirs no memory, and awakeos no; In
terest in the minds OF the people OF
this country, very few OF whom have
ever had occasion even TO know its
name Yet -Ragusa was a brave.
wealthy, a persistent little republic
through many generations before the
discovery OF the American continentz
Like our great republic, Raguso was
an asylum for exiles OF whatever ma
ton. faith or politics: It was dem
ocratic in its tolerance long before
the French revolutionists made the
word freedom world wide fetish
Ragusa was a merchant state. con
cerned more with its wealth and its
commerce, than with politics or poll
cies.
..Ragusa, or, as it IS often called.
Little Venice was, in many ways,
model republic, though. miniature.
In the time OF its highest splendor 1t
did not possess more than 800 squares
miles OF area; but it endured through
all manner OF bitter trials; produced
energetic, prosperous citizens through
centuries; maintained stable and a.
wise government in ages when the.
country all around it was In frantic,
passionate unrest, and was as willing
ly the haven of the oppressed as IS
the United States today. And. like
the later republic, the United States,
the foreign policy OF Ragusa was al
ways a peaceful one; the enlightened
little state, wherever possible, sub
hitting its dicerences with other lands
to arbitration. Despite its peaceful
however, Ragusa we'll knew
how to. defend its interests. where
the course OF war was q necessary
one. Ragusan armies and Ragusan
ships nobIy preserved their country
in the midst of jealous: powerful en-
enaies. But Ragnsan diplomacy did
more; 1t preserved the state in the
face OF. oyerpowering conquerors-
-.The fortified castle OF a Roman
noble was the nucleus OF this famous
south. European city. Before the
avalanche OF barbarian. lHyaSion-
Avar hordes. according to most ;au-.
thorities, refugees from neighboring
Latin communities fed to the nob1es
stronghold and took refuge under the
shadow of its. walls. These refugees
brought and conserved the technique
and CIVILIZATION Of Greece and Rome,
and, in a short time,s=a town arose
around the castle, we'll buided and
toned. in the. seventh century.
"a colony of SIaEonian people
Joined the Latins.. and greatly ADDED
TO the city.s power for resisting the
encroachments of its hostile neigh
bors. Saracen, bulgarian, Bosnian.
Venetian and Servian wased relent-
less war with the little state, whfoh,
in. some cases, beat on its enemies,
and. in others. was forced to ack-t
uowiedge a certain dependency IT
never wholly surrendered dts srepuo-
l.can self government. howevkr,
though Constaninopde. Venice, Hun
gay, Bosnia and Servia were, at var
ious times recognized to degree as
oreriords-
.Ragusa today-1he- .gema city OF
the 9afediterranean-is an inconse-
quentdal seaport in the Austrian
crown land of Dalmatia. Every line
OF the quaint; little city is monu-
ment to the importance! and the pow
er that are flown. 1t is a medieval
town st:u walled in By heavy mason
ry, and still lowered. Ragusa is floor
ed with the faggngs Of the. middle
ages. Its shcmes and buildings are
ancient structures and over all is
reminiscence.
The town is bunded on rocks.
ridge that juts out into the Adriatic
sea Its harbor as small and III
adapted to the needs OF modern com
merce and the heavier vessels that
visit her anchor at Grayosas twin
city. situated on a deep, sheltered bay.
across the promontory, north OF Rag
usa. fonr miles distant Mostar. cap
ital of herzegovina, Is fifty miles to
the north northwest
-