Norwich bulletin., 1915-01-15
THE WAR PRIMER By National Geographic Society

"Caucasia is a potrouri of races, tongues and religions. NoWneFe else in the world can one find on g, similar area so many types of peoples so many languages and dialects. so many religions and sects thereof, as in tnls Russian government where the troops of the Tsar and those of the Crescent are continuing their generations-Iong but mortal feud. The Caucasus. for the most part, stretch above fruitful flowed their way has left eddies with in their closed, worid-isoiated valleys
 "'The cosmopolitanisul of New York is provincial compared with the mag nificent, regardless confusion of Cau- caSian peoples. There are some seven ty dialects strange to the West spoke1 within it's boundaries, while business, touring engineering and other. techni- ques bring most of the other languages in. Tn this modern Babel dwell Gseorgians, !Ineritians, Chevsurs' Lazes Mingrelians, Pshavs, SEanit- tians, Abllhasians, Circassians, Kabar- dians, Ossetes, Avars, Cheehinzes, Jews, Russians, of several varieties, Daigs Lesghians, kazy-kumyksk. Tush,. Ingush, Greeks and others of the Occident. Caucasia, indeed, may be said to be 2, place pre- -eminently de- voted to ianguage-all kinds and com- plexions- of speech being native there in bewildering richness.
 ''Caucasia is the broad, stocky isthmus which, extending from the southeast corner of Europe to Asia, divides the Black and Caspian seas. It's area. is about 1S0.000 square miles, or more than four times larger than the state of Ohio. It has good ports upon both the Black and Caspian seas, Batum on the one and Baku on the other. The famous Apsheron penin- sula, is one of the richest of the worlds oil fields, and, in general, the Caucasus is the mineral treasury of all the Russias. The grain, grazing and fruit lands of this government are very bountiful, and could be turned into the richest of garden and farm ing spots with a little modern care. Coal is produced. Among the sores TOW mostly developed for commerce are copper, manganese, mercury, suI- pllur, iron, cobalt and salt.
 "Europe'S barrier against southeast ern Asia. the Caucasus Range. stretches across the middle lands of Caucasia. dividing the government in to CiscaEcasia and Transcaucasia. In the mountainous central region is to be found some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. The mountains are heavily forested. and upon their lodges and within their locked valleys survive some Of the most primitive of all white people. All varieties of climate occur in this land of variety, rom the UlCteF sharp seasons or the heights to the everlasting tropical weather of the fig and date tree land The fauna also shows a wide range from the common European species of wild animals to the leopard and the tiger.
 The population of Caucasia is most ly agricultural in it's pursuits. It is backward. and for the most part be- yond an abundance of grains and fruits has no other desires. Naturally therefore. the industries Of modern life have only made negligible beginnings The natives make harness, rugs, weel- 1n clOa&s, leather articles trimmed Tith artistic silver designs, and a fair sood wine. There is further q 'arge oil refining industry. The growth If industrial life is held back by an almost entire lack of transportation facilities. While railroads connect This, the capital and distributing cen ter with the chief ports. Batum and Ballu, the greater part of the land is neither accessible by train nor even by plausible wason-roads.