Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1915-03-06

B present war, has probably seen
more battles fought under its
walls, and experienced the surge,
shock and eddies of war more often
than am other city in Europe. Its
whole story is one of conflicts Of races,
religions and governments, says bull
letin of the National Geographic So
ciety.
Belgrade has more than two thousand
years of history, and has had some
seventy generations of seldom-idle
warriors. An important key to the
Balkan lands on the north; a point
dominating the traffic between the up
per and lower Danube; at one time an
outpost of Roman power; at another
time considered the key to Hungary;
for five luckless centuries situated on
the borderland between Moslems and
Christians, and now Slovenian out
post, Belgrade never since it's founda-
ton has been able to feel any certain
ty about the morrow's peace.
The Servian capital was founded in
the third century before Christ upon
triangular, rocky promontory at the
confluence of the Save and Danube
rivers. 1t lies opposite the Slovenian
town of Semlin, in Hungary. Upon
one side the Danube, here about two
thousand three hundred feet wide, d.
vides it from Hungary, while the Save,
1850 feet wide, bounds another foot
Of the triangle. The ground Of the
city Is an unsymmetrical razorback,
sloping abruptly to the west and more
gently to the east. At the apex of
this triangle is chalky cliff 200 feet
high, which overlooks and guards both
rivers.
CeIts Built First Fortifications.
The Celts built the first fertilization
On this strategic rock. They called 1t
Singidunum. The Romans were the
next possessors, and they added to the
city's strength The Roman empire
fell to pieces, and Belgrade became a
battlefield for many races converging
from every quarter of the compass
Huns, Samatians, Goths and Gepids
were, in turn, its masters from the
fourth to the sixth century. The EN-
peror Justinian brought it again under
Roman rule, fortified and improved it
1t was captured by Charlemagne's
Frankish adventures, overrun by Bull
gars, reconquered for Byzantium
wrested from the Greeks by the Hun
orso no will
rapid-changing fortunes of war. among
Greeks, Bulgars, Hungarians and Ger
mans.
In the fourteenth century the cit.
was In the hands of Servian king
first, and later was held by the Hun
garians Then came the Turks. The.
waged a number of unsuccessful cam
paigns against the city, but finally l
fell into their hands in 1921, a priz'
for the Sultan Suleiman. It RENAME,
practically in the power of these mas
tiers until 1867. bearing the brunt o
every attack upon the Ottoman from
the north and west. Internal dissen
sions kept things lively, even whel
| turkey Was at pSdCS Win ASi uSiSh
bors. The Turks called the city 9Th
home of wars for faith"
Between the sixteenth and the nine
teenth centuries the Servian capita
was conquered number of times, an
besieged often. 1t, however, Away
found its way back to Turkey, and al
though Servia practically became inde
pendent in the early part of the nine
teenth century, the Turkish garrison
at Belgrade was not withdrawn unit
1867
Became a Big, Gay City.
Belgrade is the governmental an
religious center, the center of art an
culture, the financial, commercial an
foreign trade center of the Servial
kingdom, and it is the kernel of tn
Serbs national consciousness Sine
the withdrawal of the Turkish CARR
son. 1t has blossomed out into a moo
ern city, with the streets, electri
lights. street cars, and park and othe
gay places of recreation. 1t has earne
It's designation of little Paris of tn
Balkans" for there is deal Of finer,
OF Paris-imitated tone, in Belgrade