The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-06-03
National Geographic Society il
a Bulletin Describes 1t
Interestingly.
f.,,e,Ar IoI,sxrrLroeAs

WASHINGTON, D. c., June b
Once more the people upon the oppo-
site shores of the Adriatic sea are IN
a duel with one another for the mas
terry of the Mediterranean-Just as
neighbors across this arm Of the
land-1ocked sea have always clasheo
for upon the Adriatic south Eu-
ropean supremacy has been contested
since the days when Rome fell he1r
to the sea power of Athens
and Carthage. Over this waterway
Rome met the pirates of 1strta ana
Dalmatia, aggressive Teutontc tribes
and pressing hordeS of S1ays; over II
the empire of the East sent its expe-
ditions to attack the empire OF the
West; and Austria generation ago
waged war with disintegrated
Italy over Adriattc paths and for the
suzerainty of the sea
After giving the above brief re-
view of this historic theater for the
transport of invading armies and the
actions of battleheets. youngest OF the
war theaters in the present Europe
an struggles, around whose shores
the interest of South European bat
ties Will center through the months
to come. the bulletin issued today by
the National Geographic Society con-
tinues in presentation of the geo
-
Wide and Deep
4eThe Adriatic sea is 500 miles
long and about $50 miles wide in It's
greatest width. It separates the
italian and Balkan peninsulas as ta<
as Brindisi and the lower coast OF Al
bania. and ends at the Strait OF
Otranto, by which it communicates
with the Ionian Sea. It's aVerags
wid.h is ITO miles, but the Islands on
the Dalmatian and 1strian coasts oe-
crease this average to about ninety
miles. The sea is very deep, varying
from 500 feet in the north to the
more than 1000 feet in It's southern
area. :.
..The- Austrian. or eastern coast IS
very broken. StreWn with nne ndr-
bors and lined with numerous rocky
Islands. which belong to 1str1a ano ,
Dalmatia This eastern coast is OF
great naval and commercial yalue.
wei formed for the upbutlding OF
rreat- thriyins trade ports. and, by
reason OF its almost continuously
mountainous shores, It's deep guns ;
and bays. and its screening fringe OF
rocky islands, advantageously oe-
Tended. The western or ltal1an
coast. on the other hand, is low.
sandy and almost unbroken- It lacks
good harbors and offers few natural
advantages for defenSe-
Once Very Important
The commercial lnportance OF
the Adriatic sea throughout the DARK
Ages and the Middle Ages was very
great. This importance was some
what impaired by the opening: OF me
aIl-sea route to India and by the oe-
termined growths Of the Dutch and
English merchant marines With the
opening of the Sue5 canal and tne
Commercial and Industrial, awakening
of Italy and Austrta-Hungary. the
Adriatic regained much of its old
time significance. The most import
ant commercial points are TriesT
Venice. Fiume. Ancona and SBr1ndlsi
Venice and Triestssat the head OF ~. .lne
Adriatic. are the two foremost cities
Owing to the systems OF screen
ingsmountains. the Adriat1c receives
but little draiuage There are oniy
two rivers ofsany ideraole size
that empty into It. the Adige and sne
fPo. The water of this sec. there1ore,
IA yeryS sal ys slssIyfgation Is generally
sac. although there are some dan
serious points nponS the eastern sessss