The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-06-22
TROUBLED
AdriatiC Sea Has Been Naval
Battlefield
(Kasas City Starr

Once more the peoples upon the op-
posite shores of the Adriatic Sea are
in duel with one another for the mas
terry of the Mediterranean - just as
neighbors across this arm of the land
locked sea have always clashed--for
upon the Adriatic South European su-
premacy 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 Teu-
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 disinte-
grated Italy over Adriatic path and for
the suzerainty of the sea.
After giving the foregoing brief re-
view of this historic theater for the
transport of invading armies and the
actions of battle fleets, youngest of
the war theaters in the present Europ-
can struggle around whose shores the
interest Of South European battles will
center through the months to come,
the bulletin issued by the National
Geographic Society continues in pre-
sentation of the geographic details of
the Adriatic Sea.
The Adriatic Sea is 500 miles long
and about 130 miles wide in it's great
Balkan peninsuas as far as Brindisi and
est width. 1t separates the Italian and
the lower coast of Albania, and ends
at the Strait of Otranto, by which it
communicates with the Ionian Sea.
It's average width is 40 miles, but the
islands off the Dalmatian and Istrian
Coasts decrease this average to about
80 miles. The sea is very deep, vary
ing from 500 feet in the north to more
more than 1000 feet in its southern
area.
The Austrian, or eastern coast, is
broken, strewn with fine harbOrs and
lined with numerous rock islands
which belong to Istria and Dalmatia.
This eastern coast is or great naval
and commercial value, well formed for
the upbuilding of great, thriving trade
ports, and, by reason of it's almost
continuously mountainous shores, its
deep CULTS and bays and its screening
fringe of rocky islands, advantageous
ly defended The western, or Italian
cost, on the other hand, is low, sandy
and almost unbroken. It lacks good
harbors and offers few natural advan.
tages for defense.
The commercial Importance of the
Adriatic Sea throughout the Dark Ag.
es and the Middle Ages was great
This Importance was somewhat i'm
paired by the opening Of the all-sea
route to India, and by the determined
growths of the Dutch and English mer
chant marines. With the opening ol
the Suez Canal and the commercial
and industrial awakening of Italy ant
Austria-Hungary the Adriatic regainet
much of its old-time significance. The
most important commercial points are
Trieste, Venice, Flume, Ancona ant
Brindisi. Venice and Trieste, at tn,
head of the Adriatic, are the two fore
most cities.
Owing to the system of screenin,
mountains the Adriatic receives bu
little drainage. There are only tw,
rivers of any considerable size an,
that empty into 1t, the Adige and th
Po The water of this sea therefor
Is very salty. Navigation Is general
ly safe, although there are some dar
gerous points upon the eastern coats
and sudden northeerly squalls ofte
lash the waters with terrific fore
against the rock-bound coast.
The principal CULTS of the Adriati
are those of Manfredonia, on the west
Venice and Trieste, on the north, an
Quarnero, on the northeast. There ar
numerous and admirable bay harbor:
extending from Flume and culmina
ing in the wonderful land-locked hal
bor the Bocche di Cattaro. The Strat
of Otranto, where Italy approache
nearest to the Balkan mainland, is A
miles wide Here Is the magnificer
Albanian harbor, Avlona, over whic
Italy aspires to win control
-----.t.------------