Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-09-04

The Duna cuts across the paths leading
to the north and Ptrograd and into
the north-centraI interior. where are
the rich Industrial cities, Moscow. Ever
Ref. While the Courland Is rich, the
real resources OF Russia begin to the
west OF this third Russian line.
The Duna has its source In a small
lake-cIuster. abour 500 feet above sea
level in the government of Tver. II
rises in the same highland where two
Of the mightiest rivers OF Russia begin
their courses-the Dnieper, which flows
to the south and empties at Kherson
into the Black Sea, and the. Volga-
| which flows southeast and empties into
| the Caspian The courses OF the Volga,
| the river around whose course a Rus
| sian folk evolved and q Russian power
grew. lie in the NoIdai Hills. a few
miles north OF the lakes that give rise
| to the River Dune The sources OF the
Dnieper approach near to the Duna
| on the south.
+ The river sweeps In a fiat arc,
southwest-northw to its mouth on
/ the Gulf OF Riga II takes up the
drainage of an area Of $3.50 square
miles. and is a commercial way Of
i first Importance in western Russia
| Riga. situated 10 miles from it's mouth,
| Is one OF Russia,s greatest cities and
| significant part OF the products that
| down the Duna- The large ocean, oin g
! steamers can ascend only to Riga, but
| river boats ply as far as Vitebs<-
Larger river boats navigate between
| DuenaburE and Riga, a distance OF 135
| miles.
The river is $50 miles long. Its up
per course lies through broken coun-
try. giving rise to many irregularities
| In IFS bed. In its lower course. IL has
an average depth Of about 30 feet
and an average breadth Of 1909 feet
| During the time OF the spring floods.
| thPGa in
creased. The Dunas then. often piles
up Is feet above its usual level and
spreads out for a width OF more than
mile. The river is free from ice
on an average of 24e days in the year.
TT Is estimated that more than g.
900. e0o tons OF freight are transported
over the Duna each year. Among ite
tributaries. the Mezha. Usvyat, KaspIya
Ulla, Disna and Bolder-aa are also
navtgable. The Beresina canal con-
meets the Duna with the Dnieper. thus
giving a freight route by water from
the Baltic Sea, across Europe TO the
Black Sea As is the general case
with Russian rivers. the Duna. abounds
in flsh. a very delicate species of sal
mon being caught in its waters"
Minsk, following Riga and Duena-
burg Is the third most important city
toward which German forces are mov-
Ing. and one Of the very few cite.
of any consequence in west Russia
The following description OF Minsk Il
contained in today's National Geo
graphic Society war primer:
Warsaw, Minsk SmolenslS. are tht
! important points along the great east
ern railway whose line beyond Bres
Litovsk the Teutonic armies are en-
deavoring to dominate. There Is Httl'
; value In the 220-mile stretch Of coun'
! try between Brest Litovsk and Minsk
in the northeast, but beyond the lat
ter city the industrial and agriculture
development Of the country becomes
l rapidly more significant
Large manufactures OF leather, ag
! ricuItural machinery and tobacco ar
! produced in Minsk. and these indus
tries are Of quite recent growth Tn
. commerce Of the city Is of considera bl
Importance. and Is mostly in grains
potatoes. leather and in products fron
the vast surrounding forests. Withou
/. the wonderful waterway advantage
enjoyed by most Russian cities Minis
: owes its increase in prosperity an
: significance entirely to the railroads
: Before its connection east and Yves
and north and south by rail lines. tn
. town was of no standing and was YER
7 poor.
! "Minsk lies about 10 miles southeas
4 of Duenaburg, and about 100 mile
a east-southeast of Wilma 1t is $50 mile
southwest of Moscow by rail The cit
is situated on the Svislotch, a tribu
tary of the Berezina- and upon tn
q junction Of the Warsaw Moscow an
= the Libau-Kharkov railways tn
region around is billy and well-woodeC
The town Is old. haphaZardly built, an
= houses a population Of $4,000. Abou
one-third OF the inhabitants are Jew
III and most Of them are very poor
III While IL may be perfectly proper 70
a woman TO spend two hours in maxim