Norwich bulletin., 1915-07-19
THE WAR PRIMER
BY National Geographic seciety


"in RsvaI, the remaining Russian
T T station upeH the Baltic Sea- the
Tsaf possesses Q strong. convenient
war harbor. doubfy protected by fits
deeply tndBnted bay and by its posi-
tion upon the narF0Ws of the Gulf of
f1nIands says % study IN the geog-
raphy o. EurDpees great war recently
society at Washington. The state
H1ent eontinuee=
Fhs development of Reval as a
great naval base Is q matter OF recent
years. Reval has always been more
or less fortified, but its present form
1aDte Works date from the decision
Oh the Russian admiralty that Lfbau
was too near the German borders to
pc dependable as the first naval base
OF the Empire upon the Baltic Liball
was maintained as an important base:
ms defeHces were made as strong as
posAoses IT'S shipyzrds and military
hacr0r1eS were buiH up; but Reval, Sc
cure I'm It's fastness in Russian waters.
became headquarters OF Russian naval
strengfhs in the West.
RevaI 10 also the capital of the
government OF Esthonia. IL lies upon
E1e Bay OF Rexak q deep. roomy inlet
OF the Gulf OF Finland The seauort
l. about ESQ miles west-southwest of
FetrogrH6 with which city 1t is con-
mecre6 by q welI-buiIt, trunk-line raif-
way. By night express, Reveal is II
hours from Petrog1ad, and IS hours
ny water; thus Te-enforcements and
supplies could be quickly thrown into
this Important base In case of need.
riga lies nearly zoo miles due south OF
Aevat B0eh coasts along the Gulf of
Finland are Irregular, and the narrows
are Well adopted to defensive purposes.
Heidngfers. FInd1and's great sea
port n just opposite to RevaI with
WHICH ~ ~
T@de ReFaf has been important, both
as q commercial and as a fortified
harb0r. ever since Western civilization
penetrated to II and to its hfuterland.
md an annual aggregate trade be-
fore. the outbreak Of hostiiftias of wen
over $s@eeS, zee, thrz taking. the posi-
ton OF thtrd IN rank among the Baltic
PORTS OF Russia. SpirftS grains. ami
maF% flax. butker, wool hemp, timber
and game birds are its principal artf-
,eles OF ezp0fG Its imports are cotton.
COAL petroleum and manufactured
wares. Rexal manufactures some ma
Icmnery and considerable beer, and
add@ to the balance sheet of it's profits
by g regular inff0x 81 summer bathers.
Its popuiation before the war was
about 709o0 OF whom more than half
were Esthonfaua and nearly 80 per
cent Germans Since the loss OF I.ibau
to- the Germans thin population has,
probably, Increased by q number OF
workers for the deveiopnant of naval
yards 10 take fhe place Of those lost
To- the enemsy. During recent years.
Reval has become vfsI acquainted with
It's battle ships; for q squadron of
cruisers b9tffeahips and destroyers
has generally been hsld there. More
0xess tangut practices has been held I'm
tho 0fiHm every GUNNER, the great
guns pointing toward Finland.
The cEtN f. divided into two parts
DwmherMs or CmGhearmt EN-, and that
part 81 the town upon the beach. The
lower ard ths upper towns have their
own NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. The crag upon
which f1@ upper town f. built waa oc-
cupfed In the early Middle Ages BY an
Esthonian fort. IindanissaL YaIdemar
III. King OF the paueSs credited with
being the fouuder o. HsvaI built q
|chmch and q strong castle here In 1z1a.
Hansa merchants came, settfed here
and but1t . fiouEfsning trade Early IN
this Nth century 80 w4s fortified, and
since Them - has withsfood many
sleges and bombardme1ts both BY sea