Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-04-19
THE WAR PRIMER
By National Geographic Society

Sofia has recently exchanged places
with Belgrade as the Balkan source of
international suspense. The Bu1gar
capital has become the fulcrum of the
Balkans, about which peace and war
are balanced with aweful nicely, and
every prediction from southeastern
Europe during the last few weeks has
been based upon guesses as to what
the statesmen at Sofia were planning.
According to reports, the main ele-
ments in the present Bulgarian atti-
tude are the hatred of this people for
Greeks and Serbians, which hatred has
its roots in the far past, and their
anger at what they call the Greek
of their country. There is, also, a
fear Of Russia, the result Of years of
struggle to thwart Muscovite intri
CUES and to escape gradual absorption.
Describing the capital of the Bulgar
ians the National Geographic Society
says:
SOFIA is an adequate expression of
the Bulgars. 1t is a solid, business
like, modern, thrifty capital, with lit
tie of the picturesque and artistic in
its composition, and nothing of ro-
nance or sentiment. 1t is matter
of-fact Western city, paved with
smooth squared block of asphalt, and
it's streets are lined with stone, and
brick and stucco buildings, of solid,
simple architecture. AS in most Amer
lean cities, these buildings were con-
structed for the display of wares to
greatest possible Office floor space or
the largest number of living apart
ments, rather than for beauty or orig
inal effect. For the complexities of
luxury, the Bulgarians have no time,
nor have they learned to feel need
Of them.
Their capital is a comparatively
new city. Travellers who visited there
before 1880 described it as a miser
ably poor place, a concourse of red
tiled huts and of novels of wood and
plaster, of narrow, crooked streets
and of general filth and depression.
This was the product of Turkish mis-
administration, which has nearly dis
appeared, the modern Sofia rising out
of the Ottoman ruins. Sofia has
los, 900 population. 1t is a command
ing point upon the shortest trade route
between Europe and Asia. Europe's
railway freight for the Near East and
the goods of Asia Minor, Persia and
Mesopotamia for the West pass
through its valley. The city early be-
came important as a trade center, and
probably, would have developed into
one of the great cities of Europe, had
not periodical destruction, almost con-
tinual dangers of war, and centuries
of misrule held it back.
"The city lies in, the midst of a
broad plain, between the Vitosha
Mountains and the main Balkan chain
At the end of almost every vista in
the city one sees these distant hill
masses, and this fringing of noun
tains is the only thing that keeps
modern Sofia from seeming entirely
commonplace. Belgrade lies 206 miles
| northwest of Sofia, while CONSTANT
| nople lies 900 miles southeast. The
valley at Sofia is an upland plateau
| 100 feet above sea level, and neal
| the heart of the peninsula, which de.
| terrnines the climate as sharply con,
| tinental one. In August, the mercury
goes up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit
and, in winter, it falls to four and f1v,
| degrees below zero. The changes il
| the weather are often very sudden
though the climate is healthy one.
| f-The rebuilding of Sofia began
around 1880. 1t now has many credit
able public buildings, electric lighting
| an electric street railway, and goot
| sewerage and water systems. 1t pos
| sesses the largest theatre in south
eastern Europe. The Bulgarian Ma
| tional Theatre, with a competent corp
Of actors and singers, and a season
| al offering Of the best in opera an
drama, is a revelation of the stride
| that have been made in the Balkan
| since the Turks were driven back
brief generation ago. The theatre
a handsome modern structure, plan
ned with greater luxury of detail thai