The Tomahawk., 1916-12-28

~ ECAUSE COnstanZa, ROuman-
- las chief seaport, was the log
ical place for the landing OF
Russian troops and supplies
bound for the Hungarian and Bulgar-
Ian frontiers, it has been smitten by
the iron fist of war, and since it's swift
capture by the Teutons has endured
the hard fate of being repeatedly bonn
barded by it's friends.
Before the war this thriving little
city of $4,000 inhabitants handled
practically all the surplus wheat raised
by the Roumanian peasants which did
not find it's way up the Danube to the
great flour mills Of Budapest, says
bulletin of the National Geographic
society.
Until hostilities began in 1914, Con-
stanza was also the transfer point Tor
the extensive passenger service from
London, Paris, Brussels, Berlin, Wen
ma and Budapest to Constantinople
and the near East. Here express
steamers connected with the de luxe
trains from the west, making the run
to the Sublime Porte overnight.
Millions of dollars have been spent
on the harbor and docks OF Constanza
since the town became a Roumanlan
possession by the treaty of Berlin,
which transferred the Dobrudja prov
ince to this country. The principal
improvements were begun in 1896.
On Site Of Ancient City.
Constanza, or Kustendje, with its
wide, clean streets, it's numerous
mosques, synagogues and church, oc-
cupies the site of the ancient Toni,
'Tomis or Tones the metropolis Of the
EuAlne. The remains of many col
umns and fragments of statuary testify
to the Importance and the wealth OF
the city in those days. In the fourth
century Constantine the Great changed
the name of the port to COnstantiana,
in honor of his sister. During the
reign of Theodosius it experienced an
era of great prosperity as the metropo-
lis of Pontus, but after it passed under
the control of the Bulgars and later
of the Turks it's decline was rapid.
In the Russo-Turkish war of 1872 1t
was bombarded by the Russians, and
II years later surrendered to the same
power without blow in its defense.
Probably the most noteworthy event
in the history of ancient Toni was its
designation by the Emperor Augustus
as the place of exile of the great Latin
poet, Publius Ovidius Naso, Familiarity
known as Ovid. The poets offense
was the publication Of cars Amatoria,"
which enjoys the questionable distinc-
ton, according to no less an authority
than the Oxford scholar, George Sid
ney Owen, of being perhaps the most
Immoral work ever written by man
of genius. Augustus had become Pc
culiarly sensitive about such literature
because he had been forced to banlsh
and disinherit his own daughter, the
brilliant and beautiful Julia, on &C.
count of her scandalous intrigue with
the son of Mark Antony. This dis
grace was followed by second scan
dial in the imperial family-the notorl-
GUS behavior of the younger Julia, the
emperor's granddaughter. AS Socra-
ties was charged with having corrupted
the youth of Athens, so OVID was
deemed by Augustus as at least IN part
RESPONSIBLE for the corruption of youth
full society in Rome. Therefore he was
ordered to leave the capital and take
up his residence at Toni, where ne
remained for the last eight years OF
his life, bitterly complaining OF MS
fate in q series of letters, compiled as
the five books of the 'Tristia."
Turnu SEVERN Busy Town.
Turnu SEVERN was the first town In
tRoumania to receive q baptism OF
iron after hostilities were declared
between that country and Austrla-Hun-
garia, It is all 11-mile voyage down
the Danube from the international
boundary line at Verciorova to point
,onnosite Turnu SEVERN. This busy
iRoumanian town Of 5000 inhabitants,
pleasantly situated on high ground ana
partly hidden from the river by trees'
has important shipyards and repair
shons for the Danube Steamship NaVl-
ration company, and is center lot
trade in petroleum, cereals and pre-
served meats. It is supposed TO derive
its name FROM the ruins OF an oiu
tower in the vicinity which is said TO
have been built in commemorat1on OF
one of the victories of the roman eIn-
peror, Severus.
II WAS at Turnu SEVERN that h1ng
Charles I, who died only few weeks
afte;- the outbreak Of the european
gar in 1914. first landed on Roumanlan