Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-07-19
UNDER MANY FLAGS
ISLAND or cEPHALoNIA PLAY.
THING or THE PoWERs.
Small Ares Of Land In ioglin Sea Has
Been for Centuries Shuttlecoek
In the Game OF international
Diplomacy.

[ "
for strategic purposes, marks another
cycle in the strange history Of this
island In the Ionian sea, which has
played the role Of shuttlecock In inter-
national diplomacy for more than y
900 years. Its unique story is told In
the following bulletin issued BY the
National Geographic society:
With an area about three times %
great % that OF Martha's Vineyard
on the Massachusetts coast, Cepha-
lonia 10 the largest OF the seven Ionian
islands. Tho origin Of its settlement
IL shrouded In the fascinating uncer-
tainty OF Homeric legend, but from
the year Of its surrender to the Ro-
mans, $50 b. O.. It's history has been
marked BY ! succession Of changes
in ownership which would bewilder
the most astute student OF world poll
tics. 1
After the Roman Emperor Hadrian
made . gift Of the island TO Athens,
Cephalonia, and the six other islands
OF the IoniAn group. became free
and, autonomous" but during the AZ
cendancy Of the Byzantine empire
they were subject TO it, power.
The next change come In the elev-
,enth century. When William the Con-
queror was engaged IN establishing
himself firmly ii the British Isles, an
other Norman. Robert Guiscard ("the
resourceful'') J. after conQuering south
ern Italy, sailed 10 the Ionian sea and
captured several Of the islands.
preparatory to overthrowing the Greek
empire. This remarkable adyentnrer
died on the island Of Cephal0nia while
engaged In quelling q revolt. ct : time
when he seemed TO have laid the foun-
dations for q Norman empire similar
to that which William established Ia
England.
& FOLLOWING Robert Guiscard's| inva-
sion, Cephalonia passed ID tyfn I'M
der the suzerainty Of the princess Of
Tarentum, the fiye counts OF Tocco,
the republic of Venice, the ravaging
corsairs Of Greece and Naples, the
Turks, the Spanish Venetian allies,
Venice again. France, the Russo Turk
yish allies. the French and the British.
Great Britain finally relinquished it's
protectorate and ceded the islands to
Greece after the latter had allowed
the court Of st. James to name 9
brother OF the princess OF Wales as
king Of the Hellenes In 1862.
The chief city Of Cephalonia y Ar
gostoli, which has an excellent har-
Dor and which is especially noted for
its curious sea mills. operated by q
current OF sea water flowing through
. chasm IN the rocky shore. Across
The bay from Argostoli Il the rival
port of Luxouri. M
Cyclopean ana Hellenic rails m
still standing % NE sites % the an
Gent cities 81 Cranii. Pront and somos,
while : few miles beyond Argostoli
there rises = relic Of Venetian days
tie strongly fortified castle Of st,
George. NJ
The CephalOntanS, who are mental
" alert and who are more purely
Greek than the Inhabitants Of any soi
the other islands Of the Ionian group
have shown great ingenuity and indus
try In building terraces for the cultiva
ton Of the vine and olive. One q
the chief products Of the island Is 9
peculiarly favored currant which
found q ready market IN Holland, Bal
GUM and Germany. In addition u
their agricultural pursuits, the Ceph
alonians are interested In ship build
Ing, silk spinning, basket making and
the manufacture OF carpets. An odd
lace, made Of aloe iiber. 10 exported
Elato. also known 40 Monte Negro
(black mountain), which is more thar
5000 feet high. gets its name from
the dark pine forests which clothe its
slopes. sss / i
y